Secular Homeschooling Resources

Find Secular Homeschool Curriculum and Support Groups

Feb 24, 2009 Lisa Russell

Secular homeschool support groups are available in every state and in the U.K. Find secular homeschool resources including secular homeschooling curriculum.

Non religious families who choose to educate at home can have a hard time finding secular homeschooling resources. Many of the websites and catalogs for homeschool books are designed by and for Christian homeschoolers. Finding non religious homeschool curriculum and secular homeschool support groups takes resourcefulness and persistence.

Secular Homeschool Directories

Larger homeschooling resource websites often feature a state-by-state directory of homeschool support groups. A secular support group can be a place to "talk shop" with other parents who value a secular education or are other wise committed to providing secular resources for their children and sharing secular curriculum finds with other families. The Atheist Homeschool website has a message board where users discuss curriculum and other secular homeschooling topics.

Secular Homeschooling in Magazines

In 2008 the Secular Homeschooling Magazine was launched, and each thick issue is packed with insightful articles and resources for nonreligious homeschooling families. Heavy topics are discussed, like the Santa Claus issue, teens and sex, death and dying and others. Families who are interested in secular homeschooling often feel glad to have found a forum for discussing these real-life issues without bringing religious dogma into the conversation.

Secular Homeschool Curriculum

Instead of wading through several religious catalogs in order to find secular curriculum suppliers, try consulting with other homeschooling families who are also nonreligious. Companies who are approved for public school distribution will have nonreligious offerings, because in the US, schools aren't allowed to teach religion. public resources, like The History Channel are also helpful.

Rainbow Resource Center publishes a catalog as thick as a big city phone book every year, and religious material is always mentioned in the descriptive text, so even though they're not entirely secular, it's easy to know before you buy. The product reviewers in the catalog are all documented, so that you can speak to the person who wrote the entry if you have more specific questions.

Secular Curriculum for Homeschooling

Learning the names of the religious publishers, like Abeka, Bob Jones and others will help you to know which products to avoid. Similarly, suppliers like A.I.M.S. (Activities Integrating Math and Science) who are dedicated to producing secular materials, are ones to watch for. The Critical Thinking Company, whose books are distributed by Bright Minds, is another secular curriculum publisher.

Companies who specialize in the school market, like Holt-Rinehart and WInston, Prentice Hall or McGraw-Hill might be tempting resources, but if you're homeschooling for a superior education, then public school text books might not be the curriculum choice you're looking for.

Finding secular homeschooling resources is easier when you know where to look. Publications designed for secular homeschool families, and websites specifically for nonreligious homeschoolers are a good resource. Some homeschool curriculum catalogs have secular resources in addition to the religious materials, and a savvy shopper can learn how to distinguish them by their publisher's name or by finding catalogs with lengthy descirptions that disclose the presence of religious content.

Focus on your homeschooling goals before deciding to use public school materials, because even though they might be secular in nature, they're designed for larger group instruction and might not help you reach your homeschooling goals.

The copyright of the article Secular Homeschooling Resources in Homeschooling is owned by Lisa Russell. Permission to republish Secular Homeschooling Resources in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Secular Homeschooling Curriculum