Why Try Paradigm Curriculum In Your Homeschool?
We used Paradigm curriculum with our homeschool high schooled children for nearly ten years with great success. There are many reasons to use courses from Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum (PAC).
I quickly searched the web to see what others are saying. My conclusion is that Paradigm curriculum is very under-appreciated for what it has to offer to students of all types, particularly in the homeschool market.
Paradigm Curriculum Has Much More To Offer Than Meets the Eye
First, let’s check the basic features of each course. Then we’ll take a look beyond the obvious to show you why Paradigm is outstanding.
- It’s easy for homeschool students and teachers to use.
- Text and Activity Booklets are smaller and less intimidating than a large textbook.
- Standardized formatting helps avoid “new textbook shock.” Familiarity with the “set-up” of the program and what’s expected helps your student adjust to a new subject after completion of the first course you try.
- Every lesson has a motivation and a principle to learn. PAC was initially designed for use in public schools to motivate and accelerate students to achieve their academic potential.
- Your student will learn how to answer various types of questions. The questions are based on the material and are usually asked in the same order as the text. (For example, the answer to the first question will be found in the first part of the text, and the answer to the next question after that.) The exception would be for matching, map work, and similar types of questions.
- If your student looks for the answer, it will be found in the text reading. There won’t be any nebulous or missing answers in a lesson.
- It’s an affordable program for homeschool families. If you take care of the student text booklets and the Teacher’s Resource Kit, you will need to purchase one set of the subject’s student activity booklets for each subsequent student.
- Read more about reasons to learn with PAC courses.
Let’s Dig a Little Deeper to See Why Paradigm Curriculum is Outstanding
I mentioned earlier that we’ve used these courses every year for the past ten years. I feel qualified to report that it’s an outstanding homeschool curriculum for all of the following reasons.
It Helps Your Student to Accelerate
Our fifth daughter, the first to use any of the courses, was behind academically when she started using PAC courses. Always spunky, she demanded grade level courses when she entered ninth grade even though she was behind in just about every subject. We took a chance and handed her the Paradigm English and American History courses. I admit that I was pleasantly surprised when she turned in the first lessons with no spelling errors and accurate answers.
As it was designed to do, PAC helped her accelerate to her grade level. She completed three or four years of the English, two years of American History, two years of Integrated Chemistry and Physics. Not as many courses were available at that time, or she’d have finished more.
Like some of the reviewers I’ve read around the internet, I figured the science would be “sufficient” because she planned to major in the arts–as if I were giving her a lesser science course. But the other reviewers and I were wrong in our thinking about Paradigm science.
I never expected her to change her major from Music Therapy to Cellular Molecular Biology (or something like that) in her second year of college, but she did. I reminded her that her science background might need some significant help, but this is where Paradigm kicked in for us. Yes, she worked harder in her college chemistry and college physics classes than some of the other students, but she also passed them, led small science study groups, and went on to graduate with a BS degree. Now she’s a paralegal working on cases involving science and medicine. Go figure!
Our Teenage Sons Choose Paradigm
We gave our three sons choices for each of their homeschool high school subjects. Whenever PAC had a course they needed, they chose it. They can work independently and know what is expected. It gives us more time to help them in other subjects that needed more teacher time. It’s easy to grade their work and to keep track of their progress–just what busy homeschool parents (and grandparents) need.
The Writing Style and Can-Do Attitude Show
Recently I found another reason PAC is excellent. I come from a family of authors who write technical, medical, and fictitious articles and books. I believe that to learn to be a great writer; it is necessary to read great books with excellent writing.
Our son, who is a senior, wrote some excellent essays this year. I’m thrilled that he writes in an uplifting style similar to the motivational writing style I’ve seen in the PAC curriculum.
We also see his can-do attitude as he faces various adverse situations in his life. We see it in him and in our other children who’ve used PAC courses. He has learned to set goals for completing his coursework and meeting them. It will help him when he starts college this fall. Update: He’s doing great in college! I’m not sure if the Paradigm IPC helped him in his metallurgy class, but I have a feeling it did. He was one of the top students!
It’s a win-win situation when you choose Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum for homeschool, private school, or public school.
Blessings,
Harriet