If you’ve spent any time looking for homeschool resources, you’ve probably noticed the word “secular” and “non-secular” popping up more and more. For some families, this term feels confusing or even misunderstood. So what does secular homeschooling actually mean and what doesn’t it mean?
What Secular Homeschooling Does Mean
At its core, secular homeschooling simply means that your homeschool materials and curriculum are not based on religious instruction. Subjects like science, history, and language arts are taught using evidence-based, academic information without religious doctrine mixed in.
It also means that resources avoid teaching a specific religious worldview as fact. For example, a secular science curriculum will teach evolution, climate science, and modern biology without altering or removing content to match a belief system.
Families choose secular homeschooling for many reasons: they may want an unbiased curriculum, a science-forward education, or resources that match public-school standards while still enjoying the freedom of homeschooling.
What Secular Homeschooling Does Not Mean
Secular homeschooling does not mean anti-religious. It doesn’t require removing your family’s beliefs from your home or daily life. Plenty of families who practice a faith still prefer secular educational materials, especially for subjects that benefit from scientific accuracy or historical neutrality.
It also doesn’t mean a lack of values or morals. Many secular homeschoolers raise their kids with strong principles like kindness, honesty, responsibility, and critical thinking. These simply aren’t tied to a particular religious curriculum.
Finally, secular homeschooling doesn’t limit your creativity. You can still explore world religions, mythology, cultural celebrations, and big questions from an educational, not doctrinal, perspective.
Why Secular Resources Matter
Using secular materials gives you a flexible foundation. You can add your own family’s beliefs, traditions, and values in ways that fit your lifestyle without having to “filter out” textbook content. It also creates an inclusive environment for families who want a more neutral learning path.
Secular homeschooling is about academic freedom, accurate education, and flexibility. It allows families of any background, religious, non-religious, spiritual, or unsure, to create a learning environment that truly fits their child. It’s not about removing belief but about keeping curriculum neutral so you decide what else to include. Secular Explorers is here to help those who want to use secular materials find homeschooling resources and affordable learning materials.