Homeschooling is not a fad. It’s been around for centuries and has proven to be the most effective method of educating children regarding academics and character development.
And with more families choosing to homeschool over traditional school systems, you may wonder what you need to know before deciding whether or not homeschooling is right for your family. Here are some tips that will help guide you through this decision process.
Why Choose Home Education
There are many reasons why people choose home education for their children. The main reason is that they want to take control back from an increasingly intrusive government and corporate entities who have already decided how we should live our lives.
Another popular reason is parents wish to save money on tuition by avoiding high enrollment fees at public institutions. However, other less common but still valid reasons exist, such as religious beliefs prohibiting certain outside influences during school hours.
Preparing Your Child For School
Before enrolling your child into any formalized educational program, you must prepare them adequately to become educated citizens when they grow up. Ensure you teach them math, science, language arts, history, and any other subject they are interested in. Children learn best while having fun, and if all you provide them with is boring lectures, chances are they won’t pay attention for very long.
Take time daily to introduce new concepts and topics to your kids so they can grasp these ideas later without much trouble. Also, don’t forget about health and nutrition since those things are just as crucial in helping your child developmentally.
Not only will proper diet improve brain function, but health issues like obesity also contribute significantly to poor grades. Finally, always emphasize the importance of developing strong moral values.
What Kind Of Curriculum Should I Use?
Some people think using curriculum sets is enough. However, raising a successful student takes far more than simply following directions. A lot depends upon the age and maturity level of your child. Younger ones typically respond better to books, while older students might require something more interactive, such as videos, audio, or games.
As long as your choice of curriculum meets basic standards, go with whatever works best for your situation. Either way, you shouldn’t use anything too advanced unless your child proves they possess sufficient learning skills beforehand.
Teaching Techniques & Strategies
When teaching your child at home, you should never try to replace teachers altogether. Experienced educators use various techniques and strategies to ensure positive results. These include lecture methods, reading aloud, writing assignments, and group discussions.
Enrollment Processes
As mentioned earlier, one of the biggest obstacles facing homeschoolers today is finding quality resources that meet specific needs. Fortunately, there are several websites available that offer tools designed specifically for homeschooled students.
One resource is HSLDA, short for the HomeSchool Legal Defense Association. They maintain detailed information regarding laws on homeschooling in each state, including rules surrounding parental rights, attendance requirements, teacher qualifications, textbook purchases, standardized testing, safety procedures, discipline guidelines, and parent-teacher roles.
They’ll have answers if you ever encounter problems educating your kid at home.
Another option would be joining an organization similar to PTA. Such groups often hold open houses wherein prospective members can tour local schools and see what environment they’d be working in. Many times they host workshops discussing topics related to homeschooling.
Also, remember that homeschools tend to accept all kinds of students regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, special needs, or socioeconomic background. Parents aren’t forced to send their kids to separate classes based solely upon these factors. Instead, everyone is equally allowed to participate and share experiences with peers.
Other Things You Might Want To Know About Homeschooling
1. Schools usually give students extra credit points for completing homework according to established schedules. With homeschooling, parents are free to set their study hours and routines, which means getting work done doesn’t necessarily mean earning a grade point average above C+.
On top of that, homeschooled kids are given ample opportunities to explore various interests and hobbies rather than forcing them to sit quietly in class listening to lectures.
2. Most states recognize homeschooling as a legal alternative to private school and honor homeschool diplomas.
3. Unlike traditional schools, homeschool curriculums rarely come equipped with mandatory textbooks required for grading purposes. Therefore, students can buy their materials for reference whenever necessary. Some parents purchase multiple copies of books for distribution among siblings, while others prefer buying electronic versions.
4. Since homeschool programs are entirely self-contained, parents are responsible for arranging field trips, exams, and tests. That said, some organizations specialize in providing support for traveling homeschool families. One such group is SCORE, Service Corps of Reliable Educators.
These volunteers assist homeschool students during exam weeks and other stressful situations. They aim to build lasting relationships between families and communities, ensuring continued success for years.
5. According to recent studies, approximately 30% of American households currently utilize homeschooling options- fully or partially, compared to 5% twenty years ago. Remember that statistics alone cannot accurately reflect real-life conditions for everyone.
While some people enjoy outstanding academic achievements thanks to home education, others encounter complications due to inadequate preparation.
6. Although homeschooled students are offered numerous opportunities for extracurricular activities, most prefer spending their days exploring nature, playing video games, drawing pictures, and participating in other solo activities.
Don’t worry, though; there’s nothing wrong with wanting to spend your spare time outdoors or alone. Ask your child what they want and let them pursue their passions without feeling guilty. After all, isn’t that what childhood is all about anyway?
7. Because homeschooled kids are involved in daily chores and responsibilities, parents sometimes feel pressured to step in and perform tasks themselves.
Remember that homeschooling is meant to allow parents greater freedom than what’s generally expected of them. Be grateful for such opportunities and nurture independence in your offspring.
8. Lastly, don’t expect your child to become a perfect citizen overnight. Like everything else in life, homeschooling requires patience and diligence. So relax and trust your instincts. When you believe your child is ready to progress, move forward accordingly.
Conclusion – What Does All This Mean For Me?
In conclusion, homeschooling provides a unique experience for your child, unlike anything in traditional classrooms. Aside from benefiting academically, homeschooled children acquire valuable lessons concerning honesty, integrity, loyalty, respect, compassion, generosity, humility, perseverance, faith, love, appreciation, and teamwork.
Furthermore, they gain priceless interpersonal relations with classmates they can relate to on a deeper level. Ultimately, homeschooling helps instill core values that build solid foundations throughout adulthood.
Homeschooling offers countless advantages for your child.
First, homeschoolers avoid the stress associated with modern society’s expectations of graduating from college with tens of thousands of dollars worth of debt.
Secondly, they also receive personalized instruction tailored to individual strengths and weaknesses. Thirdly, parents reap peace of mind knowing they’re directly involved in their child’s education.
