That is far from the truth. In fact, it is much more difficult to teach a child yourself than to have them enrol in a traditional school setting. Here are several tips that will make the process a lot simpler for you. Every state has specific laws regarding homeschooling. It is up to you to understand what your state requires of you as a parent, and your child as a student when it comes to homeschooling. Look at your state’s educational website, as well as your county school board’s site to fully understand the expectations.
Read These Tips:
- Have you taken time to think about how homeschooling will affect your own budget? It’s going to be a real hurdle if you must quit your job. You’ll have to consider different things such as grocery deliveries if you plan on homeschooling.
- Learning isn’t restricted to your children – you also have to learn as much as you can about the topics you teach, how to teach more effectively and how to run an efficient homeschool. You can find a plethora of information online on blogs, websites and through videos and podcasts. Locate experts in the field and follow what they share. Pick up books and keep them as references. The more you know, the more your kids will learn.
- If you want your children’s homeschooling experience to be as well-rounded as possible, then consider putting physical education on the schedule. Not only will this teach your children healthy habits, studies have repeatedly shown that physical activity helps to stimulate the mind. Even better, combine physical fitness with social time by enrolling your children in a dance class or by signing them up for a summer sports team.
- Get connected with other homeschool families. People want to homeschool for many reasons today. It is very likely that you will find other parents who chose homeschooling for many of the same reasons that you did. A community of homeschoolers is a great resource for homeschooling support.
How to manage Homeschooling:
- Do thorough research on the type of curriculum that you are thinking of getting. The quality and approach can differ widely. The content should engage your child to keep his interest high. The curriculum must be well-laid out so that it is easy for you to use. A poorly designed curriculum will cause frustration for you as well as your child.
- Before you begin homeschooling, be cautious of the discipline being used in your home. Each home has a special kind of “discipline”� or training that should also be put to use when homeschooling. Know whether the relationship that you have with your children will make this easier or harder, so that you can make any necessary adjustments.
- Visit zoos and other attractions to expand what you are teaching your kids. Discuss the animals and their habitats. This could supplement a geography lesson. Additionally, you may think about endangered animals and what has happened to diminish their numbers. There are many applications to this, including observing the tourists!
- As your children get older they can help decide whether or not they should continue to be home-schooled. If they think that they would really enjoy being in a regular school, then let them try it for a semester or a year. Make sure they understand they are committing for at least a semester so you can avoid giving in to rash decisions.
- If you are homeschooling a child on your own, then it is important to acknowledge the stress this will put on you too. Consider enrolling your child in some computer courses. While they do the work for these courses on the computer, you can take a break and refresh your mind just like traditional teachers do.
Final Verdict:
Don’t attempt to copy the traditional classroom setting and schedule. Just because a typical school classroom has their students sitting at desks and setting specific times for each subjects does not mean you need to. In fact, it is better if you have your child standing and actively involved rather than he or she sitting in a desk. Traditional classrooms have to do this because they have lots of kids. It would simply be chaotic for teachers to have all their students standing while teaching. Use the strategy that works best for you and your child. Now that you are armed with some great tips about homeschooling, you are now on your way to being a great teacher. Do not worry if some of your subjects are a little rusty. The best part about homeschooling is teaching something to your children while you learn new things in the process.