Now that you have decided that homeschooling is the way to educate your child, get ready for the excitement and the anxiety – the road ahead is a bit bumpy, but the rewards more than make up for it. Producing a well-adjusted and well-rounded personality is no mean achievement.
First of all, it is important to check out your state laws on home schooling. Some states need an affidavit filed with the State’s education department. There are basically 3 categories for homeschooling laws. These are: private school laws, home education laws and equivalency laws. Find your state laws. You may also need to maintain a portfolio that records the child’s educational progress. It is important to look into the legal requirements BEFORE you start homeschooling. Some States also stipulate a minimum educational qualification for the parent or teacher.
Next, look for a support group. If you live in a friendly or curious neighborhood, well-meaning friends will try to dissuade you. At the very least, they may put a lot of uneasy questions in your mind. A support group that consists of like-minded people will insulate you from the criticism, pressures and questions of regular school-goers. Many groups organize fun events like visits to the zoo, museum, tours to the ice cream shops etc. And if your children hit it off with other homeschoolers, they will be able to build lasting relationships that do not fade when their friends change schools. These groups provide an important avenue for socialization.
The next important thing to do is to select a curriculum. Depending upon the method of homeschooling, you may choose various tools that aid you in this process. The internet is also a rich resource for homeschooling. Do some research and look into the material that is available.
Set certain ground rules. Homeschooling requires a lot of self-discipline and hard work. Here is a comprehensive list of the things you will need:
1) Eagerness to learn
2) Hard work and effort
3) Discipline
4) Time and patience
5) Flexibility
6) Enthusiasm
Consider why you want to opt for homeschooling. Your motives and your reasons are important pillars on which the whole edifice of your child’s lessons depends. Also, consult with your children. Ask them what they feel about homeschooling.
Select a curriculum or custom-make a curriculum that best suits your child. Record keeping is an important part of homeschooling. Look into the various methods of record keeping. Set up a schedule. Your child does not have to learn 6-7 hours a day. Allow him or her to dictate the time. Flexibility and fun are the cornerstones of homeschooling. Do not stuff too many skills into a single term or year. Prepare a skill list. Make the child learn the skills that he is ready for.
Gentle parenting is the secret to successful homeschooling. Children make great advances in learning and show more enthusiasm. They also turn out to be surprisingly well balanced and well informed when they are taught at home.
Successful Ways To Homeschool Your Children
Starting a homeschool will involve a lot of research, investigation, studying and making inquiries before a homeschool begins. Parents who are looking into homeschooling to educate their children should find state and local homeschooling groups, as they will provide the best kind of information on homeschooling in your area.
On the internet, parents can also discover homeschool websites wherein it allows you to ask and discuss your options about homeschooling, as they will provide you with a variety of information as well as help you get started. The more that you investigate and communicate with others regarding your plan to homeschool, the more that you will learn and discover what you desire and need to do in your curriculum for your homeschool as well as avoid the common problems that should come your way in the process.
Homeschooling is a term that is very extensive. There are several methods that can fit and be measureed under it. There are numerous different techniques that can be used.
Parents can opt to buy packaged curriculums that exactly focus on homeschoolers. Some decide to register their kids in “correspondence programs”, others acquire and make use of software and others combine everything.
As parents obtain more confidence as to their homeschooling capacities, they can decide on a less systematized approach.
When new or inexperienced to homeschooling, discovering the ideal and exact learning method for your kid will be a real challenge. Generally, the majority of private as well as public schools make use of a formal and conventional curriculum for each student, and as a parent, you might misguidedly be certain that you have to follow and keep on with that same course in your home.
Usually, parents start with homeschooling utilizing a complete set of curriculum package. However, several find the workload or structure too overwhelming; so they start to experiment and try out different methods of teaching.
The technique here is to determine a certain method that can accommodate the learning style of your child. As you come to be more proficient and knowledgeable and achieve certainty, you’ll find out useful, efficient and effective teaching and learning tools that will help your family reach educational independence and freedom.
Traditional and conventional methods of teaching are also explored here, along with some non-traditional styles and approaches that might amaze you. As a parent and a homeschooling teacher, you have several different curriculum options. Your child will benefit once you are well acquainted with all of them.
You know your child, so choose the best curriculum that will meet all his needs. Along with understanding and support, homeschooling will surely be a success!
Homeschooling Your Child
Obviously, the first thing you have to check out are your state law. You can check that here. State Laws
You have decided that homeschooling is the way to educate your child and now you have to ready yourself and your kids for all the trials and tribulations that come with it. You know that the road ahead may be a bit bumpy, but the rewards more than make up for it. Homeschooling affords you a chance to produce a well rounded and well adjusted personality in your child that is by no means an easy achievement.
Obviously, the first thing you have to check out are your state laws regarding homeschooling. You must do this to determine if you have to meet any kind of state requirement. Most states need an affidavit filed with the State’s education department that you are choosing to homeschool your
child.
There are basically three categories of homeschooling laws. These are: private school laws, home education laws and equivalency laws. Find out about your state’s laws and know what your obligations are to the state before you start homeschooling. For example, you may need to maintain a portfolio that keeps a record of your child’s educational progress or you may be required to have a minimum educational qualification as a homeschool teacher.
After you have all the state documentation and other matters taken care of you can proceed to the next step. A good next step would be to look for a home school support group. A support group is good because say, if you live in a friendly or curios type of neighborhood, you’re well meaning friends may try to influence your decision to home school. At the very least, they may put a lot of questions in your mind that have you making second thoughts. A support group that consists of like minded people will help support your decisions of your homeschool process and help downplay some of the criticisms, pressures and questions you will get from regular school goers. Many support groups organize fun events like visits to the zoo, museum, tours to the ice cream shop, etc. If your children hit it off with other home schooled kids in your group, they may be able to build lasting relationships with these kids that will not fade when their friends change schools. Home school support groups therefore provide an important avenue for your child’s socialization.
The third item you need to do is to select a homeschool curriculum. Depending on the method of homeschooling, you may choose various tools that aid you in the process. The internet offers a rich resource for homeschooling information. Do some research and look into the many homeschooling materials that are available.
It really boils down to knowing why you opted for homeschooling in the first place. Your motives and your reasons to homeschool are important pillars on which the whole basis of your child’s lessons and personal development plan depends. Consulting with your children to get their thoughts about curriculum choices, etc. is often helpful as well. Once you have every factor considered, select a curriculum or custom make a curriculum that best suits your child’s educational and personal development needs.
Record keeping is an important part of homeschooling as it is your record keeping that will be looked at or scrutinized later when your child transfers into another school or enters college. Look into all the various methods of record keeping and set up a schedule to update your records every so often.
Your homeschool day does not need to be a long drawn out day. Allow your child to have a part in the daily classroom activities and to what extent of time is involved with each subject covered. Flexibility and fun are the cornerstones of homeschooling. Be careful not to overload too many skills into single term or school year as you can experience burnout or end up skipping over details of over skills you really should not.
It is a good idea to prepare a skill list for your home school. Make the child learn the skills he is ready for as your child matures educationally.
Gentle parenting is the secret to successful homeschooling. Often home schooled children make great advances in learning and show more enthusiasm than they would otherwise. Homeschool kids also turn out to be surprisingly well balanced and well informed when they are taught at home.