10 Tips for Guardians Who are Thinking of Homeschooling

If you’re considering homeschooling your child, the array of information and resources available can be overwhelming. Where do you start? What curriculum should you choose? How do you create a learning environment that’s right for your child? These are just some of the questions parents ask themselves when making the decision to homeschool.

Homeschooling can be a great way to provide your child with an education that meets their individual needs. You may also find that homeschooling allows you to spend more time with your child and gives you the opportunity to teach them about your own values and beliefs.

In this blog post, we’ll provide 10 tips for guardians who are thinking of homeschooling their children in order to help make the process a little less daunting.

1. Do your Research

Before making the decision to homeschool, it’s crucial to do your research and understand what homeschooling entails. This means learning about the different methods and approaches to homeschooling, as well as the pros and cons.

Many resources available online and in libraries can help you with this research. You might also want to talk to other parents who have already made the decision to homeschool and ask for their advice and input. This can be a great way to get information and advice from someone who has firsthand experience.

2. Set up a Schedule

One of the benefits of homeschooling is that you can set your own schedule. However, it is still vital to create a schedule for your child. This will help them stay on track and ensure they get all the necessary instruction. A schedule can also be helpful in keeping you organized and on track.

Tips on how to set a homeschool schedule:

• Set specific days and times for homeschooling. For example, you may choose to homeschool Monday-Thursday from 9:00 am-12:00 pm.
• Create a daily or weekly lesson plan. This can help you stay organized and ensure you are covering all of the necessary material.
• Include time for breaks, lunch, and recess. Just like in a traditional school setting, it is essential for children to have time to play and relax.
• Make sure to schedule time for extracurricular activities and field trips. These can be great learning experiences for your child.

3. Create a Learning Environment

One of the great things about homeschooling is that you can create a learning environment that is tailored to your child’s individual needs. When setting up your child’s homeschool space, consider the following tips:

• Choose a quiet location: If possible, choose a room or area in your home that is relatively quiet and free from distractions. This will help your child focus on their studies.
• Make sure there is adequate lighting: Good lighting is essential for reading and doing other schoolwork.
• Set up a comfortable workspace: Your child should have a desk or table that is the right size for them and a comfortable chair.
• Include plenty of storage: There should be enough storage space for your child’s school supplies, books, and materials.

4. Choose the Right Curriculum

There are many different homeschooling curriculums available, so it’s essential to choose one that will work best for your child. There is no one-size-fits-all curriculum, so you’ll need to consider your child’s learning style, interests, and needs.

You might also consider using a mix of different curriculums or creating your own. When choosing the right curriculum for your online homeschooling, consider the following factors:

• Your child’s learning style: Do they learn best by listening to lectures, reading texts, doing hands-on activities, or some combination thereof?
• Your child’s interests: What subjects are they most interested in? You’ll want to choose a curriculum that includes these subjects.
• Your child’s needs: If your child has any special needs, you’ll want to make sure the curriculum you choose is able to accommodate them.
• Your family’s needs: What works best for your family? Do you need a flexible curriculum that can be used with multiple children? Are you looking for a faith-based curriculum?

5. Get Organized

Homeschooling can be very demanding, so it’s important to stay organized. This means keeping track of your child’s progress, creating lesson plans, and staying on top of deadlines. The different ways of staying organized include;

• Using a homeschool planner. This can help you keep track of assignments, due dates, and other important information.
• Creating lesson plans: Lesson plans can help you stay on track and ensure you cover all the necessary material.
• Using technology: Many great organization tools are available online, such as Homeschool Tracker and Homeschool Skedtrack.
• Staying flexible: Don’t be afraid to change things up if something isn’t working. Sometimes the best way to get organized is to figure out what doesn’t work and then adjust accordingly.
• Using a homeschool notebook. This can be used to store lesson plans, handouts, and other materials.

6. Get Involved in the Homeschooling Community

There is a large homeschooling community, both online and offline. Getting involved in this community can be a great way to get support, find resources, and make friends. There are many different ways to get involved in the homeschooling community, such as:

• Joining homeschooling co-ops or groups.
• Attending homeschooling events and conferences.
• Joining an online homeschooling forum or social media group.
• Homeschooling your child with a friend or relative.

7. Have Fun

Homeschooling should be enjoyable for both you and your child. Don’t forget to have fun and enjoy the time you spend together. There are many different ways to make learning fun, so get creative and experiment until you find what works best for you and your child. Some ideas include:

• Making learning interactive with games, puzzles, and other hands-on activities.
• Turning everyday activities into learning opportunities.
• Finding fun and educational field trips to take together.
• Making learning a family affair by involving other members of the household in homeschooling activities.
• Taking advantage of technology with educational apps, games, and websites.
• Homeschooling doesn’t have to be all work and no play – make sure to have some fun along the way!

8. Set Realistic Goals

It’s important to set realistic homeschooling goals, both for yourself and your child. Trying to do too much can lead to burnout, so it’s important to take things one step at a time. Start by setting small goals that you know you can realistically achieve.

As you and your child become more comfortable with homeschooling, you can start to set bigger goals. Setting goals will help you stay on track and ensure that you are making progress.

9. Remember that Every Day is a New Day

There will be good days and bad days when homeschooling. Don’t get too discouraged by the bad days – just remember that every day is a new day and an opportunity to start fresh. If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to try something new.

Homeschooling is all about trial and error – so don’t be afraid to experiment until you find what works best for you and your child.

10. Ask for Help When Needed

There will be times when you need help with homeschooling, and that’s okay! Don’t be afraid to reach out to family and friends, join a support group, or hire a tutor or other professional if needed.

There is no shame in admitting that you need help – in fact, it’s often the best way to ensure that you and your child are successful in homeschooling. Seeking help when needed shows that you are committed to making homeschooling work for your family.

Final Thoughts

If you are a guardian who is thinking of homeschooling your high school student, we hope the tips in this blog post will be helpful to you. Homeschooling can be a great option for students who want more flexibility and customization in their education or for those who need additional support to succeed academically.

At High School of America, our experienced educators understand the unique needs of homeschooled students and work with each one to create an individualized learning plan that meets his or her goals.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your student achieve success in high school and beyond.