You Do Homeschool From Another Country?

Homeschooling abroad is becoming an increasingly popular option. After all, there are so many benefits to homeschooling that it’s a shame not to do it if you’re able to!

Since homeschooling isn’t formally permitted in some countries like Japan, one of the most common questions people ask is whether or not they can do homeschool from another country.

The short answer is yes! You definitely CAN teach your children at home while living abroad (and many people have done it). If you can spend some time away from your job and make up for the education that will be missing in school settings, then you should absolutely consider it!

What is Overseas Homeschooling?

Overseas homeschooling is not a term with a specific definition, but generally it refers to any situation where you live abroad and teach your children at home. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing it from another country or within the same country; either way, education is taking place.

Because overseas homeschooling isn’t formalized in some countries (i.e., it’s not recognized by local governments), there are no particular laws governing this type of schooling. As such, each family will have different requirements for being able to do it.

In all likelihood, overseas homeschooling will be possible in the following situations:

1.You’re planning to move permanently to another country
In this case, you won’t need to worry about getting a job and finding a place to live. Instead, you can travel there first, secure accommodation with family or friends (if at all possible), get settled, and then begin homeschooling.

If you plan on staying away for only a year or two, though, this option is probably not the best. If you’re only going to be an expat for a short time anyway, your children will miss out on too much schooling before you can return home.

2.You have family members living in another country and are planning to stay with them while homeschooling.
In this case, there should be no problem! Children are usually able to attend local schools even when they don’t hold citizenship papers. Since families generally live together under one roof in many Asian cultures (and others), it would seem perfectly natural for your children to go to school locally instead of at their own homes. While it might not hurt to bring a copy of your child’s education records when you move to the other country, there shouldn’t be any major problems if your children attend local schools.

3.You’re a resident alien
In this case, too, there should be no problem! Your child will probably need to register with local authorities as an overseas student (and bring in transcripts), but most countries have no problem with allowing non-citizens to attend school.

While it might not hurt to discuss something like homeschooling ahead of time with your host country’s embassies and consulates, I’d bet on at least being able to take advantage of private international schools (which are generally thought of as equivalent to homeschooling). That way, you can more easily secure the right paperwork for your situation.

4.You’re working for a company that keeps you abroad
In this case, there shouldn’t be any issues! Your children will most likely start attending local schools in the country where they live and study. Many companies have special programs that enable parents to homeschool their children while abroad, though. Even if your company doesn’t provide such a program, you might still be able to pull it off – especially if you’re staying in a particular place for more than just a few years. It’s definitely worth asking about!

Who Will Teach My Homeschooled Child?

High School of America offers educational programs for homeschooled students in their junior and senior years of high school. We are an accredited high school that offers classes needed to graduate and earn a diploma from us. Some parents choose this option because they don’t have the time to adequately teach all of their children’s classes each day, or perhaps they can’t come up with a schedule due to other commitments.

Some parents enroll their homeschooled children in our high school to get help with course planning, scheduling, and providing a support system.

Homeschooled kids are used to being self-directed so it can be an adjustment for some when they start schooling with us. Some parents choose this option if they need help to navigate the high school process or setting up required meetings and exams.

Even though you (the parent) will not have direct contact with your child’s teacher(s), we do have certified teachers who guide students throughout the high school program. Your child will learn at his own pace, which may be faster or slower than others in his class. We offer individual assistance as needed to ensure that all courses are covered before graduation. A dedicated academic advisor, who is also a certified teacher, will guide you and your child through the process of graduating high school.

What do I Need to Begin Homeschooling overseas?

Our online admission system makes it easy for you to register. No need to jump through any hoops or pay for postage and forms. You can sign up online right here!

We’ll need some information from you, such as:

• Contact information ·
• Your child’s name, birthday, and grade (if known)
• Your child’s previous school records
• A copy of your academic transcript (or GED certificate)

Whether you are homeschooling or enrolling your homeschooled child in our high school program, we will carefully go over curriculum with you so that you know exactly what is covered each year. We offer 24/7 telephone support so that if there are any questions at any time during the admissions process or the high school program itself, we are on hand to help.

Once you’re In the Program:
You may take your time with the high school program. There is no rush to graduate early. Once enrolled, we offer flexible terms so that you can enroll for as many or as few years needed, though we prefer to advise families to allow their child(ren) to complete our high school program in a timely manner; not getting out before their 21st birthday isn’t entirely unheard of! Our classes are self-paced and online so you have all the flexibility you need.

We also have an extensive library of textbooks for each subject that are yours to keep when you graduate from us. The textbooks are designed exactly like those used in many schools throughout the U.S. If there’s a particular book used in your child’s home school, please let us know in advance and we can look into the feasibility of using it for high school courses.

If you have any questions about our online high school program, please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information!

How Can I Socialize My Homeschooled Child?

Most of our homeschooled students participate in our social activities such as lunches, dances, and events (rather than the athletic ones). Our school is a community where your child can make friends with other homeschoolers. There are always a number of afterschool activities that you can take part in if you wish to enhance this experience.

• Take dance classes
• Join a local homeschool support group
• Join a cooking club
• Get involved with drama classes or theater
• Take part in summer camps for homeschooled children (or conventional ones)
• Join sports teams or clubs: swimming, soccer, running
• Participate in a basketball team or a tennis club

Homeschooling Assistance from an Academic Advisor

We have skilled academic advisors who will work closely with you on planning your curriculum, helping to coordinate testing schedules, working out transfer credits for high school admission or graduation purposes. Not everyone grasps the finer points of a course at the same rate; if you need help understanding what grade level your student should be at we’re here to offer assistance and guidance. You can always contact your academic advisor for help, and they can direct you to any materials that you may have questions about.

We also keep records of previous years’ testing so that if your student wishes to re-take a test we can pull his/her scores from the previous year to compare with this year’s results. We make every effort to make the homeschooling experience as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Parents Don’t Forget….

We offer an online payment system so there is no need for complicated paperwork or checks!.   Just follow these steps:

• visit our website
• click on “Tuition”
• Select either U.S Dollars or Euros (we accept either currency at par value) and pay safely from your computer.

10 Tips for Homeschooling While Traveling the World

Traveling the world is one of the most exciting things you can do. We know that it’s tempting to pack all your belongings and settle down in a new place, but remember: school is equally important (or more) for your child’s development as traveling.

1.Bring books about your trip
Pictures are worth a thousand words but there are some things you and your children can only understand with the help of pictures. Books about places, events, native flora & fauna and much more will be helpful for both parents and kids.

2.Use Skype or Facetime to connect with teachers & friends
You’re not abandoning education when you choose to travel. The world is full of amazing people who love to share their knowledge, make friends with them. Who knows? Perhaps you’ll create an invaluable lifelong relationships from this experience that will last forever.

And don’t forget about email! We have been traveling for almost twenty years now on all six continents (including Antarctica!) and we still use email every day; it’s cheap, reliable, fast and easy to use.

3.Bring a USB flash drive filled with lessons and classwork
A classroom is the last thing that you should miss when traveling, which is why it’s worth bringing all of the material from your home school lesson plans. If money is an issue bring old homework for review or ask your friends and family to email old lessons to you as well, just like we do!

4.Read books on the road
There are a lot of cheap guidebooks around that can be used in different ways; kids love reading about where they are now and comparing it with their experiences. Reading books helps them learn new vocabulary, understand cultural differences and more importantly adjust to all that new experience at once. Some classic children’s book series such as Harry Potter and Winnie-the-Pooh can be a huge help for your children to understand how exciting it is to travel around the world, not just for you (which they somehow always seem to know about!).

5.When in Rome… do as Romans do!
If you want your kids to adjust quickly and without troubles; teach them about local culture using their school books. Sharing knowledge works both ways; reading books from other cultures will help you become adept at coping with everyday situations and being flexible when traveling with a family.

6.A mix of online & offline learning is great.
It’s nice if textbooks have QR codes and access to online classes, but do not treat them as your only source of studying. If you’re far from home try to find a local teacher who can share their knowledge and experience with your kids in person.   Some countries have very good education for kids; after all, they have thousands of years of experience!

7.Browse through some school lesson plans.
There is no better way of finding new ideas for your educational activities than browsing through other people’s material. On our website we have dozens of free lesson plans available for anyone willing to use them, so be sure to check out the list and pick something interesting for the whole family!

8.Don’t stop learning yourself either!
Remember that there are plenty of ways to improve our knowledge; listening to podcasts about traveling, learning a new language or taking online courses can be helpful for everyone. We often use the app Duo lingo on our iPad family (and sometimes even the whole agrees to learn a new language together), so it’s definitely worth checking out if you want your kids and yourself to stay intellectually busy while traveling!

9.Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day.
Ok, don’t laugh – this really works! Post words from your home country that you don’t understand in your Facebook group or visit them at Google Translate and find out what they mean. It is always interesting how we live with foreign words around us without understanding their meaning!   For instance “bread & butter” is the first word.

How to Start Homeschooling Today – Enroll In High School of America

(A complete accredited online school for homeschool students!)

Enroll in our programs today and learn with real teachers from a live classroom via video conferencing. Teach your children the subjects you want them to learn and get credit for it: advanced or basic, college prep or enrichment classes in any subject imaginable.

High School of America is the most affordable online high school on the internet! Learn more about us here… Or register now…   [ARTICLE END]

Resources and References:

• Afterschool Activities
• School Age Children Development
• The Future of Homeschooling