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Tips for Homeschooling Beginners
Homeschooling for dummies – We love that phrase since it sends a huge hammer blow crashing through the edifice of artificial intelligence associated with the education profession. So, you have decided to homeschool your teens. You’ve talked to all types of parents, made your advantages-and-disadvantages list, and envisioned your media room transformed into a great little classroom.
You have also possibly awakened in a cold sweat once or twice wondering how you are going to be both teacher and parent, how you are going to socialize your kids, and what they might miss out on. It is back-to-school homeschool stress! Even if your children would not be headed off on the big school bus, you can still join in on the back-to-school fun. High School of America presents 10 tips for homeschool dummies.
Tips for Beginning Homeschoolers
1.Write Down Reasons for Your Homeschooling
To homeschool or not to homeschool? It’s a daunting choice. Write out your reasons for homeschooling and objectives for your young kids. Ask questions like: What are the schools like where you reside? What do you want your kids to accomplish through their education? Why do you intend to homeschool? What is the duration of homeschooling?
Homeschooling is more than full-time employment, and when the schooling gets tough, a written list of reasons will enable you to recall why you took on the challenge. A homeschooling mission statement will assist you to stay focused on the ultimate goals for your dummies.
2.Set Measurable Learning Goals
Whether you are teaching literature, art, or math, bear specific educational goals in mind. What do you want your young children to learn, and how will you track their progress? Divide the list into long-term and short-term goals. Short term: “I want Jackie to be able to add double digits.” Long-term: “I want Jackie to have a basic understanding of U.S. History.”
3.Make It Fun
Homeschooling is never what you imagined. It is not always fun, and there will be many times when you doubted why you thought you could be both their educator and parent. But homeschooling can also be enjoyable. In the event you have always wanted to learn guitar or speak a foreign language, now is the time to learn. Homeschooling will stimulate your curiosity, and you will learn new things while educating your children.
4.Reach Out
You may be the only one on the block who does not walk their kid to the bus stop every morning. Nonetheless, you can still be a part of the homeschooling community! Attempt and find a good homeschooling co-op in your location. If you cannot find one, start your own. Attend homeschooling conferences.
5.Learn About Training
It is not enough to be a geography guru or a math whiz. You have to understand how to apply your knowledge in a way that the kid will understand. Read books on teaching and take education courses—exchange resources with your homeschooling co-op. If your field is in English and you struggle with math, teach the English course and have another homeschooler teach math.
6.Get Your Finances Together
With the rising cost of private education, you might feel like you are making the “inexpensive choice.” But homeschooling is costly. Think about the cost of keeping one parent home as the main educator. Consider the curricula, the supplies, as well as the cost of changing your home office into a classroom. Have a financial plan in place and offer yourself a cushion for unforeseen expenses.
7.Set Aside a Place and Time for Academic Work
Do not attempt and turn your T.V. room (plush couches and all) into a classroom — cartoons and serious learning do not mix. Before you start homeschooling, set up a classroom with desks, books, chairs, and all. Make it a routine. That is, school starts at 8:00 a.m. and at that time, they must be dressed (hair combed, teeth brushed) and ready to take on the day.
8.Get organized
(The dog ate my …worksheet)
Organize your tasks, time, and materials so you do not waste precious minutes looking for worksheets or struggling to find that storybook. Develop a filing system for all your various subjects and organize your library and homeschooling records. Consider keeping a homeschool work portfolio and daily journal.
9.Do Not Forget Life and Socialization Skills
If you choose to homeschool, be prepared for the inevitable question, “What about socialization?” Include your children in their community. Sign them up for homeschool groups, scouts, and sports. Take field trips with other kids, and be sure to include activities where your child has to work in a group. Be very certain your kid’s social needs are being met and that they will have a peer group.
10.Review Local Rules
Check your local regulations if you are thinking about homeschooling. Many states are subject to home-based instruction regulations. For example, in Washington, you must have earned 45 quarter units of college-level credits, meet with a certified teacher once a week, attend a Parent Qualifying Course, and receive approval from public schools’ local administrators.
Why Homeschool?
Why, of all the educational options available today, should parents consider homeschooling? And why, in an era when political correctness run amok has resulted in a culture that actively erodes traditional values and celebrates licentiousness and crudeness, should we make such a tremendous investment of time and energy in educating our children at home?
We’ll answer that last question before we try to answer the first one. Simply put, homeschooling is the best way to prepare your children for life in this modern world. As our culture becomes more and more secularized and hostile to traditional values, it is essential that our children not only embrace these values but understand them as well.
For example, one current, politically correct opinion holds that the distinction between right and wrong is relative and ultimately subjective. We don’t agree. And the reason we don’t share this outlook has nothing to do with a sexist or racist bias against particular ethnic groups—a common attack on those who believe in absolute truth—but rather because it is bad and dangerous advice. If you believe there is no difference between right and wrong, it may be tempting to rationalize one’s actions when tempted to do something that goes against a higher standard of right or wrong. Put another way, one might recognize that it was wrong for them to have broken the law or committed some other sin but say “What’s the big deal? Everyone’s doing it.” In the end, this temptation results in further corruption and crime.
In addition to teaching our children an absolute sense of right and wrong, we want to teach them how to recognize lies from truth when they see them. And, as a homeschooling family, you have a unique opportunity to teach your children in this way.
One of the biggest temptations that parents face is an internal one: the subtle urge to give into peer pressure and go with the flow, particularly when it comes to education or other areas where their child’s involvement in school activities—and even academics—is part of what makes him/her a “good student.” As you have read throughout this book, there are many good reasons for homeschooling; but they all boil down to being able to offer our children a better education. And nothing beats proper instruction in identifying and discerning between right and wrong over following along with the crowd like sheep.
Building the Best Homeschool Program for Your Children
Ask any parent who is new to homeschooling what the difficult part about homeschooling is, and the most common answer is choosing one or a combination of all the homeschool programs available that meet their children’s schooling needs.
Here are a few tips to direct you in the right direction of creating the perfect homeschool program that fits your family best
VARIOUS TYPES OF HOMESCHOOL PROGRAMS
Today’s families have many options when it comes to homeschool education resources: state requirements, worksheets, assessments, lesson formats, and different curriculum programs.
Regarding homeschool curriculum technology, the choices are expansive: online books, DVDs, CD-ROMs, audio files, and more. A good number of families discover that a single curriculum can’t meet their family’s educational requirements and that blending many homeschool programs and technology kinds can add variety to their child’s schooling.
WHICH HOMESCHOOL PROGRAM IS BEST FOR YOUR CHILD?
A successful homeschool curriculum program for high school helps homeschooling parents build interesting and exciting days by combining interactive lessons, experiences, and animated activities.
APPROACHES OF A SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM
Adhering to a guided course or roadmap of studies to attain learning goals
An engaging learning environment that comprises group-based learning, external activities, and communities
Communication followed by parental guidance or interpersonal relationships with homeschoolers and siblings
Individual learner experiences because of homeschooling’s flexibility
Homeschool Curriculum Pathways
Curriculum options for homeschool curriculum programs are often grouped into three categories. Some families choose a single pathway, while others like to follow one pathway part-way and take other pathways to new heights. Whatever your family decides, you’ll want to use the following information as a guide:
First Pathway: The State-Mandated Homeschool Curriculum Program
Parents who want the flexibility of homeschooling with the reassurance that their children are following at least part of the state school curriculum will find comfort in this option. Most states require certain subjects for students to master each year before high school graduation, and these include mathematics, reading and language skills, social studies, and science.
This program is a good choice for children who need structure to their homeschooling day or parents who have fears about deviating from the traditional curriculum model.
Second Pathway: Homeschool Curriculum Programs- State Approved, National Popular Curriculum(s), or Self-designed Curriculum Program
Parents who want to have the freedom to choose their own course of study will find that many homeschool curriculum programs fit the bill. Public libraries, bookstores, and online resources offer a variety of home study courses designed for children at all grade levels.
Many parents who use this path come up with their own curriculum program or adapt a homeschool plan to fit their family’s needs.
Third Pathway: Private Online Schools Like High School of America:
While parents who use a homeschool program or curriculum generally consider their child’s educational wellbeing, those who enroll in a private school do so for the added academic challenge and social opportunities. Private schools generally follow national standards with regard to high school graduation requirements; however, they are often more demanding than public schools when it comes to providing college preparatory classes and college admission recommendations.
Homeschooling and Online Teaching
With the advent of new methods in distance learning, many traditional educators are considering homeschooling as a way to expand their reach or assist students with special needs. Since online education is more accessible than ever before, high school students can take some or all of their courses in cyberspace to pursue their individual interests.
Students can also enroll in an online high school if they have been so moved by a particular subject, such as literature or art, that they want to pursue more advanced studies. Many young people choose this route once they are comfortable with basic concepts and need the added flexibility of online coursework.
Whatever your reason for deciding to homeschool, remember that education is a complex process and one that never really ends. Even if you choose to use a high school curriculum for all of your children’s schooling needs, you still must consider their future as adults in the workforce or community college system.
For this reason, parents who want to keep their options open in regard to homeschooling should consider using an online curriculum program. An online high school can provide necessary guidance for students who may need to return to a traditional educational setting in the future.
This is true not only for younger children, but older adults who have found that they are more suited to independent study rather than co-op or classroom settings. You may find that an online high school provides your family with a flexible alternative to traditional schooling.