Table of Contents
An Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling for Learners and Parents
Most parents opt to homeschool their students rather than enrolling them in private or public learning institutions. The current global pandemic led to unprecedented worldwide closure of schools for several mothers. As a result, schools, instructors, and learners directed learning activities remotely through homeschooling resources and digital devices.
Homeschooling is when the education of learners is based at home with the guidance of their parents instead of through enrollment in a private school and public school. Families opt to homeschool their students for various reasons such as dissatisfaction with the available education choices, the perception that learners aren’t progressive through the face-to-face school structure, and various educational and religious philosophies.
Homeschooling started growing in the 1970s when well-known researchers and authors -like Raymond Moore and John Holt-began writing more regarding education reforms. They proposed homeschooling as a substitute learning choice. According to the National Home Education Research Institute, there are over two million homeschoolers in the United States, and this number is rising every year. This mode of learning is legal in all states in the United States and other countries.
Homeschooling Requirements for Students
Homeschooling requirements in the United States differ from one state to another. Some of the states have few or do not have requirements, while some ask for standardized testing.
The most significant things parents require to homeschool their learners is to relish their physical presence, their company, their passion, foolishness, and energy. Parents need to enjoy all their questions and talk and enjoy likewise attempting to answer queries. For many homeschooling parents, their only requirement is their yearning to do so, together with a commitment to their learning process.
How to Start Homeschooling
In many parts of the United States, parents don’t require a degree in education so as to homeschool their children. Parents with learners who have never gone to brick-and-mortar classrooms can start homeschool programs as soon as their kid attains school age. During this time, parents begin to adhere to the requirement in their specific state.
On the other hand, the process of homeschooling differs slightly for parents whose children are already enrolled in a traditional school and then opt to homeschool. First, the parents have to write a withdrawal letter to the local superintendent and school principal. Besides, the letter ought to describe the intention of parents to remove their children from school in order to start homeschooling. After notification, parents continue following the specific guidelines of their district.
Tips on How to Make a Homeschool Schedule
Homeschooling learners can organize their schedules in a way that is convenient to them. Most of them start learning early in the morning, like brick-and-mortar schools, but most of them choose to make a distinction between “home” and “school.” In the event a learner becomes excited regarding a science experience prior to going to bed, some parent may follow the enthusiasm of the child to find out where it leads; hence can become part of the learning day.
The learning philosophy that parents select significantly influences their day’s structure. Many people are accustomed to only one method of learning- the traditional systems of standardized testing, desks, and textbooks- but there is the existence of many educational philosophies. These methods comprise unity study, interest-led education, and leadership education. Parents can blend concepts that meet the needs of their children best.
Also, you may wonder whether homeschooling students follow the normal school year calendar. Actually, homeschooling students have freedom regarding their academic year’s school calendar. Most homeschoolers opt to follow the traditional school calendar, others take breaks during particular weeks when they want holidays, and others learn throughout the year.
Planning for Homeschooling Curriculum
The increasing number of homeschooling students has led to many available homeschool resources as well as curricula. Catalogs can be filled with many choices depending on various learning philosophies, the amount of time homeschool teachers dedicate to daily instructions and learning approaches.
Subjects that are normally taught consist of standard discipline that is taught in a brick-and-mortar school program and those that capitalize on the interests of the child. A homeschooling setting offers a natural setting whereby parents deliver a tailored approach of teaching which is aligned to the unique interests, learning style, and ability of the child.
Homeschooling families usually combine specific courses that aren’t certainly age- or grade-specific, like arts, literature, and history. For instance, learners of different ages may learn a similar historical time altogether and then be provided with homework that reflects a particular ability and age. For learning subjects like reading and math, parents can teach every child face-to-face so as to meet the individual needs of learners. Also, based on the age of the learner, the other learners might be working on single assignments or playing in other rooms.
Advantages of Homeschooling that You Require to Know
1. Homeschoolers do well on tests
A survey of 20,000 homeschooled learners shows that they certainly scored well in their tests. This was specifically evident in those learners who have been homeschooling from the high school level. In another research, homeschoolers in the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) test scored about 67 points compared to the countrywide average.
2. Caters for the special needs of learners
In case a homeschooled learner has special needs, they might be labeled and treated ineffectively in the traditional school system, and this can be a hindrance, and it is usually a social stigma.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) learners suffer all types of obstacles and prejudice. In case learners are homeschooled sensitively, their special needs will never be forgotten, and they will always be the first priority.
3. A lot of Time for Premium Parenting
In homeschooling, there is enough time for premium parenting since parents are usually involved in the education process of their students. This hardly happens with learners in public schools. Learners get some assistance from parents with their homework, but they do not get the same quality that homeschoolers get. Parents as instructors know subjects well, and they can fully share in the excitement and joy of education.
4. Isolation
Homeschooling receives a lot of criticism since homeschoolers do not have an opportunity of studying social skills. This is partly true since there are many opportunities for learners to do additional activities with other children. Also, they are likely to have many friends when they do their piano, gymnastics, and swimming lessons, for instance. Thus, parents have the task of ensuring that they do not isolate their learners.
5. Flexible Schedules
Homeschooling has a flexible schedule since students do not have to rush out of their houses to schools and to have to meet all kinds of schedules. Parents can decide when to go on holiday or the duration of lessons. Many homeschooled learners usually enjoy learning breaks with their parents during off-seasons. They can have an opportunity to go to parks, museum visits, and field trips. This may tie seamlessly with what they learn at home.
6. Homeschooling is More Independent
Homeschooling enables students to be more independent in their approach to learning and life. Learners do not follow what other people do. Also, students are more independent in solving learning problems.
7. Makes Homeschoolers to be More Productive and Happier Adults
A survey conducted by Dr. Ray shows that 5,000 of 7,500 adults were homeschooled for over seven years. Also, these adults were more active in social and community life compared to their public-school counterparts. Most of them continued to with their further studies, and they also scored higher on the happiness scale.
8. Learning Can be Tailored to the Personality and Abilities of the Child
Since homeschooling focuses on children as people, the education of children might be personalized to their personalities and capabilities. If a student does well in a particular area, his or her learning in that particular might be improved.
In case a learner has challenges in a specific topic, supplementary course materials may be purchased in order to assist. Additionally, the style of teaching learners depends on how best the student learns due to the personality of the student. For instance, in case the kid is a visual student, then more visual basics may be integrated into the learning materials of the child. Rather than the cookie-cutter method of learning that is needed in the school environment, homeschool offers the chance for the education of the learner to be designed simply for that student.
9. Consistent and Integrated Learning
Since the education of a homeschooled learner is managed by one individual for a long time, this learning might be in line with the long-term plan whereby every topic taught as well as the experience gained benefits seamlessly with those that have come early. Also, parents can design future learning activities for their children.
Since parents are closely involved with the learner over that learner’s life, parents understand the background and experiences of children, and they utilize this knowledge to design future learning activities.