Having to make the decision between homeschooling your child or sending them to a traditional school is never an easy one. In recent years, homeschooling has become a more viable option due to the wide availability of online schooling resources. But there are some very real and practical reasons why you may want to consider whether or not it would be in the best interest of your child to be homeschooled.
In this article, I will list 15 important questions that you should consider before making the decision to homeschool your child.
1. What Experience Do You Have Teaching?
Before deciding to homeschool your child, you should consider how much experience you have teaching and whether or not you are qualified to do so. A child’s education is too important to be learned from someone who may not be equipped with the knowledge, experience, and teaching methods necessary to help them reach their full potential.
It is important to realistically assess your ability to teach your child. If you have limited teaching skills and experience, then you may want to reconsider the decision to homeschool. However, if you have received a formal education in teaching or have experience teaching in a traditional school or home school setting, then you may be better equipped to teach your child successfully.
2. Do You Have Reliable Resources?
Homeschooling requires access to reliable educational resources. If you intend to homeschool your child, then you will need books, materials, lesson plans, and other teaching tools to help you teach your child effectively.
Without access to such resources, you may struggle to create and maintain an educational experience that is equal to that of a traditional school setting. You should research the available resources available to homeschoolers and determine whether or not they are sufficient to provide a meaningful education. You may also want to consider the cost of homeschooling resources, as they can be relatively expensive.
3. Do You Want to Follow a Rigid Curriculum?
Homeschooling proves a degree of freedom and creativity that you don’t get in a traditional school setting. As the parent or guardian, you get to decide which topics to teach, how to teach them, and even which educational resources to use.
Depending on your teaching style, this could be a rewarding creative experience. But it is important to think about how you want to design and follow a curriculum. There are a plethora of homeschool curriculums available, many of which are guided and structured.
Such curriculums may provide more structure for the teaching of your child, but you will want to consider what type of curriculum best suits your teaching style and the educational needs of your children.
4. Is There Enough Social Interaction?
When you homeschool your child, they often miss out on the social interaction they would have received in a traditional school setting. While a homeschooler can still engage in social activities such as clubs, sports, and other extracurricular activities, they sometimes lack the daily interaction with peers that is a large part of traditional schooling. If you are considering homeschooling, you should ask yourself if there is enough social interaction and stimulation that your child will receive.
This can involve finding local homeschooling groups and activities, or even allowing your child to attend a traditional school at least part-time.
5. What Supports Are Available?
Homeschooling may be more difficult for some families than for others, depending on their experience and resources. Therefore, it is important to consider the supports and resources that are available for homeschoolers. An important support for homeschoolers is the availability of homeschooling organizations that can provide advice and insight on how to better structure and teach your child.
Such organizations can also provide a platform for social interaction and resources.
6. What Is the Cost of Homeschooling?
Homeschooling can become expensive, and it is important to consider the cost of materials and resources required for successful homeschooling. Before deciding to homeschool your child, it is important to research and consider the cost of educational resources and materials. The cost of textbooks, curriculum materials, and other teaching tools can add up quickly, so it is important to be prepared to budget for such expenses.
7. How Will You Handle Testing and Evaluations?
Testing and evaluations are an important part of traditional schooling, and it is important to consider how you will ensure your child is learning the necessary material and skills. You may have to hire outside services to evaluate your child’s progress, or find other ways to ensure they are learning what they need to.
It is also important to consider how you will ensure your child is able to stay up to date with the material they need to cover in order to be successful upon graduating.
8. Are You Prepared to Balance Your Personal Responsibilities?
When homeschooling your child, it is important to think about how you will balance your own responsibilities. While it is possible to homeschool your child and work from home, it will require you to be able to balance between both pursuits. Additionally, some states may require homeschoolers to submit paperwork or keep records of educational activities.
9. Do You Have Enough Time to Dedicate to Homeschooling?
Similarly, it is important to consider how much time you are willing to dedicate to homeschooling. Not only is it important to consider how much time and energy you need to commit to teaching your child, but you also have to think about the time you will have to dedicate to research and lesson planning in order to put together a quality home school curriculum.
It is important to think about how much time and energy you are willing to put into homeschooling your child, and whether or not it is a realistic expectation.
10. Are You Willing to Learn Alongside Your Child?
Homeschooling requires you, as the teacher, to also learn and be willing to educate yourself on topics that you may not know enough about. Whether you are teaching math, science, history, or another subject, you may be required to research and learn in order to properly convey the material to your child.
If you do not feel that you have the enthusiasm or desire to continuously learn and study in order to provide your child with an engaging educational experience, then you may want to reconsider homeschooling them.
11. Are You Prepared for the Level of Commitment Homeschooling Requires?
Homeschooling requires a level of dedication and commitment that is not required in a traditional school setting. This commitment includes day-to-day teaching, following a curriculum, and being learning materials when needed. You also need to consider the amount of energy and effort it will take to maintain an educational environment necessary for homeschooling.
This includes setting expectations for your child, disciplining them when needed, and intervening if necessary.
12. Are You Able to Give Your Child Enough Personal Attention?
When homeschooling, it is important to think about how much of your attention and energy you can give your child. Homeschooling requires the parent to be an involved and interactive teacher, and it is important to think about how much of your time and energy you are willing to give to your child.
If you are unable to give your child the attention they require in order to learn, then homeschooling may not be the right option for you.
13. Do You Live in a State That Supports or Restricts Homeschooling?
The state that you live in may influence your ability to homeschool your child. Certain states have laws and regulations that support or restrict homeschooling, so it is important to find out if you live in a state that either positively or negatively affects homeschooling.
Additionally, it is important to consider the tax implications of homeschooling, as some states offer tax benefits to homeschoolers.
14. Are You Willing to Put in the Effort to Create a Meaningful Learning Environment?
Creating a learning environment that is both engaging and motivating is key to homeschooling success. This means planning fun and interesting activities, having access to engaging educational tools, and finding ways to motivate your child. It is important to think about whether or not you are willing to put in the effort needed to design and maintain an environment that is both enjoyable and educational for your child.
15. Do You Have the Necessary Support System?
Homeschooling can be a challenging and rewarding experience, and it is important to have the necessary support system in place to ensure a successful outcome. It is important to have family, friends, and peers who are able to support and encourage you in your endeavors.
It is also important to ensure that you have the mental, emotional, and physical support necessary to homeschool your child. In some cases, a family therapist or counselor may be necessary in order to ensure a successful homeschooling experience.
Conclusion
Homeschooling can be an effective and meaningful way of educating your child, but it is important to consider whether or not it is the right decision. Before deciding to homeschool your child, it is important to consider the questions listed in this article, such as the level of experience you have teaching, the resources available, and the level of commitment required.
When making the decision to homeschool your child, be sure to consider all of the available options and make an educated decision that is best for you and your child.