Homeschooling is becoming increasingly popular among parents in Florida. Parents choose to homeschool their children for a myriad of reasons—for religious purposes, to adapt learning to their child’s preferred rate, or some parents have even been unable to find a school that meets their own standards. Whatever the reason for homeschooling, the parent needs to do their research and develop an organized plan that will ensure success.
This article will discuss the fifteen key steps for successfully homeschooling your child in Florida.
1. Determine Your Motivation for Homeschooling
Before beginning the process of homeschooling, take a step back and evaluate your motivations for this decision. Are you attempting to provide more personalized instruction than a traditional school? Are you homeschooling for religious reasons?
What type of environment do you wish to create for your child’s education? Once you have your motives identified, you will be able to better create a plan that suits your needs.
Once you have your motivations outlined, you should set aside a time to speak with your child’s teacher. Let the teacher know that you intend to homeschool and explain the reasons why. It’s important to remain polite and open during this conversation and to show respect for the teacher’s opinions and prior experiences with your child.
2. Research Home School Laws
Before you begin homeschooling, thoroughly research the Florida Homeschool Statutes to understand your legal rights and responsibilities. Homeschool laws vary from state to state, so it’s important to make sure you understand the rules in Florida. Additionally, parents must keep in mind that the State of Florida does not recognize any specific curriculum as approved for homeschooling, so you are free to choose the curriculum you think best for your child.
Familiarize yourself with the rules regarding scheduling, assessment testing, and eligibility for extracurricular and online education opportunities, as these may vary from district to district. Make sure to contact your county school board as needed to ensure compliance with the appropriate regulations and rules.
3. Set Up a Learning Environment
Once you have a comprehensive understanding of the Florida Homeschool Statutes and you and your child have established a mutually agreed upon plan, it’s time to set up the learning environment. You should choose the space that you feel will be best for your homeschool. It doesn’t have to be a designated room but should be a place that is conducive to learning.
Consider who else may be living in the vicinity of your homeschool zone. Pets or younger siblings should not interfere with your child’s homeschool.
Once you have a designated space, you’ll need to create a homeschool schedule. This should include all academic and non-academic, or extracurricular, activities. A successful homeschool schedule should include regular, allotted times for meals, vigorous physical activity and playtime, reading, writing, math, science, and other activities, depending on your child’s age and interests.
4. Choose a Curriculum and Supplies
Once the learning environment is established, parents must choose the right curriculum. There are a plethora of options available, including free or low-cost ones.
This is one of the benefits to homeschooling your child in Florida—the freedom to individualize your curriculum and material. It is important to remember that the chosen curriculum should be age-appropriate and suited for the child’s individual needs, interests, and learning style. Additionally, make sure to choose the necessary supplies like textbooks, maps, art supplies, music, and science equipment and lab accessories.
5. Develop an Evaluation System and Plan for Testing
It is important to establish an evaluation system that allows both parent and child to periodically track the child’s progress. This ensures the program is successful. Additionally, the State of Florida requires parents to administer an annual assessment test to their students in grades 3-10 in order to measure student progress.
The assessment test can be either standardized or non-standardized.
6. Document Your Homeschool Plan and Keep Records
Whether you are homeschooling a preschooler or high schooler, it is important to keep an organized record of your student’s educational progress and experiences. Not only will this be useful to measure progress and success, but it also serves as an organized portfolio of your child’s work. Keeping records can be done on paper or digitally and should include relevant documents like report cards, test scores, transcripts, as well as work samples.
7. Manage Screen Time
Due to the growing accessibility of technology, homeschool parents must pay particularly close attention to the amount of screen time their child has each day. Screen time can include using computer programs for educational purposes, but it should also be restricted for recreational use.
It is important to establish a balance between virtual education, structured physical activity, and independent and creative activities throughout the day. One way to manage this is to allocate specific times for different types of activities and stick to the schedule as much as possible.
8. Encourage Student Engagement
One of the primary objectives of homeschooling is to provide an environment conducive to learning and growth. As such, a successful homeschool program needs to actively engage the student in their own learning.
The parent should provide opportunities to engage with the topic being discussed. Additionally, parents should provide opportunities for independent exploration and creative expression.
9. Connect with the Homeschool Community
The homeschool community provides many resources to both new and experienced parents. Homeschool organizations host a variety of events throughout the year.
These events can provide student activities and fieldtrips, as well as social interaction with other homeschool students and academicians. Additionally, many homeschool groups provide networking among parents who wish to openly discuss topics related to their homeschool journey.
10. Utilize Online Instructional Options
Online classes and virtual home school programs are increasingly popular options for homeschool families. Parents should research for the best online homeschool options for their child, as these will vary based on their educational goals.
Many of these online courses require parental involvement and guidance to ensure success. Parents should allocate time to monitor their student’s progress and to beam support.
11. Prepare Your Child for the SAT/ACT
When the time comes to prepare for college or vocational post high school, one of the most important elements is preparing for the SAT/ACT. Parents should evaluate the type of test prep assistance their child needs and develop a plan that works best for them. Additionally, parents should research if their child qualifies for homeschool assistance programs and scholarships as they get older.
12. Foster a Growth Mindset
Implementing a growth mindset rather than a fixed one from the start will help your child succeed in their homeschool experience. A growth mindset focuses on continuous learning and improvement and promotes focus, concentration, and concentration. Parents should teach the importance of using feedback to foster improvement and the need to take responsibility for difficult tasks.
13. Access Resources for Homeschoolers
Each county has its own list of resources that support homeschooling. These may include online tutoring programs, libraries, enrichment programs, and special interest classes. Additionally, other states may also have a wealth of resources available, so don’t be afraid to explore those as well.
14. Value Privacy
Homeschooling in Florida, as with other states, comes with certain rights and responsibilities. One such right is the right to privacy. It is important to remember to include privacy in the homeschooling plan and to be respectful of the privacy of other homeschoolers in the community.
Additionally, be sure to amend the plan as needed if your child’s learning requires more space from external view.
15. Celebrate Successes
Finally, it is important to recognize and celebrate successes and accomplishments. Even small successes should be acknowledged and rewarded, as they will help create a positive environment and foster a sense of confidence and pride in the student.
Celebrate successes in any way that feels right to your family and be sure to recognize the hard work and dedication of both parent and student.
Conclusion
Successfully homeschooling your child in Florida can be achieved through research, dedication, and commitment. By taking into consideration all of the important steps outlined in this article, you can ensure the success of your homeschooling adventure.
From researching home school laws and setting up the learning environment to choosing the right curriculum and managing screen time, you can provide your child with the support, resources, and education they need for a successful homeschool experience.