As any parent who has taken the plunge into the rewarding, yet challenging world of home schooling knows, getting off to the right start is key. Successfully teaching your own children is an intense process, but with the right guidance it can be an enlightening journey for both you and your children.
Home schooling can be a great way to build your child’s academic knowledge and self-reliance while providing opportunities for creative problem solving and collaboration. As such, there are certain key steps you should take before beginning a home school program. In this article, we’ll explore fifteen questions you should be asking yourself before and during the process of homeschooling.
By following these steps, you’ll have a better chance of making your home school program a successful and meaningful experience for both you and your child.
1. What kind of Homeschooler Are You?
First and foremost, you should consider what kind of homeschooler you want to be. Are you a parent who seeks to emulate the public school classroom environment, or would you prefer an unstructured, free-form homeschool setting?The answer to this question will greatly influence how you create your home school program.
Structured homeschoolers often use textbooks, planned lessons, and homework, while unstructured homeschoolers will rely more heavily on life experience and real-world application to foster learning.
2. How Will You Manage the Time Commitment?
Successful homeschooling requires a substantial time commitment. You’ll have to decide how much time you’re willing to devote to home schooling, and which aspects of your life you’re willing to adjust in order to make it work.
For example, if you consider yourself a hands-on parent and intend to spend most of your time teaching your child, you may have to take a leave of absence from your full-time job, or make an agreement with your employer to work fewer hours. Additionally, if you have other children, you should plan how you’ll make time for each of them while homeschooling.
3. What Are the State Requirements?
Before beginning a home school program, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the state regulations and requirements related to homeschooling. Not only will this ensure that you are in compliance with the law, but it will also give you an understanding of the educational standards that you should strive to meet in order to effectively prepare your child for the future.
You should also consider whether your home schooling program will be recognized by the state educational system. While some states offer full recognition, others may consider it an informal education and not give any official credits or diplomas.
4. What is Your Curriculum?
Once you understand the state requirements, you can begin to consider which curriculum to use. There are a variety of curriculum options available for home schoolers, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. For instance, some home schoolers prefer traditional textbooks, while others rely on new technology, such as e-books and apps, to create a more engaging learning environment.
You should also decide how much hands-on learning you would like to include in your program.
5. What Are Your Qualifications?
As a parent, you already bring a deep understanding of your child and their unique needs to the home schooling process. However, you may need additional qualifications in order to effectively teach complex subjects, such as mathematics or science. It’s important to consider your educational background and whether there are any gaps that need to be filled before beginning a home school program.
You may choose to enroll in some supplemental classes or do research online to gain the necessary background knowledge.
6. How Will You Supplement Your Child’s Education?
In addition to the academic curriculum, consider other ways you can supplement your child’s education. For example, you can sign your child up for extracurricular activities, such as sports teams, or take them on educational field trips to help expand their horizons. You should also research any local home school support groups, libraries, and museums that can offer additional resources and social opportunities for your child.
Connecting with like-minded home schoolers is key to ensuring that your child is able to interact with peers and develop important social skills.
7. What Are Your Goals?
Before beginning your mission to provide your child with an effective and enriching education, you should establish your overall goals and objectives. Do you want to focus on developing academic knowledge, or do you hope to foster independence and a love of learning?These goals should be tracked over the course of your homeschool program in order to measure your success.
If necessary, you can also adjust your curriculum and activities to ensure that your child has the best opportunity to reach their educational potential.
8. What Resources Are Available In Your Area?
Depending on where you live, you may have access to different types of resources to support your home school program. Consider taking advantage of these resources, such as educational workshops or classes at local libraries or community centers. You may also be able to arrange for private tutoring from educational professionals in your local area.
These services can be especially beneficial when tackling complex concepts or when trying to help your child catch up on a particular subject.
9. How Will You Assess Your Child’s Progress?
It’s important to periodically assess your child’s progress in order to ensure that they are learning and mastering the material. Establishing measurable benchmarks, such as tests or quizzes, is one way to do this.
However, there are other methods you can use to assess their progress, such as anecdotal notes, observation, and student portfolios. Additionally, you should have a plan in place for the eventual transition back into a traditional school setting. This will allow you to better monitor your child’s progress in order to ensure a smoother transition.
10. How Will You Stay Organized?
Since home schooling requires a great deal of organization, having a plan in place is essential. Investing in a planner or calendar can help you keep track of daily assignments, due dates, and other important information. You should also keep a binder or portfolio of your child’s work and activities, which can be shared with school administrators and other professionals if needed.
11. How Will You Handle Difficult Days?
There will undoubtedly be days when the home schooling process doesn’t go as planned. Anticipate these challenges and plan for them.
When your child is feeling frustrated or overwhelmed, or if you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, it’s important to take a break and come back to the material later. Other strategies include taking a walk, playing a game, or allowing your child to have some screen time.
12. How Will You Address Behavior Issues?
Working with young children can inevitably lead to challenging behaviors. As a home schooler, it’s important to be prepared to handle whatever situations may arise. To begin, it’s best to establish an environment of respect by setting clear expectations and boundaries.
You should also offer age-appropriate consequences and consistent rewards for good behavior.
13. What Accountability Structure Are You Comfortable With?
As a home schooling parent, you may want to consider establishing some form of regular accountability structure. This could be anything from having another parent or tutor review your child’s work and provide feedback, to having your child take an online assessment or standardized test to measure their progress.
You should also consider developing a relationship with an experienced homeschooler to offer advice and support. Establishing this kind of dialogue can be invaluable in ensuring that your child is on track with their educational development.
14. How Will You Find Social Opportunities for Your Child?
Socialization is an important part of a child’s development, and it can be difficult for home schoolers to find the same kind of connection they may have received in a traditional school setting. In order to provide your child with quality social opportunities, consider signing them up for extracurricular activities, like sports teams, music lessons, or any other activities that may be offered in your area. It’s also important to give your child plenty of extra time for play or interacting with other homeschoolers.
15. What Are Your Long-Term Expectations?
No home school program will last forever. As such, you should have an idea of your long-term expectations and how your program will evolve over time.
Think about when you will transition back to a traditional school setting, or when/if your child should consider taking college entrance exams or SATs. You should also plan for when your child will likely no longer be homeschooled, and what your expectations are for the future.
Conclusion
Home schooling your own children is a rewarding and challenging experience. While there is no “magic formula” for success, asking yourself the fifteen questions outlined above can help ensure that your home school program is effective, meaningful, and tailored to your child’s individual needs. By researching the state regulations, developing measurable goals, and being active in your child’s education, you’ll be able to provide an enriching learning experience and lay the groundwork for a successful future.