Homeschooling, or home education, is an increasingly popular choice for families and individual students across the United States. With the ability to provide an exclusive learning environment in the comfort of one’s own home, homeschoolers have a unique opportunity to prepare and shape their child’s educational journey.
Many parents, however, struggle to determine what the main goal of homeschooling is, and how they can effectively integrate their desired educational objectives into their program. In this article, we will explore the main goals of homeschooling, discuss techniques to identify and adjust educational goals to fit your child’s interests and needs, as well as discuss the various benefits of homeschooling.
1. Understanding the Purpose of Homeschooling
The main purpose of homeschooling is to provide an individualized learning experience tailored to the specific academic abilities, interests, and needs of each student. This type of education allows for the student to be in a customized environment tailored to their individual needs and provides an opportunity for scholarly growth to fit the capacity of the student.
By not having to conform to the regulations of the traditional academic school system, homeschoolers have the unique opportunity to focus and specialize on the educational objectives that are important to their advancement.
2. Identifying Your Goals for Homeschooling
Before entering into any homeschooling program, it is important to identify the goals for each student. As with any educational program, homeschoolers should identify the primary focus of their education and the sequence of objectives they would like the student to pursue. Though this is an individual and personal decision, it is important to consult with professionals in the field to set realistic and important academic goals.
When it comes to setting up these educational objectives, homeschoolers should strive to create a cohesive curriculum, covering various topics as much as possible. For example, many programs attempt to integrate mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies into the daily routine, making sure all of the basic academic areas are accounted for.
Additionally, many families opt for foreign language, music, or the creative arts to be included in the curriculum, depending on the student’s interests and capabilities. Lastly, for older students some choose to pursue more advanced studies, such as Advanced Placement classes or college-level coursework.
3. Adjusting Goals for Age and Abilities
Once the primary goals for the homeschooling program are identified, it is essential for families and educators to adjust their objectives to fit the needs of the student and their age level. For example, programs for elementary-aged students should focus on increasing a student’s comfort level while learning and mastering the basics, while programs geared towards older students should work to foster individual interests, specialize in more advanced studies, and encourage critical thinking.
This can help the student to develop their full potential without having the added pressure of following the specific curriculum of traditional schools.
4. Benefits of Homeschooling
Once the goals of homeschooling are identified, families often find that the benefits of this type of program are much greater than they initially anticipated. In addition to providing a comprehensive, customized education focused on the individual’s needs and interests, homeschoolers often find their children have more free time and social opportunities than those attending traditional schools.
By participating in homeschooling, students often have the opportunity to partake in more hobbies and extracurricular activities that are not available in traditional schools or have limited participation requirements due to the smaller class sizes. Finally, homeschooling allows for a more positive learning environment without peer pressure, which is often a massive problem in traditional schools. As homeschooling programs are largely customized by the parents and educator, they typically require less homework and testing than traditional at-school learning environments, giving students the chance to enjoy their passions and extra-curricular activities without balancing the workload of a traditional school.
5. Homeschooling Preparation and Research
The next step in creating an effective homeschooling program is to review the requirements for homeschoolers in your state or country and to familiarize oneself with the guidelines for preparing a curriculum. It is important to look at the textbooks or resources that are available for the particular program one is embarking on, as well as exploring other support systems such as tutors, learning centers, or libraries that may be available to provide additional help or resources. Additionally, families should research the local homeschooling support groups and cooperative organizations to learn more about individual homeschoolers’ experiences and successes.
These organizations can provide families with valuable resources and helpful advice on how to craft a successful homeschooling program.
6. Selecting the Right Curriculum and Supplies
While some choose to craft entirely handmade curriculums and supply lists, many others opt to purchase online packages to get an all-inclusive home education system. Though these options are often more expensive, they provide a complete and comprehensive system that eliminates many of the preparatory steps, such as creating lesson plans or finding supplies.
While all of these options have their merits, it is important for each family to deem what works for their specific needs, either through entirely creating their own program or purchasing a complete program.
7. Adjusting and Adapting the Program
No matter which option is chosen, it is of utmost importance to remain flexible and to always adjust the program to fit the needs of the student. By always keeping their goals in mind, it is vital to observe the student’s progress and to ensure that their educational program always meets the student’s needs and respects their learning style. Many parents and educators fail to realize that no two students learn in the same way, meaning that a degree of fluidity must be applied to these programs to ensure they remain comprehensive, interesting, and effective.
8. Connecting with Other Homeschoolers
By joining a local homeschooling support group, many parents and educators can obtain valuable insight and resources to supplement their program. By exchanging ideas and experiences, homeschoolers are able to work together and help each other succeed by sharing valuable information and resources. Additionally, these types of organizations provide social outlets and resources for children who may not have the same opportunities as those attending traditional schools.
9. Working with a Tutor or Educator
Though many families are able to successfully homeschool on their own, some may find value in working with a professional tutor or educator to supplement their program. These professionals are able to bring an invaluable voice to their program, as well as providing students with further resources in the form of specialized tutoring, field trips, and educational resources that may be difficult to obtain on one’s own.
Additionally, a professional educator or tutor can provide a semblance of traditional education that may be desirable when sending a student off to college or university.
10. Schedules and Consistency
When creating any type of homeschooling program, it is important to plan ahead and set a schedule that is consistent and allows for sufficient rest. The structure of a homeschooling program should reflect the student’s interests and aptitudes while also allowing for a realistic amount of time each day set aside for learning. It is important to note that all students—from elementary age to high schoolers—require some form of a daily routine to ensure consistency and order.
11. Establishing a Learning Environment
In addition to setting up a consistent and measurable schedule, creating a fertile, safe learning environment is equally as important. An effective workspace should be free from distractions, such as computers or televisions, and should be comfortable enough for the student to focus on their studies.
Additionally, the space should be tailored to the specialty of the student, with appropriate furniture, materials, and supplies for the program.
12. Assessing Student Progress
Just like in any educational program, it is important to evaluate and measure a student’s progress to determine if the program is meeting their needs. Many families and educators choose to implement periodic assessments to measure the student’s growth, as this provides an important source of feedback and allows the program to be adjusted accordingly. Additionally, teachers and parents should keep track of the materials and textbooks used, as well as things such as attendance and punctuality.
13.Documentation for Colleges and Universities
For families looking for their students to attend a college or university after their period of homeschooling, it is important to keep detailed documentation of the student’s courses, grades, and projects. By showing a comprehensive and organized documentation of the student’s studies, which can include transcripts, test scores, and essays, parents and guardians can provide peace of mind to future colleges and universities that their student had a thorough and appropriate academic education.
Conclusion
Homeschooling is becoming an increasingly popular choice for families and individual students alike, and offers an individualized program tailored to the specific needs of the student. While homeschooling can provide a variety of academic, social, and extracurricular benefits, it is important for families to understand the purpose and the process involved in implementing a successful homeschooling program. In this article, we explored the main goals of homeschooling, discussed techniques to adjust educational goals to fit each student’s interests and needs, and reviewed the process of setting up and maintaining an effective homeschooling program.