Homeschooling a child is a real challenge but you will find this experience allows you to create a strong connection with your child while giving them a good education. It is important that you are prepared and know what to expect before you decide to get started. Read this article to learn more about homeschooling.
If you are homeschooling your child, always include reading in your daily curriculum. Depending on the age of the child, this should include reading aloud and allowing him or her a quiet time to read alone. With a younger child, begin with the alphabet, sight words and phonics, progressing to simple books. Older children will enjoy a variety of mediums, including newspapers and textbooks.
Before you even begin your child’s homeschooling year, decide how many weeks you would like to accomplish the school year in. You can then break your courses up into weeks to set even tighter schedules. Do not forget to pencil in any vacation time that you will be taking so you do not forget to account for it.
Consider digital options for your textbooks and reading materials. E-readers are quite affordable and easily accessible. Downloading books is far cheaper than purchasing print and easily takes up less room. Granted, there is not a resale option for the digital textbooks; however, there is a lot to be said for having reference books after the fact.
Keep a journal of your activities. You can track the techniques that you have used. You can then look back to find the techniques that had worked well for your children and what did not. It will help you come up with a homeschooling regimen that works well for your family without trying the same things over and over.
When you go on vacation, take your lesson plan with you. Include your vacation in your home classroom so that your kids can truly enjoy their schooling. Have them keep a scrapbook of the event, or take a video which they turn into an amazing family adventure later. Take them to cultural locations and teach them about the area, then have them reenact wars or important historical situations. There is so much to learn around the world, don’t let it pass them by!
Before you start homeschooling, look into the laws in your state. Your state may require your children to take certain standardized tests. You may also have to register as a private school. Most states have a householders’ association, which can be a valuable resource when researching the laws where you live.
You should not consider yourself to be your child’s teacher. You are more the facilitator to their education. You are there to help them, not lecture them for hours on end. Allow them to do their studies on their own and help them with any questions that they may have. You could very well learn as much as your child does if you take the time to learn with them instead of lecturing them.
Keep your schedule flexible. There is no need to complete one thing in a set amount of time. If you find that your children are enjoying a particular subject, stick with it. There is plenty of time to teach them what they need to learn. Staying flexible will reduce the levels of stress that can be incorporated with homeschooling.
It is important to incorporate recess into your homeschooling routine. Recess at public schools are becoming shorter and shorter, but it is an important time for your child. It is a time for them to expel their extra energy, which enables them to concentrate better while they are learning. Try to incorporate a few of these breaks in your child’s day.
Make sure that you have all of the proper qualifications before you embark on homeschooling. Additionally, there may be relationship issues that you and your kids need to work on before beginning a homeschooling relationship.
If you are homeschooling an older child and have preschoolers at home, consider finding some sort of child care for a few hours a day. Having your preschooler out of the house or otherwise occupied can help you to accomplish more with your older child. Even if you can only manage a couple of hours of care, you can get a lot accomplished in that time period. If budget constraints are an issue, consider trading off childcare with another homeschooling family that is in the same situation as you are.
Try to find social activities your child can participate in with other home schooled students. By staying home all day home schooled students can lack in social interaction. By making sure they interact with other children you can help offset this issue. Listen to your kids- if they are very socially oriented then they may be better off in a traditional school.
If you are parenting an infant and working with a homeschooler, consider investing in a high-quality carrier. A carrier will let you keep your infant close while you are homeschooling your older child. This helps to calm the baby, and it gives you more time to dedicate to your older child’s education. Many quality carriers are on the market, so choose one that you are comfortable with and use it often while in the classroom.
Attend as many homeschooling conferences as you can. These conferences allow you to look over all kinds of curriculum so that you can find the one that works best for you. In addition, you can listen to some knowledgeable speakers and connect with others. Going to one of these conferences is essential for success in homeschooling your child.
Do you think homeschooling is the best solution in your case? You should start by doing some research on state laws and official curriculum if you believe homeschooling your child is your best option. Remember that developing a solid network is important and will help you succeed in homeschooling your child.
