Children attend private or public schools to attain education. Yet, the percentage of children who are homeschooled has increased. Homeschooling is when parents adopt teaching and educate their children at home. Children have all their basic education without going to either private or public schools. Let us know ‘Is Homeschooling Right For You?’.
There are no specific guidelines for homeschooling right now. Yet, parents should get a current school curriculum, teaching methods, and educational materials. Homeschooling needs commitment from both the parent and the child. Even though homeschooling needs more effort from the parents, children who are homeschooled also do well academically.
Homeschooling Right For You
Homeschooling has no easy guidelines to follow. However, it requires thoughtfulness and responsibility. Even though families choose to homeschool for various reasons. It could be religious beliefs, disagreement with education options, or a child’s progress. Knowing if homeschooling is the right to fit for one requires knowing what it entails like commitment, financial impact, etc. It means knowing the benefits and disbenefits. While homeschooling is fit for some families, others might not be able to keep it up.
If you are keen on knowing if homeschooling is fit for you and more, this article has the necessary information.
Factors To Know If Homeschooling Is Right For You?
Homeschooling is a flexible education program. However, it entails commitment and agreement with the parents and the child. With time, homeschooling is one of the options for education programs. It allows parents to bring up their children with their values, and beliefs alongside education. Find below the factors you need to know before starting homeschooling.
1.Time Commitment
Homeschooling requires a lot of time. This means one is going to spend a lot of time like the teachers. It will even require a longer time if you have more than one child. Spending time with one’s child at home is different from educating them. There would be lessons, experiments, tests, and exam papers to grade, etc. Homeschooling should just be like school so that the child doesn’t miss anything. However, there would be field trips, music, and more.
2. Full Responsibility
Parents have always accepted full responsibility for their children whether they attend public or private schools. Yet, homeschooling will need more attention from parents. You are now in charge of the teaching methods and school curriculum. Curriculum designs can be sourced from libraries and the Internet.
The child’s grades and success in education depend solely on you. Since it’s homeschooling, parents need to be responsible for structured curriculums like the traditional schools, tests, examinations, and even an attendance book.
3. Financial Impact
However, homeschooling is not expensive as traditional schools but it is not cheap. It requires parents to work from home. This means one might have limited time to work especially if they have two incomes. Both parents are ready to adjust. Yet, parents can both work and homeschool. Parents can purchase the curriculum from companies. Tutors can be hired and children could go for classes at local community colleges.
4. Household Chores
The house needs to be kept tidy always. Talk about doing laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, and more. Managing these chores and homeschooling should be thought of properly. Since you want timely management of the house, the child’s education shouldn’t be sabotaged. However, this is also a good opportunity to teach the child the skills of cooking, cleaning the house, and a few others they can learn at that age.
5. Parental and Child Agreement
Having both parents’ consent in homeschooling a child is important. Both parents must support it. This is because they would be able to have a schedule that doesn’t affect the dynamic of the home. It could be in terms of finances, time management, and tutoring. Yet, the child’s opinion matters too. A child who is willing to be homeschooled will cooperate more. Ask them questions and answer them sincerely. This will help both of you moving forward.
6. Willingness to Learn New Things
Homeschooling comes with various learning. Since you are not a teacher by profession or if you are, you get to learn new things. Even though a parent’s high school education is good for a child’s homeschooling. One can also seek sources like computer courses, textbooks, etc. The curriculum itself has notes to guide you through. You will have to teach more than one subject, so be ready to explore. You might even be gaining more in education. There would also be tests of patience and character. Hence, one needs to be able to multitask with other chores in the house.
7. State Requirements
Homeschooling varies in different states. One must know the requirements for homeschooling. Most other states help parents by providing homeschool organizations. Here, parents have access to information, conferences, and resources.
8. Be Willing to Socialize
Homeschooling is not just educating the child at home, it should help the child’s social life. Children in traditional schools socialize with their friends in School. Also, it is good to join groups that involve homeschooling. Homeschooling is right now to support groups will help you meet friends and parents like you. Check for the traditional school schedule and implement it as much as possible. This will help them have the same free days as other students. Allow the child to visit local community colleges for tutoring sometimes
Advantages of Homeschooling
Freedom
Homeschooling gives one the chance to make your choice of learning methods, courses, and learning space. Even though you have a schedule like the traditional school, it still gives you more independence. As a homeschooler, one would be able to include one’s beliefs and values in teaching. The child too is also free of fear of bullying and social pressures which may occur in school.
Flexibility
Homeschooling allows parents to have their schedule. Yet, one is required to meet up the state standards for homeschooling, but it is still flexible. For example, most traditional schools go for summer holidays at a particular period. If the time works for you, you can travel a week earlier to prevent summer crowds. Depending on your family’s extracurricular activities, one can plan it and make it more suitable. The timing too is flexible. If a child doesn’t wake up early, you can move the time to a later time. Still, one doesn’t have to indulge the child but work at a more convenient time.
Personalized Education
Children do not always learn at the same rate. Homeschooling gives the privilege to concentrate more on the child. Children in a larger setting in traditional school won’t have such benefits. Parents can also customize lessons to meet the child’s unique needs. If there is something a child is passionate about, it can be included in their courses. It is so good knowing that one can create a good experience that meets the child’s needs.
It Foster Strong Relationships
Homeschooling builds strong relationships between parents and the child. It helps one to bond more with the kids. The more you spend time with them, the more they open up. It also creates more time for great experiences. For example, more field trips, and fun times during learning and break time.
Disadvantages Of Homeschooling
It Requires More Time
Homeschooling right now to takes a lot of your time especially if you have more than one child. You have less time for yourself. There are also other chores in the house so one spends time fixing all. It also requires much time planning, organizing materials, and preparing for tests and exams.
It Requires a Lot of Work
Being a homeschooler will require hours of research, finding resources, planning, and teaching. A homeschooled child should be well-rounded like a traditional school child. Hence, one needs more effort meeting up with the curriculum of each subject. As a homeschooler, one is also a parent, principal, and curriculum researcher.
Biases
There are some biases about homeschooling. Friends and family members will question the reason behind it. They will want to discourage you. People will make judgments about the possibility of the child not getting enough education. Homeschoolers will face this most of the time.
Conclusion
Homeschooling has no specific guidelines fit for families. However, it is important to know what it entails, preferred learning methods, and the child’s opinion. Every parent has a reason why they want their child homeschooled. Still, parents should tailor the child’s education to meet the required guidelines from the state and curriculum.
FAQs
1. Is Homeschooling Funded By The State?
It depends on the state. Most homeschooling is funded by families. The only option is if parents request resources that are required by the state for homeschooling
2. What Are The Types Of Homeschooling?
It could be the common one where they school at home and are taught by parents or enrolled online.
3. Are There Particular Recommended Hours For Homeschool?
No. There are no specific hours like the traditional school. Yet, on average, families spent between 3-5 hours daily
4. Is a Teaching Certificate Needed For Homeschooling?
No. The parents’ high school knowledge and proper curriculum knowledge should help to educate the child.
