Is Homeschooling Something YOU Could Do?
Filed Under Education |
Perhaps you’ve thought about homeschooling, because the schooling your kids are getting isn’t a good fit. But you aren’t serious about it. After all, you aren’t a superwoman!
Take it from a homeschooling veteran, you can do it IF you love your kids. That’s the only qualification. As you move through the homeschooling journey, you will develop the skills you need, as you need them. That’s how jugglers start–juggling just one thing. Then they add another, and after a while another.
Homeschooling may even be easier than not homeschooling. Instead of driving your several children to several same-age activities after school, you’ll be able to concentrate on activities you can all do together.
The evening homework tussle will go away too. Instead, you’ll spend mornings working on academic subjects. Your evenings will be available!
Here’s one option for larger families: study topics, such as ancient Egypt, that their kids can share, working with the fact that their ages are different. For example, you could all read the book Mara, Daughter of the Nile together. Then each child could write about it. You could study some math related to pyramids. You can do art projects that look Egyptian. This unit might last a month or so, and then you would move on to another. This structure is called a unit study. You don’t have to invent them, either–plenty of moms who have invented one have published it.
Other options include using workbooks and curriculum so that each child has something to work on that is appropriate for his age. These all come with an answer key–you don’t need to be a college graduate to make sure your kid is getting the right answer. In fact, many homeschoolers do almost no direct teaching–their kids learn from the book or workbook. (This is a great study skill for college!)
You can also find correspondence schools that teach for you. Some use videos or online teaching. Others use workbooks.
How do you structure your day? Many families do the tougher studying in the morning, leaving the afternoon for projects or play. There are plenty of organizations these days with daytime classes for homeschoolers, if you want to sign up for something outside the home. You could even send your kids to organized sports with schooled kids in the late afternoon, if you are willing to do some driving! Watch out how much of that you sign up for though! You have to be careful to avoid burnout.
People who don’t homeschool always ask about socializing. Are the kids getting enough socializing? One of the best things about homeschooling is that you get to choose whom your children socialize with. You can make sure the socializing is well supervised. Bullies are not a problem. In fact, you can even choose adults. I have observed that most homeschooled kids are very comfortable talking to adults, much more so than schooled kids.
A homeschool co-op will help you get your kids out and about. You can meet other homeschoolers for classes once a week, or for field trips. Social interactions are well-supervised, so kids learn to act appropriately with one another. Finding a co-op is as simple as asking around. To find other homeschoolers, the local homeschool convention may help you. Network with other homeschoolers till you find the co-op that’s right for you, or start it.
Something else you will need is support. You need someone to talk to who is going through the same challenges. The Internet has been quite a blessing to homeschool moms, who can support each other online. There are many discussion forums attached to homeschooling Web sites, for instance, www.welltrainedmind.com. There are email groups for homechoolers too–look through the groups at groups.yahoo.com.
Here’s the answer to the homeschooling question: You can do it!
Related posts:
- How to Tell if Homeschooling is Right for Our Family
- Finding Others Who Homeschool in My Area
- What is Homeschooling All About, Anyway?
- Motives To Begin Homeschooling Your Child Right Away!
- Christian Homeschooling: How To Survive
- How To Get Ready For Homeschooling
- When Do Homeschooling? General Homeschooling Information for Parents
