Some children do not do well in the public education system for one reason or another. They may have special needs or they may just not respond well learning in a group environment. The following article has tips that can help no matter what your reason is for needing to school your children at home.
When choosing your homeschooling program, consider the ultimate goal of the education you are providing your child. If you plan to reintegrate them into a regular school, then your curriculum should shadow the curriculum of that school. On the other hand, if you plan to home school them through high school then you want to be sure that they are learning everything they need to get their GED or even to perform well on important pre-college exams like the SATs or ACTs.
When you home school your child, you take on more than the role of teacher. Actually, you’ll also have to be the cafeteria worker, physical education coach and possibly even a counselor. Consider the responsibilities each title carries as you plan out your daily schedule and routine. Prepare lunches in advance, schedule outdoor time and make yourself available for emotional support and motivation.
Create your own flash cards. There is no need to waste money on expensive sets of flash cards when you can do it yourself. All you need to make your own are some index cards and a marker. Besides saving money, this technique also allows you to tailor the flash cards to your child’s specific needs.
Homeschooling is not complete without a library card. The library is the greatest resource you will find for homeschooling. With varied offerings like textbooks, music, movies and of course, books, you will have nearly everything you need at your fingertips. The library are also great for field trips during the week for the kids.
Determine which approach to homeschooling you will follow. You may decide to follow a traditional curriculum, setting up a “classroom” within your home. On the other hand, you might decide to “unschool,” allowing your kids to play a large role in defining their educations. Take your kids’ learning styles and personalities into consideration when choosing an approach.
Ensure that the area designated for studying is quiet and a low-traffic area. Your schooling area should be away from your child’s play area or the TV. Get some shelves or another form of storage to organize your books and supplies.
Do not just go by the most popular method of homeschooling. Look at your child’s interests and way of learning, and use that to guide you into the right approach. There are many methods practiced by homeschoolers, and you may need to try out a few before settling on the most appropriate one for your child.
An advantage to homeschooling is that many places offer discounts to those who are home-schooled. It is a good idea to check around with local museums, science centers and theaters since most do offer discounts. This is a great way to have a fun day with your child, while teaching them in a creative way.
Homeschooling can be a lot of fun. Just as children in traditional schools go on field trips, you can also take your child on field trips. This is a great time to connect with your child while teaching them things they would not necessarily learn with a large group. It gives the learning environment a more personal experience.
Remember that even public schools may not hit every subject, every day. While math and reading are considered core curriculum, children may only have art once a week and something like science three times a week. Don’t stress yourself out trying to get too much into your day. Experiment a little and find a schedule that works for you.
Read to your children. As they get older, have them read aloud to you. Even when they are older, reading can still be a family activity. Take turns reading chapters aloud from the classics. It is a great way for the entire family to bond. This was what family did regularly before the Internet.
If you are homeschooling a child on your own, then it is important to acknowledge the stress this will put on you too. Consider enrolling your child in some computer courses. While they do the work for these courses on the computer, you can take a break and refresh your mind just like traditional teachers do.
It is very important that your child realizes that just because they are getting schooled at home does not mean they can come and go as they please. There are certain things you need to do to make them realize this. For instance, teaching them in the living room in front of the TV is not likely going to help them take the work seriously. Find a designated, quiet area in your home to teach them.
If you have a lot of members in your family, the one thing that you will want to do is to make sure that there are no distractions. Distractions can greatly reduce the efficiency of homeschooling, which can directly translate to the results that you get in the long run. Limit exterior noises to help your child learn.
Make your homeschooling days an adventure from time to time. Just because you are “home” schooling, it does not mean you have to sit at home. Take your children to the library, go on a nature walk, visit a museum or check out your local natural center. All of these activities make for wonderful lessons, and they give the children hands-on experience that is an essential part of learning. You will make your lesson plans more exciting by doing this, and you will also help to prevent boredom in the classroom.
Now that you’ve finished reading this article, you can see the advantages to schooling your children at home. You should also have an idea of how to go about it. Take what you’ve learned here and put it to use. You can then rest assured that your children will receive the education they deserve.
