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.
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.
If you have both a preschooler and an older child, you need to make time for one-on-one with the preschooler at times. Give them their own area with toys, crafts and books at their reading level. Get the older children to teach the younger ones. This enables both of them to learn, and your older children will feel good to see that you are confident in how they can teach another.
Cook bulk meals a couple times a week. Having a few dinners frozen and ready to heat and eat in the freezer can make crazy days better. Worrying about what you are going to feed your family as you are trying to homeschool will make things more stressful than they need to be.
To help your student learn even the most complex concepts, it helps to understand what he/she finds most interesting. It is much easier to engage a student who has taken an active interest in the subject at hand. As the teacher, you have the responsibility for maintaining structure but this does not mean your pupil can’t determine the direction as well. Seeking your student’s input ups the ante and facilitates active learning.
Do not try to cram every subject into every day. You could use a two or three day school week per subject. This way, you can keep your child focused on a particular subject for longer periods of time. The less often they have to switch their focus to a new subject, the more progress they will make each day.
You should keep well-organized records of the work that your child is doing and the progress that he is making. You will need to be accountable for this when you report to the state. Keeping good records will ensure that you comply with state standards in case there is a dispute with the state about your homeschool arrangement.
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.
