So, you decided to make the big leap and home school your children? As significant as this decision was, you will be faced with many more as you embark on this journey. Here are some basic advice to guide you through the first questions and decisions you will face. Of course, things are not always this simple, but it’s best to keep our perspective and not get too overwhelmed. Home schooling is a learning experience for the parent as much as the child.
What curriculum should I use?
This is the question mainly asked by new home schooling parents. What you may not realize is that even veteran home schooling parents often ask the same question. With thousands of choices, it’s hard to pick one to rest our children’s education on. As children grow or transition into junior high or high school, adjustments will need to be made. Rest assured you are not alone in your quest for the perfect curriculum. What you should also know is that there is no one perfect curriculum. Curriculum is largely determined by what works for your individual family, so be ready for a trial and error period as you iron out what will work for your child.
The determining factors will be your child’s learning style, your teaching style, your child’s strengths and weaknesses, and let’s not forget, cost. One of the easiest ways to start is by choosing a box set. This is a curriculum which houses all subjects for one year. As you begin to evaluate your child’s strengths and weaknesses you can adjust from that point. Another way to begin is to determine your child’s learning style. Once you know if your child is an auditory, a tactile or visual learner, you can choose a curriculum to suit those needs. This method will yield the best results over time.
Routines and Schedules
Your routine and schedule will largely be determined by your lifestyle, your child’s age, and the number of children you have. As with curriculum, there are no hard and fast rules and no one routine or schedule that will work for all families. Some families are early birds while some are night owls. Some move quick like bunnies while others move at a turtle’s pace. This all adds to the freedom of homeschooling, yet it also adds to feelings of confusion to new home schooling families.
Here are some basic ways to put a framework around your first routine and scheduling needs:
Yearly Scheduling
*Traditional: Five days a week for 36 weeks and a summer break.
*Year-round: Four day schedule with year round schooling. Year-round schooling taking breaks as determined by the family’s needs.
*Year-round Alternative: Schooling with three weeks on and one week off.
Daily Scheduling
*Preschool: Allow the child to direct the length of time spent. At this stage you are developing a love for learning and a curiosity about the world which will carry him through the rest of his education.
*Kindergarten: 5-10 minutes per subject
*1st-3rd Grade: 15 to 20 minutes per subject
*4th-5th grade: 20 minutes per subject
*6th-8th grade: 20-30 minutes per subject, yet giving some extra time for special or independent projects.
*High School: 40 minutes per subject, yet giving the time necessary to complete tasks and take on special or independent projects.
Reminder: Give breaks as needed in the early years. Education is a way of life and a privilege not a competition. Also, you do not need to cover every subject every day. Many families teach history and science on opposite days and teach art or music once a week. As you move forward you will find the routine that works best for your family.
What about socialization?
“What about socialization?” It is the age old question asked to all home schooling families. It becomes mundane and almost laughable as you will hear “What about socialization?” too many times to count through the years. However, that does not discount the validity of the question. Yes, you will have to provide a certain amount of socialization for your child. Isolation is not a way to provide a stimulating education or raise a well adjusted child. However, I have never met a family who intended home schooling to be a prison. So how can we count the ways to socialize?
*YMCA (offers home schooling classes, sports, camps and social interaction)
*Home schooling co-ops
*Church
*Public school sports (in many areas your child can still play on school sports teams through the public school)
*Home schooling programs through private schools (check your private schools, some have programs offered to home schooled students)
*Kid’s Clubs in your area.
*Zoos and Art Museums often offer classes and camps for children. Some offer home schooling programs as well.
Can I afford to home school?
The Internet will be one of your greatest resources for free curriculum, free worksheet pages, free organization pages and graphic organizers, research and so much more. You can find free to low cost options for many of your home schooling needs online. If you cannot find what you need free, try purchasing curriculum at a lower cost from auction sites, Craigslist, co-ops, or other home schooling families. If you are a blogger and you blog about home schooling, contact curriculum publishers and offer to do a review in exchange for free curriculum.
Is home schooling legal in my area?
Yes, home schooling is legal in all 50 states and many countries around the world. If you are uncertain about your legal rights or what is required to home school in your state, you can consult the HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) website.
Home schooling allows you the freedom to educate your child in a way that best suits him and your family. Do not compare yourself to another home schooling family. We are all different and those differences should be celebrated.
Related Articles:
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I Think We Can Lay the Socialization Myth to Rest
Where are these unsocialized homeschoolers?