Thinking About Homeschooling? Here’s What You Should Know
Homeschooling has both its advantages and its disadvantages. Knowing what you’re in for will help you make the best decision for your child.
In the U.S., there were an estimated 2.5 million home-schoolers in grades K-12 but in 2020, that number has risen exponentially as school closures due to coronavirus have impacted at least 55.1 million students. Pandemic or no pandemic, many parents are considering the idea of home school their children.
- Things To Consider Before Homeschooling
Homeschooling can be a huge blessing but also a huge challenge so it’s not a decision not to be taken lightly.
If you are considering homeschooling just because you are not happy with the public school, try looking out for other solutions first. Many parents do not realize the massive amount of time homeschooling takes as it depends on well will your child cooperate. You also need to consider if your child wants to be homeschooled? Homeschooling requires a commitment from at least one parent. Besides the enormous amount of responsibility, curriculum costs money. If you are willing to go through that, the good news is that there are a ton of resources out there to help you out.
- Advantages and Disadvantages Of Homeschooling
Homeschooling has many potential advantages.
Parents have the freedom to tailor their child’s curriculum and schedule. A flexible schedule means being able to go on vacation at any time. What’s even more important, they can make learning fun for their children. It can help fortify their bond as parents get to learn more about their children and help them master any concept which will help them later in life. Also, homeschooling can protect children from bullying, drugs, violence and a lot of negative behavior that is common in public schools and can scar a child for life. Spending such quality time with your children allows you to discover and nurture their special talents.
On the other hand, parents need to be around their children all they long which becomes difficult when children are restless or misbehave. As you and your child will spend much more time at home, increased household bills are unavoidable. Before you make the transition, make sure you look for a utility provider with the cheapest electricity rate to keep your bills low.
Many people, including friends and relatives, will question your decision. You will need to practice being incredibly patient when your child struggles with learning – this is a gift teachers have. You will also be responsible for motivating your child to learn and that is not an easy task. The big picture is that you are creating a new universe and it will take some adjustment.
- Homeschooling Tricks and Tips for a Successful Year
Here are a few tips to keep your kid on track and successfully navigate the ins and outs of virtual and home-based learning.
Create a designated learning space
Homeschooling is fun, exciting, but also messy. Living and learning under the same roof can quickly lead to disorganization and chaos which isn’t a good environment for learning. To avoid confusion and preserve sanity, keep your children’s study materials organized and designate a specific learning hub—a space where they keep supplies and books.
Make a schedule and stick to it
Homeschooling brings a wonderful level of flexibility and spontaneity to children’s education. However, without a clear structure, it can be easy to get distracted and go off track. Kids thrive on routine. You can always adapt, but a schedule will give you focus and direction each day. Make a simple flowchart to help kids move through their day and pick a system that works for you.
Map out the year ahead
Track progress on your goals and plan out big projects. Breaking up big goals and projects into smaller steps makes them more manageable. But set learning goals together as this is a great opportunity to teach your child goal-setting skills and best practices such as the SMART formula.
Take learning beyond the classroom
One of the best parts of homeschooling is the flexibility to learn outside a traditional classroom setting. You can play board games, practice baking and cooking, learn management skills like budgeting, go to the farmer’s market and to the library.
Make it a family thing
Read together, hike together, visit a museum or be a tourist in your town.
Takeaway
Homeschooling can be very stressful, but also rewarding. However, homeschooling is not for every parent, and parents who are not able or willing to make the commitment to be an effective teacher should look into other options. read some good technology blogs which will help in your child homeschooling.
