When many parents consider homeschooling their children they often think the
longest about all of the challenges that would face them as homeschooling
parents. Often times the hardships, perceived and real, dwarf the benefits.
Parents wonder how they will find the time to homeschool. They may doubt their
ability to be a good teacher or instructor. Lack of socialization and structure
may also be a concern.
What about the benefits though? Are they receiving the same consideration or do
they get trumped by all of the potential hardships and problems? What are some
of the benefits? Here are few things to consider:
1. Homeschoolers Can Work at Their Own Pace
The public schooling system is often times criticized for its failure to consider
the individual needs and learning styles of each child. In classes with 20 or
more students it is impossible for children to get the one on one attention
they may need and it is easy for a child to be labeled as “slow” or learning
disabled because they appear to be behind their peers academically.
The problem with this thinking this that it does not
consider the very real possibility that they are simply learning and working at
their own normal pace and development. When one standard of excellence is
forced upon all children then inevitably some children will fall behind and be
made to feel inadequate.
Homeschooling can be incredibly liberating for you and
for your child when they are allowed to grow and learn on their own terms and
at their own unique pace.The one on one
time you spend with your child may be just what he or she needs more than
anything else.
2. Homeschooling Is Not Constrictive
Parents of publicly schooled children are all too familiar with pressure. Their
lives are dictated by alarm clocks, bus schedules, lunch money, school
activities, teacher’s conferences, homework, and bedtimes just to name a few.
It may seem that public school is the easiest option for a busy parent but when
all of the demands placed upon parents by the public schooling schedule are
considered it starts to look more like a burden than a benefit. Homeschooling can
be done on any schedule that works for your family.
3. Homeschooling Allows Parents to Teach Family Values
Parents of publicly schooled children will often be the first to tell you about
how the issues that face young children in schools today are of great concern.
Children are exposed to foul language, drugs, smoking, illegal activities, and
sex just to name a few. Most parents would probably consider this peer top peer
education to be inappropriate and lacking. Parents that homeschool are in the
unique positioned to be the able to teach their children about these issues on
their own terms and at the appropriate time without too much outside influence counteracting
their instruction.
4. Homeschooling Can Increase Socialization for the Whole Family
The availability of homeschooling playgroups and support groups and other
homeschooling activities such as travels to museums and historical areas of
interest provide opportunities for socialization for everyone. More and more
homeschooling parents are realizing that they don’t need to stay home and
assist their child with workbook drills. They can take their children out of
the home and benefit from real life experiences, meeting to new people, and
seeing new things and places. The whole family benefits when learning is
expanded in this way.
When considering homeschooling for your child it is easy to dwell on the
hardships that may be presented by this choice but don’t forget that there are
a lot of benefits too.
Do Certain Subjects Require Specific Hours Of Teaching For Homeschooling My Kid?
Do Certain Subjects Require Specific Hours Of Teaching
For Homeschooling My Kid?
Homeschool parents benefit from technology to enhance and
complement traditional ways of teaching on school campus. There are several
educational software and teaching packages that can help develop a curriculum.
The internet is a very useful means that is full of educational resources;
online dictionaries, libraries, encyclopedias and museums.
Depending on your State's homeschooling law, the
following may apply:
1.School
officials can inquire about the parents’ qualifications to instruct or teach
their child; however instructing parents do not necessarily need to have a
particular educational qualification.A
high school graduate or less can instruct the child, provided that she has the
capability and a sound mind.
2. Children in
the elementary level should be taught the following: English, which includes
reading, spelling and writing; math, geography, science, civics, history,
physiology and health, music, physical education and art.
3. Children in
the high school level, should be taught the following: English, which includes
speech, language, literature and composition, science which will include
chemistry and biology; social studies, geography, economics, history of the
U.S.A, world history, mathematics which will include algebra, geometry and
statistics; music, art, physiology and health, physical and safety education.
4.School
officials can inquire regarding subjects that the child should study, demand
the length of homeschool year, and allocate instruction hours for every
subject.
While they can determine instruction hours for every
subject, they should not control the method in which these subjects are to be
taught.
This means that homeshooling parents can determine and
evaluate instruction hours based on their method of homeschool, not necessarily
to be able to imitate the public school, rather equal and match it according to
efficiency and systematic approach.
In homeschooling, it is up to the parent to determine the
child’s intellectual needs.Subjects to
be taught do not require specific hours of teaching, although each subject
needs an allotted time, in order for the child to absorb fully what is taught.
Moreover, schedule keeping is not a significant factor in
homeschooling where usage and understanding of time are so much different.
5. School
officials can recognize and classify instructional materials, only for the
reason of determining the subject and the child’s grade or level.They should not utilize this right to demand
the way or style of teaching, with which subjects are to be taught.
When the child is having difficulty in a certain subject,
for instance in reading, then the parent should allow longer hours for reading
allowing the child enough time to learn that particular subject.
On the subject that the child willingly and easily learns
and grasps, the parent may shorten the time spent on that subject and allocate
the extra hours for subjects which the child finds hard to comprehend, to
subjects that the child poorly progresses on.
At homeschooling, the child can take the time to learn
and explore each subject at his/her own speed, in his or her own capacity.And the parent can find creative ways to make
learning and teaching fun.
A few efficient and helpful teaching materials that are
not tangible, such as community service, travel, visits to parks and museums,
etc., will definitely grant significant learning skills and knowledge aside
from those learned from books.
6. Parents and
school officials must reach an agreement on a system of evaluation or
assessment for the child; either standardized testing, periodic reports on the
child’s progress or dated samples of work.
Determine your child's learning ability and style so
that:
1.You'll know
what approach to use or be well equipped in teaching them. It is a wrong notion
that some parents have, to presume that their kids learn the way they do. For
example, when parents are visual learners, they also expect their children to
be visual learners. Just remember that children are different individuals;
usually having distinct learning styles compared to their parents and even
their siblings. The sooner that you learn and comprehend each child’s learning
style the sooner that you can effectively teach them.
2.You'll be
prepared to decide on a curriculum for homeschooling. If you are not familiar
with your child’s learning styles, there is the possibility that you will
select a curriculum that can not be an effective tool for your child’s
learning.
3.You can better
identify and understand your child’s educational needs. When children fail to
effectively communicate, they, much like everyone else, get upset and
discouraged.However, if you understand
your child’s learning styles, you can be able to assist your child to
understand themselves better, enabling them to interact and correspond better
with their peers.
Understanding their learning styles and their
capabilities will enable you to determine how many hours they need for each
subject; homeschooling does not require strict hours of teaching your child in
any subject.It all depends on how well
your child progresses; if he can do his math in less time in regard to the
curriculum set for him, then good. If you feel he needs to spend more time in
reading, then he should.
