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How to Succeed in Homeschooling
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Before embarking on your homeschooling adventure, contact your local school district or State Department of Education for a copy of the homeschool laws in your state. Read them carefully, highlighting any and all information that you are required to provide to your school district before beginning your program. Make a list of the educational requirements (courses) that you must provide each year and outline all that you are required to provide at the end of the school year. Place this list in a safe but convenient place—you will refer to it throughout the school year. Next, check out your telephone book or contact your school district for information on home school support groups in your area. Support groups not only provide socialization for your students, but help for you as well. Your fellow homeschoolers are always ready to help and can provide inside information on your particular school district and its attitude toward homeschoolers. Throughout the school year, many support groups offer elective classes and field trips for students as well as support meetings for parents. Surf the Net for home school curriculum and call for catalogs and scope and sequences (a list of the objectives of each course, the scope and sequence can help you to determine which courses best meet the needs of your particular student). Look also for programs that offer curriculum as well as record keeping and support (see http://homeschoolacademy.com). A complete program takes much of the load from your shoulders and allows you to focus only on the actual education of your child. It is especially invaluable during your first year of homeschooling and/or for middle and high school students who will need a transcript upon graduation. Take the time to review each curriculum choice carefully and pray for guidance. Because curriculums are written to integrate the subjects together, do your best to select the same curriculum for each subject. What your student is learning in vocabulary is often the same concept he or she sees in Social Studies and Science. The math he or she is mastering is often the same math required to succeed in Science, and so on. Some homeschool programs, such as the Home School Academy (800-863-1474) offer diagnostic placement testing to ensure that the student is placed at the exact level that meets his or her individual needs. Such a program allows students who are struggling to obtain the information they need to succeed at a higher level, and students who are excelling to move ahead to a level that will challenge them. Your curriculum and/or program choice is critical to the success of your homeschooling. Consider each carefully and check with other homeschoolers for input on different choices. When considering a homeschool program, check out the curriculum they provide, ensure that they are willing to be flexible and allow you to add other courses to those they provide and check to see if you are able to substitute your own course for one of theirs. Many programs charge extra for each additional course, while others charge one price for tuition and allow you to add as many extra electives as you wish to provide at no additional charge. Find out about their record keeping program—do they return your materials to you or not? Do they provide you with a report card and transcript? Are they willing to help grade compositions? Will they provide suggestions for extra reading material and literature? Will they help you meet the requirements of your state? Basically, you want to find a program that does everything. The more they are willing to help, the easier your schooling will be. Once you have made your choice, purchase your materials early to allow yourself time to review each course and obtain any necessary additions. Check to see what is expected of you as the teacher and begin planning how you will meet that challenge. Some curriculums provide all of the instruction for you, others require daily lesson plans and a lecture-type approach. Your early preparation will vary depending on what type of curriculum you have chosen. Plan out your daily schedule to help your student remain diligent each day. Many homeschoolers begin their day at 9:00 AM and end when the student has completed the work assigned for the day. For many students, lunch marks the end of their curriculum studies and the afternoon is free for electives and extra-curricular activities. Look through the curriculum to see what field trips you can plan to help enhance the lessons. For instance, if you will study marine life, a trip to an aquarium would be beneficial; if you will study the Civil War, plan a trip to a Civil War museum or site; if you will study Impressionism, plan a trip to an art museum. Your possibilities are endless; homeschooling allows you the freedom to take educational field trips and provide additional instruction. The Internet is another outstanding resource to enhance your student’s education. Use our edu-links (http://rsts.net/home) to explore the possibilities without concern for undesirable sites. It is a fully filtered site, chock full of educational resources in every topic imaginable! One of the largest concerns for new homeschoolers is the issue of socialization. Many are convinced that their student(s) will end up introverted and unable to function in groups or with their peers. In fact, the opposite is true. Students who attend public and private schools spend almost all of their time with peers and become what is often termed, "peer dependent." Homeschoolers, on the other hand, receive the variety of socialization opportunities that all children need. They spend time with people of all ages, including relatives, neighbors, peers, friends, the immediate family (most important but often neglected), and other adults. Therefore, they are often better prepared to handle all different situations. Test it! In my experience talking with homeschoolers of all ages, I have found that they are quite comfortable communicating with adults. They are willing to look me in the eye and can intelligently answer my questions. I have also seen many homeschoolers step up to the plate with younger children, willing and able to help where necessary. Many college and university admissions officers have also commented on homeschoolers and their ablility to succeed not only academically but socially with peers and professors alike. It is important to provide your student(s) with the opportunity to spend time with peers. Whether that is met in church groups, homeschool support groups, community sports, 4-H clubs, musical groups, lessons, scouts, etc. is up to you. Evaluate what kind of interaction you want your student to receive and explore the options in your area. Tap into the resources of your friends and family. Often an individual who is retired would love the opportunity to share his or her expertise with a young person. One family had a retired computer repairman help their students build a computer from scratch. Others provide instruction in cooking, gardening, marketing, business, woodworking, and much more. Don’t be afraid to ask; you will usually find very willing instructors! There will be times when you are ready to pull your hair out. But those times are overshadowed by the rewards of homeschooling. Your relationship with your child will reach a whole new level. You will develop a bond that will last forever. You will find yourself learning right along with your student. You will find that despite common misconceptions, you will spend less time running here and there and more time building a lasting and loving relationship with your child. And best of all, you will have the opportunity to see first hand as your student grows into a more mature, and knowledgeable individual. |
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