Tuesday’s Teacher’s Corner: We have decided to Homeschool, where do we start?
I will answer this question best by helping you answer your own questions. Here are 5 questions to think on when you are considering educating your children at home.
Tuesday’s Teacher’s Corner: We have decided to Homeschool, where do we start? With these 5 Things to Think on when you are deciding to education your children at home.
1. Why do you want to homeschool?
Ask yourself first, and establish your why? You obviously had a reason to decide to home educate. List your main reasons for having your child do school at home. This plays a vital role on everything else, you will see a bit more in a moment. So establish your why.
2. Is it for you and your family? Seek wisdom and pray about it.
Next, pray about it. I know this may sound cliche, but seriously pray about it. It is your child’s future and will adjust your families life. (I think for the better, but this depends on every family individually.) Truthfully, every family can home school; but home school is not best for every family. Look at your why’s and determine if these are temporal or if this is a quick decision you have not actually committed to yet, or ? I mean this in the most sincere way possible, are you ready to bank on your why? I write this because so many moms LOVE home educating and never imagined it would be so amazing! Yet, depending on your family dynamics, years in public school and/or structure of your home; it could mean a ton of adjustments. But if you are willing to commit, you will press through difficult days to beautiful messy life filled days full of sweet memories, happy tears, obedient hearts, blossoming relationships and all that gushy stuff! I love home school, but I will be honest, it is not for the faint of heart. If you have truly prayed about it and are committed, awesome! #3
3. What will help us be successful at home educating our children? Do I need formal education to homeschool? Take a bit of time to enjoy each other’s company, informally see where your child is at, and find out what kind of learner your child is best.
Educating your child at home is so rewarding. Whether you take off for the summer or just a couple weeks after pulling your child from public school, take a bit of time to adjust and enjoy. Children have spring break and holiday at school, keep it simple and just spend time together. Learning is apart of life. Cook together, discover the things your child loves, seek to find something new about your child. A new hobby, a new favorite book, food or past time. Then gauge your child’s routine. Whether just at school age or coming from public school, your child has a morning routine. Does your child have weaknesses according to their last education? Do they have any formal education yet? You can answer these questions, then decide informally your next direction. Often public school children have great routines and can jump into open book style learning with no problems, unless there already was something going on. Informally, you can gauge your child’s strengths and weaknesses. You know your child best. If for whatever reason you are unsure of something, take this time to get to know your child better. Does my child thrive with routine? Is my child obedient? Does my child have and attitude? What things motivate my child? What things frustrate my child? Start to notice more details if you have not before. Then apply the knowledge you’ve gained and how your child learns best.
4. What do I want to accomplish through homeschooling? Make a List of Goals.
Immediately, you may have seen the first three coming, but this one? Yes, trust me! You will accomplish so much more by making a list of goals. Want to know a secret? Home school snuck up on me. It was not something I necessarily planned. Loving working with preschoolers, I made a list of things I wanted to teach my oldest child before they went to school. Which to be honest, I was thinking at age 4. We read tons. Making popcorn, forts outside and inside, truck bed forts, teepee forts in the woods, and etc. Whenever we needed a rest from playing, we would sit down and read. Usually with a snack too. Every moments was a treasure, because I kept thinking we only get four years. My child begged to do school by 3. Already reading basic words and a deep love for books, I did not want to spoil it with “school”. So we made “school”. It was more of a list of goals for each week. We would memorize a poem, learn a new song, explore a new art, and discover a new plant or animal. Each week had at least one “project”. From mud pies, to hatching frog eggs, digging worms, collecting certain “colors”, and so on. Our weekly list turned into a monthly list, even after starting curriculum. It has been a beautiful journey in homeschool! I am ever learning and falling in love with my amazing children everyday. It helps me know how to pray for them too. Sorry to ramble, make a list of goals. It is productive and you will fly through “school” without ever opening a curriculum book!
5. How do I want to homeschool? Explore Curriculum.
Last, but not least, after you know your goals, your home, your children and their needs you can best purchase curriculum. If you do not have a budget and anything goes, that’s great! However, most parents have a budget, this will also help you pick out curriculum. Currently, books and paces are continually climbing in price. If you are in it for the long haul or have multiple children, you can really save by reusing material or buying in advanced, even more savings being used. When budget allowed, I purchased multiple sets of workbooks for all my children coming up in the grades behind. I did this because every year they went up a tad anyways, but mostly if they revised that edition I no longer have any value in my reusable curriculum. Therefore, requiring me to purchase new teacher material without any resale value of my current material.
A key to your curriculum is your state’s home education laws. Currently, many states have freedom to homeschool but certain requirements in doing so. Check your local state’s webpage or HSLDA for more information to help you pick out your subjects. After getting a sense of what you need for curriculum (subjects, grades, hour requirements, etc.) then begin by decided if you want book format (PACES and workbooks) or online school. Then break down if you want textbooks or paces. Then, align your child with your choice of curriculum. (Many have placement or quizzes on their website to find out where your child should begin.) Last, purchase your curriculum & wait anxiously for it to arrive.
Happy Homeschooling and best to you on your new adventures!
P.S. But, I am knew here, how do you know Heaven is real and my know for sure it is my eternal home? –> READ MORE of Travel Down the Roman’s Road or Let Us Travel