It
does not take an advanced degree to be a great teacher to your
children. You should use a combination of basic skills and things you
have learned throughout your life. If you hit any bumps in the road and
are not sure what to do next, use the tips here to help you get back on
the right track.
Keep in mind that giving your child a
break once in awhile is helpful. They will get burnt out if they study
for hours and hours. Allow them to have down-time or get some exercise.
Everyone will be better off for it.
You don’t have to be perfect! Even
teachers make mistakes, and it’s all a part of the learning process for
yourself and your children. Take your time, relax and know that you can
teach your kids a lot when you do flub. The more mistakes you make, the
better a teacher you will become.
Before you even begin your child’s homeschooling
year, decide how many weeks you would like to accomplish the school
year in. You can then break your courses up into weeks to set even
tighter schedules. Do not forget to pencil in any vacation time that you
will be taking so you do not forget to account for it.
Always take advantage of back to school
sales just as if your child was going to regular school. You cannot
disregard the cost savings of supplies during these sales. Children love
to get new school supplies and you can stock up for the entire year
easily as long as you have storage room.
When drafting your goals for your homeschooling
classroom, be reasonable. Don’t expect your kids to finish high school
by the time they’re 12, or to spend every waking minute in the
classroom. You need to give them the ability to learn at their own pace
while absorbing as much as possible. The goals you set should be both
short- and long-term so that you find achievement comes at frequent
intervals, meaning rewards can be given as well as congratulations.
Before beginning homeschooling,
take the time to learn your state’s laws. Visit the HLSDA website to
get more information on that. If you decide to join a
homeschooling organization, it can help you look more credible to local
authorities should you ever be questioned. Even if you need to pay a fee
to join, it may be well worth it for the help you can get from the
organization.
Do thorough research on the type of
curriculum that you are thinking of getting. The quality and approach
can differ widely. The content should engage your child to keep his
interest high. The curriculum must be well-laid out so that it is easy
for you to use. A poorly designed curriculum will cause frustration for
you as well as your child.
The great thing about homeschooling is
that it is very flexible. Traditional classrooms are very structured
with a strict curriculum. Homeschooling allows you to stray away from
this one size fits all mentality, and structure your classes to suit
your child’s learning style. This means if your child does not
understand the traditional way math is taught, you can teach them in a
way they understand instead.
While many modern homeschooling programs
come with a recommended schedule, be sure to check your state
regulations before planning your curriculum. Many states require that
homeschooled children learn on the same 40-week schedule as their public
school counterparts. In states without such regulations, you will have
more flexibility in planning the schedule.
Before you decide to homeschooling your
child make sure that you understand exactly what you are getting into.
Check into your states requirements, and what materials you will need.
Make sure that you can set aside enough time to juggle your everyday
responsibilities with giving your child the best education you can.
Try to keep thing’s fun. Although you
cannot keep every moment of everyday packed full of fun activities,
there are many ways to include an element of fun into most learning
activities. For example, if your child is studying history, go on a
field trip to a museum or have a dress up day.
If you decide to hire a tutor to
supplement your homeschooled child’s education, choose carefully. Make
sure that the tutor has a degree in the subject he or she teaches. While
a teaching degree is helpful, it isn’t a necessity to be a good tutor.
Verify a potential tutor’s expertise and effectiveness by asking for and
checking in with references.
If your child is a visual learner, there
are many helpful tools you can use to help them learn. Incorporate
flash cards, workbooks, charts and matching games into your teaching.
This will help them to learn best and retain more information.
Homeschooling allows you to use different tools to help your child learn
the best.
Know about the laws in your state
regarding homeschooling. Each state has different laws, but in general,
there is a certain kind of curriculum you have to follow when teaching
your children at home. You can find this information out by simply
searching online for homeschooling laws in your state.
Learn to match what your child is
learning to how those skills apply to their real life. For instance,
counting coins can be helpful with addition, subtraction and
multiplication. Learning fractions can be learned by doing recipes or
splitting pizzas into slices. Once your child sees how and why these
skills are useful, they are more eager to learn them, and they make more
sense to them.
There are many stipulations you must
adhere to. It is true that they are your children and you have the right
to make education decisions for them. However, there are laws of the
land that you need to abide by when it comes to teaching your kids.
Depending on where you live, it may be as simple as filling out a form
stating your intention to homeschooling your children. However, you must
usually give your child the same standardized tests that are required
in traditional schools. Become knowledgeable about the laws and
regulations in your State and school district so you can be sure that
your child will be receiving an education that can serve their future.
Most people think that it is simple to
teach their children at home. This is not something that is easy at all.
It will take a lot of hard work and patience on the part of you and
your child. Hopefully the information above will help you along the way.
