Pros And Cons Of Homeschooling

I’ve been a private tutor in New York City for the past five years, and in that time I have worked extensively with eight different homeschoolers and had contact with a number of others. Some of these families are providing their children with absolutely magnificent educations. Others are doing a very poor job of it. I’ve given a great deal of thought to the characteristics that set successful homeschooling families apart from unsuccessful ones, and I believe I have some useful ideas for helping families determine whether or not they ought to take the plunge. Of course there are both academic and non-academic considerations to take into account with education, but my topic here is to primarily discuss the academic issues.

My first question for any parents considering homeschooling is: Why? There are many possible answers to this question, but I think most of the time, the answers fall into one of three categories. First, there are families who simply feel that they can provide their child with a better education than they could get in any available school. Next, there are families who find themselves in a difficult situation, and homeschooling seems like it might provide a solution (although it was never a first choice). Finally, there are families with children who work (usually as actors) and who can’t reasonably go to regular school, too.

All of these categories contain both successful and unsuccessful homeschooling families, although the most common the pitfalls seem to be different. Among families who want to try homeschooling because they believe they can provide a truly superior education, I’ve noticed one major downfall- parents who assume that their interests form the core of a good education. For example, I had a friend in college who was rather bitter about the fact that her parent’s (both math majors from Harvard) version of homeschooling led her to be rather competent at beginning calculus by the age of 11, but sadly unable to write more than a simple sentence or two until she entered public school in the 6th grade.

On the other hand, I now have a homeschooling student whose parents know they can’t do math or science justice- that’s why they’ve hired me and it’s why they make a great effort to make sure a variety of adults who are fluent in math and science contribute to her education. That child is getting a great education in the humanities from her parents and a great education in math and science from me and other people.

Unfortunately, no one is fully competent in every subject that a child should be exposed to, especially as they get older and material gets more complicated. Have you thought about how you will address all of the subjects that your child should be studying, and not just the ones that are your own personal favorites? Have you considered what the implications are of potentially passing on your own academic weaknesses or prejudices to your child? Do you have a plan to avoid, or at least ameliorate, this potential pitfall?

In my experience, families who consider homeschooling because of a difficult situation are perhaps the most diverse group. These are also some of the families who have the most trouble making homeschooling work, for the simple reason that they are already under some sort of intense stress, which makes everything more difficult. The questions I would pose to these families are: Why do you think homeschooling will improve your situation? Do you realistically have the time and energy to devote to this important project? I have seen families who were forced into homeschooling make it work very well and I have also seen homeschooling degenerate into something quite awful.

My favorite example of a family that was forced into homeschooling by circumstance but made it work well for them is a family consisting of an aunt and uncle who adopted their very troubled and severely school-phobic nephew. By the time they adopted their nephew, he had already learned to associate school with failure and responded to it with a mixture of indifference and aggression. It was bad enough when he was a prepubecent child, but as he entered adolescence the situation became absolutely untenable. For this student, homeschooling has been a wonderful second chance that has allowed him to begin learning without having to carry the baggage from his previous failures around. He has made enormous progress in the years since I began working with him. I truly believe that he could not have made this amount of progress in any other environment.

On the other hand, I once participated in the homeschooling of a boy whose mother was terminally ill. The situation was even worse than you might think because she was on medication that made her quite literally and dramatically insane. The poor woman had many frightening hallucinations and became so fearful that she sometimes didn’t allow her son to leave their apartment for stretches of several days. Although homeschooling by a team of professional educators allowed him to more or less keep up academically, the emotional cost of being isolated from his friends and the outside world while he was trying to deal with his mother’s illness made a terrible situation even worse. I truly believe that it would have been better for him to go to school. Even if he had failed every subject, just getting outside of the house and seeing his peers would have been an improvement.

Finally, there are families with a professional child. In these situations, the relevant questions aren’t so much about homeschooling, they’re really about the child’s career. Can this individual child handle a career? Is the desire for a career truly coming from the child? If the career doesn’t carry over into adulthood, will he or she have the skills necessary to make a life in another way? I’ve only known one professional child personally, and she was a charming 8th grade girl who truly loved acting. I homeschooled her while she was performing in an off-Broadway play. She was quite driven to succeed in all aspects of her life, and she was able to do remarkably well in terms of keeping up with her academics as well as her career. I had a lot of admiration for the way she handled all aspects of her life. I also respected the fact that her parents supported her desire to pursue a career in acting, but they absolutely did not push her. Her situation was close to ideal. On the other hand, she told me some disturbing stories about other professional children that she knew who were essentially coerced into pursuing acting careers that they did not want for themselves. Obviously, that is a deeply unethical choice for parents to force on their child. Homeschooling is really beside the point.

In my experience, homeschooling families generally do pretty well (and often extremely well) when they enter into homeschooling with their child’s interests truly front and center. They often run into problems when homeschooling is more about the parents than the child. Ask yourself why and how you want to do this before you start. Be as honest as you can with your answers. The way you think about your child’s education will undoubtedly change over time, but if you keep those questions in mind, your chances of making the right choice for your family is quite good.

Why should you homeschool? Why you opt to do so, or not, is a personal choice; those who choose to do so have many different reasons. Some parents want to instill certain values, while others want to protect their children from what they see as an unsafe public school environment. Still others think that they can provide a more superior education than the school system can. However, the most common reason is that parents simply think homeschooling is better for their children.

Just what “better” means can vary from parent to parent, but it means the exclusion of certain things as well as the inclusion of others. For instance, children who homeschool are seen as being less susceptible to peer pressure or bullying. Simply put, however, the opinion that homeschooling can provide a better education versus that of public or standard private schools has been quite well researched.

Studies, in fact, agree that homeschooling is generally educationally superior versus public or private schooling in the vast majority of cases.

For proof, we can look at many individual success stories. The winner of the 1997 national spelling bee was a homeschooled student. In addition, one family of four sisters who had all been homeschooled went on to get Master’s degrees from an Ivy League college. One young lady who had been homeschooled went to college and got her Master’s degree by age 16.

Now, detractors might dismiss such achievements as rare and unusual; the students and/or their parents were simply of genius IQ, right? However, the number of people in the world who have a genius IQ is not high enough to account for the steady rate of success among homeschooled students in these areas. Members have said in general the students who are homeschooled are in the 60th to 70th percentiles by the age of 12. On average, this means that these students test at least a grade ahead of their public school peers.

The numbers are even better for older students. By the time a homeschooled student reaches what is the equivalent of eighth grade, that student is roughly four grades ahead of his or her peers. This is as much due to the poor results public school generally provides as it is to the impressive accomplishments of homeschoolers. These numbers, in fact, are not just provided by those who advocate homeschooling, but by the US Department of Education itself.

Simply put, homeschooling works. Of course, most homeschooling parents know that this is not easy. Parents who homeschool often experience burnout, especially when they’re just starting out. It takes a lot of work to teach young people everything they need to know educationally, in addition to being the parent. To expect excellence from one’s children as students and function in the role of teacher takes extra effort. Therefore, the focus is on the parent in homeschooling efforts even more so than it is in general.

Homeschooling parents in general insist that children are natural sponges for knowledge. Although this may be true, many homeschooling parents nonetheless feel that they need to research curriculum options, define goals, and guide their children’s education, as well as a myriad of other tasks on a day-to-day basis. Parents who homeschool but who have not been well educated themselves also face the additional challenge of educating themselves even as they educate their children. They may have to catch up on their own educations before they can truly function as teachers for their own children.

Nonetheless, homeschooling advocates say that the results are worth the effort. Indeed, studies bear this out, as homeschooled students are usually well-adjusted, deep thinking individuals who are ready for whatever challenges life may throw at them.

Homeschool can quickly grow and become an enterprise that is overwhelming. There is so much that parents need to learn before they can begin to educate their children. However, just like any other large and complex task, it is much easier to tackle when you break it down into simple to handle pieces. Plus, homeschooling is not nearly as difficult as many people think it is – or as the make it seem.

The first thing to remember in homeschooling is that there is no “one size fits all” and what is right for one person may not work for someone else. This being said, there is no single starting point that is right for everyone. Different parents present different skill sets and have different life experiences. However, nearly every single parent who attacks this task will at some point experience some trickle of doubt as to whether they can actually DO this or if homeschooling is right for their child or even their family. The doubts are normal, but what it boils down to is that only the parent and child can decide if it is right. Family members who do not understand or approve can not make the very personal decision regarding how your child is educated – only you and your child can do that.

If you decide to go with homeschooling, know that homeschooled children, on the average, outscore their peers on standardized tests and perform at the top of their class in college. Within the home, parents can offer an environment to the child that is safe, fun and is conducive to learning. They can tailor an educational program that is structured specifically for their child’s needs and interests. This is an area where public schools often fail.

The Law

One of the first things that you should do once you make the decision to homeschool your child is to learn everything that you can about the laws and regulations in your state. Learning the legal requirements and restrictions should be done very early in the process. The HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) can provide you with a wealth of information and assistance. They can guide you through the process of researching the laws in your state. While homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, certain aspects differ such as the amount of paperwork and the level of involvement of local school districts. Some states also require that homeschooled students be tested at certain points to track their progression.

Support Groups

Modern homeschooling has been around for more than 40 years. Literally hundreds of organizations have been formed during at time that covers every state and nearly every area in the United States. You can find a list for your area by visiting http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/states/index.php. There are also many online groups and many are even region specific. Yahoo groups, Google groups and MSN groups all have very useful clubs where homeschoolers can share curriculum, tips, support and supplies including books. Some local online groups even have field trips, get togethers, play groups and teen nights to aid in the socialization process for the children.

Books and Magazines

There are many books and magazines that are available to help with homeschooling issues. However, as the internet has grown and expanded, there is even more information readily available to homeschooling parents as well as students. Parents can sign up for homeschooling newsletters and they can even go on to teacher resource websites and sign up for newsletters and daily tips.

If you are interested in reading the philosophy of homeschooling and its origins, John Holt’s books are fascinating. “Teach Your Own” by Patrick Farenga is also a very popular book on homeschooling. “Classical Homeschooling Magazine” is available at http://www.classicalhomeschooling.com. While it mainly focuses on the classical homeschooling approach, homeschoolers of all types can gain valuable information from it. “Home Education Magazine” is another very popular publication regarding homeschooling.

Materials and Resources

Materials and resources are integral to the homeschoolers success, but not in the manner that you may think. Many parents elect the school-at-home route, at least initially. What this does is basically take the books and materials out of the classroom and place them in the home where the child learns them and the parent is the teacher. It usually does not take long for parents to realize how much effort is involved in this method and they often find the materials substandard at best.

There are alternative materials and curricula available from many commercial sources. The homeschooling clubs and groups mentioned earlier can also offer a wealth of information. There are materials and curricula that can be downloaded on the internet for free and these groups can point you in the right direction. A popular forum that provides good information is http://forum.homeschool.com/forum/default.asp. Another popular source is HEM (Home Education Magazine). You can access their site at http://www.homeedmag.com/wlcm_netwrk.html. Another site is http://www.home-school.com/forums.

All of these sites give parents helpful tips, suggestions for curriculum design and materials and much more.

Your approach to homeschooling your child may be structured or unstructured. It depends on you and your child’s goals, whether they are college, art school or just a good foundation of knowledge and a keen mind. Whatever your concerns and issues, you can find the help that you need to get you started and make your homeschool experience a success.

Homeschooling is one of the best ways to provide quality education to your children.There are many things that you should consider before starting homeschool.It is obvious that one of the parents will have to stay at home to look after the kid’s education. As you have decided to provide home education to your child then there are many queries in your mind, how to start with, where to get study material and similarly many other queries. To start homeschool, you can find various information on the internet. There are many websites that provide homeschool curriculum and community where you can interact other homeschoolers and ask about their experience in California homeschooling.You can also contact with a professional instructor to get any kind of information.

For starting Homeschooling, you must look for a good curriculum that includes a proper syllabus for the kid’s education. Depending on the age you can get the study material from an existing homeschool support or online. The first thing you analyze is that your child is small and considering his age, is he ready for homeschool education. Every child id different from other in every respect and so must observe abilities of your child for homeschool education. As your child grows up you also need to change the curriculum for the further development of the child. You can look for some online programs that help your child development because these are tested and successful programs.

For the curriculum you can look for homeschooling support and even you can get in touch with online communities. Online communities also provide resources to plan and organize homeschooling for your children. California Homeschooling support and communities also provide resources and information for parents and families to get involved in seeking all kinds of information for all types of information. You can enhance the quality of education by the help of parents who are facilitating their kid’s with homeschool education. If you are child is brought up in the homeschool education then you can shape him in your own way. Your child grows up in your supervision and you teach him accordingly. In this way the child gets an opportunity to develop on its own tempo which is a very advantageous part of homeschooling.

There is a misconception among people that homeschooling is a cheap education but in fact this is not true. There are many costs involved in it. You must analyze the cost of California homeschooling before starting this for your child. You have to arrange study materials and other accessories like notebooks, pen, pencil etc along with computer equipments. You can also arrange dance and music lesions, piano lessons along with sports activities as well. Take your child to zoo, museum, its better if you take them with other children of community. In this way child gets lots of things to learn and develop personally. Other thing that you have to look for is that as your child grows academically, you must change/bring the new tutor for him. Get an experienced tutor who knows how to deal with homeschool children.

Today we all know that education is must for everyone but are afraid about the safety of our children due to the increasing number of crimes in Michigan.  Michigan Homeschooling may be the most promising way to give our children a higher level of education while mitigating worries about safety.  As the name implies, with homeschooling programs you may educate your child within an atmosphere that addresses special learning opportunities available in Michigan.  Homeschooling may also offer a self paced study schedule in which the student isn’t forced into their classmates’ pace, required to submit coursework on arbitrary deadlines or complete final examinations. Though powerful vested interests oppose homeschooling, it is also true that parents see the benefits of homeschooling a child.  There are obvious reasons that make homeschooling the best way to teach the values that most parents believe and hold true in Michigan.

Homeschooling provides the best education in moral and religious beliefs for children. Instead of having alternative forms of sexuality thrust upon them by the state-mandated curriculum at the age of seven, parents can introduce these concepts at an age that is more appropriate for the child.  When deciding to educate their child, a big decision and one of the keys concerns that comes to every parent’s mind is whether or not he or she has the ability and knowledge to be a teacher and do the job correctly. But in Michigan, homeschooling parents have the support of over 100,000 other families and over 1,000 support groups and networks that have been set up to assure that parents are successful. In addition, the internet has changed the face of Michigan and homeschooling forever by offering virtual tours, online distance learning programs, educational games and activities that make the Michigan homeschooling dynamic.  Instead of having to settle for the curriculum promoted by lobbyists and special interests homeschoolers may choose from the best and brightest instructional methods in America – or the world for that matter.

Homeschool programs give children more focused education and more individual attention than a school, providing alternative academic time and support through online systems. Furthermore, the Internet can assist busy parents too as children have an entire online library available at their fingertips.  In fact, due to the advances technology there are more tools available than ever to assist parents in the task of providing homeschool education for their children. For those students who live in rural areas, homeschooling is best at providing an efficient learning environment.  Riding a bus for an hour each direction is more a waste of time than anything else. Therefore those students who are homeschooled often have better computer skills than their public school peers. Another benefit that makes homeschooling better than a public school is that it is difficult for a teacher to rotate 25 to 30 students through the use of classroom computers in any timely manner. So now if you are in any confusion about  Michigan homeschooling environment, just consider all the benefits that a homeschool program offers parents and their children as well.

For advice, more information and resources visit http//:www.michiganhomeschooling.info

Concerned about extra-curriculars for your homeschooling child? If you plan to continue homeschooling through high school, you may have considered your options for how to address sports, clubs, graduation, newspaper club, etc.

Before trying to reinvent the wheel, check out your local homeschool support groups to learn about homeschool activities they may have already established. Many groups offer homeschool sports teams, homeschool drama clubs, homeschool choirs, homeschool debate teams, etc. Homeschoolers also often establish teams to compete in national math and science competitions.

But if you are starting from scratch, be sure to spend some time organizing, pulling people together who can help, and setting up your plan of attack before you jump. This will help to avoid the frustrations that so often result in burnout and the end of a great idea.

With technology where it is today, homeschooling activities are easy to coordinate and you can create a sense of community among homeschool students with just the click of a button. Better yet, you can have a newspaper or homeschool literary club with contributing members from all around the world.

And as technology continues to make our world smaller, look ahead to ways you can use the developments to your homeschooler’s advantage.

Some great places to start are activities that add that element of “setting themselves apart” to your child’s transcript. Homeschool activities list.

Honor society-the National Honor Society won’t admit homeschoolers, but a home school honor society exists if you’re willing to get one going in your community. Check out homeeducationpartnership.com for Eta Sigma Alpha Honor Society.

Yearbook staff-are you part of a homeschool group? Take your own pictures and allow your kids to put together a ‘yearbook.” A yearbook creates lasting memories and gives your child that sense of belonging. With digital photos and on-line publishing options, designing and printing a yearbook is now easy! There are a number of other on-line programs (such as blurb.com and shutterfly.com that will allow your group to work from any computer with an Internet connection to contribute to your yearbook.

Sections to include:

i) Class pictures
ii) Sports
iii) Clubs
iv) Field Trips
v) Ministries
vi) Events
vii) Group Photos
viii) Friends
ix) Awards & Accomplishments
x) Community Service Projects

Literary journal-If you have a writer in the family, what better way to showcase his or her abilities than to write for a literary journal. Check out narrowroadpublishing.com for your opportunity to contribute to a homeschool literary journal.

Newspaper-If your student is interested in writing or journalism, check into your local smaller newspapers. When I was in high school, I was able to secure a weekly column in our local newspaper where I had the opportunity to write for an audience every week. It was a terrific experience that forced me to think critically about the events around me and to do my research before writing my article. I am so grateful for my parents’ confidence in me and encouragement to pursue my interests in ways that were meaningful.

Sports-check with your local homeschool support groups. Many areas have homeschool sports team that compete against one another or against smaller private schools in the area. Be sure to also look in to community sports and premier sports clubs in your area.

If you have an aspiring athlete, your local premier sports clubs are one great avenue as many colleges and universities do their recruiting from premier teams and tournaments.

In many states, public schools will allow homeschoolers to participate in sports-some require your child to attend at least one class; others allow them to play without attending. Often private schools welcome the opportunity to add homeschoolers to their team rosters as well.

Don’t assume your child will be unable to play his or her sport on an organized and competitive team. Take the time to pursue your options. We have seen many homeschool students go on to college on athletic scholarships as a result of a diligent and committed parent.

Choir-many areas have local choirs or chorus opportunities. My homeschool daughter joined the local public school chorus to gain experience and now can choose to also participate with our county chorus or a local music school choir.

Band-another one where there can be many opportunities. Look into your local 4-H club, a local music school, private and public schools in the area, or a county band. Don’t hesitate to check into your church band as well. Often churches forget to recruit young members, but welcome them enthusiastically.

Leadership-leadership comes in many forms. If you do not have a homeschool support group nearby, find other ways for your child to take on leadership roles. As a high school student, I had the opportunity to start a children’s choir in my church, to teach Sunday School, and to serve as an assistant softball coach through our community sports organization. These were all leadership activities that not only looked great on a college application, but also served to build my character and confidence in my own abilities. And working with younger children is an ideal way to build leadership skills in a child who is otherwise fairly introverted.

Student Government-A student who participates in student government is one who is seen as a leader. In a school setting, this individual helps organize student events, works with school leadership to make changes or improvements in the school, finds ways for the student body to make a difference in the community, and more. You can achieve this same valuable experience with a homeschool support group. And it looks fantastic on a college application. Have your homeschool student government association take charge of planning field trips, finding ministry opportunities, organizing events . . . your kids can do an outstanding job of this and lift some of the burden from your shoulders.

Another fantastic way to provide student government experience is through the Student Governmental Affairs program (sgap.com). With this program, your student receives a monthly legislative newsletter, The Student Forum, which contains nonpartisan, non-political, factual information about issues under discussion in Congress. The highlighted topics are geared to the interests of teenagers and are age-appropriate in both the material presented and writing style. I used this material as a foundation for my student government class with great success. My students would discuss and debate the issues and express their opinions to their elected officials. It was inspiring and opened their eyes to the incredible amount of legislation that is enacted into law every month in this country. Two of those kids have now gone on to college to study political science-one I am convinced will someday serve as our president!

There are so many unmentioned activities not listed here. Drama, chess, science, photography, foreign language, environmental, nursing, math clubs-you name it, you can create it (even with just two members). If your child has a specific interest, find someone willing to join them and start your own club.

With most of these suggestions come tremendous opportunities for scholarship funding. Be sure to question the financial aid office at the colleges and universities you are considering to learn more about the scholarships they offer to students who have been involved in these extra-curricular activities.

Is Homeschooling legal?

Without a doubt, homeschooling is legal in all the 50 States of the U.S. But, that is just about where the similarity ends. Laws and regulations regarding homeschooling vary from state to state. Interpretations of these laws can vary from scholl district to school district. Additionally, these laws may change every year. The National Home Education network is a wonderful resource when it comes to the legalities of homeschooling. It has a listing of the actual state laws for each state in the U.S. Reading the laws that pertain to your state is perhaps the best way to get accurate information about these laws. But, most people need to get the laws interpreted by a qualified attorney. You can get valuable information from the support group at your locality. Additionally, many state education departments have online resources that will help you in interpreting the state requirements for homeschooling. The internet is also a good source of information. It is a good idea to check out your state laws regarding homeschooling before you start educating your child at home. This will prevent any nasty surprises on the way. If you have to move, you will need to be aware of any tests or exams that your child may need to take.

Disadvantages of public schooling

When we consign our children to public schools, we feel satisfied that they are receiving quality education’. But, are we really getting our money’s worth? More importantly, are the children gaining anything from this kind of a learning procedure?

Socialization is hailed as one of the greatest advantage of schools. This is the place where the child picks up the rudiments of social skills that help him survive. But in truth, a regular school-going child can interact only with his peers. He may bully younger children or fear older ones. He does not know how to behave with an adult. This is because in the school environment he interacts only with his peers. A homeschooling environment brings in a more natural social environment.

A regular school going child cannot read literature. He cannot keep silent or think in depth about any one thing. The artificial ‘busy’ness imposed upon him by the school disallows quiet
contemplation. Rowdy and destructive behavior, as seen among peers, is more noticeable in school-goers.

There is little long-standing knowledge among regular school goers because most things are learnt for the exam. There is no  correlation of facts with life. The child may know a lot, but
understands very little. This is where the homeschoolers beat the regular school goers. Ultimately, homeschoolers emerge more adept at facing the outside world.

Benefits Of Homeschooling

Why let Tim and Lisa learn at home than send them to school? Well, first of all, you don’t have to wake them up at 7 every morning and bundle them off to school with umpteen numbers of
instructions, and wait with an anxious heart till they return. Homeschooling gives you more control over the influences that affect your child. The growth and development of your child is removed from the realm of the unknown. You, and you alone can decide what your child needs to do or learn. Tailoring the curriculum to suit the needs and interests of the child is one of the most obvious benefits of homeschooling

Individual attention is another salient benefit of homeschooling. For instance, if Lisa needs more time to learn Math, then she can reduce the time for her English lessons. There are no fixed hours of learning per subject. This means that a child has the advantage of assigning more number of hours to the subject that seems tough WITHOUT any additional pressure. The amount of time needed to learn each subject will depend on the abilities and interests of the child.

The schooling of the child becomes an extended family activity. Parents get involved in every step of the learning procedure. Field trips and experiments become family activities. Thus, the child receives more quality time with his parents. The entire family shares games, chores and projects. Family closeness becomes the focus here. The child is also free of any negative peer pressure while making choices and decisions.

Competition is limited when it comes to homeschooling. The child does not need to prove his ability with regards to other children. His confidence remains intact. Since parents have a deep understanding of their child, they can plan the learning program to pique the child’s interest. It is also possible to intersperse difficult tasks with fun activities. A tough hour with Algebra can be followed by a trip to the nearest museum. Learning becomes fun. Parents can also tailor the curriculum to suit the learning style of the child. Some children learn through reading, while others need to write, and still others need to see objects in action.

Homeschooling allows parents to take control over the moral and religious learning of the child. Parents have the flexibility to incorporate their beliefs and ideologies into the child’s curriculum.
There is no confusion in the child’s mind either because there is no variation between what is being taught and what is being practiced.

Lastly, more and more parents are getting disillusioned with the public school system. They believe that their children are being pushed too hard or too little. Other worrying issues pertaining to discipline and ethics also make the school system less welcome. Many repudiate the educational philosophy of grouping children solely on the basis of their age. Some parents themselves have unhappy memories of their own public school experience that motivates them to opt for homeschooling when it comes to their own children.

Homeschooling is the best way to teach a child if you have the time, the ability and the interest to follow through with his education. After all, nobody can understand or appreciate your child more than yourself.

How to Homeschool Your Child

Now that you have decided that homeschooling is the way to educate your child, get ready for the ecstasy and the anxiety – the road ahead is a bit bumpy, but the rewards more than make up for it. Producing a well-adjusted and well-rounded personality is no mean achievement.

First of all, it is important to check out your state laws on home schooling. Some states need an affidavit filed with the State’s education department. There are basically 3 categories for
homeschooling laws. These are: private school laws, home education laws and equivalency laws. Find your state laws. You may also need to maintain a portfolio that records the child’s educational progress. It is important to look into the legal requirements BEFORE you start homeschooling. Some States also stipulate a minimum educational qualification for the parent or teacher.

Next, look for a support group. If you live in a friendly or curious neighborhood, well-meaning friends will try to dissuade you. At the very least, they may put a lot of uneasy questions in
your mind. A support group that consists of like-minded people will insulate you from the criticism, pressures and questions of regular school-goers. Many groups organize fun events like visits to the zoo, museum, tours to the ice cream shops etc. And if your children hit it off with other homeschoolers, they will be able to build lasting relationships that do not fade when their friends change schools. These groups provide an important avenue for socialization.

The next important thing to do is to select a curriculum. Depending upon the method of homeschooling, you may choose various tools that aid you in this process. The internet is also a rich resource for homeschooling. Do some research and look into the material that is available.

Set certain ground rules. Homeschooling requires a lot of self-discipline and hard work. Here is a comprehensive list of the things you will need:
1) Eagerness to learn
2) Hard work and effort
3) Discipline
4) Time and patience
5) Flexibility
6) Enthusiasm

Consider why you want to opt for homeschooling. Your motives and your reasons are important pillars on which the whole edifice of your child’s lessons depends. Also, consult with your children.
Ask them what they feel about homeschooling. Select a curriculum or custom-make a curriculum that best suits your child. Record keeping is an important part of homeschooling.
Look into the various methods of record keeping. Set up a schedule. Your child does not have to learn 6-7 hours a day. Allow him or her to dictate the time. Flexibility and fun are the cornerstones of homeschooling. Do not stuff too many skills into a single term or year. Prepare a skill list. Make the child learn the skills that he is ready for.

Gentle parenting is the secret to successful homeschooling. Children make great advances in learning and show more enthusiasm. They also turn out to be surprisingly well balanced and well informed when they are taught at home.

Homeschool – Field trips

Why not? Regular schools have them and so why shouldnt you? If you are going over a particular subject with the family and feel that a field trip would be beneficial, then that’s what you should do – go for a trip. If you are attached to a support group, you can plan to include other children too.

Here are some guidelines that will help you plan:
1) Collect the rates
2) Allowed ages
3) Special highlights
4) Size of the group
5) Timings
6) Eating facilities

Inform your support group of all these details well in advance so that the necessary circulars may be sent out. On the appointed day, arrange to meet with other parents and children in a
particular place. Plan the mode of travel and reach the place at least 10 minutes in advance.

The field trip is not just fun. So, let your kids bring their writing material. Allow them time to stare and admire. Do not hurry them along. Collect data beforehand so that you can clear doubts. Get help from a guide, if necessary. And most importantly, have fun and enjoy the time you spend with your children.

Maintaining Discipline in Homeschooling

When the child stays at home all day, and mommy is the teacher, there are certain issues of discipline at stake. It is easy for he child to misconstrue the freedom he has at home and feel that homeschooling is just a long summer holiday. This is a potential landmine and children need to be disciplined right at the start.

Homeschooling gives you and your child a truly immense amount of flexibility. You and your child decide where to learn, how much to learn and when to learn. But,these should be decisions made at the beginning stages. If your child is too little to take an active part in the decision, chart out a few hours of the day for the various activities, and stick to it. When there is no outside agency to supervise and no exams to answer, it is easy to get sidetracked. If your child is old enough, consult him and find out when he wants to learn. Apply your parental discretion and come up with a timetable.

Homework is also a part of homeschooling. What this means is that once lessons have been taught, the child should be asked to do some part of the course work by himself without your guidance. You will need to make sure that your child sits willingly and finishes his work.

Courtesy, manners and punctuality are some of the various facets of discipline that a child has to imbibe in the early years of his life. The school where he interacts with his peers, his seniors
and juniors and his teachers mould these values quite automatically. At homeschool, the child should be taught the importance of speaking and behaving in a proper manner and appropriate corrections need to be meted out if behavior is unsatisfactory.

It is advisable to keep aside a particular room or a part of the room for your homeschool. The child should be expected to reach his desk at the appointed time, in proper attire with all the
necessary material. It is easy to allow the school to become an extension of play if these ground rules are not laid out and followed. As the teacher, supervisor, principal and janitor rolled into one, you should also approach the study area with a cool professionalism.

Homeschooling is doomed to fail without patience. In spite of all the precautions and steps one takes, it is easy for a child to get familiar’ at homeschool. At such times, it may be difficult to
discipline the child and get him to listen to you attentively. When this happens, switch to something new. Allow the child to take a breather and enjoy a break yourself.

Homeschooling is not easy. It requires a lot of hard work and patience. The very informality of the whole procedure sometimes works against it by making it too easy. If you take steps to
establish rules at the very beginning and adhere to these rules, your homeschooling experience will be a huge success.

Steve Cownley

http://infoblog.net78.net/

 

Educators, Parents, Students lend me your ears, my name is Katie Criss and I am going to discuss home schooling with you. Currently there is a very heated debate over the issue of Home schooling in America. Today I am going to present you with my views on this critical subject. When I say “my views” I’m not going to stick my finger in the air to see what way the wind is blowing with this issue of home schooling. I know there are two sides, and supporters of both.. Rather I am going to present to you my viewpoints with opinion and research on why I am a critic of home schooling.

When I asked myself the question, How do you feel about home schooling? I first thought “Why would anyone do that” So I researched exactly that, What are the reasons that people give of why they choose to homeschool and how valid are they.

One reason that I frequently found through research was that parents home schooled their children because of the violence found in public schools. My response to this is Yes, there is violence in public schools, However, there are many preventive measures that are taken to avert this violence and most schools have incorporated a Zero-tolerance policy. Parents justify themselves by reciting isolated incidents to help build their case for home schooling. My message to parents who use this excuse to validate themselves is, first ask yourself the question, Is their violence in my neighborhood. I am sure if you are living in Harlem, New York compared to South Park, Pennsylvania there is going to be an immense difference in the crime of the area. My next question is, how do you expect to protect your child from all the dangers of society? Home schooling your child is a parents attempt to isolate their child from the real world scary stories. If you are afraid of your child being bullied, what will happen when your child becomes an adult and meets a bullying boss? This is a real-world story; children need the exposure to different people. Why? Simple, because nobody in this world is the same.

After doing much research and learning that parents question the safety of their children in public schools, I myself questioned the safety of home schooled children. From this research I concluded that current home schooling laws allow people who mistreat children to keep them in social isolation in order for the abuse and neglect to go undetected. To back this statement up I will cite a few of many incidents.

Smithfield North Carolina October 13, 2003. A sign hangs on the wall that reads so this is not home sweet home, adjust. In the bedroom, 14-year-old Brandon had committed suicide after killing his brother and sister. Yes, these children were home schooled, but the real point of this story is that the Warrens had home schooled their children before, in Arizona, where they were convicted of Child Abuse. An investigator in Arizona recorded that the children were tortured physically and emotionally. However, that is information that North Carolina school officials are not required to collect. In fact, since home schooling became legal in North Carolina in 1985, the number of home schooled students jumped from just a few hundred to more than 50,000. BUT there has been no change in the number of state employees that oversee the program- there is just three for the ENTIRE state.

In Iowa, a father is serving life, and a mother will go on trial this month, for killing their 10-year-old adopted son and burying him at their house in the backyard. Because they were home schooling no one noticed that he was missing for one entire year.

In Texas, Deanna Laney, home schooling mother of three, told investigators that she beat her children with rocks because she was saving them from Satan.

Another notorious and similar case is that of Andrea Yates, Texas home schooling mother of five who drowned all five children in her home bathtub. Many claim that Yates had been overwhelmed by the demands of constantly spending time with her children due to the fact that she was a home schooling parent.

To compare, Yates and Laney, Both of these mothers were religious. Both were subservient wives handling childcare pressures. Interestingly, both utilized Christian home schooling for their doomed children. Both “talked to God.” Both fundamentalist Christian mothers say they sacrificed their own children “for God.” Each of Andrea Yates children, like Mrs. Laney’s, were home-schooled and had Biblical names. These are Two examples that are very similar to each other, both mentally ill mothers trusted to be at home with their children and give them their education. Which leads me to my next finding, Parents claim to home school their children to provide them with a better education then public schooling can give. My question is, How is a parent qualified to provide their child with an education?
Home schooling parents have no set curriculum to go by, but not to worry they simply can purchase books of the internet entitled “Home schooling for Dummies” if they are having trouble, that should fix any problems. I would like to address educators and prospective educators, and ask them the question, Could you replace your studies with one do-it-yourself dummies book? I am sure that if you could then that would be the route of study pursued, rather then long hours of tedious work provided by a college institution. In order to even pursue a career in education in the state of Pennsylvania, one must provide clearances that show a clear background check, take Praxis Tests to show knowledge, complete at the minimum a 4 year education program with at least a 3.0 average, a speech and hearing test, observation hours, supervised student teaching, and lifelong learning credits in order to keep their certification in the field. Yet, to homeschool in California the only requirement is that parents provide notification that they will be home schooling their child. The only qualifications to teach listed are that the parents are “capable of teaching”. Even more shocking is the state of Texas, home to both Andrea Yates and Deanna Laney, has no requirements for home schooling, in fact parents do not even have to notify the state that they will be home schooling. They must possess no qualifications in order to teach. That’s it, if they want to be a teacher, they are!

Please note that every state is different. In South Carolina, colored moderate regulation a parent must have at least a GED or high school diploma to teach. However in New York, which is considered high regulation, no qualifications are necessary. Therefore if a parent did not even get a high school diploma in New York they are still qualified to teach their child high school material. I have concluded from this information that a child can only go as far as their parents have, and in some instances that may not be very far. Therefore these children are being cheated out of a valuable education.

Also I have questioned, having a parent as a teacher… are they teaching their children their bias’s? In an institution goals are made to make sure that the material being taught is bias free. However in a home, a parent is free to choose, and some knowingly, others unknowingly are teaching their child their own biases. In a world that is culturally diverse, one must be exposed to different people and situations in order to appreciate our differences. However if a student had already formed biases then they are virtually closed minded to accepting these differences. Similar to this subject, being that both lead me to a valuable question is how home schooling parents can justify teaching their children for a child’s entire childhood. When a student is in a public school they have many different teachers, who use many different teaching methods. However in a home a parent, especially with no education on how to educate, would use only one teaching method. Of course if they are teaching at all, and not just using books and videos. Through different teachers you learn virtually how to learn in different ways. You also learn how to understand people better. My valuable question that ties all these subjects together is how will a child develop his or her socialization skills if they are not exposed to different people? The school environment is much like one’s work environment. If a child has never been exposed to such an environment how will they know how to adapt? How will they react to all the different people, different opinions, and different viewpoints? How will they work with groups of co-workers? All these questions address the issue of socialization of children who are home schooled.
Closely related is one of my biggest questions, that is How can a parent make such a crucial decision without their child’s consent to remove them from a world that is considered to be the “norm” and place them in a world in which they in effect are isolated? These children will develop low self esteems and forever question why it was their parents did not want to send them to school, to show them off to the world, instead they will wonder why are they hiding me? Most importantly, These children will not have the experience that public school provides, they will not have the experience that unites us citizens and provides us with a common background. They will not get to experience the simple things like go to prom’s, participate in sports in which an entire school is benefited, have a school lunch, a lock on their locker, a ride on a school bus, recess, watching for their school to be cancelled on TV from snow days, and all the other little but character building events that take place in a public school students life.

In closing, American citizens, together let’s promote our very prestigious and notorious public school system and crusade against the leniency of home schooling that consequently will benefit our country by providing a solid education for all.