Home schooling Solution

Subscribe

Home Schooling: Choices & Strategies for a Home School Education

Home schooling is a popular alternative for parents who don’t want to send their children into the public school system or who cannot afford private schooling. Parents who school their children have the flexibility of creating their own curriculum and lessons based upon their child’s needs, but they must adhere to certain state guidelines and requirements.

Pros and Cons of Home Schooling

According to a report in the Journal of Academic Leadership, home schooling in the United States is once again increasing. However, there are advantages and disadvantages to parent-led education.
>Some advantages of home schooling include:

Home schooled children, according to reports from the Home School Legal Defense Association, exhibit academic excellence on national averages for college admissions tests when compared to some public school students.
Children can learn in a less threatening environment. Home schooling can keep children away from corruptive influences of certain kinds of students in the school system.
A more personalized schedule that fits parent and child needs is advantageous. If parents feel that their children work better at certain times of the day, they can schedule schooling to fit maximum work proficiency.
Though parents must adhere to certain subjects in their home curriculum, home schooling allows for flexibility to stress certain subjects they deem more important for their child’s needs
Home schooling parents really get to know their children – their strengths and weaknesses. Home schooling provides bonding opportunities as parents are able to witness their children grow and learn.

Some disadvantages of home schooling include:

Home schooling provides fewer opportunities for children to develop socialization skills.
Parents implementing an educational plan are taking on serious responsibility for their children’s education. Some parents aren’t qualified as teachers and may not fully understand how to access a proper curriculum.
Parents who do a thorough and proficient home schooling job may find time management very challenging. Home schooling, if done properly, is a full-time job. Parents must research topics, plan curriculum, lessons, projects, and field trips. They must evaluate work and progress. Such schooling tasks leave little time for other things parents need or want to do.
Home schooling is a lot of pressure on parents. Home schooling parents have their own unique educational methods. Home schooling parents can easily fall into the trap of comparing their style and progress with that of other home schooling parents. Such comparison or competition can be stressful.
Some home schooling parents soon discover their children just don’t want to listen. Some parents lack the disciplinary strategies and the support system that trained teachers in the school system have. As a consequence, they find themselves feeling very much overwhelmed.

Related posts

Secular Homeschooling Without Religion

Many people don’t realize that there are so many non-religious homeschoolers. The stereotypical picture of a Christian homeschool family doesn’t reflect the reality of homeschooling for many families. Non-religious homeschoolers exist, whether they’re atheist, agnostic or just plain avoiding the issue.

Secular Homeschool Support Groups

Meeting local secular homeschoolers can prove to be a challenge. Many larger cities have secular homeschool support groups. Sometimes the term “Inclusive” is used in lieu of “secular.” An inclusive homeschool group would welcome all religions, however, and some secular homeschooling families prefer to keep social interactions non-religious.

Families who strive for non-religious homeschooling friends may search long and hard to find the environment that meets their needs. It may be wise to take advantage of one of homeschooling’s greatest gifts – the ability to befriend people of diverse backgrounds and age groups. Focus on the needs and interests of the children and build social relationships around common interests, not homeschooling status. Scouting groups and hobby clubs allow children to form social relationships with people based upon a common interest.

Non Religious Homeschool Curriculum

Finding curriculum without religious dogma may be tricky. The majority of homeschool curriculum publishers are Christian. Secular homeschoolers who want to avoid the dumbed-down curricula available to public schools can opt for a nontraditional approach to education, whether it’s the Charlotte Mason method, the Thomas Jefferson Method, Unschooling or Radical Unschooling.

Non Christian Homeschool Programs

Public school districts often offer homeschooling programs and many state sponsored online academies present a secular curriculum. Before enrolling in a state-sponsored homeschool program, families should be sure to check out their state’s homeschooling regulations and make a conscious decision whether or not it’s “worth it” to join forces with the school district. In these programs, students are often technically enrolled in public school and can be removed from homeschooling at the whim of the district.

Related posts

Homeschooling With the Five Love Languages

Many families have said they homeschool out of love for their children. Yet many cannot deny that it can be overwhelming having their kids around them twenty-four hours a day as tantrums and disagreements do surface from time to time. To curtail these problems, Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages explains that each person speaks one dominant Language of Love, followed by a secondary one. This applies to children too.

The first step is to identify each child’s Love Language and find ways to homeschool through each unique Love Language.
What are the 5 Love Languages?

The Five Love Languages are Positive Affirmation, Touch, Acts of Services, Quality Time and Gifts. Every child speaks at least one dominant Love Language, so parents should identify which language suits each child the best.
If a child constantly tries to impress a parent and waits for a positive response, then Words of Affirmation is his Love Language.
If a child loves hugs, kisses or tries to do practically anything to be touched (like squeeze in next to a parent or climb on top of a parent), then her Love Language is Touch.
If a child often requests for parents to do things for him, then his Love Language is Acts of Services. Similarly, he will love to help out in return.
If a child constantly demands undivided attention and tends to act out when feeling neglected, then her Love Language is Quality Time together.
Lastly, if a child thrives on receiving and giving gifts, then his Love Language is Gifts.
How to Show Love Through Words of Affirmation

For children who thrive on positive affirmation, praising them upon completing a task is a great way to express love. Children are very much creations of their teachers, and as a homeschooler, it is important for parents to take advantage of creating intelligent and confident children.

Investing in a sticker collection and an “achievement” chart is one way to show positive affirmation. Gold stars or pink hearts (or their favourite stickers) are great as rewards. Alternatively, writing positive notes to children on their worksheets or a report card full of positive comments will also boost their interest for learning

Related posts