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Socialization Skills of Children Taught at Home

The biggest concern that people have about home schooling is the socialization aspect. Will the children get to interact with other kids? This topic has been blown way out of proportion. The most important issue is the quality of education. The rest will follow.

What is socialization? Kids interacting and learning to work with others on a daily basis is one part. Let’s be honest. In schools, there are bullies, unstable people, teachers with issues of their own, and a lot of other behavior problems. Socialization in the public school can become a nightmare.

We’ve all been there. Some kid who spreads rumors about us is giggling every time we pass by. Someone else may not like the clothes we wear or the sound of our voice. A teacher having a bad day may be less tolerant of student antics. Not knowing exactly what to expect each time you walk through the front doors of the school creates a stressful environment for school children.

Kids are social creatures. Unless we teach them to be otherwise, they will gravitate towards other kids they don’t know simply out of curiosity. School is not the only place to find new friends.

Home schooled children can participate in the same after school and weekend programs as public and private school children. Programs like 4-H, Boy and Girl Scouts, YMCA, and church groups offer chances to interact with other people. There is no shortage of opportunities to see other kids their age.

With a home school curriculum, parents have control over how much or how little to cover in a single day. They also have control over field trip schedules, project deadlines, and homework. A child may not have homework or may participate in a shorter school day when they have other commitments like scouting. Doing so allows the kids to enjoy their other experiences without homework hanging over their heads.

Another avenue for developing socialization skills is partnering with other home schooled children in the area. Parents can get together and plan field trips, meet and greet group activities, and community service projects. As the kids get to know each other, parents get a break as well.

Home schooled children who started out in public school don’t have to leave their friends behind. Having more control over the curriculum means that kids can plan visits to see their friends. If they live in the same neighborhood, getting together will be that much easier.

Home schooled kids don’t spend every day in the house. The world has just become their classroom. Finding friends is not a concern for them, just ask the kids themselves.

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Organizing a Home Schooling Household

Insanity has been lovingly defined as doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result. Anyone who has had to run a household can attest to this. If all the clothes were washed on Monday, but the following Monday at least half of them would return. Organization can break the cycle of insanity, especially in a home schooling household.

The home has taken on new meaning in the past thirty years. It used to be that people ate and slept in their homes. Now, businesses are conducted from home and so is schooling. When you take that first long relaxing look outdoors, it could be eleven o’clock instead of 6 a.m. Household dynamics have changed, but one thing has not – organization is the key to running a tight ship.

The first thing to tackle is the setup of the school atmosphere. Just as with a home business, the idea is to create a separate room or area where only that particular activity is conducted. Confusing two spaces will confuse the children as well.

Pick an area with a table such as the dining room where all of the main work can be conducted. Use bookshelves, rolling containers, and other storage media to keep supplies organized and in one area. If you are home schooling children in different grade levels, separate their items into different containers so materials are easy to locate when you need them. This area will double as your grading and lesson plan area when class is not in session.

Decide how many hours a day will be devoted to school. This time can begin at eight o’clock or at ten o’clock. The schedule will work around the best time of day for you and the children. Sleepy children do not make good students.

With that issue taken care of, don’t forget chores. Design a master calendar or white board for a chore listing and one for class schedules. Each child will know when the school day begins, when and what chores they need to do each day, along with other activities. This will help your child to establish their own routines as well, by knowing where to start each day.

The house will not be neat as a pin all the time. There will be toys, books, clothes that need washing and the rest. A list of chores enlists the aid of the entire family to keep the house organized in light of the home school atmosphere. When you don’t have to tackle everything by yourself, the stress level goes down for you and the rest of the family.

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Qualifications Needed to Home School

The choice to teach a child at home away from the public school life is a major undertaking. If the child ever attended public school the transition may be jarring. Parents used to be in charge of their children’s education, but have long ago put that responsibility in the hands of others. To take charge again, what are the qualifications needed to home school a child?

Home schooling doesn’t require an advanced degree or that you write a dissertation. What it does require is a love of your child and a love of learning. Because a parent understands their child and their quirks, creating a curriculum to fit their unique needs is a bit easier than a cookie cutter program created to fit everyone.

As a part of the research into home schooling, check with the state to find out what specific qualifications are needed to pursue the title of home school teacher. States may require that a parent be observed by a licensed teacher for a school year to evaluate technique and the thoroughness of the program. Along this same line, the state can require that the schooling consist of the same amount of instructional days as public school.

There are no qualifications such as a teaching certificate or a bachelor’s degree. Parents who are not familiar or strong in a subject can hire a tutor to aid in teaching the subject matter. Any state testing can be administered by a licensed teacher if it is mandated by the state.

All of these legal and state educational requirements can be found online. Begin far in advance preparing the paperwork that has to be filed and letters of intent to home school your children. The state probably wants to see that a curriculum is in place already before they allow a child to participate in alternative education, especially if a child is removed in the middle of the school year.

One bonus to purchasing established curriculum packages is that they already comply with the state requirements for home schooling. Part of the package includes grading services, administrative needs pertaining to recordkeeping, report cards, and other services. A parent can speak to customer service personnel for support, information, and help with any additional paperwork.

Persistent parents who care for their children are not daunted by rules and regulations. The education and safety of their children far exceeds any frustration they may encounter. In the long run, no one is better qualified to teach our children than the parents who have their best interests at heart.

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