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| PARENT ARTICLES |
Homeschooling Is It Right for Your Family?
You've heard of homeschooling. Perhaps you've read about it or seen reports on television shows. Maybe some of your friends or family members are doing it, and you've watched them and wondered, "Would this work for my family?"
A fringe movement only 20 years ago, homeschooling is now on its way to becoming mainstream. U.S. Census data indicate that as many as 2 million children throughout our nation are being educated at home, and with an annual growth rate estimated at 15 percent or more, it's clear that more and more families are choosing to opt out of public and private schools. Should you join them?
First, look at all your options. Where will your children go to school if you don't homeschool? Do you believe they will be offered excellent academics? Will they be exposed to overwhelmingly negative social pressures? School cultures vary. Even if you think you kids can stand in the face of peer pressure, try to get a sense of the school environment while students are there. Will the teachers and staff reinforce your family values or contradict them?
Moreover, events such as the Columbine tragedy and September 11 have made all of us more aware of safety issues. While there is no foolproof measuring stick for safety, do you have confidence in the school administration? Must your child go through guarded gates and metal detectors to enter the school? Safety issues are often linked to school discipline - again, look at the administration and the school policies that are in place.
Do you have serious concerns about any of the issues above? Consider homeschooling?
Why Homeschool?
People who do homeschool give many reasons for their choice. Academically, they can offer more individualized instruction; even in a large family, it's hard for a school to beat the homeschool pupil-to-teacher ratio! Homeschooling also means an educational plan designed specifically for each child and the opportunity to choose the moral, philosophical and spiritual values underlying subject matter. Another plus -- homeschooling families have more family-together time, and school calendars can easily be arranged to take advantage of leave.
Other homeschooler cite common aspects of the school experience they want to avoid --- declining academic standards, an unhealthy social environment, the propagation of moral or political views contrary to the family's standards and increasingly, concerns about the physical safety of children at school.
Many families have found it possible to provide outstanding education at home, but homeschooling is not right for every family ... and it may not be right for every child. It is a decision which must be made with careful aforethought. Ask yourself these questions before reading on:
- Do I/we (husband and wife) both agree that homeschooling might be good for our family?
- Can I/we commit 185 days annually to teaching my kids?
- Is our authority a parents secure enough that our kids will listen to us and complete assignments? If not, can we work on it?
- Do I/we set reasonable standards for our kids (not too high or too low) and stick by them pretty faithfully?
- Are we optimistic enough to believe that a bad day (or even week) in homeschool does not make us all failures?
- Are we able to be patient with our children when they don't master something immediately, and present it again, possibly in a new way?
- Do we enjoy being with our kids and doing things with them? A lot? (Remember public school babysits your kids 6-8 hours a day when they are at home you not only teach them 2-3 hours a day but must watch them all day)Are the kids willing to homeshool? (This is the only yes that is not essential)
If you've answered "yes" to these questions, homeschooling just might be for you ... so let's see what it takes!
What does it take?
Parents considering educating their children through homeschooling may feel overwhelmed when trying to make the decision. There are so many things to think about: How do I know what to teach? Will my child have as many opportunities as other kids? Will we feel isolated? Being able to structure your child's education may at times seem like a welcome challenge, and at other times more like an overwhelming responsibility. Before making the decision to homeschool, it is important that parents gather as much information they can about the homeschooling experience. Here are a few aspects to consider:
Time and Financial Commitment
A common fallacy is that homeschooling only takes about 2-3 hours per day. While you may only spend 2-3 hours per day doing actual classroom activities and instruction, plan on homeschooling taking up most of your day. You will need to research the curriculum you present to your child, make lesson plans, and keep records, just as any well-prepared teacher would. Because of the time involved, homeschooling often means that one parent will give up a career and opportunities to make money. Plus, you will need to invest in the tools to teach your children: textbooks, software, cost of activities, etc. Homeschooling requires full-time commitment to your child's development.
Socialization
One of the strongest arguments against homeschooling is the lack of exposure to social situations. Lack of exposure to other children is easily countered by enrolling your kids in community groups such as Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts, 4H clubs, sports leagues, library programs, church activities, etc. Some advantages of freedom from peer pressure can be self-confidence, independent thinking, and the ability to relate to people of all ages. The homeschool social world is also virtually free from the influences of drugs, gangs, sexual pressure, and violence. There have been numerous studies that have found home educated children to be as well, or better, adjusted socially and emotionally as students in conventional schools.
What Curriculum Do I Choose?
There is no one right way to home school, which can be a big advantage. Homeschooling allows you to speed up or slow down according to your child's readiness and abilities in various subjects. You can tailor your program to your own educational philosophy and the learning styles and developmental stages of each child. If one method isn't working, you can try another. Are you teaching more than one child? Lessons can be presented in a way that more than one child can understand. Older children can do more of their work independently, and can also help younger siblings with their lessons. You can make anything a learning experience with a little creativity. Think about the everyday activities that provide learning opportunities: helping you make cookies (fractions), shopping (decimals, adding, subtracting, money, budgeting), etc.
Advanced Education
As your child grows, homeschooling may present new opportunities as well as new challenges. Parents may find that they may need to do more prep work to be able to explain subjects such as chemistry, calculus, foreign languages and English literature. However, at this point many children are able to study more independently, depending less on direct instruction. You may be able to call on your creativity even more when designing curriculum for the older student. Other moms in your support group or homeschooling co-op may be more knowledgeable in certain academic areas. Why not offer to swap subjects? Your child may also be able to enter apprenticeship programs designed and supervised by parents and professionals.
Legal Aspects
Before you decide to homeschool, make sure you are familiar with homeschooling laws in your state. You may be required to keep records of your child's curriculum, take standardized tests, and teach specific topics. The Home School Legal Defense Association is a great association to look into. They provide 24-hour-a-day legal guidance by phone, legal representation at home-school-based litigation, newsletters, fax alerts, and e-lerts, a federal legislative hotline, and more.
Their contact information is:
PO Box 3000, Purceville, VA 20134.
540-338-5600
http://www.hslda.com
Mainstreaming Your Child After Homeschool
As your child grows older, you may decide to send him/her to a conventional school. If the student has been in a well-rounded and well-disciplined home school program, he or she will probably excel in public school at a later point. Be sure to keep up on any specialty areas, such as foreign languages or music, or find supplemental education in those areas for your child.
How do you get started?
If you're thinking about homeschooling, support from friends and family is a critical element in your success. Also a home educators' support group is a great idea for the homeschooling parent. Not only will a support group help you deal with the challenges and struggles of homeschooling, it can provide social contact for your children. A homeschool support group also can provide opportunities for field trips, projects, sporting events, cooperative classes and friendships. If there isn't a support group in your area, you can start one yourself. All it may take is placing an ad in your local newspaper, or contacting a state organization for ideas.
The decision to homeschool is not one that should be made lightly. It is a lifestyle choice that involves a full-time commitment from both parents. While homeschooling isn't easy, it can offer a rewarding and enriching experience for you and your child.
Other Resources:
http://www.home-school.com
http://www.homeschool.com
http://www.homeschoolcentral.com
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