Homeschooling Tips

Tips to remember as you get started homeschooling.

What is your motivation? Why do you want to homeschool your children? Is it for safety, academic, philosophical, or religious reasons? Before you can design you own program and develop curriculum you need to know why you’re doing it.

Find out the local Education laws. You can talk to the local school district to find out what is required when it comes to homeschooling in your area. Education laws vary by state and by town. Some are quite strict when it comes to curriculum. Others require certain benchmarks to be met by a certain age.

Be able to separate your teacher role from your parent role. There are times where as a parent you may give in, but as a teacher you must demand that your child meet high educational expectations.

Be patient. It takes time to understand your child’s educational needs and how you best work together. What works as a parent may not work as a teacher. Work hard to develop the teacher/student relationship.

Try to find other homeshool parents in your area. They will be a good source of support and advice. You can also plan projects and field trips with them. Use the internet or local community resources to find other homeshooling parents. One thing you should keep in mind is to discuss your particular schooling approach with other parents to make sure that you are compatible before you join forces.

You should set aside a certain time and place for your child’s educations to take place. It needs to be structured. Make sure the place is free from distractions. This is something that is often overlooked, but it is important to have a defined area that is set aside for school.

It is important that you have methods to evaluate you child’s progress. Many area laws require some sort of evaluation. Make sure you set achievement goals that are in line with both your expectations and the legal expectations and then keep those goals in mind when designing curriculum and teaching your child.

Make sure you have a plan and a good sense of direction. Some local school districts require a homeschooling plan, but even if yours doesn't you should have one. It is important to know what you are trying to achieve and how you’re going to get there.

Try to make sure that your child has ways to socialize. There are lots of avenues outside of school that your child can build relationships and find friends. These could include: sports, scouting, church, neighbors, etc.