Making the decision to become hands-on when it comes to your children’s education can seem an overwhelming responsibility although many families are now making the shift of having their children home schooled. Even before the Pandemic hit, parents have been looking into homeschooling in order to gain more control over their children’s progress and education.
Maybe you’ve made the decision months ago and have done your research and talked to all types of parents and began listing the pros and cons, but you still cannot come up with the final decision. Sometimes you know you can be both a parent and a teacher but oftentimes doubt creeps in especially in making sure your children are not only well educated but Socialized too.
How do you get rid of all these doubts and the stress of making the decision to make the shift?
Here are 5 tips to guide you!
1. Review local regulations. Check your local State and City regulations if you’re thinking about homeschooling. Most States are subject to home-based instruction regulations. Make sure you meet these regulations before ever making the final decision. Check if you are qualified or can be qualified once you comply with the necessary requirements.
2. Prepare financially. With the rising cost of private education, you might feel like you’re making the “cheaper choice.” But homeschooling can become more expensive. You need to take into consideration how keeping one parent at home to be the primary educator will cost you. Consider the prices of curriculum, the supplies, expense of transforming your home office into a classroom. Create a budget for everything right down to the school supplies your children will use. Prepare a financial plan and make room for a cushion because there will be unforeseen expenses.
3. Get organized. Organize your materials, time, and tasks so you don’t waste precious minutes looking for worksheets or scrambling to find that storybook. Set up a filing system for all your different subjects and organize your library and homeschooling records. Consider keeping a daily journal and home school work portfolio to track the activities as well as your children’s progress. This will make the assessment easier for you.
4. Reach out. You might be the only one not walking your children to the bus stop, every morning in your block, but you can still be a part of the homeschooling community! Try and find a good homeschooling co-op in your area. If you can’t find one, start your own. Attend homeschooling conferences (physically or virtual). In this day and age you can always find a support group!
5. Learn about teaching. It’s not enough to be a math expert or geography enthusiast. You have to know how to apply your knowledge in a way that the child will understand. Read books on teaching and take teaching courses. Swap resources with your homeschooling support group. If your strength is in English but you struggle with math, teach the English course and have another homeschooling parent teach the math subjects.
As long as your children are moving forward, you are headed in the right direction. There will come a day where you will look back and realize you have progressed much farther than you thought. You will look at your children and know deep in your heart that you did a great job in making the decision to shift. Make sure to pause and enjoy the moments along the way. Don’t miss out on all the joys of homeschooling.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
