How About Homeschooling?
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by: PhyllisWheeler
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As a homeschooling veteran, I can tell you this: you CAN do it IF you love your kids. That's what it takes: dedication to your kids. You will develop the skills you need as you need them. It's like juggling. When you first learn to juggle, you juggle just one thing. Then you ad another. Then you add another.
You'll be happy to hear this. Homeschooling may actually be easier than not homeschooling. Soccer moms are constantly driving, getting their kids to lots of different same-age activities. If you were homeschooling, you'd be able to find and do activities that work for all of you together.
The evening homework tussle will go away too. Instead, you'll spend mornings working on academic subjects. Your evenings will be available!
Here's one option for larger families: study topics, such as ancient Egypt, that their kids can share, working with the fact that their ages are different. For example, you could all read the book Mara, Daughter of the Nile together. Then each child could write about it. You could study some math related to pyramids. You can do art projects that look Egyptian. This unit might last a month or so, and then you would move on to another. This structure is called a unit study. You don't have to invent them, either--plenty of moms who have invented one have published it.
You will probably want to use workbooks and curriculum to make sure your child is learning what he should be learning for his grade. Homeschool curriculums typically include an answer key, so you don't need to be an expert. Actually, homeschooled kids usually learn directly from the book or workbook, not from a lecture. This reading skill is great for preparing for college.
Correspondence schools will teach your child, too. These can take the form of videos, workbooks, or online.
Structuring your day is a question for you to ponder. Many homeschoolers get all their less-fun schoolwork done in the morning, leaving the afternoon for projects, goofing off, housework, or whatever. If you want to include your child in an organized activity, you can join regularly schooled children in their sports teams in the late afternoon. But there are daytime activities too. You can also ask around--some of these activities providers are creating daytime classes (in gymastics, for example) for homeschoolers. You do have to be careful to avoid burnout here, though.
People who don't homeschool always ask about socializing. Are the kids getting enough socializing? One of the best things about homeschooling is that you get to choose whom your children socialize with. You can make sure the socializing is well supervised. Bullies are not a problem. In fact, you can even choose adults. I have observed that most homeschooled kids are very comfortable talking to adults, much more so than schooled kids.
Your kids will enjoy a homeschool co-op. These might meet once a week for classes, or go out for field trips periodically. Kids learn appropriate social interactions because they are well supervised. You can find a co-op by networking with other homeschoolers. Your local homeschooling convention might be a good place to start. Keep networking until you find the co-op that is right for you--or start one.
You will need support as well. Homeschooling provides unique challenges, and it helps so much to have others to talk to who are doing it too. You can find plenty of homeschool moms online, in discussion forums and email groups. You should try several!
The answer to the homeschooling question is simple: yes, you can do it.
About the Author
Phyllis Wheeler creates enjoyable computer science curriculums for homeschoolers. Take a look at her free short e-book on World Wide Web information searching, the World Wide Web Scavenger Hunt! And see a sampling of articles on homeschooling she has for you.
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