Homeschooling refers to learning administered at home by parents rather than attending an in-person public or private school. Kids get homeschooled from the nursery or kindergarten level, and sometimes older children get homeschooled after completing early education in a school. Now, technological advancement has made it even easier to homeschool kids.
There are several reasons why parents prefer to homeschool their kids, like reducing peer pressure, not being satisfied by the school’s teaching system, adjusting the curriculum to their child’s needs, etc. Homeschooling is also an excellent option for children with special needs.
Even though the trend of homeschooling kids is not new, after the pandemic, it has seen quite a surge. According to the US Census Bureau, the number of households that were homeschooling children increased from 4.5% to 7.3% in 2020. By the fall of 2021, 11.1% of households reported homeschooling.
However, when you decide to homeschool your child, you must consider some critical factors. They are as follows:
- Good Option for Special Children:
Homeschooling is a good option to teach children with disabilities in the comfort of their homes. For example, children who suffer from birth injuries like cerebral palsy have slower development and growth. If you put them in a public or private school, they are likely to become disturbed due to peer pressure.
It is the best option as they get to learn at their own pace, and parents can set the curriculum according to their interests. Additionally, homeschooling means that children receive full attention from their parents.
Cerebral palsy can be congenital, but a large proportion of injuries resulting from cerebral palsy are the result of medical negligence. If you suspect that your child developed cerebral palsy due to the medical team’s error, then with the help of the Birth Injury Justice Center, you can file a lawsuit and receive compensation for your child’s treatment.
2. The Environment at Home Must Not be Distracting:
If you are thinking of homeschooling your children, you need to create the environment for ‘school.’ If your home environment is disruptive, children will not be able to focus correctly. Similarly, if your kids feel too much at ease, they will be sluggish and not take their studies seriously.
To address this issue, you must maintain discipline like a school and make environmental cues for your kids. In the early development stages, kids learn from environmental cues. So designate a separate room in the house as a study room or school. Have a fixed timetable. Put all the books, bags, stationery, and teaching materials there. Act like a teacher and give them an environment similar to a school.
3. Choose the Right Curriculum:
This element is crucial as you want your child to keep up with their peers. The firm basis of education is highly dependent on the curriculum you choose. With homeschooling, this is in your hands; you can pick any educational approach to the curriculum you think will best fit your child’s needs.
There are so many curriculum options available that it becomes overwhelming to decide. Whether you are more inclined to the Montessori approach, Waldorf approach, or traditional school curriculum, you have to choose the methodology and technique that suits you and your children.
However, keep in mind that the learning material must be up-to-date, and since you will be teaching your child, you must be willing to learn it too. Communicate with other families about teaching resources, which curriculum they prefer, and why. This way, you will get a clearer perspective.
4. Focus on Kids’ Socialization Activities:
There are many myths about children’s social skill development. It is usually believed that homeschooled children lack social skills. However, this myth has been busted. Children who receive home education are also social, just like those who attend school.
Provide children with enough chances to socialize. It would be best if you considered taking them to karate classes, for example, where they can make friends, or a daily walk to the children’s park is a good way of socializing. Moreover, one doesn’t need to develop social skills by being in a group of people of the same age. Social skills are learned from adults, not children. Hence, homeschooled children have an equal chance at socializing as they interact more with their parents, family members, neighbors, etc.
5. Be Creative with the Flexible Learning System:
The best thing about homeschooling is that it has an element of freedom, flexibility, and creativity. You can customize the schedule and curriculum according to your child’s ability to enhance learning. You do not have to follow stringent rules, allowing you to incorporate fun ways into the learning process.
Thus, you need to think outside the typical classroom setting. You can engage your child in cooking or baking activities. You can play educational board games, learn a new language with the help of interactive fun mobile applications, etc. Thus, you can teach your kid time management through games and puzzles. Teach them household management skills like making a grocery list or helping them with doing the laundry.
You can invent fun learning methods instead of making a child sit in a chair for hours. Involve them in healthy activities and learning at the same time.
6. Community Support is Vital:
It is essential to have the support of like-minded people. Luckily for you, there are many homeschooling communities, which means you can connect with other homeschooling parents. Your child can meet up with and befriend other homeschooled children. You can find such groups online through social media or by asking your friends and family.
The best thing is that you can seek advice from such support groups. Other parents will reveal the innovative ways they have adapted to homeschool their kids and what works and what doesn’t. You can get all kinds of information and guidance, and resources from them.
If you don’t find any such group, you can create one yourself. You can do this easily using all the social media platforms like Meta, Instagram, etc. This way, the parents, as well as the children, feel included.
Conclusion:
Homeschooling your child comes with a lot of benefits. One of the primary reasons parents opt for homeschooling is that it increases a child’s learning capability. Although it is a flexible education method, you must consider all critical aspects before deciding. Go through these six points to find out what key elements you need to consider for homeschooling your child. (Valium)
