What does it take to homeschool my child?

Question

My strongest recommendation for the upcoming school year is to keep your child enrolled in the same school they were in previously. Even if you want to homeschool on your own you can use some of the tools and resources the school provides and modify as needed. A lot of these online resources are very expensive to pay for out of your own pocket. Also, helping support some kind of normalcy with keeping your child connected to structures, classmates and teachers at your school is important for mental health and stability during these times.

You can hire a tutor like me to support in areas needed or that you don’t want to take on.

Or if you don’t want to stay enrolled in your previous school I can help support you to come up with a guided curriculum to follow.

Let me know if you have further questions or want support in homeschooling your TK-3rd grade student!💕

Answer 1

As a Homeschool Administrator of 11 years. I Homeschooled our children from Elementary through high school with a growing homeschool community in our area. Also, I utilize the Dual Enrollment/Career and College Promise during the high school years for our children. With my Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, I have created a real niche in getting children reading sooner. I have also been successful in teaching all age levels in the area of reading and reading comprehension. Surely, what I do very well is teach those who have difficulty in learning to read. My peers have coined me with the phrase, "I can teach a turtle to read."

Now, if you need any tips on Homeschooling, I am here for you! Couple of quick recommendations; make a schedule, stick to it as much as possible, child should be at a desk if doing online work - not on the bed - quick smile... An area that is used for the child's area for homeschooling would be great! Lots of books through out the house if possible. Touch base, I have some excellent ideas to share.

Answer 2

Hi! Homeschooling your own children is an extraordinary experience that has meant the world to me and to my family. We made the decision to home-school our daughter (who is an only child) when she was in preschool. There are many different philosophies and approaches to homeschooling which enables you to support your child in ways most schools cannot because you know your child best. At the same time, in my experience, it is important that you take some time to learn about approaches to homeschooling and education in general and understand, depending on your children's ages, that an approach that is perfect for your children and family when they are in elementary school may change dramatically as they head into high school. It is important also to understand the ideas underpinning different philosophies and what they are based on to choose what is best for your children at each stage in their development.

An advantage you have as a home-school parent is that you are not necessarily locked into one curriculum as set by a school unless you want to choose that approach or relationship with that school. You can use a very play-based approach in K - 3, for example, and become increasingly structured if that is what works best for your child and family. Some families choose to travel and base a lot of their learning or curriculum around the places they visit. In our family, my husband and I both had tremendous travel opportunities because of our work as professional performers and musicians, so when we traveled abroad, I developed curriculum around the literature, history, and culture of the places we went. If you have more than one child, you may find that certain things work best for one child, and you approach the same subject differently with another child. You can meet your children's individual needs and build a bond with your children that is irreplaceable.

Because of the current circumstances, many families may be thinking about homeschooling at least for the near future. There are likely lots of different resources in your area and your state may have certain requirements. I am in California and we had a lot of flexibility here, yet I believed it was important that my daughter's learning be aligned with or surpass the state standards. I developed a very play-based and project-oriented approach when my daughter was in elementary and middle school. I picked and chose curriculum that I believed in after spending time learning about why certain kinds of curriculum were considered more effective than others and by whom. By high school, we were very focused on college preparation and meeting the University of California's requirements to be sure she was on track for admission to any university she might wish to attend.

Be aware also that there is time for you as a parent to become more comfortable as a homeschooling family. You will gain confidence as you gain experience. You don't need to have the entire K-12 curriculum mapped out before you begin. You can really begin where you child is now and what they need now and continue to reflect on their needs and their growth and make choices and adjustments as you assess what is working well for them, not only academically but socially and emotionally too.

Homeschooling is really an opportunity for parents to learn side by side with their children and it is often very hands-on, at least in the early years. Even when choosing a tutor or other kind of teacher support, the foundation of your home-school is your connection with your child.

This is a topic I am passionate about and would be so happy to share my experience as the primary teacher for my daughter as we home-schooled her from preschool to Columbia University. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance to you!