According to research on homeschooling, the number of school-age children being homeschooled hasgrown exponentially between 2019 and 2021. This is true for the US and other countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and Japan.
Homeschooling isn’t easy but the right tools can create an easy transition process for you and your child. The first-step is exploring the reasons you might want to homeschool your children.
Some of the most common reasons given for homeschooling are the following:
- It provides a safer environment for the kids. Your kids are not exposed to drugs, bullying, racism, or physical and psychological abuse that prevails in educational institutions globally.
- It creates a strong bond between the parents and their children and among their siblings
- You can teach and impart to your children a particular set of beliefs and values. You can make necessary changes to customize the curriculum and the learning atmosphere.
- Homeschooled children accomplish more. They deal better with peers and adults, are regularly involved in their community and volunteer work, and have more confidence and leadership skills than children taught in conventional schools
Homeschooling is a challenging task for both the parents and the kids. The tips and suggestions given will help you to successfully organize and navigate the ups and downs of home-based learning.
Make A Schedule
Giving a basic structure and routine to your kids is crucial. Form a system that works for you. Let it be flexible and easy for the kids to follow. Clear and effective schedules can be created using color code and flow charts. This will help you keep track of assignments. In addition, you can focus on the activities and tasks of the day.
Set Goals
Ensure that you have outlined key objectives of learning much ahead of time. Work with your children and break the learning goals into time limits by weeks, months, or years. Goals help you achieve the desired outcome and align your daily curriculum. Moreover, it teaches your child the best goal-setting skills.
Make Learning Fun
All family members can be involved in the learning process. There is always an activity or a school subject in which everyone can participate. These activities include reading, doing arts and crafts together, exploring hobbies, hiking, and visiting museums and historical sites. A trip to the zoo can be used to learn about animals. It is just a matter of becoming creative. Do that, and have a fun and memorable experience for the whole family.
Connect With Other Homeschoolers
You are not alone in this journey, the world around you is full of rich and diverse communities of homeschoolers. Connecting with them and exchanging ideas and resources will make the process easier and expand and enlarge your child’s educational experiences.
Designate Space For Learning
If you are not careful, your home can quickly turn upside down. Creating order and allocating a specific place for learning activities will help avoid disorganization and chaos. It would be a good idea to keep all your children’s books and study materials in a particular place. Even if they do take them and work with you on the kitchen table, make it a point to have them return the materials to their designated space.