There are approximately 3.7 million homeschoolers in the U.S. today in grades K-12, and this number continues to grow by up to 8 percent annually. These figures escalated exponentially in 2020 due to school closures that were attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic. And now, more parents are managing their children’s home-based and virtual education. Although homeschooling has many benefits to offer, it also presents several challenges for both parents and learners. Here are eight ideas to help you in homeschooling your child.
Allocate a Specific Learning Area
Homeschooling is exciting, fun, and usually messy. Learning and living in the same house can quickly disorganize you and create chaos, and this could result in a space that is not an excellent environment for happy students or teachers.
Keep your kids’ study materials arranged and choose a particular learning spot where they keep books and supplies. Even if you let your children do their work at the kitchen table, it is a great idea to keep the stuff organized in one area.
It is also a swell idea to place a printed schedule at their spot so they always know their daily goals and what they need to do on a particular day.
Know Your State’s Education Laws
Just as a traditional school must abide by certain laws, so does a home school, so don’t let this scare you. Luckily, you can find this information easily on your state’s education website, or consider checking with institutions such as the Home School Legal Defense Association.
Create Your Schedule
One advantage of homeschooling is that it does not tie you to a particular routine. Be creative and flexible and you’ll soon work out a schedule that best suits your family. You can even choose to plan around your work schedule, your kids’ favorite TV programs, or your mealtimes.
Choose a Homeschool Curriculum
You can purchase curricula from online stores, or through mail-order catalogs. Various curricula range from traditional textbooks and workbooks that cover arithmetic, reading, and writing, to more specialized approaches that are informed by your child’s particular interests. State curriculum fairs and conventions, which are held a few times each year, also display various schooling products and publications.
Stay Organized
As a parent, online courses help you be more hands-off; however, you should still review the weekly lesson plan to make sure they are on track, or make special arrangements if you have planned events or travel for the week. Depending on your convenience, you can choose to make an evening routine of going through the day’s upcoming assignments and lessons, and ensuring everything is prepared for the next day, or you might create time at the start and end of every week to do this.
This step will help you avoid wasted time because your child will get straight to work, and it also enables you to better keep track of your child’s progress towards mastery in their classes.
Include Activities to Make It Fun
Help your kids understand new things while having fun, particularly when they have much time to do so. Home activities will help them learn, and will also give you a splendid opportunity to bond with your kids during the day. You can have fun cooking food with them, dividing household chores, or playing indoor games. Ensure you take some time out to connect with your kids by spending quality time with them.
Collaborate With Other Homeschoolers
Although you are in charge of your kid’s education, you are not in this alone. There are diverse and excellent homeschool communities all around the globe.
Hook up with other homeschoolers online or in your area to share resources and collaborate. There are many resources where your child can learn interesting things like anatomy for kids. Not only will this simplify your homeschooling process, but it will also expand your child’s educational opportunities and enrich their experience in and out of the home.
Set Boundaries
Despite what you think, your kids don’t need full access to you throughout the day. Set apart a time block each day for everyone in your home to practice quiet time. Doing this will give everyone a needed break and enable you to rest or concentrate fully on your tasks.
Applying these tips in your homeschooling endeavors is an excellent step towards finding balance in your routine. With some creativity and patience, you will learn how to homeschool in a way that suits you and your family.
