Many parents are considering Homeschooling their children as an option for education. Whether you’re undecided or just starting to explore the idea, this complete guide will teach you everything you need to know.

Homeschooling is a unique form of education that allows children to focus on their own learning. This type of schooling doesn’t rely on standardized testing and hierarchies, which means that it can be customized to each child’s needs.

There are tons of benefits to homeschooling as well as some drawbacks to consider. If you’re thinking about homeschooling your child, read this complete guide to learn everything you need to know about the process.

What Do You Need To Start Homeschooling?

To begin homeschooling there are a few things to start your journey on the right path.

• Look into your state’s homeschool laws. Each state has different laws pertaining to homeschooling. State homeschooling laws vary by state so it is important to check the requirements of your state.
• Connect with other homeschooling parents to get advice and information on homeschooling in your area. A great resource is to search on Facebook for homeschooling groups in your area.
• Know what the requirements are as a parent to homeschool your child. The basic requirements are that you have a high school diploma or GED, turn in a written notice of intent to homeschool to your local school district, every year have standardized testing done or proof of progress turned in, homeschool curriculum and be homeschooling for at least 180 days of the year.
• Decide on a homeschool schedule and have a place in your home organized where you will do your homeschooling
• Choose what type of homeschool method you will use – unschooling, traditional, Charlotte Mason, or classical to name a few.
• Pick a homeschool curriculum for your child. There are several options you can go with, either online homeschool curriculum, free homeschool curriculum as well as homeschool workbooks or you can use a combination.
• Consider a HSLDA membership. Membership to the HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) helps members with specific questions regarding homeschooling, provides detailed information on homeschool laws in your state and gives you protection for your right to homeschool in the courts.

Finding Quality Homeschool Curriculum

Finding the appropriate, quality homeschool curriculum will depend on your child’s needs and what you are wanting to teach your child. Here are a few factors to consider when shopping for a curriculum:

• Your personal teaching style
• Budget
• How much time you have
• What do you consider the most important to teach your child?
• Your personal worldview beliefs
• Do you want to teach your child life skills?
• Does your child have any special learning needs or behavioral issues?

Consider how your child likes to learn. Is your child the kind to be receptive to videos? Does your child need a lot of repetition to learn something?

Can your child handle sitting for a couple of hours of doing school work or is your child more inclined to other short amounts of work at a time? What subjects and topics is your child interested in?

All of this information will help determine the type of curriculum you choose for your child. It could take some trial and error when finding a curriculum that fits your child’s learning style. Don’t get frustrated if you decide on one curriculum and your child is not responsive to it for whatever reason.

I had this very issue with my son. I tried a couple of different curriculums before finally finding the one that he is thriving on and actually enjoys doing. The one program we tried that my son absolutely loathed with a passion is Time for Learning. My son is one of those kids who is extremely hyper and loses focus easily. With that said Time for Learning was too boring for him and did not keep his attention.

The program I found that my son will happily do his work on is Miacademy. Miacademy is an online program that is great for kids of all learning levels.

Benefits of Homeschooling

The benefits of homeschooling are many, and they vary from family to family. Here are some of the advantages of homeschooling to keep in mind if you are considering homeschooling your children:

• You can tailor training to fit your child’s specific needs. In a traditional school environment, students must conform to the curriculum laid out for them by their teachers. This can be limiting for some students and may not be ideal for those who have creative or innovative minds. Homeschooling allows you to tailor your child’s education to better suit his or her unique interests and skills.
• You have more control over your kids’ education. With traditional schools, the government controls what children learn and how they learn it. This can be frustrating for parents who want more input into their children’s educational lives. With homeschooling, you are in charge of every aspect of your child’s education, which gives you more control over their development as individuals.
• It gives kids a balanced education. Many people believe that traditional schools overemphasize academic subjects at the expense of other aspects of life, like creativity and socialization. Homeschooling gives kids a well-rounded education that develops their bodies, minds, and spirits in equal measure.

Common Challenges and Tips

Much like any other educational option, there are homeschooling advantages and disadvantages. There are obvious considerations such as lack of socialization or access to extracurricular activities, but there are also more subtle issues like parental burnout, budget constraints, or administrative overhead that may catch a family off guard. For those considering homeschooling their children – or already in the midst of it – we’re here to break down common challenges and how you can surmount them.

Lack of Socialization – The one thing that holds many parents back is homeschool socialization. There are a number of different social activities for homeschoolers your child can participate in if you choose. You can enroll your child in sports team, dance or music lessons, find a local homeschool group or coop. Take your child to the library, park, or museum and there are even virtual online clubs your child can be a part of. One great resource is Outschool where you can sign your child up for classes on whatever subject your child is interested in. They have a wide range of classes including life and social skills to interest your child.

Parental Burnout – If you find yourself feeling burnout or stressed first you need to remember why you decided to homeschool in the first place, pray for guidance, deschool, change the way you homeschool, take a trip somewhere, and take a break.

Lack of Funds – If a lack of funds is what is holding you back from teaching your child at home, there are many low-cost to free homeschool curriculum options you can choose from.

Here are a few helpful tips on homeschooling:

• Stay organized
• Keep a positive attitude.
• Keep up with homework
• Don’t compare your kids to other kids.
• Find a mentor or tutor

Causes of Homeschool Burnout

If you have ever homeschooled for any length of time you might end up finding yourself burnt out and questioning your decision to homeschool. There are a number of causes of homeschool burnout that I will discuss with you.

• Not understanding how your child learns
• Trying to do public school at home
• Doing too much in one day – too much school work or too many activities
• Picking the wrong homeschool curriculum that does not match your child’s learning style
• Homeschooling special needs children
• Homeschooling a child with behavioral issues
• Not giving your child any say in the curriculum
• Homeschooling a child with no motivation
• Not taking any time for yourself

Types of Homeschooling

There are several different approaches you can choose to homeschool. I will go over a few of the main types of homeschooling.

Classical Homeschooling – Classical homeschooling supports the idea that children should be taught not based on standardized test scores but rather focuses on three areas of learning – logic, grammar, and rhetoric.

Charlotte Mason Homeschooling – This homeschooling method is based on Charlotte Mason’s belief that a child is treated as a person and educated not just the mind but as a whole. The following three ideas encompass the Charlotte Mason Homeschool approach.

Atmosphere – A child learns a lot from his home surroundings

Discipline – Creating good character and habits in your child is important

Life – This concept applies to academics. Charlotte believed children should be taught living ideas and thoughts, not just dry facts.

Unschooling – This type of homeschooling method is where the child’s interests and passions drive the path of learning.

Christian Homeschooling – If you are like me and want to raise your children knowing who God is then giving your child a Christian education is important. There are several good-quality Christian homeschool curriculums available to choose from.

Montessori Homeschooling – A Montessori education involves hands-on learning, active learning models, gives the child the freedom to choose between activities,

Secular Homeschooling – If you choose a secular homeschool curriculum then you will be keeping religion separate from educating your child.

Virtual Online Public School – This type of schooling is basically public school at home. With a virtual public school such as K12.com or Connections Academy, your child will still be enrolled as a student in your local school district. Depending on your own personal preferences this could have both advantages and disadvantages. I tried online public school years ago with my oldest before I knew much about homeschooling. It was an absolute disaster. Let me just say had I continued my son would have definitely failed. He had an IEP all throughout school and the online public school at Connections Academy refused to follow his IEP.

Organizing Your Homeschooling

It’s important to organize your homeschool day to make sure that it runs smoothly. There are a few things you can do to make your homeschool day easier and more organized. First, create a schedule for each day of the week. Second, create a list of the school subjects you will be covering each day. Third, plan out your activities for the day and prioritize them in order of importance. Fourth, create a calendar with the days of the week and what you plan to do on those days. Finally, keep a log of your work that is due each day so that you can be sure you are meeting your goals.

Here are some tips for organizing your homeschooling day.

• Organize your homeschooling day based on your child’s age. For example, if you have a preschooler, plan your day around nap time. If you have a school-aged child, plan your day around their school schedule.

• Keep a calendar of your family’s activities and when they will happen so that you can plan ahead.
  
• Organize your work with a planner or notebook
  
• Decide what your goals are for the day and make sure you achieve them

It is not easy to go from a traditional school to homeschooling. There are a lot of challenges you will face along the way. However, if you can find a good homeschooling curriculum, it will make things easier. It is also important to be organized and prepared. It is crucial that you have a plan for the day, week, and month. You should also find a good homeschooling curriculum that is suited to your children’s needs. It is also important to have a plan for the holidays and special occasions. It is important to keep track of your children’s progress and be sure to keep them motivated. It is also important to find a good homeschooling curriculum that will help your children maintain their grades. If you find that your children are struggling, it is important to find a curriculum that will help them keep up with their school work.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our guide on homeschooling. There is a lot of information on the internet about what homeschooling is and what the benefits are, but the truth is there is still so much to know. If you are thinking about homeschooling, it is never too late to get started. Just follow the steps in this blog post and you will be on your way to a successful and enriching experience. Keep in mind that every family is different, so what works for one family may not work for another. We would love to hear from you! If you have further questions, please reach out to us. Thank you for reading, we’re excited to hear from you!

The post Complete Guide to Homeschooling appeared first on The Homeschooling Guide.