Author: Katie Lemons / Source: Lifehack
In 2016, it was estimated that 1.7 million children were being homeschooled in the U.S, roughly 3.3% of all school-aged children.[1] Although this may not sound like a big portion of the population, the growth rate of homeschooling has been 7 to15% per year for the last two decades.
The burgeoning numbers are not a coincidence. There are tremendous benefits to homeschooling, including one-on-one teaching, adaptability to individual needs and learning styles, a safe learning environment, encouraging learning for knowledge rather than grades, and tailoring a curriculum to the child’s interests.
Is homeschooling something that you have been considering for your family? With all of the tools and resources available for homeschoolers in the 21st century, it may be easier than you think.
How to Homeschool (Getting Started)
After thinking it through, you’ve decided that homeschooling is the right step for you and your family. Now what? Here are the first things you should do to get your homeschooling journey started on the right track.
Figure Out the Laws
Homeschooling is regulated by the state, not the federal government. The first step is to find the current and accurate legal requirements mandated by your state in order to educate your child legally.[2]
The regulations can vary widely, from strict guidelines to no guidelines at all. However, don’t be overwhelmed by the legal jargon. There are many resources and local communities for homeschooling families that can help you figure out the logistics.
Decide on an Approach
Every child’s needs are different. This is your chance to choose the homeschooling style or combination of styles that best fits your child’s learning style and interests. A brief description of seven different homeschooling methods are listed below.
Supplies/Resources
Often times, purchasing a homeschooling curriculum is done too early in the planning process, resulting in buyer’s remorse.
A curriculum is not always needed for homeschooling, and other types of free or less structured resources are readily available.
Find a Community
Getting connected with a community of homeschoolers is one of the most important parts of building a successful and thriving homeschool environment for your kids.
Look for communities online for virtual support or a local group that you and your kids can interact with. Partnering with others fosters better socialization skills for the students and provides opportunities for field trips, classes, and outings that wouldn’t have otherwise been a part of the homeschooling experience.
7 Different Homeschooling Methods
1. School-At-Home
Also known as Traditional homeschool, School-At-Home uses essentially the same curriculum as the local private or public school but at home.
The lessons can be completed independently, but more commonly, they are administered by a parent or a teacher-facilitated online school.
- Benefits: formal standards, wide selection of curricula, same pace as peers, short-term friendly
- Drawbacks: expensive, inflexible, time consuming, parent can get easily burnt out
2. Classical
One of the most popular homeschooling methods used, it borrows educational practices from Ancient Greece and Rome. Subject areas are studied chronologically so that students can understand the consequence of ideas over time.
Socratic dialogue fosters effective discussions and debate to achieve beyond mere comprehension. There is often a strong emphasis on Great Books[3] as well as Greek and Latin.
- Benefits: well-proven (used for thousands of years), adaptable, focus on logic and critical thinking, systematic and organized, reading is a high priority, language learning (classical or modern), easy to find others to network with
- Drawbacks: less experiential/interactive learning, impracticality of learning classical languages, heavy focus on reading is time consuming and can be overwhelming, inflexibility in framework
- Resources: The Well-Trained Mind: A…
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