Homeschooling and college

As children grow out of their little pants and are ready to begin

their teens, many parents wonder if they should continue with the

homeschooling program. They fear that colleges may not give equal

opportunities to a child educated at home.

Many fears of this kind were put to rest when 2 homeschooled boys

got admission into Harvard. Harvard does not require a high school

diploma for gaining admission to their degree program. Many

colleges are more interested in the knowledge and behavior of the

homeschooled children rather than their high school diplomas. In

fact, other things being similar many colleges prefer

homeschoolers because of the diversity and richness they bring to

their college life.

Admission requirements may vary. While some colleges require the

child to appear for the SAT, others may need a general equivalency

diploma. And some may not care for any tests at all. The criterion

may vary depending on the college that you wish to apply to. But,

college courses really do not require any high school background

or special training.

It is common to come across parents who frantically try to shift

out their homeschool children to high schools because they fear

unavailability of college admissions. But college admissions are

open to all educated individuals, regardless of whether they are

educated at home or at a public school.

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What is Homeschooling

The term 'homeschooling' basically refers to the process in which

one or more children of not more than 2 families are instructed by

parents or legal guardians, or a member of either household. The

laws that define homeschooling vary from State to State. The legal

requirements for establishing a homeschool also vary with the

State.

For most children, the actual process of learning begins much

before school. Many children already know their alphabets, the

names of animals, colors and other more complicated stuff before

they reach school. This is mostly due to the hard work of a member

of the family who has taken the time to teach the child.

Homeschooling is just a natural progression from here. Instead of

sending their children to a public school, parents make their own

curriculum and teach their children in ways that best suit the

child. This is homeschooling, in its most simplistic form.

Before you decide to go in for homeschooling, there are certain

important matters for consideration. First off, meet with parents

of other homeschoolers. Find out the pros and cons of

homeschooling. Then ask yourself why you would want to adopt this

method. This is a very important aspect, as the success of the

program depends on the clarity and sincerity of your purpose.

Next, it is time to consider the expenses of homeschooling. It may

cost anywhere between a few hundred dollars to a few thousand

every year. More importantly, you are also effectively shutting

out any job opportunity for one of the parents. It is only obvious

that one parent will have to stay at home full time to manage the

homeschool. A home-based business however is a great alternative.

Are you qualified to take on homeschooling for your children?

Teaching is a continuation of your own learning process. With the

advent of the internet, information is aplenty. There are various

books and resources for those interested in homeschooling. Go

through the various methods of homeschooling and choose one that

is most suited to you. It helps if you know what kind of learning

style your child has. Also, find out what your child feels about

homeschooling before you start.

Every state has its own laws regarding homeschooling. For

instance, in North Carolina, you must first file a 'Notice of

Intent' to start a home school. In this you have to mention if the

school is a 'Private church' school or a 'qualified non-public

school'. The persons providing the education are required to have

at least a high school diploma. You have to maintain an annual

record of the child's attendance and disease immunization. Every

year, the child is required to undergo a standardized test. Each

student attending the eleventh grade has to take a nationally

standardized test. These are the requirements in North Carolina,

but it is enough to give you a good idea of what homeschooling

entails.

Homeschooling may seem like a lot of fun and freedom from the

outside. However, things are seldom as simple as they seem.

Homeschooling is a lot of added responsibility and hard work. But,

if successful, it will forge a strong bond of love and respect

between parent and child, while providing your child with the best

form of education he needs.

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Homeschooling online

If Johnny is fascinated by the blinking cursor and struggles to

master the movements of the mouse, you may want to look into some

of the recent developments in homeschooling techniques. Gone are

the days when parents had to buy material from vendors and then

pass it on to their children with explanations. Today, you get the

full course details, material and test papers online.

Children love to sit with the computer. In addition to making them

feel like an adult, the computer also makes use of the visual and

sound medium to make learning fun and easy. Streaming video and

audio show various scientific processes in great detail. The

colorful pictures and the various techniques used help to

effectively bind the data to the child's memory.

Many online resources have a fun testing center that aims to

measure the knowledge and skill level of your child. Complicated

math and science problems are dealt with deftly and elegantly.

A visit to an e-library can also be fun, especially when there

is an audio clip that reads out the passage to you.

E-learning has just begun to revolutionize the world of studies.

If harnessed properly, a child can assimilate an astonishing

amount of information from that great resource sitting right there

at your table - your P.C.

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Record keeping in Homeschooling

A topic that frequently comes up in meetings and forums that deal

with homeschooling is record keeping. The importance of record

keeping cannot be ignored. It is not only legally required in

various States, but also provides important milestones in your

child's learning experience. An interest-initiated homeschooling

approach means that the topic of studies is far ranging and

multifarious. Thus, it can be something of a challenge to write

quarterly reports for the school district, when it is difficult

to classify learning into neatly pigeonholed areas.

Record keeping is important not only for the sake of regulations.

It is also an exciting way to record and document the learning

process of the child. When most of the learning is done through

play and there is no clear cut index of topics that have to be

covered, it is necessary for the parent to keep some sort of a log

which records the child's progress.

The records you keep can be as simple as a daily journal, or as

elaborate as a software program. If you participate in a support

group, you probably have set forms and requirements. But even so,

keeping track of daily work makes reporting easy and efficient.

There are various record keeping methods used by various

homeschools. Some of the more popular ones are:

Journal:

This can be maintained by the teacher or the student. This

basically aims to keep a log of what was learned and what was

done. Recording memorable events that happened in the course of

the year is a great way to reminisce later on.

Daily planner:

Lay out the plans and the assignments for the week in a teacher's

planning notebook. Check each item as it is covered. Maintain a

separate area where any additional things can be recorded. This

includes educational trips, visits and videos etc. Any extra

topics that were covered are also recorded in this area. Make a

summary every quarter.

Portfolios:

This consists of a collection of varied materials that show what

the child has achieved and done during the course of study.

Portfolio assessment is a very effective way to chart the child's

progress. It gives structure to the otherwise loose and flexible

form of schooling called homeschooling. A drawing portfolio will

consist of some paintings or sketches that are considered the best

in that quarter. A language portfolio may consist of essays,

stories, reading-logs, spelling samples or letters. Progress in

mathematics, fine arts, history, science and social studies can

all be recorded this way. The biggest advantage is that portfolio

assessment places control in the hands of the children. Having a

tangible record of what they have established eggs them on to

greater heights.

Other than the above-mentioned systems, there are also purchased

record-keeping systems that lay out a good checklist. Some of

these allow one to personalize the organizer. Irrespective of the

methods used, record keeping in one form or the other is

essential. Your child's future may well depend on the

well-maintained record that you have meticulously kept over the

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Maintaining Discipline in Homeschooling

When the child stays at home all day, and mommy is the teacher,

there are certain issues of discipline at stake. It is easy for he

child to misconstrue the freedom he has at home and feel that

homeschooling is just a long summer holiday. This is a potential

landmine and children need to be disciplined right at the start.

Homeschooling gives you and your child a truly immense amount of

flexibility. You and your child decide where to learn, how much to

learn and when to learn. But,these should be decisions made at

the beginning stages. If your child is too little to take an

active part in the decision, chart out a few hours of the day for

the various activities, and stick to it. When there is no outside

agency to supervise and no exams to answer, it is easy to get

sidetracked. If your child is old enough, consult him and find out

when he wants to learn. Apply your parental discretion and come up

with a timetable.

Homework is also a part of homeschooling. What this means is that

once lessons have been taught, the child should be asked to do

some part of the course work by himself without your guidance. You

will need to make sure that your child sits willingly and finishes

his work.

Courtesy, manners and punctuality are some of the various facets

of discipline that a child has to imbibe in the early years of his

life. The school where he interacts with his peers, his seniors

and juniors and his teachers mould these values quite

automatically. At homeschool, the child should be taught the

importance of speaking and behaving in a proper manner and

appropriate corrections need to be meted out if behavior is

unsatisfactory.

It is advisable to keep aside a particular room or a part of the

room for your homeschool. The child should be expected to reach

his desk at the appointed time, in proper attire with all the

necessary material. It is easy to allow the school to become an

extension of play if these ground rules are not laid out and

followed. As the teacher, supervisor, principal and janitor rolled

into one, you should also approach the study area with a cool

professionalism.

Homeschooling is doomed to fail without patience. In spite of all

the precautions and steps one takes, it is easy for a child to get

familiar' at homeschool. At such times, it may be difficult to

discipline the child and get him to listen to you attentively.

When this happens, switch to something new. Allow the child to

take a breather and enjoy a break yourself.

Homeschooling is not easy. It requires a lot of hard work and

patience. The very informality of the whole procedure sometimes

works against it by making it too easy. If you take steps to

establish rules at the very beginning and adhere to these rules,

your homeschooling experience will be a huge success.

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Montessori Homeschooling

Developed from the work of Dr. Maria Montessori, this style of

teaching aims at duplicating natural laws that a child faces in

life. Thus the aim of the teacher is to control the environment

and not the child. It was observed that children who are left free

to interact with their environment developed an innate

self-discipline, love for order and natural curiosity.

The Montessori method of teaching is especially suitable to the

preschooler who wants to do everything by himself. Finding ways in

which your child can participate in the cleaning, washing,

cooking, gardening and other 'adult' activities sets the perfect

backdrop for the learning experience. By providing such

opportunities for independence, the child's self-esteem also gets

a huge boost.

Artistic, cultural and scientific activities abound in the

Montessori 3-6 class. There is no TV, junk food, or computer.

Material is selected carefully. The child is never forced to work.

Instead he is encouraged to do things that interest him, and the

teacher picks up the teaching from cues given by the child. The

Montessori method focuses on the child's inborn ability to learn

from his surroundings. Thus the teacher aims to encourage the

natural curiosity of the child. He is never forced to learn or

explore. When the child understands why he needs to learn

something, he will love the learning process.

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Grading in homeschooling

Grading in homeschooling is done by the teacher-in-charge. In most

of the cases, this means mom! In this situation, grading can get a

bit tricky because it can be a little difficult to grade your own

child. There is no benchmark against which you can evaluate your

child's performance. In most cases, you also have no awareness of

how well other children are doing. So, obviously the traditional

method of grading is perhaps not the best method to follow.

When grading a child undergoing homeschooling, it is more

important to assess whether the child has understood the subject

that is being taught. Inherent in this is the fact that if the

child has not understood something, you will go over it again.

This will work in your child's favor in 2 ways. Firstly, the child

knows that if he or she fails to catch on, the topic will be

repeated till it is mastered. Secondly, the child also knows that

once the topic has been mastered, he or she will get full credit

for his hard work. Getting full reward for the hard work put in is

a great motivational factor, especially for kids.

When assessing your child's abilities, do not allow emotions to

overcrowd your rationale. Do not yield to the cries and tears of

your child if he or she resists certain topics or subjects. If

mastering these skills is necessary, then you as the teacher (and

not as the parent alone) have to go over the topic over and over

till it sinks in. When dealing with tougher concepts, the child

may get restless and may even show frustration or belligerence.

When the child is still young and unable to understand the

importance of his lessons, it is your responsibility to see to it

that the child develops the skill set necessary for future growth.

In case you belong to a state that requires yearly tests, this

will help you to judge your child's ability vis-à-vis his peers.

Even if it is not mandatory, you may want to test your child every

year. These tests will reveal the variations in the child's

learning pattern. It may show up unexpected areas of strength and

hitherto unknown areas of weakness. This enables you to structure

your teaching to cover the areas that are weak, and build upon the

areas that are strong.

In case your state requires a homeschool report card, keep a

record of the yearly development and scores of your child. Include

pertinent areas like punctuality, discipline etc in the report.

You may also need to keep a record of the number of working days

and attendance schedules.

While grading your child, make sure that you use as many external

tests as possible. There are several websites that deal with the

various age groups, and allow free downloading of question papers.

This is an excellent and cost-effective method to assess your

child. Homeschooling, if done in the proper manner, will boost the

child's confidence because he will be studying to satisfy his

natural curiosity. The scores therefore will reflect his true

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Social concerns of homeschooling

Social skills is an area of deep concern when it comes to

homeschooling. Many critics point out that since man needs to hone

his social skills, a homeschooling environment where social

interaction is limited is detrimental to his growth and

development. But studies have proved this wrong.

Children put into the fiercely competitive school environments

lack the confidence to hold a conversation. Such children show

little genuine interest in the topic of conversation and don't

know how to interact with people of various age groups,

especially their elders.

Children who learn at home are more aware of the implications and

the purpose of their learning. They will ask intelligent questions

and make accurate observations. Children begin their life by

imitating their parents. Homeschooled children therefore pick

up the sterling qualities they see in their parents. On the other

hand, they are protected from the detrimental influences of their

peers.

These children are thus better equipped with the tools necessary

to face the world. The positive reinforcement that takes place

in the homeschooling environment as opposed to being abandoned,

embarrassed or ignored in a normal school environment strengthens

their self-esteem. Children turn out to be better balanced and

well-rounded as they progress into adulthood.

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Homeschooling - the darker side

It's not all hunky-dory and smooth sailing on the homeschooling

front. Like all things in life, there is a downside that has to be

seriously considered when you explore the homeschooling option.

Though one man's bane may be another man's boon, there are certain

common reasons for concern.

The responsibility of teaching your child rests solely on you. You

cannot blame anyone else if your child is seen wanting in the

skills that his peers excel in. If your child cannot do the things

that are expected from other children of his age group, it

reflects badly on you as an educator as well as a parent.

A critical part of homeschooling is the time that you have to

spend with your children. You may have to give up your friends,

shopping and other entertainment and dedicate all these to your

child. This can become frustrating at times. You have to learn to

take the aggravation with equanimity and wait for the rewards with

patience and enthusiasm.

A parent who is dedicated to tutor his or her child single

handedly does not realistically have much time left over for a

career. This means that the family is robbed of an additional

source of income. In turn, this may lead to stress over finances.

You will have to train yourself to live on a strictly controlled

budget. While this is a matter of habit, it does need some getting

used to.

You cannot take a break when you feel like it. Feelings of guilt

will assail you if you neglect studies just because you are

feeling blue. You also fear that the child will take advantage of

the situation. Even when you have given homework, you have to be

around to give a helping hand. This means that anytime your child

is around you, you are on duty! For some, this may mean working

every waking hour. The child studying at home also needs to get

out more. This comes from staying at home all the time.

Interaction with adults and other children needs to be given

special attention.

Children tutored at home cannot develop in the various directions

that are open to children attending public schools. To achieve

that kind of exposure, you either have to be a super-parent

skilled in everything, or enroll your child to various activities.

This may not only prove too costly, but also be

counter-productive.

It is sometimes observed that homeschooled children do not do as

well in SAT tests as their school-going counterparts. Without a

diploma or a GED, some students find it difficult to get into the

military.

Lastly, if you envision enrolling your child to a public school,

there may be a certain period of emotional as well as social

adjustment. A child who is used to being at home for the whole day

and enjoying so much of uncontained freedom may have to undergo

some distressing emotional upheavals before he or she gets used to

the rigors of a regular school life.

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Homeschooling the teenager

As children start maturing into adults, parents feel insecure

about homeschooling. Many parents then discontinue the

homeschooling process and happily hand over the reign to outside

authorities. But is this really necessary? Is the strictly

compartmentalized education provided in schools a better option?

If social concerns are worrying you, look for interest-oriented

associations, clubs and societies. These offer a lot of support

for leaders, opportunity for shared experience, and foster a sense

of belonging. Make up your own group or share this responsibility

with someone else. Home education support groups provide fantastic

opportunities to meet your child's needs. This is the best way to

develop intelligent, self-motivated, healthy and able young

people.

If the growing burden of some of the higher level Math or Science

seems to be beyond you, enlist the help of someone who knows more.

You can even barter your own services and thus save some money.

With homeschooling becoming more and more popular, support groups

will have innumerable resources that help you find the right

teacher for your child.

The underlying principle that guides homeschooling is this: any

child has the innate capacity to grow, develop and achieve its

full potential. All it needs is the right environment and all the

right answers. Be there to provide these and think twice before

you turn over this responsibility to a third party.

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Financing homeschooling

When people talk about teaching their children from home in the

absence of any definite or structured curriculum, it is perhaps

natural to think that homeschooling is cheap. But this is far from

the truth. Although homeschooling does not stick to any particular

text, this is perhaps more of a bane than a boon, when it comes to

finance.

When you need to make sure that your children receives

state-of-the-art education so that they can compete with regular

school goers, expenses will naturally mount. The actual cost of

educating a child at home is surprisingly high. Up-to-date

textbooks, course materials, a library, computing equipment,

lighting, specially designed furniture all cost money. In this

case, the cost may be slightly lesser when it comes to

homeschooling the second child. Add to this any additional tuition

cost for tutors who come to teach subjects that cannot be handled

by parents, like higher-level math or science. The total cost can

be a bit mind boggling.

If you take another important factor into consideration,

homeschooling costs may effective triple. The need for having one

of the parents tied to the house and fully dedicated to providing

education deprives the family of a second earning member. The

average homeschooling teacher is usually a lady with a college

degree. This means that she can easily bring home a pay of $35,000

or more. It is also interesting to note that most families that

have more than 2 children do not opt for homeschooling at all.

But, there are those who have been successful in carrying out

homeschooling at low rates. This is dependent on the size of the

family, the support group, the type of materials used and the

availability of the material. When successive children can reuse

the materials, cost goes down. Much of the course material can be

got from vendors of homeschooling materials. A membership in a

public library, theatre, concerts, ballets and other cultural

events also help in cutting costs. Sometimes, it is even possible

to barter expertise. For instance, the mother of an 8-year old

gives dancing classes, and her daughter receives drawing classes

for free. Support groups allow you to divide the cost of field

trips, science projects and fairs.

Whatever the cost, advocates of homeschooling say that the

benefits far outweigh these considerations. When you are able to

decide what knowledge your child receives and when he or she

should be taught and to what extent, it gives you a lot of freedom

and a lot of power. Both the children as well as the parents

benefit from this mutually enriching experience.

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Homeschooling Methods

For many people, homeschooling may call to mind the picture of two

or three children sitting at a table and writing feverishly in

their workbooks, while mom or dad stands nearby. This is the not

entirely true. There are different methods of homeschooling,

and the method you choose will decide the curriculum and your

style of teaching. Given below are some of the most influential

and popular homeschooling methods.

The Charlotte Mason method:

Charlotte Mason is known as the founder of the homeschooling

movement. A homeschooler herself, she was passionate in her zeal

to lay out the foundations for an effective a complete

homeschooling program that is fun and educational at the same

time. This method focuses on all the core subjects with emphasis

placed on classical literature, poetry, fine arts, classical music

and craft. Mason used a variety of books from classical

literature, which she called 'Living Books'. Since this method

encourages a passionate awareness of literature, the child is read

to daily from the 'Living Books'. After this, the child is asked

to narrate what she has heard. This process begins at the age of

six, and by ten the child is expected to write her narrations in

her book. Mason also advocated the use of 'Nature Diaries'. After

each short and interesting lesson, the child is asked to go to

Nature and draw observations from Nature. Thus the child also

gains a sense of respect for her environment. Mason believed that

development of good character and behavior was essential to the

complete development of the child's personality.

The Eclectic Homeschooling:

This is a mixture of various homeschooling techniques. Here, the

innovative parents trust their own judgment and pick out the

topics that make the best curriculum for their child. Such parents

continuously look out for the best products that will meet the

needs of their homeschoolers. Most Eclectic homeschooling

curriculums are improvised. This means that the basic curriculum

is ready-made. The parents then make changes in the curriculum to

accommodate the individual needs and interests of their children.

The child's gifts, temperament, learning style and interests

dictate the curriculum. Eclectic programs include visits to the

museum, libraries and factories.

Unschooling:

A Boston public educator name John Holt laid the beginnings of the

unschooling method. He believed that children learned best when

they are free to learn at their own pace and when they are guided

by their own interests. His message was to 'unschool' the child.

This method is a hands-on approach to learning, where the parent

takes definite cues from the children. There is no definite

curriculum, schedules or materials. This method is the most

unstructured of the various homeschooling techniques.

The Montessori Method:

This method began in Italy, when it was observed that children

have acute sensitive periods, during which they undergo periods of

intense concentration. During such phases, a child will repeat an

activity till he gains a measure of self-satisfaction. The

Montessori method depends on a prepared environment to facilitate

learning. All the materials used in this method are designed to

satisfy the inner desire for spiritual development of the child.

The materials used progress from simple to complex, and are rather

expensive.

These are just a few of the methods of homeschooling. Whatever the

method, the underlying factor is flexibility and a keen interest

in the desires of the child. The secret is to use the child's

desire for knowledge to further his education.

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Is Homeschooling legal?

Without a doubt, homeschooling is legal in all the 50 States of

the U.s. But, that is just about where the similarity ends. Laws

and regulations regarding homeschooling vary from state to state.

Interpretations of these laws can vary from scholl district to

school district. Additionally, these laws may change every year.

The National Home Education network is a wonderful resource when

it comes to the legalities of homeschooling. It has a listing of

the actual state laws for each state in the U.S. Reading the laws

that pertain to your state is perhaps the best way to get accurate

information about these laws. But, most people need to get the

laws interpreted by a qualified attorney. You can get valuable

information from the support group at your locality. Additionally,

many state education departments have online resources that will

help you in interpreting the state requirements for homeschooling.

The internet is also a good source of information.

It is a good idea to check out your state laws regarding

homeschooling before you start educating your child at home. This

will prevent any nasty surprises on the way. If you have to move,

you will need to be aware of any tests or exams that your child

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Homeschooling hours

How many, how often and when? These are some oft-repeated

questions when it comes to homeschooling hours. Flexibility is of

course one of the key underlying principles behind homeschooling.

This flexibility applies not only to the curriculum but also to

the number of hours. It is only natural that parents, especially

if they have just started out on homeschooling should feel that

their children should be at their books all the time when regular

school-goers are at school. This is not only fallacious but can

also be damaging and counter-productive.

One of the most ignored but glaring drawbacks of the public

schooling system is the sheer waste of time and energy that it

causes. Many periods are simply wasted away and the child

effectively derives only 1-3 hours of study everyday. Then, there

are days when the studies become too intensive and other days when

it's only games and no work at all. There is a lot of 'invisible

wastage' involved here.

Early on in your homeschooling practice, work out a schedule. It

is advisable to stick to the same hours everyday. A routine makes

it easier to learn and gives structure to the learning experience.

It also tells the students that parents are strict about their

learning. A routine also allows your child to free his mind from

other activities and concentrate on studies. He knows that a

particular time is strictly set aside for learning.

The actual number of hours that you need depends on the curriculum

you have chosen and the learning style that suits your child. If

you are dealing with a subject that seems to be more complex, you

may need to sit with the child for a longer period. Using various

techniques, it may be necessary to demonstrate what you are trying

to teach. For instance, a lesson in Algebra may take more time

than a lesson in English.

Homeschooling does not refer to the practice of sitting in front

of the books and learning the printed matter. Field trips,

watching documentaries, visiting factories and libraries also make

up an important slice of the homeschooling process. It makes sense

to intersperse these activities so that learning becomes fun.

You may want to finish off the few hours of textbook learning

in the morning and dedicate the afternoons to these kinds

of activities.

Given the fact that too many public school hours are wasted in

meaningless activities ranging from talking to extra-curricular

activities, do not allow public school hours to dictate the time

you should spend teaching your child at home. Remember that at

home, he is getting a high-quality one-to-one time that is highly

productive. About 1-3 hours of study is enough in the primary

level. It is of course true that the more number of hours you put

in, the more learning takes place. This is also the reason why

homeschooling children are much smarter and more balanced than

regular school going children.

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Homeschooling and the family

According to the National Center For Education Statistics, almost

1.1 million children underwent homeschooling in 2005 alone. That's

a lot of children. Once upon a time, homeschooling used to be a

radical statement - something like a declaration of independence.

It was the conservative Christians who advocated homeschooling in

the '80s and legalized it in every State. But the typical

homeschooler of the day is not religiously motivated.

Recent surveys indicate that parents are actually quite fed up of

the public school systems where much of the learning is

superficial and compulsory. They are also concerned about negative

school environment ranging from drugs and abuse to negative peer

pressure. As a result, we have a surprising mix of people who form

the homeschooling world of today. They cut across all religious

and regional borders. Their main aim is providing meaningful and

productive learning through a method that strengthens the bond

between the various members of the family.

All these families have one thing in common - a long enduring

commitment to the sanctity of childhood. The children in these

families are accorded a primary position. Many believe, and

rightly so, that homeschooling allows parents to bring up children

in a more natural and nurturing environment. Public schools can

make one nervous, diffident and downright mean. Children who get

schooled at home are protected from these damaging negative

influences till they reach an age where they can handle it.

Homeschooling draws the whole family into the almost religious

task of schooling. Everyone is put to work. The parents together

form a bond with the children. Any experience can be turned into

an educational experience. Both the parents are aware of exactly

what is going into their child's head. Parents also have greater

control on the kind of religious and moral values that the child

imbibes. Even watching a movie together can become a learning

experience. Trips to the libraries and other places become

educational as well as recreational.

A homeschooling family is primarily dependent on the income of one

earning member. That means that often spending has to be curtailed

and proper planning of expenditure is a must. This helps to bring

the family members together and everybody gets involved in the

process of saving money.

Having a parent at home to supervise, to nurture and care for the

children brings with it a lot of love and caring. Even your

husband chips in and there just is no room for boredom. Yes,

problems do crop up, and there are a lot of misgivings in your

mind. But when you know that your kids can always count on you,

and your kids know it too, then homeschooling becomes a richly

rewarding experience.

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Homeschooling with a disability

If you feel that your child suffers from a disability that

seriously hampers his ability to stick to a routine, then

homeschooling is your best choice. The child will be constantly

under your supervision. But he will be gaining a lot of quality

education, in spite of his disability. This is rather surprising,

considering how children with disabilities are stigmatized in

public schools.

Goal setting is an important part of homeschooling a child with

disability. Set the number of working hours per week for the

child. A child with a disability may have his bad days. Structure

the learning hours according to the needs and interests of the

child. Use the computer. This way, he will have all the

necessary information right at his fingertips while staying within

the confines of his home.

Field trips and other educational activities are just as

important. Get help from your support group. Visit places of

interest and interact with other children in the group. Take your

child out for some activities, so that he can socialize. Let him

set his own pace with making friends. This will help in

strengthening his self-esteem.

Above all, remember that homeschooling is just the same, even when

your child suffers from a disability. You will just need to look

for the right opportunities and the easiest alternatives to

achieve the same goals.

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Benefits Of Homeschooling

Why let Tim and Lisa learn at home than send them to school?

Well, first of all, you don't have to wake them up at 7 every

morning and bundle them off to school with umpteen numbers of

instructions, and wait with an anxious heart till they return.

Homeschooling gives you more control over the influences that

affect your child. The growth and development of your child

is removed from the realm of the unknown. You, and you alone

can decide what your child needs to do or learn. Tailoring

the curriculum to suit the needs and interests of the child

is one of the most obvious benefits of homeschooling

Individual attention is another salient benefit of

homeschooling. For instance, if Lisa needs more time to learn

Math, then she can reduce the time for her English lessons.

There are no fixed hours of learning per subject. This means

that a child has the advantage of assigning more number of

hours to the subject that seems tough WITHOUT any additional

pressure. The amount of time needed to learn each subject

will depend on the abilities and interests of the child.

The schooling of the child becomes an extended family activity.

Parents get involved in every step of the learning procedure.

Field trips and experiments become family activities. Thus,

the child receives more quality time with his parents. The

entire family shares games, chores and projects. Family

closeness becomes the focus here. The child is also free of

any negative peer pressure while making choices and decisions.

Competition is limited when it comes to homeschooling. The

child does not need to prove his ability with regards to other

children. His confidence remains intact. Since parents have a

deep understanding of their child, they can plan the learning

program to pique the child's interest. It is also possible to

intersperse difficult tasks with fun activities. A tough hour

with Algebra can be followed by a trip to the nearest museum.

Learning becomes fun. Parents can also tailor the curriculum to

suit the learning style of the child. Some children learn through

reading, while others need to write, and still others need to see

objects in action.

Homeschooling allows parents to take control over the moral and

religious learning of the child. Parents have the flexibility to

incorporate their beliefs and ideologies into the child's curriculum.

There is no confusion in the child's mind either because there is

no variation between what is being taught and what is being practiced.

Lastly, more and more parents are getting disillusioned with the

public school system. They believe that their children are being

pushed too hard or too little. Other worrying issues pertaining to

discipline and ethics also make the school system less welcome. Many

repudiate the educational philosophy of grouping children solely on

the basis of their age. Some parents themselves have unhappy memories

of their own public school experience that motivates them to opt for

homeschooling when it comes to their own children.

Homeschooling is the best way to teach a child if you have the time,

the ability and the interest to follow through with his education. After

all, nobody can understand or appreciate your child more than yourself.

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