Many parents would love to homeschool their children, but homeschooling is not a good fit for every family. Answer these questions honestly before you decide to try homeschooling.
Thoughtfully Answer these Questions:
Am I Able to “Switch Hats” with My Children?
In other words, will your children be receptive enough to you as a teacher and coach for homeschooling to be effective. Some children relate to parents well within the setting of a parental role only. If you find your children respond well to you in any setting, homeschooling might be a good choice for you.Do I Work Full Time Either Outside the Home or at Home?
Working full time, whether you are working at a site or at home, takes a big chunk of your time. Homeschooling also takes a big chunk of time for preparation, presentation, and followup. Be fair to yourself when you consider time allocations. High school students are far more independent than elementary students, another factor in your time decision.Is there Strong Discipline in my Home?
Face it; some of us are just stricter than others. If you lack strong discipline in informal areas of your child's life, forcing subject matter that child resists just may not happen. Be fair to your child on this question so he becomes a well-rounded adult educationally.Do I Have the Background to Teach my Child Adequately?
You don't have to be an Einstein to homeschool effectively, but you can only teach what you know. If you never quite understood concepts such as fractions or adverbs, you may find create gaps in your child's learning. This question relates more to elementary students than older students. By the time a student has reached junior high or high school, many choices are available such as community college classes, online courses, or charter school choices.Do I Dread Summer Breaks or Off-Track Time?
There is nothing wrong with being relieved to share the educational responsibility of raising a child. If you look forward to time alone while your child is in school, a traditional classroom setting might be the best fit.Is My Child Involved Socially with a Group of Children Outside of School?
Socialization is one of the most common arguments against homeschooling, and interestingly, one of the least encountered problems. If your child is involved with church, hobby, dance, or sports groups, he probably gets all the socialization he needs to develop healthy relationships and good friends.Do I Have the Time in My Own Life to Devote a Block of Four or Five Hours Each Day to Homeschooling?
If homeschooling your child requires you to dramatically alter your lifestyle, you may want to carefully consider the decision to homeschool. Drastic change in your life may lead to either unsatisfactory school results or resentment about missing out on your own activities. One of the primary factors in the success of homeschooling is the amount of time and dedication to the process of homeschooling put into the effort by the homeschooling parent. Honestly evaluate your commitment, availability of time, and organizational skills required for success. Does my Child Have a Long Daily Commute to Attend a Traditional Setting Class?
Some children commute long distances to attend a traditional setting class. If you feel the commute is more than your student can adjust to, you may want to try homeschooling.Does my Local School have Appropriate Placement for my Child?
Students with special needs may find the homeschool setting more readily accommodates their requirements. Depending on your child's needs sometimes a professional in a special setting is more effective, or it may work better to pull your child out and do it yourself.Can I Instill Within my Child a Love of Learning?
To develop a love of learning a child needs to feel confident and competent. He needs to enjoy exploration of new concepts, have ability and interest in researching new topics, and organizational skills to combine learned knowledge in usable form and presentation. Each skill a child masters must be repeatedly presented to him, ideally from a little different angle each time. Developing proficiency in any of the many, many tasks children learn requires repetition and creativity on the part of the teacher-repetition to help the child commit the skill to memory and creativity to find interesting ways to present each skill multiple times with a little different slant each time.
Homeschooling can be one of the best-or one of the worst-experiences of raising your family. An objective assessment of yourself, your child, and overall family dynamics will help you make an informed decision as to the practicality of homeschooling your child.
