It is hard to make the decision of teaching your children at home. There are multitudes of different teaching methods, not to mention the additional responsibility that comes with teaching. Keep reading for more information on making the choice easier.
Make sure you check you state laws in regard to homeschooling. Each state has their own rules regarding the number of days a child must attend classes, for example. You may be required to create a curriculum from scratch. Align your year with that of the nearest school district to maintain uniformity.
Homeschooling can be particularly challenging for families with a baby or toddler. Make sure you designate specific times to see to the needs of every child. You can even engage them in the same activities. Look for opportunities to get your children to interact with each other but do not force them to spend time together.
Regular Breaks
Keep in mind that children will do better if they are given regular breaks. Going to long without a break can result in them getting lost in the material. Let them relax and provide them time to recouperate. Regular breaks will have a positive effect on everyone involved in the homeschooling process.
Make life a learning activity. Children can learn from everything you do through out the day. Teach them to read, and help them to speak correctly. Let them cook part of dinner so that they can learn about measurement. They are going to quickly learn, so they can make you proud.
Field trips are an excellent way to enhance studies and it is a great time to get together with other home schooling groups. This will be a lot of fun, and your children will get to socialize. Through group rates, it can also be less expensive.
Learn your state’s homeschooling laws. Make sure to thoroughly investigate any laws regarding homeschooling within your area. For example, some states require standardized testing, while other states do not require such testing. A few states even require homeschooling parents to register themselves as a private school.
Don’t underestimate the cost of homeschooling a child. It can be a huge financial hit if you need to quit working in order to teach your children. If you already stay at home, home schooling will consume the time you spend on home and cooking. This is potentially costly.
There is much to consider when preparing to teach your child at home, so it helps to take advantage of all available resources. Look for workshops, conferences and lectures that cater to home learning. It can feel overwhelming to deal with everything all at once as a teacher. Classes and seminars can offer inspiration and guidance for almost everything involved in homeschooling. Even if you think you know all there is to know about homeschooling, seminars and classes can give you an opportunity to socialize with other homeschooling parents.
Give them hands-on lessons when you teach your kids. If they are learning about Mexico, have them perform the Mexican hat dance. When studying Stalin, cook the foods related to this culture such as cabbage rolls. Your children can cook German food, Italian food and Japanese food as part of a unit on World War II. This serves as a lesson about events in history and other cultures.
You are probably feeling more confident about your decision at this point. Use all of the tips presented above to help you to deliver a world-class education to your children from your own family home. You will soon feel the joy that comes with watching your kids learn what you are teaching them.