10 Things You Should Know About Home Schooling.
The term ‘home schooling’ 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 home schooling vary from State to State. The legal requirements for establishing a home school also vary with the State. Here are 10 Things You Should Know About home schooling.
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Check out your state laws on home schooling. Some states need an affidavit filed with the State’s education department. There are basically 3 categories for home schooling laws. These are: private school laws, home education laws and equivalency laws. Find your state laws. You may also need to maintain a portfolio that records the child’s educational progress. It is important to look into the legal requirements BEFORE you start home schooling. Some States also stipulate a minimum educational qualification for the parent or teacher.
2
The teacher is the key to the success of homeschooling. In most cases, the teacher is a parent or a close relative. In some cases, parents may divide the subjects between them. Rarely, if both parents are busy, they may hire a homeschool teacher. Whatever the case, children need time with their parents. Parents, as a rule, make very good teachers.
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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 home schooling 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.
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How many, how often and when? These are some oft-repeated questions when it comes to home schooling hours. Flexibility is of course one of the key underlying principles behind home schooling. 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 home schooling 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.
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A critical part of home schooling 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.
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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.
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It is sensible to keep aside a particular room or a part of the room for your home school. The child should be expected to reach his desk at the chosen 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.
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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.
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Before you plan the structure of your classes, consider some of the most important issues. What method of home schooling will you be following, what is your teaching style and your child’s learning style, what are the work and play schedules, what are your vacation plans. Some families plan small 1-week vacations at different times of the year. Other families prefer to go away for a month or more. Consult with the members of your family, and chart out a holiday schedule that most suits you.
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Whatever the cost, advocates of home schooling 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.