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Homeschooling
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If you're trying to decide if Homeschooling is right for you and your child, the information you'll find on these pages will be of tremendous help to you. Perhaps you're already Homeschooling, and just need some help finding curriculum or agencies to assist you. You'll find it all right here.
As parents, we all want what's best for our children. Best medical treatment, best birthdays and holidays, best outlooks on life, and best education. Does getting the best education mean that you need to Homeschool your child? Quite possibly, but not in all cases. You know your child better than anyone. Read through all of the information here on homeschooling and weigh your decision carefully based on the facts, and on your individual child's needs. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for lots of FREE resources available on the web.
What are some advantages of Homeschooling?
By homeschooling your child, you are able to deliver a 'tailor-made' education to your child that will be easier for him/her to follow along with. Because you will not have to worry about your child 'not keeping up with the rest of the class' you can take things slowly on the difficult parts of instruction, while you can also move along quickly with any subjects that your child picks up on right away. This is essential to holding his/her interest in learning, and ensures that you are always teaching him/her something new every day.For children with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit w/Hyperactivity Disorder), homeschooling provides them with a distraction-free environment that they are comfortable enough in to be able to focus on what you are trying to tell them.
What are some advantages of Public Schooling?
Public schooling allows children to mingle with their peers, and to build good social skills that are a necessary part of life. Children also learn from each other, and thus need a certain amount of interaction in order to achieve a certain 'balance' in their life. Public schooling also ensures that your child is receiving instruction from a qualified educator that has been trained in the proper ways of 'breaking down' subjects for making them easier to understand and retain.
What are some DIS-advantages of Homeschooling?
Aside from the fact that you'll be giving up a tremendous amount of your day, in order to give assignments, average grades, and make lesson plans, there are also numerous other things you must do to provide an education to your child from home. You must meet all guidelines that your local Board of Education sets forth, and submit paperwork routinely that shows your child's progress. Lesson plans and curriculum must be pre-approved, and therefore careful planning and research will take up a lot of your time.
Your child will also have the disadvantage of not being among his/her peers. Children have been shown to learn more from studying other children their age, than from direct instruction from adults. Social skills are very important, and with some children, are more easily maintained in a group setting with other children.
What are some DIS-advantages of Public Schooling?
Most parents feel that with their children in the public school system, they don't ever know what's truly going on with them. Children have natural tendencies to be curious and experiment with things, and there simply isn't the same kind of 'one-on-one' supervision in the school system that you could provide with Homeschooling. Also, with the public school system, parents are often left out of the equation when their child's educational evaluations are being made. You have the right to voice your opinions at any time, but often it is done without result, because the school system has the ultimate decision on what takes place with your child.
How do I get started with Homeschooling?
The first thing you need to do is to contact your local Board of Education, to tell them that you are wanting to Homeschool your child. Most Boards of Education have packets already made up that contain all necessary forms for you to fill out, and they will mail it to you upon request.
Then, you will need to find some curriculum, and get started making lesson plans. You will need to submit a copy of your lesson plans to the Board of Education for approval, so make sure you check over them carefully. For help with this, I've compiled a list of places on the Internet where you can go for FREE curriculum and lesson plans.
Places on the Web for Free Curriculum and Lesson Plans
Places on the Web for FREE Homeschooling Resources
bravenet.com