What is Homeschooling?
Homeschooling means teaching your children at home instead of sending them away to school. Homeschool parents assume the responsibility for educating their children.
What is Afterschooling?
Afterschooling is teaching your children at home outside of school hours. Some parents would like to homeschool, but lack the ability to keep their children home from school all day. However, these parents still have an active interest in their child’s learning and want to teach. Afterschooling is just what it sounds – teaching a child at home after school!
Why do people homeschool?
There are countless reasons why an individual family may opt to homeschool. However, the National Center on Educational Studies conducted a survey in 2003 that asked homeschooling parents what the most important factor in their decision was. The responses are as follows: (National Center for Education Statistics, 2006)
· 31% were concerned about the environment of other schools, These concerns included concerns about their child’s safety and the prevalence of drugs and peer pressure.
· 30% wanted to provide religious or moral instruction
· 16% were dissatisfied with the academic instruction available at other schools
Is homeschooling legal? How do I find out the laws in my state?
Homeschooling is a legal alternative to public school in all 50 states. However, the laws differ by state. Homeschool Skills offers a summary of each state’s homeschool laws on the “Laws” page (see the above navigation menu). However, it is always wise to consult with other homeschooling families in your area or with a lawyer to ensure you are in compliance with all laws.
How much does homeschooling cost?
It costs whatever you want it to! It doesn’t take expensive materials to teach a child. As the educator, homeschool parents have complete control over their expenses. Some families buy curriculums and expensive teaching aids, and others spend nothing at all. It’s all a matter of personal choice.
Ideas for all budgets will be presented on the blog, and there are many low-cost, used materials available at the Homeschool Skills store.
Do I need any special qualifications?
Parents do not have to be certified teachers or have other rigorous qualifications. However, states have different requirements and some states require parents to work with supervising teachers, etc.
How can I ensure my child will learn social skills?
Socialization is the main stigma of homeschooling, and it’s absolutely inaccurate (see the Myths section of this site). There are many social opportunities for homeschoolers. Your children can participate in homeschool organizations, scouting, music lessons, community recreation, community theater, religious organizations, play dates, volunteer organizations, etc. Friends can be made at parks, in the neighborhood, and at other places in the “real world.”
How can I homeschool if I can’t afford to stay home from work?
In regular classrooms, 20 to 30 students are taught over a full classroom day. However, the individualized attention that each student receives in a homeschool requires fewer classroom hours. As long as childcare can be provided while you are at work and you have time after work to teach, you can successfully homeschool even while working full-time. When considering this option, be aware of any state laws requiring that the homeschool be held for a certain amount of hours per day or days per year (not all states have requirements like this).
How can I measure my child’s progress?
There are many ways that homeschool families keep track of student progress. One of the primary methods is through portfolios, which enable parents to keep examples of the children’s work over a period of time and compare examples. Another way is through standardized testing, where the results will reflect the progress made.
My child has been labeled with ADD/ADHD/Learning Disabled. Won’t teachers do a better job of teaching my child? Won’t homeschooling be extremely difficult?
Homeschooling is a great alternative for children who have been labeled with ADD/ADHD. Consider the environment of the classroom. One teacher is left to content with many students, sometimes 30 or more. Students with learning disabilities or who have a hard time sitting still pose a major distraction in the classroom and make teaching more difficult.
In the homeschool setting, these children receive individual attention and guidance from a loving parent. Homeschool is more versatile than classrooms, because the class size is considerably smaller. If your child needs to be active, make learning active! Cater to his interest and needs.
I sympathize with parents and children in this situation, because my oldest son would be instantly labeled ADHD if he went to a classroom. He is constantly in motion and has a teeny attention span. However, we’ve learned to work around that by making learning active and interesting. There will definitely be posts in the blog about this in the future, so keep watch!
How can I convince my spouse/parents/relatives/friends that homeschooling won’t ruin my children? They think I’m crazy!
This is a common problem. Be patient and remember that their concerns are because they genuinely care about the well-being of your child. Usually skeptics have been misinformed. The “S” concern (socialization) is usually the primary complaint. Answer their questions and ease their fears.
If the spouse is the skeptic, offer to compromise on a one or two term “probationary” homeschool period. At the end of the trial period, have a serious discussion with your spouse about the progress you’ve made and the concerns. After seeing that the children haven’t turned into anti-social recluses, the problem may be solved.
If the skeptic is someone else, like a grandparent or friend, remember that you are the child’s parent. You are ultimately in charge, and it is ultimately your decision. After a while, they will get used to the idea and eventually may come to fully support the decision.
If I start now, will I have to homeschool them forever?
Your children can enter a public, private, charter or other school at any time. Many parents choose to homeschool through the younger grades and then allow their children to enter regular school in middle or high school. Other families choose to start homeschooling later in their child’s educational career. It’s a personal decision, and there is no lifetime contract.
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Sources
National Center for Education Statistics. (2006). Executive Summary: Homeschooling in the United States 2003. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from National Center for Education Statistics: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/homeschool/
