Are you considering homeschooling and wondering what you need to know before committing yourself to the task?
When I first started homeschooling (some 12+ years ago), I didn’t spent much time researching online. I had many friends who were experienced homeschoolers with very well-rounded children. I asked them many question and gathered much useful information. Since then, I have fallen in love with the online homeschooling community and gained much insight from the rich experiences of my ever-growing friend group.
The other day I was thinking about the most important things that carried me through the beginnings of my homeschool journey and decided to share them with you. I hope they will be a blessing to you too.
10 Things to Know Before Starting Homeschooling
1. Homeschooling Is / Isn’t Hard
At times you meet homeschoolers that claim that homeschooling is very hard. On the other hand, you also meet those who say that it is very easy. You have to understand that there are always two sides to every coin. You look at the one side of homeschooling and get overwhelmed. But then you look at the other side and it doesn’t seem to look as bad after all.
The thing that makes homeschooling hard is the fact that it takes all of you. You do not get a break when you feel you need it because you have to be always there for your children. Sometimes you wish the little ones running circles in your house would be your neighbor’s kids (or at least your grandkids) that you can return to their rightful homes at the end of the day. But then you look around and realize how blessed you are to have such a lively household and your heart swells with joy.
Once we, the homeschooling parents, find our peace, rest and joy in laying down our lives for those around us, homeschooling becomes much easier. But keep in mind, everything in life takes time and so does the deep understanding of our role in homeschooling.
So to summarize point number one, homeschooling is and isn’t hard at the same time.
2. Starting Homeschooling Is / Isn’t Overwhelming
Many homeschooling parents say that when they first started homeschooling, it was very overwhelming for them. I can imagine that if you start teaching four children in different grades all at once and don’t come from a highly professional business environment where time management is “the thing,” life may turn into a whirlwind for a while. On the other hand, if you begin with one child at a time and at a lower grade, your experience will be quite the opposite. No matter what your situation though, even the craziest chaos can turn into an organized routine once both you and your children master the fundamentals of learning at home.
3. Start with the End in Mind
The homeschooling world presents you with a vast variety of resources, materials and options. But let’s face the truth: None of us will ever be able to teach our children everything there is. So how do you determine what you should do? Start with the end: Who would you like to see your children become at the end of your homeschool journey? What would you like them to know? Who would you like them to be? Reading, writing, and (a)rithmetic are the basics, but then there is the character and the ability to make the right decisions in life.
A couple of centuries ago, former education of a child took only 5-8 years. What may come as a surprise is that the general population was very highly intelligent, able to comprehend very sophisticated texts and capable of making the most complex decisions. You may say: But it was then, not in this overwhelming electronic age! Even though the technology has progressed at the speed of light over the centuries, the foundation for life still remains the same. If you give your child good foundation during their elementary years, they will be able to build upon it for the rest of their lives.
Formulate your ultimate goals, review them regularly and always make your homeschool decisions with the end in mind.
4. Know Your State’s Homeschool Requirements
There can never be said enough about making sure your homeschooling plans comply with your state’s law. HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) has done an excellent job in compiling homeschooling state laws including testing, mandatory subjects, and much more. You may visit HSLDA Homeschool Laws by State and follow the prompts to find the information pertaining to your state.
5. Homeschooling Is / Isn’t Expensive
When considering homeschooling, you may look at the loss of one family income, cost of top-of-the-line curriculum packages and various extracurricular programs and conclude that it is impossible for your family to study at home.
However, you can also look at it from another perspective: There are many online resources available for free that will provide your child with excellent learning experience. It will just take a little more time for you to research and find the right option for your family’s needs. For example, history, geography and science (especially in younger years), can be easily taught with quick tips from an online homeschooling community.
Our family had many times glanced over a well-known and respected curriculum’s table of contents (freely available on the publisher’s or seller’s websites), visited our local library, borrowed books on the subject and enjoyed learning this way.
Also, even if you lay your eyes on one of the more expensive curricula, you may be able to find it for a reasonable price on second-hand sites like Ebay or Amazon. Don’t let the seemingly high cost of homeschooling deter you from teaching your children.
6. Teaching Children in Different Grades at the Same Time Is Possible
Do you remember the old one-classroom schools? There were twenty children in five grade levels and only one teacher. It’s all about the system. Even though it takes a while to find ways that work for your family dynamics, it is possible to teach multiple levels at once. A close friend of mine who had successfully homeschooled eight children used to say, “Every time a new baby was born to our family, our school year became a bit rockier; but at the end we always adjusted.” I should probably mention that all of her children have done very well in their academics and in life.
7. You Don’t Have to Know Everything
If you struggle with a thought whether homeschooling is hard because you are not qualified enough, rest assured that with the infinite resources available on the homeschooling market, you can educate your children with little difficulty. Not only can you benefit from myriads of book and video curricula, but also from reasonably-priced online and co-op classes as well as private tutors (or, good friends) who will take your student through subjects you don’t feel comfortable teaching.
Lee Binz from TheHomeScholar.com describes how she found a surprising and simple solution to teaching subjects she didn’t know anything about. As I had a good laugh reading her article, I thought you would enjoy Lee’s tips too.
8. You Don’t Have to Be Perfect
One beautiful thing about homeschooling is that it is not only the children who grow and learn but you, as a teacher, also grow and learn with them. With gaining more experience, you will be more organized, you won’t need as much preparation time and your days will go much smoother.
Deb C. of LivingMontessoriNow.com brings quite an enlightenment and peace of mind to moms who struggle with their inadequacies. In her own words, “In the end, my imperfections really didn’t matter.” Read Deb’s article here.
9. Be Flexible
If you keep in mind that being flexible is a part of your homeschool education, it will be much easier for you to make decisions. Also, it will eliminate much frustration when things don’t go well. Homeschooling is part of life and life is always changing and requires flexibility. Make “flexible” be your middle name.
10. Find Your Homeschooling Community
There are very few things in life we can easily do on our own. Homeschooling is NOT one of them. You will need other homeschoolers to cheer you up, share their experiences with you and let you cry on their shoulders. There are homeschooling groups, homeschooling neighbors and online homeschooling communities almost everywhere you look. Do not start this adventure without them!
If you are considering homeschooling, rest assured that you CAN do it. So many parents just like you have done it before you and succeeded. It doesn’t matter what education you have, which social status you find yourself in, or whether you are capable to organize your days efficiently. There are only two things you need to dive into homeschooling: love for your children and a willing heart.
