Homeschooling is an increasingly popular way of teaching children outside of the typical classroom. Homeschooling allows you many opportunities that a standard classroom setting doesn’t including increased time with your children and passing down your own values and beliefs. Homeschooling can also allow you to create a flexible learning schedule that suits your family’s needs and lifestyle. There are many things to consider before deciding to take on homeschooling. Keep reading to find out some of the benefits and challenges of homeschooling.
Benefits of Homeschooling
- Tailor what is being taught to your child to suit their individual needs and learning styles.
- Facilitate meaningful conversation about what is being taught and apply it to other events that occur throughout the day.
- Spend valuable time with your children that you would otherwise be apart.
- Ability to give your child extra personal attention if they are struggling with a certain subject or course material, allowing them to fully understand before moving on to the next lesson.
- Teach your child 1-on-1, allowing for unparalleled attention that would never occur in a regular classroom setting.
- Cater your learning material to instill your own values and beliefs.
- Protect your children from being exposed to negative things that occur in a typical school environment like bullying.
- Create a daily schedule that meets your family’s personal needs so that you can do things without the constraint that comes from traditional schooling hours.
- Travel and go on vacation with your children whenever you want during the school year because you can teach your child while you are away from home.
- Easily fit in appointments or allow your child to have time off when they are sick knowing that they can easily make up the work when they feel better.
Challenges of Homeschooling
- Justifying your decision to people who may be judgmental or in complete opposition of your decision of teaching your children at home.
- You will need to have an extreme amount of patience if you are teaching your own child, who may not always listen to you like they would a teacher.
- Spend all your time with your child because they are not leaving during the day for school.
- You will have to teach your children coursework even when you do not feel like it.
- You will spend more money on school related supplies and materials than you are used to.
- Snacks and lunches are now your responsibility to prepare and serve.
- You may have to reach out of your comfort zone to effectively teach some course material.
- Children will not receive the same amount of socialization with their peers as those who are in a standard school environment.
Homeschooling is a beneficial way to spend more time with your children in an environment you can control. Keep in mind that homeschooling is not the right fit for everyone so be honest about your family’s needs and structure. If you do decide to pursue homeschooling there are many beneficial resources that can be found online. Search online for support groups, curriculum material and supplemental teaching aids. Speaking with other parents who homeschool their children can also be very beneficial because you will be able to ask for guidance about teaching your own child based on their personal experiences.
