If you are a new homeschooler you might be feeling a little anxious right now. You are probably full of questions. Am I capable of doing this? Will I be helping or hindering my child's development? Can I get help if I need it? How do I set up a classroom in the house? Here are seven tips to help ease your mind.
1. Relax. You have made a good choice. No school or teacher knows or cares as much about your child as you do. The individual attention your homeschooled child receives cannot be matched by any classroom anywhere. You get to choose a curriculum based not only on academics, but also on your family values. You are going to have fun with this.
2. Do a little research. Find out what other homeschoolers are doing. What type of curriculum are they using, and did they put it together themselves or purchase it from a supplier? You will also want to look for any homeschool groups in your area. These groups are great for socializing and for finding people who are excellent in subjects that you are weak in.
3. Discover your child's learning style. There are three primary styles: aural, visual, and kinesthetic or action based. Younger children tend to be kinesthetic learners. They learn best by doing, but as they get older they may change. Knowing their learning styles will enable you to tailor your teaching style to their needs.
4. Be flexible. You might want to devote an entire day to a field trip at a nature park. Afterward, have your child write a paper about the trip or draw some pictures of different plants or animals living in the park. At the dinner table encourage your child to describe their day to your spouse. Not every day has to be the same old routine.
5. Try to establish both long and short term goals. Personally, I save this until after I have an idea of what my child's interests are. You should not set a goal of receiving a medical degree for child who is primarily interested in music and art.
6. Be prepared for bad days. They are going to happen, but they do not have to be disastrous. You might notice a lack of attention or an unusual amount of fidgeting or daydreaming. Rather than scolding your child, you might try saying something like this, "Mommy doesn't really feel like doing school right now. Why don't we go to the park for a little bit. We can do this after we come home." It works really well!
7. Include life skills in your curriculum. Teach them how to balance a checkbook, cook, do laundry, and how to shop for needs before desires. Remember, someday they are going to leave home. You do want them to be able to care for themselves. I know that my daughter-in-law loves that my son knows how to cook and enjoys doing it.
I hope you found these tips to be helpful. We used them with our children and both of them are quick to tell others that they were homeschooled. They loved the whole experience, especially when they discovered they were learning more than their friends. Enjoy the time with your children, and don't be surprised when you discover that you are learning, too.
1. Relax. You have made a good choice. No school or teacher knows or cares as much about your child as you do. The individual attention your homeschooled child receives cannot be matched by any classroom anywhere. You get to choose a curriculum based not only on academics, but also on your family values. You are going to have fun with this.
2. Do a little research. Find out what other homeschoolers are doing. What type of curriculum are they using, and did they put it together themselves or purchase it from a supplier? You will also want to look for any homeschool groups in your area. These groups are great for socializing and for finding people who are excellent in subjects that you are weak in.
3. Discover your child's learning style. There are three primary styles: aural, visual, and kinesthetic or action based. Younger children tend to be kinesthetic learners. They learn best by doing, but as they get older they may change. Knowing their learning styles will enable you to tailor your teaching style to their needs.
4. Be flexible. You might want to devote an entire day to a field trip at a nature park. Afterward, have your child write a paper about the trip or draw some pictures of different plants or animals living in the park. At the dinner table encourage your child to describe their day to your spouse. Not every day has to be the same old routine.
5. Try to establish both long and short term goals. Personally, I save this until after I have an idea of what my child's interests are. You should not set a goal of receiving a medical degree for child who is primarily interested in music and art.
6. Be prepared for bad days. They are going to happen, but they do not have to be disastrous. You might notice a lack of attention or an unusual amount of fidgeting or daydreaming. Rather than scolding your child, you might try saying something like this, "Mommy doesn't really feel like doing school right now. Why don't we go to the park for a little bit. We can do this after we come home." It works really well!
7. Include life skills in your curriculum. Teach them how to balance a checkbook, cook, do laundry, and how to shop for needs before desires. Remember, someday they are going to leave home. You do want them to be able to care for themselves. I know that my daughter-in-law loves that my son knows how to cook and enjoys doing it.
I hope you found these tips to be helpful. We used them with our children and both of them are quick to tell others that they were homeschooled. They loved the whole experience, especially when they discovered they were learning more than their friends. Enjoy the time with your children, and don't be surprised when you discover that you are learning, too.
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