A step by step guide to getting started
More and more people are deciding to take the education of their children into their own hands. Home schooling potentially gives each child the opportunity to learn using the methods and pace which best suits his/her needs. As parents, we are our children?s first and most important teachers. Why not continue on that path for the rest of their education?
Steps: 1. Determine state/local laws and what qualifications, if any are needed
2. Determine what enrichment programs are available
3. Determine what support groups are available
4. Find out what your child?s learning style is
5. Find out what your teaching style is
6. Determine which curriculum/format works best for the both of you
7. Set up record keeping
8. Contact you local school to notify them
9. Begin home schooling
Home Schooling Laws:
The most important thing you need to do is to make sure you are complying with any and all state/local laws. Despite the fact that home schooling is legal in all 50 states in the U.S., requirements vary greatly. One of the most complete state by state information sites is at
http://www.pacinfo.com/~handley/statelaw/
From this page you can select your state and find out what laws and requirements pertain to you.
For a simplified version of laws go to http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp You should also visit your state?s education department online.
For foreign laws, contact your local government agency or you may try
http://www.home-school.com/groups/foreign.html
or
http://members.aol.com/stretrat/homeschool/country.html for local support group assistance.
Enrichment:
Your second step should be to determine what types of enrichment programs may be available to you. You may want to supplement with arts and crafts, physical activities, woodworking and so on. There are often co-operative groups which offer these for little to no cost. Many times you will be required to lead a session or perhaps take care of younger siblings in a nursery in exchange for services.
You should also look online for support groups in your area. Through these groups you may be able to arrange field trips, play dates and of course, have the much needed adult support system. These groups may also be a great resource for teaching materials and ideas depending upon the nature of the group.
The next three steps are key in ensuring both you and your child have the best advantage home schooling. You will need to determine both your child?s learning style and your teaching style. Plus, you will need to determine the curriculum you will use.
Learning Styles*:
There are considered to be seven ?intelligences? or learning styles. You will see each in your child to a varying degree. I will list them with brief details, but I will cover them more fully another month.
1. Kinesthetic Intelligence ? these are people who need to be physically active. They learn through doing.
2. Interpersonal Intelligence ? these people are very social and very sensitive to their environment.
3. Intrapersonal Intelligence ? these people are very private, and usually teach themselves. They have a tendency to not do well in school and may be ?artistic? types.
4. Linguistic Intelligence ? these people are writers, readers and good spellers. They enjoy note taking and word games.
5. Logical-Mathematical Intelligence ? these people are good at seeing patterns. They usually do well in school as this is the type of intelligence schools were designed for.
6. Musical Intelligence ? as the name implies, these people have a great ability to retain melodies. They usually sing or hum to themselves. They learn well when the information is set to music.
7. Spatial Intelligence ? these people ?see? their lessons. They may have photographic memory or just learn better when they have something concrete to look at.
Teaching Methods:
According to Dr. Bernard Nebel there are 4 teaching methods or strategies. (Again, this will be covered in more detail in another month?s column)
1. Didactic method ? when a teacher presents the information but it is up to the student to internalize it without further assistance. Text books are in this category.
2. Hands-on activities – when one learns based on experiences. Science projects, art lessons, structural models and gardening all fall into this category.
3. Coaching ? where the student imitates the teacher and then the teacher helps guide and encourage the student in finding his/her own answers.
4. Seminaring ? I call this the discussion method. Asking leading questions to guide a student to find answers, sparking a students thinking.
As with learning styles, using a combination of all these methods in various degrees depending on the students learning style is the best option.
There are also other methods out there such as unschooling (learning through everyday life), Montessori, Classical and so on. These all utilize the 4 theories above in various degrees.
Curriculum:
Your next step is curriculum. Will you buy a ready made one, will you put bits and pieces of different curriculums together, or will you make it yourself.
This will probably be the most time consuming portion. Even after years of home schooling, you may discover a better method. I recommend going to your local teacher supply store or to do an internet search in order to become familiar with what is out there.
You may also benefit from using a course of study guide
(http://homeschooling.about.com/library/weekly/aa081500a.htm?PM=ss13_homeschooling ).
Not all children will be at the same level in each subject area, but this will give you a starting point.
Record Keeping:
1. Find out what your state/local requirements are for record keeping.
2. Obtain your child?s school records from previous years (if applicable)
3. Keep a file of your child?s immunizations
4. Keep a calendar as a record of attendance.
5. Keep a course of study file for each year (subjects and materials used)
6. Maintain records of your child?s progress (this may or may not include a grade book or a report card)
7. Maintain a folder of some of your child?s work ( a portfolio)
8. Make a list of books your child has read
Contact your school district:
Not all states require this, but as a courtesy send a note to the school your child would?ve attended stating your intent to home school. I received some great information on home schooling from my school district. You may even be able to enroll your child part time for physical education, art or computer classes with children his age/grade level. Again, check your state laws for rules on how, when and if you need to inform the school.
Begin Home Schooling:
You?re finally here. You can start to home school your child. Don?t be discouraged when you hit a bump in the road. You have been your child’s teacher since day one. You are just learning a different approach to educating him.
It does take time to settle in and get used to. But you will see that as a few months go by, it does become easier. Home schooling can be a greatly rewarding and bonding experience for the entire family.
©Homeschool Blessings
