I used to be a strong proponent for sending my kids to school to receive a quality education. Perhaps back in the 70s and 80s when I attended school, but school systems have changed considerably since I was attending. Unfortunately, children who have ADD/ADHD, special needs, different learning styles tend to get lost in the shuffle of the mainstream education system.
If you have never tried homeschooling, it may feel a bit strange before you get used to it. Once you and your kids have familiarized yourself with the system, you will realize that you have been missing out on a lot of great benefits that homeschooling offers.
Here are nine successful homeschooling tips for beginners,
1. Make Learning Enjoyable
Set both your focus and that of your kids towards learning. You both need a positive attitude to start with. Learning at home doesn’t have to be boring as you will need to take a break after each session, just like in schools. Within a short time, your children will have learned a lot with less straining.
2. Minimize Noise
If the 2020 pandemic taught us nothing, it taught us that having your kids at home all day, every day comes with extra challenges. Parents around the world were able to adapt and make changes so that parents who were working from home and children who were learning from home were each able to accomplish their daily goals. Kids tend to make a lot of noise when playing and this may be distracting, but with time you’ll be able to manage a system that works for your family. Another good tip is to minimize any outside noise and distractions while your child is doing their school lessons.
3. Get Materials From The Library
Your local public library can be a great source of materials for you from books, videotapes, DVDs, and other learning materials. Librarians will guide you on their procedures for checking out these materials temporarily. They will also advise you on the due dates of when materials need to be returned for the next family to use.
You can also get online materials like Math resources for teachers that will enable you to teach and track your child’s progress.
4. Don’t Get Strict With The Clock
Homeschooling should be flexible even though you need to have a schedule, but at least you should give yourself room for lazing around once in a while. If your kid requests some time to play, allow them as long as it’s not regular. A great way to still fulfill requirements for homeschool is to take a field trip to a historic landmark or a museum or a zoo. Your child will still be learning and it is a great opportunity for the family to spend time together.
5. Take Time Out
The good thing about homeschooling is that it is flexible. If you have been indoors for long and feel like going out for a few hours, you are at liberty to do so. So it’s not that strict as long as you don’t overdo the outings.
6. Design a Study Place
One of the disadvantages of homeschooling is burnout resulting from living and studying in the same room or place. So let kids organize their studying space to make it comfortable and conducive.
7. Have a Schedule
It will be easy for both of you. If you have a study schedule to guide you on what’s next. Kids can quickly get out of routine if they don’t have a schedule. So follow the schedule religiously but don’t feel offended when you miss out once or twice because of other more important issues to attend to.
8. Don’t Do It Alone
You don’t have to do it by yourself. Involving your partner or other family members is vital for the kids to enjoy learning more and ease the tension. Family learning can be done in the zoo, road trip driving, learning a new game or language, cooking out together, be it at home indoor outdoor cooking.
9. Reach Out To Other Homeschoolers
When you are homeschooling your child, you should know that you are not alone, and whenever you feel stuck, you should reach out to other homeschoolers in your community or online.
Share your contacts and possible reading materials. Interacting with other homeschoolers makes them realize they are not alone, and this will highly motivate your kids
Conclusion
Homeschooling can be fun and exciting if done the right way. With the above tips, you are good to start homeschooling today.
