HOMESCHOOL CORNER

from Birmingham Parent - September-October 2022

FAVORITE TEACHER WINNER

Homeschooling Tips for Parents

By Sarah Lyons

Are you considering homeschooling your kids? Maybe you tried it during social distancing and decided you enjoy it and would like to consider doing it full time. Maybe you have felt called to homeschool your kids since they were born. Either way, it can be overwhelming at first.

If you think homeschooling could be a good option for your family, start by talking to some friends in your community that have experience with teaching their kids at home. They will be a great resource for support in your area.

Here are more some tips to help:

It’s okay to be overwhelmed. When you are trying something new it is normal to feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to start. While the idea of teaching your children at home may seem daunting, try not to worry. No one expects you to have everything figured out right away, not even your kids. Let them know that you are all trying something new and it’s fine to allow time for adjustments and frustrations along the way. Do some research and make a list of things you would like to try so you have a place to refer to if you need ideas.

Create a flexible schedule. Creating a schedule is a great way to keep your kids, and yourself, on task. It can be easy to get distracted when you are adjusting to the new idea of learning from home. Home is typically a place where you relax, rest, and play but it will also need to be a place to get work done during homeschool.

Create time and space for learning from home and use a schedule that works for your family. If you are freshest in the morning, try to schedule learning right after breakfast. If you are a family of night owls, later in the day may be a better time to focus. Allow time for outings, errands, play time, and free time in your schedule. Unlike traditional school, you do not need to be working on schoolwork most of the day. A big benefit of homeschool is the flexibility it can give your family.

Follow your child’s lead. Kids are more excited about learning when they have an interest in what they are learning about. When planning your curriculum, try to include and incorporate things that your child is interested in. For example, if your child is interested in animals, have them research different animals by reading books, watching educational videos, or visiting a zoo or nature center. If your child is interested in cooking, have them plan a meal, shop for the ingredients while learning about money, make the recipe while discussing the math and science of cooking, and serve the meal while they learn about social skills such as how to set a table, manners, and clean up. Reading, writing, math, social studies, and science can be incorporated into almost any topic. Follow your child’s lead and take note of what they are interested in, what type of learning they enjoy, and what works best for your family.

Don’t overdo it. When you are just starting your homeschool adventure it may be tempting to do too much. Don’t spend a lot of money on curriculums that you may not end up using. Don’t try to cram too much into each day. Try to be flexible while you are learning and see what works well for you, your budget, and your kids while still meeting the requirements. Take it a little at a time and you will become more comfortable and confident.

Enjoy the time. Homeschooling is fun and allows for quality time as a family. Whether you are homeschooling due to social distancing and plan to return to a traditional classroom or wanting to homeschool full time, you get to be a role model to your kids. As adults, we can learn new things too. You do not have to know about everything you teach prior to teaching it. Have fun learning along the way, experience reading new books with your kids, enjoy watching them discover new things, and enjoy the quality time together.

A note about continuous online learning. Distance learning or continuous online learning is not the same as homeschooling. Many parents were thrown into teaching kids at home during a high stress time. Give yourself and your kids grace to make mistakes, to adjust, learn, and grow. It’s enough to do your best each day, one day at a time.

Sarah Lyons is a freelance writer.