Community efforts improve home school

KATHYA SAGREGO STAFF REPORTER

In the last three years parents have decided to take full responsibility for their children’s education by going the home schooling route. I home school three of my four children and I would not go back to regular public school.

After the pandemic, many parents realized how much growth our children had with a one on one teaching system. Home schooling has grown on social media with the belief that home-schooled children lack social skills and don’t benefit from a seat based education.

However, my experience with my children has been the opposite.

My children have been able to build a community within the home school system.

We are enrolled in a public home schooling program that provides us with state funds each semester for each child. These funds make it possible to go on field trips to museums, events and aquariums.

My children are also able to do extracurricular activities such as sports and music lessons. My toddler even takes literature in the kitchen class. I am able to buy school materials, books, but most importantly I buy curriculum for each subject.

We are not alone while taking this journey. Through the public homeschooling state program my family has an assigned teacher. She is who guides us to provide my children with the best education possible.

We meet monthly in person. She helps me cover education standards and holds me accountable for my children’s work.

Homeschooling is a full time job and I have taken full responsibility for my childrens’ education as well as their social growth. We attend organized home school park days and events as well as organize coops to work on science projects or nature hikes.

Homeschooling is flexible. I have the opportunity to teach each child according to their needs, passions and level. I get to adapt to every child’s learning setting as well as learning through games, handson projects and reading literature as a family.

I am a believer in homeschooling because while I teach my children educational standards, I teach them life skills. They get assigned chores and daily routines. They also help garden and learn to use tools around the home.

Home school is about routine and more than anything about being consistent.

Our daily dynamic is done through learning even when we are grocery shopping or going on a road trip as a family to learn about deserts and forests.

I am an advocate for homeschooling because this has been the best choice for my family.

We have created a safe, productive and loving educational setting.