Homeschooling

Archive for August, 2007

Question: Questions for Homeschooling parents?

We are considering Homeschooling our son, who will be 5 next month, this fall. I am a college instructor myself so I know how important a good education is. It is such a difficult decision to make though! I have a few questions. I know we are going to have to make our own decisions but I wanted to get some other opinions as well. Thanks!

1) Is it extremely difficult (or nearly impossible) to spend the necessary time with a homeschooled child when you also have a two year old or newborn (or worse yet...BOTH!) at home?

2) Is it better to use a specific curriculum or mix and match? Which ones are good (preferably Christian)?

3) I have read a lot about unit studies. Are they a better way to homeschool?

Thanks!

Answer: We started Homeschooling with a nine year old, seven year old, six year old, five year old, three year old, one year old, and found out I was pregnant three days after I pulled them out of school. So if I can do it, I'm thinking it's not too hard to do with a toddler and newborn. It did take planning, and basically we ran our house like a daycare for three hours a day. We had one specific room, in which we all stayed. We had a bookshelf with bins of toys, and up higher all the supplies were in bins that the older children could reach, but not the younger. The older children all had magazine bins, with color coded folders, and work for the week on the left hand side. There were different time slots for different subjects, and they could get out their work and work independently. I introduced new topics on staggered dates, so I could focus on one child at a time, and the others could work on their own, asking me if they had any questions. The little ones had worksheets of their own, coloring and crafts, to make them feel like the big kids. We had group reading time, with the classics, and the little ones played around us.

After two years, we've relaxed a LOT and do a lot of online curriculum. Because of the structure in the beginning, they are comfortable with a routine, and tend to fall into it on their own. At such a young age, I'd steer clear of expensive curriculums (Seriously, why would you need to spend several hundred dollars to teach basics? Save it when they are in serious study!) Find online the pass curriculum for your state (at the state dept of ed website), and follow it. Our public school system has theirs online, and it very clearly outlines each topic to be learned, and the order in which they teach it. It is better to use what works for your child. Read Howard Gardners book on seven types of intelligences and figure out the way in which your child learns best. The best curriculum will be the one which follows his natural inclinations. At this age, he'll be very tactile and ambulatory, needing lots of movement to process anything he's learning. Look at this to see what I mean

http://www.sde.state.ok.us/home/defaultns.html

Unit studies are as effective as you make them. Many people promote them because they allow you to focus on a child's interest to teach all subjects. What I've seen however, is that a parent may glom onto a unit thinking the child is interested, and what you have is a passing interest that's been bulldozed by the sudden hard work involved with liking it. Or a very passionate interest that is amelorated because of the parent's seeming passion, leaving the child feeling like it's been stolen from them. In our house, I do promote passions, and if someone is interested in a topic, then they submerse into it and do what they like with it. They don't have to quit to do another topic that an adult may deem 'more important'. I try to 'strew' support and tools and subject matter, without overwhelming them.

Entire Science Unit Motion / Machines Powerpoint found at www.sciencepowerpoint.com

Question: Homeschooling Tutor Help!!?

I have previously home schooled my two children myself who are 13 and 9, and I don't have the time now that I'm working full time. I have been wondering if a Tutor could come to my house Monday-Friday and teach my children all the National Curriculum instead of them going to school, (The school's that are appropriate for them are a long drive away, we live in the countryside you see!) Also will my children have a schedule, like: Monday- Art, English and Maths. Tuesday- Science, Geography and Music etc? Another question is: How long will the day be; a normal 6 hour school day or 3 hours? And last but not least, if possible, how much will this tutor cost for both of my children?

Thank you so much for your help: Maximum point reward!

Ps: I also have a child aged 4. From what age will he be tutored. Thank you so much!
I live in the UK, so sorry but no american information please! Thank you for your time anyway!

Answer: He who pays the piper (or tutor) calls the tune. The schedule and what they will be taught is totally up to you. You'd have to check with the individual tutors, they may just charge by the hour or they may ask for a higher rate for 2 children than 1. The music teacher my daughter goes to charges £20.50 for 2 children for 30 minutes, but we go to her so there's no travel time to figure in which may be significant for you if your tutors have to travel far. Google tutors for your area, call local FE colleges and contact local home ed groups for recommendations.

Your 4 year old does not legally need to receive an education until the start of the first school term after he turns 5. Before that it's totally up to you.