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Homeschooling is a whole new world for many families. It can be exciting, daunting, thrilling, and terrifying all at the same time. With decades of experience behind us, here are some tips and tricks we’ve learned to help you enjoy more ups than downs in your journey.
Children need consistency but rarely is a homeschooling day without interruptions. Children do best when they can count on the structured and consistent routines of the day. However, as we all know, upheavals happen. Learning to be flexible is a handy life skill for children, but young children still need stability during chaotic days. You can provide this in several ways:
A formal daily schedule, even if you don’t hit it perfectly every day, can help your child get in the habit of engaging her brain for specific subjects at a regular time each day. For example, by training the brain to expect reading lessons every day after math and right before lunch, your child will form a habit. Habits help us overcome resistance to difficult activities. The brain will have an easier time focusing on that particular subject.
Related to having a formal schedule, creating a dedicated school space is another trigger to the brain that this is learning time. Environmental triggers are a powerful way to develop good habits by associating a desired behavior (focused school work) with a specific location. You can set up the space to meet your child’s unique needs. Some children are easily distracted. He might need a quiet environment, with no direct view out a window, where younger children are not within sight.
Other children do better with soft music in the background. Some kids might need a bouncing ball chair to sit on or a fidget toy nearby to burn off some of their excess kinetic energy.
Your learning environment does not have to be expensive, nor should it attempt to recreate a public school classroom. Your child might do perfectly well in a cozy chair and only need a work surface like a lapboard or table for math and writing. It’s okay to be creative!
Here are some creative ways to make a cozy reading nook for your kids.
Most parents are familiar with the teaching methods they experienced in school: lectures, textbooks, and workbooks. That method works well with children who are strong in language and logic processing and enjoy long, quiet study periods. Textbooks are not always the best fit, however.
Homeschooling has your answers. There are 8 basic homeschooling methods to choose from:
Classical – Here, the focus is on three stages of childhood development aligned with three stages of education. First is the grammar stage, where children learn the facts of each subject. Next is the logic stage, where children learn the why and the logic behind facts. Last is the rhetoric stage, when children learn to apply what they’ve learned and defend their reasoning. A classical education teaches children to think critically and read widely. Classical Education experts Susan Bauer and Jessica Wise Bauer recommend All About Reading and All About Spelling for families who use the classical method.
Montessori – This method focuses on hands-on, often child-led learning. The instructor sets up learning areas, and the children can engage with whichever area is most appealing. It promotes independence and a lifelong passion for learning.
Charlotte Mason – The Charlotte Mason method fosters a love of learning and strong spiritual and moral foundations. This approach revolves around what Miss Mason called “living books,” real stories, biographies, and nonfiction over textbooks to learn about the world.
Unschooling – Also called delight-directed learning, unschooling can run the gamut from giving a child complete freedom to learn if, when, and whatever they wish without parental direction to parents acting as facilitators who provide resources for the child to dig deeper into his interests.
Eclectic – Many curriculums are all-in-one box sets that include everything you need for every subject from one curriculum provider and using one method. Eclectic homeschooling sees education as more of a buffet. The parent will choose from any educational resources to tailor a program unique to her child.
Unit Studies – This is a fun and usually very hands-on way to combine almost all subjects under one theme for a period of time, from a one-week unit to semester-long units. They typically end with a capstone project summarizing your child’s learning from that unit. A child might want to learn about horses. You can learn about horses throughout history, read fiction books about horses, draw pictures of horses, study the anatomy of horses, etc.
Traditional – Many children do very well with a traditional textbook or workbook learning method. She is typically an excellent language/logic learner, enjoys studying, and does not find sitting still for long periods difficult.
Online – There are courses online that offer everything from free, complete elementary curriculums to Ivy League university classes. You can find literature-based classes, unit studies, courses based on the Charlotte Mason method, and more.
Reading and spelling are foundational to every child’s education. All About Learning Press has created reading and spelling materials that are usable with any method. Our programs are proven, effective, and comprehensive, helping any child learn to read and spell fluently.
The beauty of homeschooling and the wide variety of resources available today is that you can custom-tailor an educational approach that is perfect for your unique child, your values, and your lifestyle needs. As you think about what fits best for your family, figuring out where to start can be overwhelming. All About Learning Press has two easy-to-use placement tests that take the guesswork out of where to begin with reading and spelling.
All About Reading placement test.
All About Spelling placement test.
Children learn and master material best when all the learning channels are engaged. Incorporating hands-on learning engages the kinesthetic channel of learning. Here are 20 activities for kinesthetic learning you can start using today. You can supplement any curriculum with hands-on activities such as math manipulatives, games, flashcards, or building and art projects. All About Learning Press reading and spelling programs have the hands-on elements already woven in.
Young children, in particular, need a solid foundation in reading, writing, and math. Everything else is beneficial but not as crucial. You could start with All About Reading and a solid math curriculum and not need anything else before the age of 6.
There are many resources to help you determine what your child should know at each stage of his development. Use those as a general guide only. You know your child best. Once you understand how they are progressing in each subject, decide for yourself the next milestone and when they can reasonably hit it. Don’t worry about grade levels or being “ahead” or “behind.” No child fits neatly into what is average for his age.
Your child will not be with you forever. When he becomes an adult, there will be many things he still needs to learn. By helping him understand how he learns best, using the methods that work well for his learning style, you will help set the stage for him to master whatever is needed in the future.
When you announce that you will homeschool your children, it’s almost inevitable that someone will ask, “What about socialization?” Homeschooled children have more significant socialization opportunities than public school children. By engaging your child in community activities, field trips, and extracurricular events, your child can experience a much broader range of ages, lifestyles, and cultures than she can in school.
The amount of time you need per day can vary considerably depending on the child’s age and the method you are using.
Unschooling typically means learning never stops. Methods like traditional textbooks can take as little as 2 hours a day for early elementary students.
In general:
Ages 4-6 up to 15 to 20 minutes per subject
Ages 7-9 up to 30 minutes per subject
Ages 10-14 up to 45 minutes
Ages 14-18 as much as an hour per subject, longer for classes with lab work.
This is one of the most asked questions by homeschool parents. The underlying idea behind it is that if you find the most successful method, it will be easy, the kids will not complain, and your child will get good grades. Ideally, we want to fit the curriculum to the child, not the child to the curriculum. Become a student of your child. Determine how he learns best and his needs so you can choose the method that fits him.
Several difficulties come with homeschooling. Some of the most common are managing your time, staying on a consistent routine, keeping the children motivated, and avoiding isolation. Fortunately, there are things you can do to solve many common issues.
A simple calendar or planner system can improve time management. Blocking off everything in a calendar, like appointments, social events, chore time, errands, meals, and school time, helps you get a bird’s-eye view of what you can accomplish in a day. You can also see at a glance if you can say yes to an invitation so you don’t overbook.
Although it takes more time upfront, training children to take on household chores will pay big dividends later as the family works as a team to manage day-to-day duties. Even a four-year-old can straighten her bed and put clothes away. It may not be as neat as if Mom did it, but she will get better with practice.
When the days get busy, the weather turns warmer, or something urgent comes up, it can be easy to put school aside. Sometimes, that is inevitable, but if it becomes a habit, school lessons fall further and further behind, which causes stress for everyone. Make school lessons a priority. Sometimes, it means saying no and potentially upsetting someone else. That’s okay. Your children come first.
Motivation follows action.
An inconsistent school routine sends a message to the children that school is not all that important. He will pick up on that attitude and will lose motivation. Motivation follows action. In other words, children who build a habit of a regular, consistent school routine and do it every week are more likely to be motivated to continue with that routine.
Part of the routine should be getting out into the community. Isolation goes hand in hand with burnout. It’s easy to incorporate learning into your trips. You can supplement school lessons during your outings. Going to the grocery store can become lessons in how to behave in public, understand units of measure and prices by unit, organize a shopping list to correspond to the layout of the store, choose healthy meals, and more.
The Three R’s refer to Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic—the fundamental skills needed for lifelong learning.
Fluency in reading, the ability to communicate with excellence, and a comprehensive grasp of math concepts are necessary for mastering any subject and succeeding in adulthood. By laying a solid foundation of the basics, you give your child a firm base on which to build the rest of her life.
The core concepts of phonics, writing, and math give children the tools to work with all other subjects. Math, for example, requires critical thinking, problem-solving, and attention to detail—all skills useful for both higher-level academics and for navigating the adult world. Understanding root words and the rules of phonics helps children decode more complex and unfamiliar words easily, which gives them an advantage as they tackle college-level material.
Master the core subjects, and other subjects can be built around them.
Language Arts: Grammar, spelling, and vocabulary lessons build on early phonics.
Science: Use math and reading skills to understand scientific concepts and principles. High school science, particularly chemistry, relies on a good grasp of algebra and geometry.
Social Studies: Use reading and writing skills to understand historical events, cultural practices, and geographical concepts. Critical thinking helps children evaluate current events in the light of history and to evaluate materials for logical fallacies or propaganda.
Arts and Music: Math, logic, and critical thinking also contribute to creativity. Mathematical principles such as geometry and perspective are used in creating art, and much of music is based on mathematical patterns.
All About Learning Press has a comprehensive resource page with guides, e-books, how-to’s, activity pages, and much, much more.
Dancie
says:Homeschooling has been the best thing for my ADHD kiddos. We are excited to jump into a new year with AAR for the first time!
Robin E. Williams
says: Customer ServiceDancie,
Yes! Homeschooling is often a wonderful choice for children with ADHD because the freedom to simply stand and wiggle while working often helps them focus more easily.
Callie
says:Saving to read again later! This is very helpful as someone who is considering homeschooling in the future! Thank you!
Robin E. Williams
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Callie! Glad it’s helpful!
Tia
says:I have homeschooled my girls and nieces and they have gone on to college and have successfully entered the adulthood that God has blessed them with…. and with saying that…. These tips are amazing! As the old saying goes…”you can teach an old dog new tricks”… or something like that… haha! Thank you for sharing this information.. I have printed it out… with access to your website to share with my parenting class that I teach at the homeless shelter that my family are missionaries to… (all faith-based, no government involvement, no grants, nothing.. just faithful people blessing us to help the homeless get back on their feet.. over the winter, we actually had 30 children with 7 being homeschooled…and the rest needing assistance with their secular schooling… so we are always loving new information to help .. Thank you so much for sharing!
Robin E. Williams
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Tia!