Home Schooling Basics

Home Schooling Basics

Do certain subjects require specific hours of attention while teaching my kid at home? With Home school concepts parents have the benefit of enhancing and complementing the traditional ways of teaching, with better ones aided by technology.

Lots of educational software and teaching packages are available which help develop a curriculum for such type of studies. One such useful means is the internet, which has plenty of educational resources like encyclopedias and museums, online dictionaries, libraries, etc.

Depending on state to state home schooling law, the following may be applicable:

1. School officials may inquire about the qualifications of the parents' teaching their child; however its not really necessary that parents who instruct their children have any particular qualification.   Parents who are high school graduates or lesser can instruct their child, if they have a sound mind and the capability to do so.

2. Students in the elementary level should be taught: English, including, spelling, reading and writing; math, science, civics, history, geography, health and physiology, music, physical education and art as basic subjects.

3. High school level children are to be taught the following: English that includes language, speech, literature and composition. Science should include biology and chemistry. Geography, social studies, economics, world history and history of the U.S.A. are a part of the curriculum.  Mathematics would include geometry, algebra and statistics; music, art, physiology and health, physical and safety education are also to be taught.

4.  At times school officials might enquire about the subjects that the child should study, demand the length of home school year, as well as provide subject wise instructions.

It is they who determine instruction hours for each subject, yet the method of teaching should depend on each parent's individual style.

Home schooling parents can evaluate and determine the hours of instruction based on their individual style, they need not imitate the public school, rather it's more important to match and equal it keeping in mind the systematic approach and efficiency levels.

While home schooling, the parent has to gauge the child's intellectual needs.  The subjects do not actually require particular hours of teaching, even though each subject needs a specific time, so that whatever is taught is easier for the child to grab.

Also, keeping schedules is not a significant factor in home schooling, since understanding of time and usage are different from that of a normal school.

5. School officials should recognize and classify instructional materials, which might help determine the child's grade or level and the subject.  The right to demand should not be misused or try to affect the style of teaching, in which subjects are handled.

If a child has difficulty with a particular subject, for instance in reading, then the parent should allot longer hours for reading, emphasizing on that subject so that the child finds it easier.

A parent may shorten the time spent on that subject which the child willingly and easily learns and grasps. Extra hours should then be allocated for subjects which the child finds difficult, this system can effectively asses the child's development.

During home schooling, a child can take the time to learn and understand each subject at their own speed, and capacity.  Also, the parent can find creative ways so that teaching is fun and learning interesting.

Few helpful and efficient teaching materials that are not tangible, such as community service, visits to parks, travel and museums, etc. will provide significant learning skills and knowledge aside from those who learn through books.

6.  School officials and parents should reach an agreement about a system of assessment or evaluation for the child; either periodic reports or standardized testing, on the child's dated samples of work and progress.

Asses your child's learning ability and style so that:

1. Awareness about the approach to be used or how to be better equipped in teaching them. Some parents have a wrong notion that their kids should learn the way they had. For example, if the parents are visual learners, they expect their children to be the same. Remember, that children are different as individuals; with distinct learning styles as compared to their siblings and even parents. You can effectively teach your child, as soon as you learn and comprehend the child's individual style.

2. You should be prepared to chalk out a curriculum for home schooling. Unfamiliarity with your child's learning style, might lead you to select a curriculum that can is not an effective tool to bring out the best in your child.

3. One has to identify and understand their child's educational needs better. Most parents get upset and discouraged when their children fail to effectively communicate.  If you try to understand your child's learning styles, you might be able to help your child to understand themselves better. This enables them to interact and correspond better with their elders as well as friends.

A proper understanding of the children's their capabilities and learning styles will enable you to understand how many hours they have to put in for each subject. Home schooling does not necessitate strict hours of teaching for your child in any subject.  Everything depends on progresses of your child; if he can do math in lesser time than allotted to him in the curriculum then good. If the child needs to spend more time in reading, then he should be doing exactly that.