How Long Is A Homeschooling Year?

Parents have several explanations and justifications why they homeschool their children. They have concerns regarding the safety of their children, the quality of education that is offered in public schools, the expensive cost of private schooling and the struggle of the child to keep up with the entire class.

Parents usually feel defenseless when their kids come home from school with accounts of emotional cruelty from peers, labeling them as "slow learners".

With a large class, teachers usually have little options and remedy to act on these children who are so called "slow learners". This is why often they are advised to be tutored, so that they will be given the attention that they need, and can learn at "their own pace", not competing with others as well as not having the teacher's undivided attention.

Planning what your child needs:

Your child will need a certain study area that is quiet, with few or no distractions at all. Study time should be scheduled well for each day.

Display a focused attitude towards your child; this is essential, as your child needs to realize that you are committed and enjoying your time together rather than irritable or unsatisfied with your child's shortcomings.

You must reward, stimulate and encourage your child to create an affirmative emotional and informative experience. You must provide your child with basic school materials such as textbooks, globe, encyclopedia and dictionary. Consider also the resources the internet can deliver as an addition to your homeschooling program; the net offers information that continues to grow.

Have a supply of educational games of different varieties, art materials and supplies and reading books, in an accessible place. After your homeschool hours your kids can play games, do crafts, and read books independently.

Defining your homeschooling year

In order to begin the lesson planning process, you have to determine your timetable or what is the school year for your homeschool.

First of all, know the total number of "school days" in the school year.

When determining this there are two main factors that you should consider. One is the certain number of teaching or tutoring days as obliged by the State you are residing in. Generally, 180 days are required, although some States do require more and some less. Consequently, this is the number of minimum or lowest recommended days for that you should plan.

The other factor is the total number of days which is necessary to move throughout the longest type of curriculum which you planned for the forthcoming school year. When that certain "longest" curriculum will necessitate less than the lowest number of teaching days, then it won't be a reason in outlining your homeschool school year.

For instance, if your State requirement is 180 minimum days of teaching. Upon examining your curriculum, you discovered that one such curriculum, for example algebra, will necessitate 200 days of teaching to finish. Then your homeschool year will be 200 days in length.

When you have already resolved and finalized which days is more, that of the lowest number of your State's or your longest duration of curriculum, then you can determine the "total number of days" in your homeschool year. This is then the total amount of days that you should base your lesson plans upon.