HomeSchooling : What is Homeschooling And All You Need To Know About The Process

Homeschooling  is the form of education  of school-aged  children at home or a variety of places other than a school, usually managed by a parent, tutor, or an online teacher,

Many homeschool families use less formal, more personalised and individualised methods of learning that are not always found in public schools.

Some reasons why  families choose to homeschool  are : 

•  Dissatisfaction with the educational options available.
• Concern about the school environment.
•  Different religious or educational philosophies.
• The belief that children are not progressing within the traditional school structure.
• Child has a physical or mental health problem.
• Child has other special needs.

The  two main reasons for homeschooling  children  maybe very different depending on the country and current situation of parent and children. They are namely :

• Dissatisfaction with the local public schools and 
• The intrest in increased involvement with their  children studies.

Homeschooling movement began growing in the 1970s when some authors and researchers like  John Holt and Dorothy and Raymond Moore started writing about educational reform.

They suggested homeschooling as an alternative educational option. 

According to the National Home Education Research Institute in the United States, there are about 3.7 million  homeschool students in 2020-2021 in grades K-12 in the United States when compare to  2.5 million homeschool students in spring 2019. 

Advantages  of Homeschooling

• It’s a more affordable way of giving quality and high standard education to kids than private schools.
• It’s a perfect alternative to poorly funded  public schools or the private schools.
• Parents or tutorrs are able customize teaching methods that are best fit to each child.
• It gives the chance to spend extra time with children on difficult subjects or topics until they fully understand  the topic.
• It creates strong bond between parent and child because it helps develop personal ties in the course of learning.
• Homeschooling help the Kids  to see  education as interesting and  fun.

Disadvantages  of Homeschooling

• Critics argue that homeschooled children can be indoctrinated  if educational standards are not prescribed.
• Homeschooling could threaten to “insulate students from exposure to diverse ideas and people.

What are the Requirements for Homeschooling Your Kids?

Legal requirements for homeschooling in the U.S. vary from place to place.

Some states have few or no requirements; others ask for portfolio reviews or standardized testing at certain intervals.

In Africa,especially in Nigeria,there are no regulation for homeschooling,however, such student only need to register with an approved private school when its time to write examination into College or High School.

According to Holt, author of the best-selling book Teach Your Own, the most important thing parents need to homeschool their children is “to like them, enjoy their company, their physical presence, their energy, foolishness, and passion. 

They have to enjoy all their inquisitiveness and querries, and enjoy equally trying to answer those questions.

” For the majority of parents who homeschool eschool, the only prerequisite is the desire to do so, along with a dedication to the educational process”.

How Do You Get Started with Homeschooling?

In almost all areas of the country, parents do not need an education degree to homeschool. 

Those with young children who have never attended a traditional classroom can begin a home education program when their child reach school age. 

However, its a different situation  when the  parents  have already enrolled  kids in school  and then decide to homeschool.

There will be need to first write a letter of withdrawal to the school principal or local superintendent.

The letter should describe the parents’ intent to remove a child from school to begin homeschooling. After such  the notification, parents continue to follow their district’s specific guidelines.

Tips for Making a Homeschool Schedule

Homeschoolers organize their days in whatever way works best for them.

Many begin their schooling early in the morning, as in a traditional school, but some choose to make less distinction between “school” and “home.” 

For instance , If a child gets excited about a science experiment  before bed,

Some parents follow the child’s  intrest to see where it leads; this becomes part of the school day as well.

The educational philosophy a homeschooling family chooses will significantly influence the structure of their days.

Most of us are familiar with only one style of education, the traditional school system of textbooks, desks in rows, and standardised testing. 

 These methods include Waldorf, Montessori, Charlotte Mason, classical, leadership education, interest-led learning, unit study, and more.

Homeschoolers have the liberty introduce and infuse  ideas that best connect with  their children’s needs.

It is also worthy of note that a good number of  homeschoolers follow the public school calendar year while  in fact, homeschoolers have complete freedom over the structure of their school year. 

Many follow the traditional school calendar, some school year-round, and others take off during specific weeks when they need breaks.

Planning a Curriculum for Homeschooling

The rapid increase in the number of homeschoolers has resulted in a wide variety of available curricula and resources.

Catalogs are filled with a plethora of options based on different educational philosophies, learning approaches, the amount of time a homeschool teacher should devote to daily instruction, and so on.

Subjects typically taught include the standard disciplines followed in a traditional school program as well as those that capitalize on the child’s interests. 

In his best-selling book The Element, Ken Robinson writes that “the key to educational transformation is not to standardize education, but to personalize it,

A homeschooling environment gives a  perfect  setting in which parents  can deliver a personalised style of instruction that fit in to  the child’s unique interests, capability, and learning style.

Families that homeschool often combines certain subjects that are, not necessarily designes to be graded or age specific, such as  strategy games, history, literature, and the arts. 

For example, children of various ages might study the same historical time period together, and then be given assignments that reflect specific age and ability. 

For studies in other subjects, such as math and reading, a homeschooling parent might tutor each child one-on-one to meet the student’s ability or individual needs.

Meanwhile, depending on each child’s age, the other students may be working on his or her own  or playing in another room.

Frequently  Asked  Questions on Homeschooling 

Below are some commonly asked questions about homeschooling your children.

Are homeschooled kids more behind or ahead than public school kids?

One of the advantages of homeschooling is that students can progress according to their own temperament and  schedules. 

In a study done by the National Home Education Research Institute, homeschoolers had an average standardized test score in the 87th percentile, compared to the average score in the 50th percentile by children in public

schools. 

However, there is possibilities that they  could be several grades ahead in certain subjects but behind in others.

Does the state fund any homeschool programs?

Government-funded programs vary widely from state to state, but the majority of homeschooling families are self fund.

 In some developed countries like United Kingdom,United States,Sweden,Switzerland etc the state pays for specific resources in exchange for the homeschool meeting certain requirements to remain in the program.

Is there a network of parents who homeschool?

Yes, there is.  There are communities of homeschoolers in most states and regions. They  have access to an array of resources and social networks.

 In addition to setting up co-ops, in which families group come together to have classes,

There are social events such as lectures, field trips, art classes, music instruction, sports, funtrips and  hangouts.

When Tutor or parent  act as a one-on-one tutor, the parent-teacher constantly pay attention to the  the children as they learn.

This direct observation allows a parent to follow through in the child’s proficiency in or areas where they will need help.

Homework can then be design according to the children need personaly. 

It should be worthy of note that homeschooled children, especially as they grow older, often attend more traditional classes, giving them experience in completing more typical homework assignments. 

Some public schools allow homeschoolers to attend certain classes that they choose.

As they get older, homeschooled kids may enroll in community college classes and begin their college studies early.

What are the Requirements for Homeschooling Your Kids?

Legal requirements for homeschooling in the U.S. vary from place to place.

Some states have few or no requirements; others ask for portfolio reviews or standardized testing at certain intervals.

In Africa, take for instance Nigeria, there are no regulation on homeschooling, parents  are at liberty to choose who they want to educate their children.

In conclusion, If you notice your child is not performing well enough at school or finding it hard to follow through  academically with other children in the traditional schools,

You may consider homeschooling because it gives the child the necessary attention that he may not get in a large classrooms.

Homeschool students are regularly engaged in social and educational activities outside their homes and with people other than their nuclear-family members.  

Feel free to let us know what you think about Homeschooling when compared with its traditional schools in the comment section.