When people talk about teaching their children from home in the
absence of any definite or structured curriculum, it is perhaps
natural to think that home schooling is cheap. But this is far from
the truth. Although home schooling does not stick to any particular
text, this is perhaps more of a bane than a boon, when it comes to
finance.

When you need to make sure that your children receives
state-of-the-art education so that they can compete with regular
school goers, expenses will naturally mount. The actual cost of
educating a child at home is surprisingly high. Up-to-date
textbooks, course materials, a library, computing equipment,
lighting, specially designed furniture all cost money. In this
case, the cost may be slightly lesser when it comes to
home schooling the second child. Add to this any additional tuition
cost for tutors who come to teach subjects that cannot be handled
by parents, like higher-level math or science. The total cost can
be a bit mind boggling.

If you take another important factor into consideration,
home schooling costs may effective triple. The need for having one
of the parents tied to the house and fully dedicated to providing
education deprives the family of a second earning member. The
average home schooling teacher is usually a lady with a college
degree. This means that she can easily bring home a pay of $35,000
or more. It is also interesting to note that most families that
have more than 2 children do not opt for home schooling at all.

But, there are those who have been successful in carrying out
home schooling at low rates. This is dependent on the size of the
family, the support group, the type of materials used and the
availability of the material. When successive children can reuse
the materials, cost goes down. Much of the course material can be
got from vendors of home schooling materials. A membership in a
public library, theatre, concerts, ballets and other cultural
events also help in cutting costs. Sometimes, it is even possible
to barter expertise. For instance, the mother of an 8-year old
gives dancing classes, and her daughter receives drawing classes
for free. Support groups allow you to divide the cost of field
trips, science projects and fairs.

Whatever the cost, advocates of home schooling say that the
benefits far outweigh these considerations. When you are able to
decide what knowledge your child receives and when he or she
should be taught and to what extent, it gives you a lot of freedom
and a lot of power. Both the children as well as the parents
benefit from this mutually enriching experience.

Financing Home Schooling

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The world has become a jungle of knowledge. Wherever you turn, you
find a new fruit that just has to be passed on to your child. In
the middle of all the knowledge flying to and fro, we sometimes
forget to talk and relax with our children. A mom who doubles as a
teacher needs to leave the teacher behind and simply become mom
for a few hours everyday.

Listen to your child. Do not just hear the words, but notice the
emotion too. Many children find it difficult to express exactly
what they want. Talk to your child about general stuff and allow
him to be ‘just a kid’. When you talk to your child, as for his
opinions. Few things please him more. It also adds kilos to his
self-confidence.

Most parents interrupt when their children talk. We, as adults,
detest it when someone cuts across our lines. Kids keep mum
because they are forced to be silent when we shut them up. But
this is unhealthy and unfair. Allow your child to finish and then
express your views in a rational manner. The child should have the
confidence to confide in you.

Gentle parenting is the key to successful home schooling. Be a
parent first, and then a teacher.

Home School – Staying Connected

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When a parent takes on the responsibility of educating his or her
child, home school burnout is one of the more common issues they
have to deal with. There are many reasons that lead to this
burnout: an illness, a new baby, added responsibility, change in
routine etc.

The symptoms of burnout vary from lack of patience to overeating
and crying without any apparent reasons. Surprisingly, a burnout
need not be such a bad thing. It is a wake-up call – an indicator
that things are not going well and that you need to reschedule.
Reversing or avoiding a burnout is possible if you get fair
warning.

Firstly, lower your expectations. Do not be a perfectionist. Take
the good days with the bad. Next, when something does not seem to
work, look for alternative methods. Flexibility is a key
factor. If tension starts mounting, take a break. When necessary,
change the style of teaching. For instance, small children love to
take on their spellings when they quiz an adult.

Avoid overkill. Do not pack too many activities for the sake of
socializing your child. A worn out mom means a grouchy kid and
that means no happiness. Get support from your spouse or a
neighbor or a support group. Don’t try to achieve everything by
yourself. Home Schooling means ‘happy schooling’ – don’t forget
that.

Home School Burnout

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According to the National Center For Education Statistics, almost
1.1 million children underwent home schooling in 2005 alone. That’s
a lot of children. Once upon a time, home schooling used to be a
radical statement – something like a declaration of independence.
It was the conservative Christians who advocated home schooling in
the ’80s and legalized it in every State. But the typical
home schooler of the day is not religiously motivated.

Recent surveys indicate that parents are actually quite fed up of
the public school systems where much of the learning is
superficial and compulsory. They are also concerned about negative
school environment ranging from drugs and abuse to negative peer
pressure. As a result, we have a surprising mix of people who form
the home schooling world of today. They cut across all religious
and regional borders. Their main aim is providing meaningful and
productive learning through a method that strengthens the bond
between the various members of the family.

All these families have one thing in common – a long enduring
commitment to the sanctity of childhood. The children in these
families are accorded a primary position. Many believe, and
rightly so, that home schooling allows parents to bring up children
in a more natural and nurturing environment. Public schools can
make one nervous, diffident and downright mean. Children who get
schooled at home are protected from these damaging negative
influences till they reach an age where they can handle it.

Home Schooling draws the whole family into the almost religious
task of schooling. Everyone is put to work. The parents together
form a bond with the children. Any experience can be turned into
an educational experience. Both the parents are aware of exactly
what is going into their child’s head. Parents also have greater
control on the kind of religious and moral values that the child
imbibes. Even watching a movie together can become a learning
experience. Trips to the libraries and other places become
educational as well as recreational.

A home schooling family is primarily dependent on the income of one
earning member. That means that often spending has to be curtailed
and proper planning of expenditure is a must. This helps to bring
the family members together and everybody gets involved in the
process of saving money.

Having a parent at home to supervise, to nurture and care for the
children brings with it a lot of love and caring. Even your
husband chips in and there just is no room for boredom. Yes,
problems do crop up, and there are a lot of misgivings in your
mind. But when you know that your kids can always count on you,
and your kids know it too, then home schooling becomes a richly
rewarding experience.

Home Schooling And The Family

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If you are going over a particular subject with the family and
feel that a field trip would be beneficial, then that’s what you
should do – go for a trip. If you are attached to a support group,
you can plan to include other children too.

Here are some guidelines that will help you plan:
1) Collect the rates
2) Allowed ages
3) Special highlights
4) Size of the group
5) Timings
6) Eating facilities

Inform your support group of all these details well in advance so
that the necessary circulars may be sent out. On the appointed
day, arrange to meet with other parents and children in a
particular place. Plan the mode of travel and reach the place at
least 10 minutes in advance.

The field trip is not just fun. So, let your kids bring their
writing material. Allow them time to stare and admire. Do not
hurry them along. Collect data beforehand so that you can clear
doubts. Get help from a guide, if necessary. And most importantly,
have fun and enjoy the time you spend with your children.

Home Schooling Field Trips

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If Johnny is fascinated by the blinking cursor and struggles to
master the movements of the mouse, you may want to look into some
of the recent developments in home schooling techniques. Gone are
the days when parents had to buy material from vendors and then
pass it on to their children with explanations. Today, you get the
full course details, material and test papers online.

Children love to sit with the computer. In addition to making them
feel like an adult, the computer also makes use of the visual and
sound medium to make learning fun and easy. Streaming video and
audio show various scientific processes in great detail. The
colorful pictures and the various techniques used help to
effectively bind the data to the child’s memory.

Many online resources have a fun testing center that aims to
measure the knowledge and skill level of your child. Complicated
math and science problems are dealt with deftly and elegantly.
A visit to an e-library can also be fun, especially when there
is an audio clip that reads out the passage to you.

E-learning has just begun to revolutionize the world of studies.
If harnessed properly, a child can assimilate an astonishing
amount of information from that great resource sitting right there
at your table – your P.C.

Home Schooling Online

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The term ‘home schooling’ basically refers to the process in which
one or more children of not more than 2 families are instructed by
parents or legal guardians, or a member of either household. The
laws that define home schooling vary from State to State. The legal
requirements for establishing a home school also vary with the
State.

For most children, the actual process of learning begins much
before school. Many children already know their alphabets, the
names of animals, colors and other more complicated stuff before
they reach school. This is mostly due to the hard work of a member
of the family who has taken the time to teach the child.
Home Schooling is just a natural progression from here. Instead of
sending their children to a public school, parents make their own
curriculum and teach their children in ways that best suit the
child. This is home schooling, in its most simplistic form.

Before you decide to go in for home schooling, there are certain
important matters for consideration. First off, meet with parents
of other home schoolers. Find out the pros and cons of
home schooling. Then ask yourself why you would want to adopt this
method. This is a very important aspect, as the success of the
program depends on the clarity and sincerity of your purpose.

Next, it is time to consider the expenses of home schooling. It may
cost anywhere between a few hundred dollars to a few thousand
every year. More importantly, you are also effectively shutting
out any job opportunity for one of the parents. It is only obvious
that one parent will have to stay at home full time to manage the
home school. A home-based business however is a great alternative.

Are you qualified to take on home schooling for your children?
Teaching is a continuation of your own learning process. With the
advent of the internet, information is aplenty. There are various
books and resources for those interested in home schooling. Go
through the various methods of home schooling and choose one that
is most suited to you. It helps if you know what kind of learning
style your child has. Also, find out what your child feels about
home schooling before you start.

Every state has its own laws regarding home schooling. For
instance, in North Carolina, you must first file a ‘Notice of
Intent’ to start a home school. In this you have to mention if the
school is a ‘Private church’ school or a ‘qualified non-public
school’. The persons providing the education are required to have
at least a high school diploma. You have to maintain an annual
record of the child’s attendance and disease immunization. Every
year, the child is required to undergo a standardized test. Each
student attending the eleventh grade has to take a nationally
standardized test. These are the requirements in North Carolina,
but it is enough to give you a good idea of what home schooling
entails.

Home Schooling may seem like a lot of fun and freedom from the
outside. However, things are seldom as simple as they seem.
Home Schooling is a lot of added responsibility and hard work. But,
if successful, it will forge a strong bond of love and respect
between parent and child, while providing your child with the best
form of education he needs.

What Is Home Schooling

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