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Many parents believe that it is necessary to have a teaching credential to be qualified for teaching their child what they need to learn to become productive and successful adults. Although it is a tremendous responsibility to teach your own child the rewards can be priceless.
The pros and cons of homeschooling are many, but do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? With total control over your child's homeschooling needs you have the flexibility to teach your child values that cannot be taught in a public classroom. On the other hand your time will not be as free as it used to be.
The education a child can gain from a loving and concerned parent will be much greater than is possible to receive in a public school system. You don't need a teaching credential or even a college degree, just the desire to give your child a quality education.
If there are subjects that you don't feel comfortable teaching it is possible to hire a tutor for those classes. And on the positive side your home school curriculum can incorporate other things such as your own religious and moral beliefs, something that will not be taught in a public school system. By taking control of a child's education a parent can shape that child's value system better than anyone else.
There are two main requirements necessary to achieve a
rewarding home schooling experience for both you and your
child. Obviously you must have a desire to teach your children,
that is number one. If you are doing it out of duty or
obligation you may soon find yourself in way over your head and
wanting to get out.
The second requirement is determination. You must truly want your child to succeed and be willing to put forth the time and effort it takes for your child to reach his or her potential. With these two ingredients your child may be able to realize an education that could not be achieved in a public classroom.
You, more than anyone else, want your child to reach their full potential. This is usually not possible in a crowded classroom environment. A child, to learn at their best, must have one-on-one instruction from someone who truly cares for them. And who better than you can give that to them? Public school teachers are overwhelmed by the sheer number of students they must control every day.
With the many different learning styles, discipline problems, regulations that need to be followed and other factors a public school teacher cannot spend the individual time with each child that is necessary to bring out that child's best. Home schooling can help children to blossom and bring out a child's full potential like nothing else can.
Do you have doubts about your ability to teach? All you have to do to overcome your fear is to visit a public classroom for a day. Visit a kindergarten class or a first grade class and you will see that much of the time spent is merely controlling the children's behavioral problems. And the lessons that are taught are usually very simple. In a one-on-one home atmosphere you will be able to progress at your own pace.
With a few home school books and lesson plans you will be able to get started very easily. Remember, you are starting your teaching experience with a very young child. And you will actually be able to learn as you go. With a little preparation it is possible to grow with your child. And the first time you see some of your instruction sink into your child's brain you will feel satisfied that you are performing a very important task. You will surely be surprised at how effective you can be as your child's homeschool instructor.
Public school teachers have their curriculum all laid out for them. They must follow programs and use materials that others have already approved for them. They must also move at a predetermined pace so that they can get through their study programs even if it means going forward at the expense of a child understanding what has been taught.
You, on the other hand, can come up with your own homeschooling curriculum which can include religious or moral beliefs. You can take a field trip anytime you desire. You can make sure your child fully grasps a specific subject before moving forward. This will allow your child the opportunity to learn as they should be learning and at a pace they can keep up with. In a public system the slower children are often left behind.
There are negatives as well as positives however. The biggest negative to home schooling is your time. Your child will most likely receive a more rewarding education at home, but you will be devoting lots of your time to this cause.
This could be a big sacrifice, especially if you are struggling financially and need to work. However, with a real desire you may be able to live without luxuries that will give you the time you need to offer your child the education they deserve.
Search the internet for lesson plans, other pros and cons, christian home schooling information, home schooling requirements, home schooling books, eclectic homeschooling and other topics of interest. After researching this subject you may find that teaching your child will be even more rewarding for you than it is for your child. If you would like to develop a special bond with your child homeschooling may be the way.
About The Author: This article is presented by Home Schooling Materials, an online source for home schooling http://www.home-schooling-materials.net materials. Find resources for homeschooling supplies and benefits.
Playing An Active Role In Your Children's HomeschoolingHomeschooling is an option that many parents choose when they feel that, for whatever reason, their child will not be getting the best education in a public or private school system. Homeschooling allows for a variety of curriculum and teaching techniques to be applied that suit your child's particular needs - often that is unlikely to happen in a large classroom setting.
One of the benefits - and also one of the difficulties - in homeschooling is the extreme amount of flexibility it affords. In order to homeschool successfully, it is important that you understand, and decide how to handle this conundrum. While there are many benefits to homeschooling, it also requires discipline.
In the same way that working from home can be difficult, homeschooling can be difficult because it requires you make a distinction between home and school while still remaining at home. Like almost everybody, there are going to be times in your family life when you are extremely busy or dealing with serious distractions.
It can be tempting at these moments to try and multitask: that is, to both educate your children and deal with other aspects of your life. There can be a tendency among homeschooling parents to place an assignment in front of their children and then leave the room to engage in other activities.
If you do this you will severely limit the value of your child's education. When homeschooling you should think about public and private school systems, and use them only as a benchmark for reference, but not as a strict and limited tool of measurement.
You should be trying to surpass, or at the very least match, the level of education your child would receive in one of these environments. Now, if you think about a public school classroom, you'll see that the teacher is always in the room. It is one of the most fundamental rules of teaching -- even if the students have been assigned work to complete on their own in class time, the teacher remains in the room in order to assist the students.
You may not have to sit continually with an older child, but being accessible is vital. Accessibility is not limited to being in the home, but also being available to drop what you are doing with out irritation should your child need assistance.
You should also adhere to this principle. Children learn by example, in subtle ways that are not always within our control. If you assign your children work and leave to go do other things you are sending a message to them that the schooling is not of a highest priority for you. Even if they cannot articulate it, this negative message in terms of your priorities will affect the children's attitude towards their education.
When homeschooling your children, the hours that you spend teaching should be hours in which your children's education are the number one priority. Errands or other household duties should be left for "after-school" hours. When "school is in," you should be to.
Of course, there will be many instances where you will be trying to get your children to learn how to work independently, but at these times you should still be physically, mentally and emotionally available for questions or your children's need for assistance.
Independent learning is not a wise option at all when your child is still young or new to homeschooling. Being an independent learner is a growth process. As a homeschooled student approaches high school and prepares for college, some subjects and topics are best to be self-directed, but never ignored by the parent.
By always being present during your children's education you make them understand that their education is a serious thing, not simply something to occupy them while you take care of more pressing activities.
About The Author: Donna L. Miller is a Homeschooling Mother of three High School students. She is a former Private School teacher, and a Certified YMCA Summer and After School Camp Director, and Family/Teen Program Director. She has been homeschooling for 10 years, and moderates a popular forum at: http://www.homeschoolheart.net/forum
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