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Home Schooling

Home schooling - is it for you?

by Wayne Wargo (PenWay.org)

Home Schooling. Is it good or bad? Should your children be home schooled? And are you qualified to take it on?

‘Home schooling' usually refers to instructional lessons provided in a home environment. The lessons are typically taught by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in public or private school.

The laws defining 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 way before attending any kind of school. Many children already know their alphabets, the names of animals, colors and other more complicated things 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 even think about 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 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 easy to find. There are various books and resources for those interested in home schooling. Go through the various methods of home schooling and choose one that s most suited to you. It helps if you know what kind of learning style your child has. Also, find out what your child thinks 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 to some parents that this is not a proper environment in which children can learn more than in school. And what about the lack of social interaction with school classmates? Will children be at a disadvantage with their social behavior because of the lacking social network and interaction of other children. Things are seldom as simple as they seem. Home schooling is a lot of added responsibility and hard work. Are you and your children ready and willing?

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