I just created a new lens on Squidoo called How to Homeschool Your Child. Check it out!
FC7SSE5JAHGN
FC7SSE5JAHGN
Monday, April 25, 2011
5 Essential Ingredients to Homeschooling Success
By Terri Johnson – co-author of Homeschooling ABCs – an online class starting this month for brand new homeschoolers
We’ve all seen it… or, at least, heard about it… the homeschooled child who wins the geography bee, or the one who graduates at the age of 15, or the one who excels in musical accomplishments…
Now, obviously, a student does not have to be homeschooled in order to accomplish one of the feats above, nor does every homeschooled child excel in such notable ways. However, every homeschooling parent desires for success in teaching their children at home and launching them into the world to become all that God has intended for them to be.
The flipside to this statement is that no one wants to fail when it comes to teaching their children at home. So, what are the five necessary ingredients to homeschooling success?
The first one is the desire to foster a closer relationship with each of your children and your kids with one another. If you don’t want to spend more time together and deepen these relationships (or, at least, want to want to spend more time together), then homeschooling may not be the best choice for you. However, I am sure that you have heard it said before that at the end of the day, no one is going to say, “I wish that I had spent more time at work… or by myself… or with my canary…” No, the universal regret that aging and dying people declare is their sadness over not spending enough time with their loved ones. Teaching your children at home is an amazing opportunity to spend more time with your dearest loved ones and have no regrets.
The second ingredient to homeschooling success is a teachable spirit on the part of the parent. This is essential because, like it or not, you will learn so much more teaching your own children than you ever did in school the first time around. So, you might as well like to learn.
On that same note, the third essential ingredient to successful homeschooling is creating a home environment that is conducive to learning. This may show itself differently in each of our homes, but the result is the same – a place where kids can learn and enjoy it.
A home that is conducive to learning may have quiet and cozy reading nooks, bookshelves crammed with great books, a listening corner complete with headphones and a beanbag chair, uncluttered smooth surfaces for writing, stacks of coloring/activity books and colored pencils, a place to gather together and talk about the day’s events. You get the idea… Create centers in your home that make learning fun and accessible.
The fourth ingredient for a successful homeschool is 2 hours of your time to devote to your children’s studies. Truly, when the one-on-one teaching method is employed in your home, you do not need all day in order to get things done. In fact, a child in K-2 grades might be finished with her schoolwork in as few as 45 minutes (of course, that probably does not include the time that you spend reading together because who can get enough of that!).
At the other end of the spectrum, you might not need that much time with your middle schooler or high schooler either, because they become such independent learners by this age. The kids that will need the majority of that time that you have designated for school – those full 2 hours – would be your students in 3-6 grades as math and grammar assignments might get a little more involved.
The final ingredient for homeschooling success is a library card. That’s right! With access to a huge roomful of books, a world of learning opportunities is at your doorstep. Let’s say that your child is interested in insects or flowers, electricity or magnetism, transportation or inventions… check out as many books as he can devour on the subject and then some more. Watch your child light up with the delight of learning.
With these 5 essential ingredients incorporated into your homeschool, you will experience successful learning in the lives of your children, because this is the measure of success – children that love to learn!
Enjoy those learning moments…
Terri Johnson
Best of Success to you,
We’ve all seen it… or, at least, heard about it… the homeschooled child who wins the geography bee, or the one who graduates at the age of 15, or the one who excels in musical accomplishments…
Now, obviously, a student does not have to be homeschooled in order to accomplish one of the feats above, nor does every homeschooled child excel in such notable ways. However, every homeschooling parent desires for success in teaching their children at home and launching them into the world to become all that God has intended for them to be.
The flipside to this statement is that no one wants to fail when it comes to teaching their children at home. So, what are the five necessary ingredients to homeschooling success?
The first one is the desire to foster a closer relationship with each of your children and your kids with one another. If you don’t want to spend more time together and deepen these relationships (or, at least, want to want to spend more time together), then homeschooling may not be the best choice for you. However, I am sure that you have heard it said before that at the end of the day, no one is going to say, “I wish that I had spent more time at work… or by myself… or with my canary…” No, the universal regret that aging and dying people declare is their sadness over not spending enough time with their loved ones. Teaching your children at home is an amazing opportunity to spend more time with your dearest loved ones and have no regrets.
The second ingredient to homeschooling success is a teachable spirit on the part of the parent. This is essential because, like it or not, you will learn so much more teaching your own children than you ever did in school the first time around. So, you might as well like to learn.
On that same note, the third essential ingredient to successful homeschooling is creating a home environment that is conducive to learning. This may show itself differently in each of our homes, but the result is the same – a place where kids can learn and enjoy it.
A home that is conducive to learning may have quiet and cozy reading nooks, bookshelves crammed with great books, a listening corner complete with headphones and a beanbag chair, uncluttered smooth surfaces for writing, stacks of coloring/activity books and colored pencils, a place to gather together and talk about the day’s events. You get the idea… Create centers in your home that make learning fun and accessible.
The fourth ingredient for a successful homeschool is 2 hours of your time to devote to your children’s studies. Truly, when the one-on-one teaching method is employed in your home, you do not need all day in order to get things done. In fact, a child in K-2 grades might be finished with her schoolwork in as few as 45 minutes (of course, that probably does not include the time that you spend reading together because who can get enough of that!).
At the other end of the spectrum, you might not need that much time with your middle schooler or high schooler either, because they become such independent learners by this age. The kids that will need the majority of that time that you have designated for school – those full 2 hours – would be your students in 3-6 grades as math and grammar assignments might get a little more involved.
The final ingredient for homeschooling success is a library card. That’s right! With access to a huge roomful of books, a world of learning opportunities is at your doorstep. Let’s say that your child is interested in insects or flowers, electricity or magnetism, transportation or inventions… check out as many books as he can devour on the subject and then some more. Watch your child light up with the delight of learning.
With these 5 essential ingredients incorporated into your homeschool, you will experience successful learning in the lives of your children, because this is the measure of success – children that love to learn!
Enjoy those learning moments…
Terri Johnson
Co-author of Homeschooling ABCs – an online class starting this month for brand new homeschoolers. Don't let self-doubt, or lack of experience, rob you of the best first year possible! Sign up for class at Homeschooling ABCs
Best of Success to you,
Todd and Terri
Johnson
Johnson
Knowledge Quest, Inc.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Benefits Of Homeschooling
Search Amazon.com for homeschooling
Why let your children learn at home instead of sending them to school?
First, they don’t need to wake up at 5 or 6 every morning just to rush off to school with various numbers of instructions and wait restlessly for them to come back. Homeschooling gives parents more input over the things that their child is exposed to. The growth and development of your child is in the hands of the ones who care for them most. You decide what your child needs to do or
learn. Personalizing the curriculum to suit the needs and interests of your child is one of the greatest benefits of homeschooling.
Individual attention is another important benefit of homeschooling. For example, if a child needs more time to study Math, you can reduce the time for her English lessons. There are no fixed hours of learning each subject. The child has the advantage of allotting more time to the subjects that are difficult WITHOUT any added pressure. The amount of time required to learn each subject will depend on the abilities and interests of the child.
The instruction of the child becomes an extended family activity. Parents get involved in every step of the learning process. Field trips and experiments become family activities, and the child receives more quality time with his parents. The entire family can take part in games, chores and projects together. Family becomes the focus. The child is also free of any negative peer pressure while making important choices and decisions.
Competition is also limited when it comes to homeschooling. A child does not need to prove his ability or be compared to other children. His confidence remains intact. Since parents have a deeper understanding of their child, they can plan the learning program to motivate the child. It is also possible to combine difficult tasks with fun activities. A tough hour working on Algebra can be followed by a trip to the museum. Learning becomes fun. Parents can also alter the curriculum to suit the learning style of the child. Some children learn through reading, while others need to write, and some just need to see things in action.
Homeschooling additionally allows parents to take control over the moral and religious beliefs of the child. Parents have the flexibility to incorporate their views and principles into the child's curriculum. There is less confusion in the child's mind because there is no variation between what is being taught and what is being practiced.
Finally, increasingly more parents are becoming dissatisfied with the public school system. They believe that their children are either being pushed too hard or not hard enough. Other disturbing issues pertaining to discipline and ethics also make the school system less welcome. Many reject the
educational philosophy of grouping children solely on the basis of their age. Some parents themselves have unhappy memories of their own public school experience that motivates them to opt for homeschooling when it comes to their own children.
Homeschooling is the best way to teach a child if you have the time, the ability and the interest to follow through with his education. After all, nobody can understand or value your child more than yourself.
Why let your children learn at home instead of sending them to school?
First, they don’t need to wake up at 5 or 6 every morning just to rush off to school with various numbers of instructions and wait restlessly for them to come back. Homeschooling gives parents more input over the things that their child is exposed to. The growth and development of your child is in the hands of the ones who care for them most. You decide what your child needs to do or
learn. Personalizing the curriculum to suit the needs and interests of your child is one of the greatest benefits of homeschooling.
Individual attention is another important benefit of homeschooling. For example, if a child needs more time to study Math, you can reduce the time for her English lessons. There are no fixed hours of learning each subject. The child has the advantage of allotting more time to the subjects that are difficult WITHOUT any added pressure. The amount of time required to learn each subject will depend on the abilities and interests of the child.
The instruction of the child becomes an extended family activity. Parents get involved in every step of the learning process. Field trips and experiments become family activities, and the child receives more quality time with his parents. The entire family can take part in games, chores and projects together. Family becomes the focus. The child is also free of any negative peer pressure while making important choices and decisions.
Competition is also limited when it comes to homeschooling. A child does not need to prove his ability or be compared to other children. His confidence remains intact. Since parents have a deeper understanding of their child, they can plan the learning program to motivate the child. It is also possible to combine difficult tasks with fun activities. A tough hour working on Algebra can be followed by a trip to the museum. Learning becomes fun. Parents can also alter the curriculum to suit the learning style of the child. Some children learn through reading, while others need to write, and some just need to see things in action.
Homeschooling additionally allows parents to take control over the moral and religious beliefs of the child. Parents have the flexibility to incorporate their views and principles into the child's curriculum. There is less confusion in the child's mind because there is no variation between what is being taught and what is being practiced.
Finally, increasingly more parents are becoming dissatisfied with the public school system. They believe that their children are either being pushed too hard or not hard enough. Other disturbing issues pertaining to discipline and ethics also make the school system less welcome. Many reject the
educational philosophy of grouping children solely on the basis of their age. Some parents themselves have unhappy memories of their own public school experience that motivates them to opt for homeschooling when it comes to their own children.
Homeschooling is the best way to teach a child if you have the time, the ability and the interest to follow through with his education. After all, nobody can understand or value your child more than yourself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)