I have already mentioned in many of my posts that I am homeschooling my daughter this year. This is a huge decision for us as we have to face lots of challenges right from how to start our homeschooling journey , how to manage time and budget, changes in our everyday routine and adapting to the new routine. After getting involved a little more in the research, we realised that, all the above said factors mostly depend on one thing : The Curriculum.
- Analyse how your family functions and your teaching methods
Choosing the right curriculum is the most important task in your homeschooling journey. It might become very difficult if you don’t know what type of education suits your family. Some parents love to sit with their kids through out and teach them or some prefer to let the kids explore things by hands-on activities. Some have big family or some families have time constraints. So it’s important to analyse how one’s family system works and how much time and effort a person can invest in their child’s education.
- Identify the type of learner
This is also one of the most crucial steps. There are four major types of learners and it’s a parent’s duty to find in which category their child falls into.
- Visual
- Auditory
- Reading/Writing
- Kinesthetic/Hands-on
Observing how your child grasps things faster will help you decide what type of learners they are. If your child loves to read/write go for a curriculum that supply lots of worksheets, activity books, and literature that involves diverse topics.
- Talk to experts and the experienced
Discussing with people from educational background and parents that have experience in homeschooling might help you understand the major hurdles and practical difficulties in the process. Though I don’t deny the fact that what works for one family doesn’t really have to work for the other, I would suggest getting exposed to different curricula available right now might help you choose one. So talk to people, join Facebook Homeschooling groups, attend homeschooling conferences. It’s a beautiful and fun experience to start your Homeschooling routine.
Homeschooling is a vast topic and there are so many factors to consider. I have just talked about the first step here. I am sure many moms here must have known about unschooling too. It’s also a wonderful way to impart knowledge in your children.
Homeschooling parents, please do share about your curriculum-choosing experience with our readers and let us spread about the awesomeness of teaching children from home to fellow parents who are considering the option of homeschooling.
Mommy Me 