The assumption is that because teachers need a degree, so do you. Some states require you to have a high school education or a GED equivalent. As long as you know more than your children, by definition, you are qualified to teach them. If you have a spouse that you are tag-team teaching with, let them take care of teaching your weak subjects. If you don't have a teaching partner, schedule to teach your strengths first and give yourself time to brush up on the weaker ones before it's time to teach them. We are all learning all the time. Learn with your children. Never be afraid to admit you don’t know something. Instead, make it a game of "I don’t know, let’s go find out". With the internet, we can access information on almost anything. We learn a lot when we are teaching. Don't be afraid to have your children teach you. If your child has an aptitude for something that you do not, encourage them to study it and come back to teach you and/or their siblings. If they teach you, they learn too. Take advantage of local opportunities like museums and libraries. Let's face it, you have been teaching your child since he was born—things like how to roll over and eat, be part of a family unit, communicate with you and others, behave in different social situations, keep himself safe, like staying away from a hot stove, tie his shoes, cross the street, and so on. You taught your child all of that and much more before you even considered calling yourself his teacher. Imagine what you can do once you decide to teach. Don't worry. We're here to help you.
The truth is homeschool typically lasts only 4 hours per day, on average. That's about half the time of a full day at school. Some parents find time in the evenings, tag-team with their spouses and use the weekends and other available hours to get the job done. One of the main benefits of homeschooling is the adjustable schedule. Your homeschooling schedule can be molded around work schedules, mealtimes, housecleaning, caring for other children, doctor's appointments, karate or dance classes, soccer or baseball practice, grocery shopping and any other errands or daily tasks that you may have to do.
Many local school boards allow homeschoolers to play in public school sports or participate in after-school activities. If yours does not, homeschooled kids can play in recreational leagues, participate in martial arts programs, dance, yoga and a number of other extracurricular activities and community service projects.
Because the key to homeschooling is providing families with flexibility, there is no shortage of time for kids to be active outside their daily learning. In fact, many homeschooled students are accomplished athletes, artists, musicians, and more. They have actually used homeschooling to help them pursue their passions and talents in ways that public school does not allow.
There are some homeschoolers who do have stay-at-home parents, but just like other families, many have both parents working or have single-parent households. Through a combination of hard work, cooperation, and support from others, parents who are reliant on two incomes can find ways to homeschool. It is important to remember that homeschooling is personalized and flexible, so by its nature – you can mold it to fit your family’s needs. Unlike brick-and-mortar schools, homeschooling can be scheduled at any time and on any of the days of the week.
Personalized learning is shown to improve learning because it allows the curriculum to be taught in a way that aligns with a student’s learning style. In public schools, all students are taught the exact same way. If they learn too quickly, they have to wait for the others to catch up. Conversely, if the material is not taught in a way a student understands well, then they fall behind their peers. In both cases, public school students are more likely to become disengaged and frustrated by their learning experience. Whereas a homeschooled student is in a more flexible learning environment.
Every child is different, and how each child understands and absorbs new information is unique. Because the homeschooled child is being taught in accordance with their style and abilities, homeschooling can actually help them learn faster than other public school children. It also means that your homeschooled child’s experience isn’t about what is best for everyone in the class; it’s about what is best for your specific child.
