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Homeschooling is life-schoolingSep 17 '00 Write an essay on this topic.I'm a homeschooler. I have homeschooled my daughters for 8 years. My oldest child is in college this year and my youngest is the only one still being homeschooled. This doesn't mean the oldest isn't learning at home as well. I learned over the years,that homeschooling is much more than books or curriculum. Much, much more than learning dates, facts, and figures. It is life -learning. Every aspect of our lives is a learning experience. We teach our children to talk, walk, ride a bike, respect for themselves and others. So why should we stop teaching simply because the child has reached school age? When we go shopping, it becomes a lesson. Whether a lesson in mathematics in cost, supply and demand, social studies and community studies,comparison, quality control, or what ever topic springs up, it is a lesson. Homeschooling is not always easy, however. Successful homeschooling takes a lot of planning and preparation. Although it can be done cheaply, most especially with the internet resources, it can't be done without an investment of time. You will find that everything you do, think , or say will become part of your homeschooling life. You will know your child so much more. It has had it's ups and downs, but I would not have missed it for the world. The beam on your child's face when they have learned something, the trust and bond that you build between the two of you, and the joy that you feel knowing that you have given your child a stable foundation of knowledge and love of learning, is not something that can be replaced! There are roughly 1.5 million homeschooled children in America at this time. The scores for these children speak volumes. Their ease in real-life situations is something that they will use for the rest of their lives. And hopefully, they will pass on the love of learning to their children. The first step to homeschooling is to be sure that you can put the commitment into it. It takes me about 3 months to plan a years curriculum. The next step is to find out what the laws in your state are and to follow them! A couple of sites for this are, http://www.hslda.org/central/states/ or http://homeschool.crosswalk.com/laws Some states do not require record keeping, but you should still keep clear, concise records for your child's benefit. The next step is to choose your curriculum. This varies as there are so many ready-made curriculums to choose from. The most important step is the day you begin. That first year will be full of doubts, but as you and your child become acclimated to learning together, you will see a remarkable difference! Be sure to find lots of support in your venture. There are support groups in just about all areas. There are plenty of on-line resources as well, from newsgroups to email lists. I am a member of quite a few email lists and run a few on homeschooling. You are more than welcome to visit with us at http://homeschoolresources.4dw.com Which ever path you choose, I wish you well and a life full of the love of learning!  |
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