Written by Michael Feder
Reviewed by Pamela M. Roggeman, EdD, Dean,聽College of Education
Before setting up a classroom at home, however, be sure you understand the resources and legal requirements of your state. You also need to determine whether you have enough time to teach your child or children at home.
It鈥檚 important to research your options thoroughly, in other words, before deciding if homeschooling is right for you and your family.聽
The first step to homeschooling is understanding the applicable laws and regulations of your state. Every state has different requirements related to what subjects must be taught and how parents must track progress or how students must demonstrate academic achievement.
As a homeschooling parent, you must research your state鈥檚 laws to ensure you follow them and stay within any applicable regulations. You can easily access these through the .
If you fail to follow your state鈥檚 laws, there could be consequences. Depending on the severity of the violation, you may face fines, suspension of rights to homeschool or even criminal charges.
Balancing the legalities of this role are the responsibilities. It鈥檚 crucial to understand that when you homeschool your child, you are taking on the role of teacher. As a homeschool teacher, you will have certain duties aside from instructing the curriculum. These may include:
Before homeschooling, you might , since it can be new territory to assume such roles as disciplinarian, counselor and coach. Those roles, however, are not optional as a homeschool teacher, and it鈥檚 important to have a plan for how to enact them effectively.
In addition to the above credentials, other skills may be useful when homeschooling. These fall into two categories: soft and hard skills.
Soft skills include things like:
Hard skills refer to tangible knowledge like:
These are a few examples of soft and hard skills that may be beneficial when homeschooling. Other necessary qualities of a good teacher include organization, self-discipline and the ability to motivate students. The most successful homeschool educators hone these skills to provide their students with an engaging and enriching education.
Connecting is integral to any student鈥檚 education, especially for homeschoolers. (Kids want to be around other kids, even when learning from home.) Establishing a sense of community and connection between like-minded parents and students can enhance a homeschool environment.
Parents and guardians of homeschooled students can foster this interpersonal connection by:
Other ways to get social can include local learning groups, online forums or social media groups. Participation benefits both the student (in terms of the learning experience) and the parents and guardians (in terms of support).
After familiarizing yourself with state regulations and laws, it鈥檚 time to build a curriculum for your homeschool setting. Get creative and incorporate elements of what you and your children enjoy, such as:
These ideas can help you build a unique curriculum for your homeschool setting that is flexible to your children鈥檚 needs but still meets all necessary regulations.
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at 澳门天天彩开奖记录 where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.
As dean of the 澳门天天彩开奖记录 College of Education,聽Pamela Roggeman has spent over a decade in higher education teacher preparation in both the public and private sector. Her experience has included national partnerships that help to advance thought leadership in the field of education. Dr. Roggeman also serves as the President of the Arizona Educational Foundation鈥檚 Board of Directors.
This article has been vetted by 澳门天天彩开奖记录's editorial advisory committee.聽
Read more about our editorial process.
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