Thursday, August 14, 2014

Tips for Homeschoolers Part One

Wow. School's starting already... where did the summer go?

For some kids, this means getting on the bus every weekday, and heading off to a building of learning, friends, lockers, and school lunches (blah)...

for others, this means heading to the kitchen table and opening a textbook to be taught by their parents.

I personally for my entire education was lucky enough to be in the latter category, so today I am going to be giving some tips for homeschool moms (or dads!).

(Although I do not have any children yet myself, I do hope to homeschool some day.)

  1. Be firm. Make it to your children that school hours are school hours, and TV, extracurricular activities, and such need to be saved for after school hours. For some families, The parent will set a time at which school hours will start and end (such as 9 AM- 3PM), or some set a quota of what needs to be done that day (as in one unit of history, 30 math problems, and so on) and once the quota is met, then school hours end. I personally believe that the second one is more efficient for students who tend to get distracted and are not as dedicated to their work, because it helps them to stay motivated to finish their work.
  2. Become connected with other homeschoolers. From the third grade on, I was involved with a homeschool co-op (attending classed taught by other homeschool parents. The one I attended met once a week), and it helped me to be able to work with others. As a parent, it will be a time to connect with other homeschool parents and receive suggestions on curriculums, techniques, and to receive support. Also, say math isn't your strong suit, as your children get older it will get more difficult to teach them math, so co-ops allow those parents who have math talent to teach your children instead.
  3. Have fun. Yes, school can be fun, and the more your child enjoys it, the more likely he will thrive in school. See a science experiment that involves making a solar system out of marshmallows and gum balls? Go for it, make school fun!
  4. Cirriculum suggestions: Different curriculums work differently for different people, but These are the ones that I love most:
Math: Saxon
Science: Apologia
History/ Geography: Alpha and Omega (Lifepacs)
Grammer: Easy Grammar

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask!


  1. As a teacher I'm thinking: What? Summer's over? Already? But then again, my holidays are still ahead of me! Yay!

    1. Haha yes, it can get confusing when people live in different countries, or go to different schools with different schedules! I don't start teaching for another month, but a school nearby started yesterday!