Home Schooling

Advice for New Home Schoolers

Thanks to all who responded to our March/April Question of the Month, "What Advice Would You Offer to a New Home Schooling Parent?" New Home Teachers and even veterans should find the following tips to be beneficial. Read these great suggestions by our winner, Sherri Birkett, and other Home Teachers.

Sherri Birkett

"Take time to learn about your child and the way your child learns. As the coordinator of a large homeschooling support group, I speak with many frustrated parents who jump from curriculum to curriculum. They blame the books or the teaching manual. By watching your child and asking questions, you will learn new ways to encourage your child as he learns, and in some cases, you will learn how to "tweak" your program to meet your child's needs. At times, you may need to look at when certain material is being presented. If a child is weak in one area, it may benefit your child to have him complete that subject first. If the child's favorite subject is moved to a later timeslot, he will remain motivated as he works toward his favorite subject. Many times, if parents will observe their child, they will be able to eliminate many tears. Also, communicate with other home schoolers. Throughout the world, there are home schooling support systems. If there isn't one in your area, start one. It's nice to be able to spend time with other families that have made the choice to educate their children at home."

Barbara Provencher

The best advice I could give anyone is to take the first year to adjust to school at home. Take the time to get to know your child again and help her adjust to this new situation. Everything else will fall into place.

Karen Callahan

The advice I offer every new Home Teacher is to begin by being flexible. Those first few weeks of home schooling can be overwhelming. It is also easy to get discouraged as you look at the monumental task at hand! By being flexible, a new Home Teacher can deal with just about any challenge they will face those first few weeks.

Jane Mee

I would advise a new home schooling parent to be easy on his or her (own) self-criticism for the first six months. Consider this time your "student teaching" or better, "Home Teacher Training" period. Each curriculum is so different, yet this amount of time should help iron out wrinkles in any curriculum.