Home Schooling

Home school concepts are growing dramatically, and today they begin with preschool. Among the many reasons are transportation, cost, time management, special needs, religion and low confidence in conventional schooling. When considering home school preschool you want to ask yourself a number of questions about yourself and your child.

Personalities

Appraising the personality of your child is a big factor in preschool home school. This can go a long way to determining their greatest preschool goals. Are they outgoing and integrate well in social interactions, or are they the loner? Are they constantly looking for playmates or are they content with the contact they have with neighbors and siblings?

The other side of this is you, the parent in the roll of teacher. Do you have the patience to repeat the same thing time and time again before your student thoroughly understands the various aspects they will learn in home school preschool? Of course you love your child unconditionally, though evaluate yourself realistically at this level of patience. Are you home schooling for the convenience, or for another reason?

Commitment

Are you ready to spend 2-3 hours for 2-3 days a week providing home school preschool for your child? There are numerous activities you will have to be part of during this time. This is an area you will need to be extremely honest with yourself on. Will you be able to dedicate this time without exception or distraction to teach your child? Be sure you will complete this important task before you begin.

Curriculum and Materials

As with all home school there are many sources for preschool supplies, and there are as many resources from other 'home-schoolers'. Upon looking them over online and offline; will you enjoy these activities on a steady basis with your child, and can you keep with them for the whole preschool year? Can you afford them? You will need at least some materials that aren't likely to be free, and potentially a well prepared professional curriculum may cost you much more.

Group Relations

Part of preschool, home school or otherwise is getting your child started interacting with other children. When you take on the home school preschool task, you will need to bring this to your activities as well. Often 'home-schoolers' in a community can work together to have things to fill this conventional schooling gap. This is where the children learn to wait in line, and taking turns.

Child Care

Home school preschool will require dedicated attention to your preschooler. Do you have arrangements for childcare for your other children during times when you need to focus on the one that is in home school preschool? While at times you may manage to handle both roles, there will be times where that might not be possible.

In The End

Overall, home school preschool may be the best preschool experience you can give your child. Think carefully to be very sure of this. If after careful thought you feel it won't work out, it's wise to choose other methods. Though if you are sure of the task, do your best and you stand to give your child a better experience since you care.

You Control the Environment

The major advantage to home schooling is that you control the environment. You choose the curriculum, you choose the pace. If your child is slow to understanding a concept, you have the freedom to allow the extra time your child needs to completely understand the topic. There just isn't this level of individualism in public school. Public school is equally hard on the under achiever who feels lost when the rest of the class moves on and for the over achiever who is bored because they grasped the concept long before the rest of the class. At home you can vary the pace to give both types of students the freedom they need to succeed.

Most public schools are overcrowded with 30 or more students in a classroom. The shear level of noise and commotion with this many students in one room makes learning difficult. With home schooling, you control the noise level and can limit the number of interruptions in your child's day.

Many parents are opting for a Christian home schooling curriculum to reinforce their values and morals. Public schools cannot teach religion and may not teach the moral values that are important to you. At home, you get to decide when to discuss sex education with your child in a private setting. In public school, sex ed is often taught in phy-ed or health class in a large group setting with lots of snickering and embarrassing comments. 'One size fits all' sex ed. Are your values being taught? Probably not.

Home schooling is a great answer for parents who want a stronger math or science background for their child. Whatever it is you want your child to learn, there is curriculum available that the home school experience can provide. Many students learn best with tactile, hands on learning. Most public schools do not have the funds to provide hands on learning to children. Through home schooling programs, you can tailor your program to fit your child's style of learning.

These are just the beginning of the benefits that a home schooling program can offer your child!

The Bible, which is God's Word to mankind, is the most outstanding book ever to be written and certainly deserves to have a solid place in any well rounded home school program. Here are some tips to help you see how you can involve the Bible in your secular home school lessons:

1. The Bible is a collection of 66 little books, divided into the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament) and the Greek scriptures (New Testament). This fact in itself provides the source of hours of fun as your children strive to memorize the order of the books from each section.

Small children quickly learn the names of the first 5 books of the Bible. Then they can easily learn the order of the Gospel accounts of Jesus life and ministry.

Older children enjoy learning the order of the books, and in time, have many laughs as they try to say the books in reverse order. This is a challenging and stimulating activity.

2. Another way to involve the Bible in your secular home school lessons becomes apparent when you realize that the Bible is full of real life, dramatic accounts of the lives of many individuals who serve as both good and bad examples to follow in life. If you are not sure of who some Bible characters are, borrow from a library or purchase a book of Bible stories and familiarize yourself with the accounts.

Choose 4 to 6 characters and create multiple choice questions for the children to answer after you have read them the account of the person's life.

Alternatively, ask the children to create a dramatic play revolving around the details of the person's life. For example, the children could re-enact the account of Noah building the ark, taking the animals into the ark, warning the people of the flood God was soon to bring about and depicting the feelings of the family as they waited for it to start raining.

The children could also enact the events leading up to the birth of Jesus including the announcement to Mary by the angel, Gabriel, that she would bear God's Son, Jesus' birth in the stable and the family's escape to Egypt.

As you become more and more familiar with the varied accounts recorded in the Bible you will start to see a vast array of characters and situations that can be used as the source of innumerable activities across many areas of the curriculum. As this occurs you will also envision how you can involve the Bible in your secular home school lessons.

3. Another stimulating and challenging activity is to create time lines of the major events recorded in the Bible. This activity can cater to small children as they create a timeline of the events of creation or the events in the life of the faithful man, Moses.

Older children can create quite detailed time lines of the world powers that are mentioned throughout the Bible.

4. Another way in which the Bible can be involved in your secular home school lessons is by having the older children research life in ancient cultures at the time that certain events were recorded in the Bible. For example, projects and essays could center around life in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome or Ancient Greece.

5. There are many aspects of a wide variety of Geography lessons opened up to you as a home school educator through the pages of the Bible. It is not difficult to locate maps of the countries and towns and villages mentioned in many accounts in the Bible and to find the various locations as mentioned in different accounts. One example is to trace the routes of the Apostle Paul's missionary tours, reading the passages directly from the Bible which outline the difficulties and challenges he faced on these tours. Ask the children how they would fare in shipwrecks and beatings and the other situations faced by Paul.

The above are simply a few of the endless possibilities outlining how you can involve the Bible in your home school lessons.

Home school success is gauged differently by each parent. For many parents the fact that their children are safe is the most important factor to them. The fact is that home schooling is not a detriment to your child.

Young adults who were home schooled are becoming very successful today. In recent years the national spelling bee has seen many home schooled competitors. The largest hurdle for young people who are home schooled is college.

Many colleges place emphasis on extra curricular activities. This is a big hurdle for home schooled students to overcome. Students must overcome the stigma of being home schooled. Colleges and Universities are scrambling to accommodate home schooled students.

The emphasis that was once placed on extra activities is being adjusted. It is no longer so important for students to be in sports or clubs. They are adjusting their entry schemes to accommodate the home schooled student.

Many of the highest entry test scores are coming from students who are home schooled. This success is a testament to students, curriculum, and parents. It has become less important to be a part of the chess club and more important what you know.

Home school students are seeing success today. The national spelling bee is one demonstration of where home school students are excelling. Every year more and more top contestants are home schooled.

Home schooled students are succeeding more often today. This is largely due to parents understanding that it is more than just learning facts and figures. Parents understand that they must increase activities outside the home to round out their education.

Home schooled students are excelling today.

Home schooling can be an interesting, stimulating, and even fun journey for both parent and student. But, sometimes, it ends up being frustrating for everyone. Below are ten tips to make homeschooling enjoyable for the whole family:

1. If you are removing your child from a traditional school situation, give him time to adjust to a whole new daily routine. Be flexible, while understanding there is a process called "deschooling" during which your child may seem unusually lazy, withdrawn, and at loose ends, even if he asked to leave school and be home schooled. No one in the family is sure at the beginning of home schooling what a typical school day and school week will look like now, and that uncertainty breeds doubt. Trust yourself and your child by not pushing too hard and by taking his opinions on methods, books, etc. into consideration. Deschooling will last different lengths of time depending on the individual child, the situation he was removed from, and how eager he is to be home schooled. The parent's first job is to make the home school a place where the child wants to be.

2. Gear your teaching methods to your child's strengths. If she's an auditory learner, consider audio tapes and musical tapes; if she's a visual learner, consider including artistic activities within many subject areas. There was a stage in my son's development where he needed to keep his hands busy in order to listen. Therefore, I let him build with legos while he was doing auditory learning. Though it seemed as though his attention might be divided, he actually remembered what he heard better when his need for movement was satisfied through keeping his hands occupied.

3. Utilize your public library. The amount of resources available for free is mind-boggling, especially in cities with multiple library branches. Also, check into the possibility of being able to use the libraries at public colleges and universities nearby. Libraries are not just places to borrow books, videos, and DVD's, but there are also many programs, such as free foreign language learner groups and book discussion groups, to participate in.

4. Find a home school support group in your area. Especially for a child who leaves behind old friends when he leaves school to learn at home, finding a support group with other home schooling families will open up a world of potential new friends and ameliorate feelings of being different because he's no longer in school. Support groups are also of great benefit to the teaching parent as she can share ideas, frustration, curriculum tips, etc. with others who've been there and understand.

5. Whatever the reason you decided to home school your child, the bottom line is that you want her to be a successful learner and a well-adjusted human being. Always keep those purposes at the forefront of your thinking and planning. Even a child who had difficulty in a traditional school can be given many opportunities to be successful in learning at home. Set up successes for your child by assessing where she is, meeting her there, and then proceeding at a pace that is comfortable for the child. Home schooling has produced great succes for many students, but it works best when the parents understand that they too are learners and that learning is a family occupation.

In the first weeks of being a homeschooling parent, I would awaken in the middle of the night and wonder if I wasn't ruining my son's life. Now, six years later, I can laugh at that idea! Home schooling is an awesome responsibility, but, by keeping your purpose in taking on that responsibility always in front of you, you and your family can follow those goals down the road to a home full of learning and a school full of life.

If you have thought about or already are home schooling your children then the issue of socialization might be something that you struggle with. For many contemplating home schooling this can be a big hurdle in actually making the move to home school. The argument and fear is since home schooled children are not with their peers on a daily basis in a large classroom then they might not be as social adept.

The issue essentially comes from the belief that your child ability to interact with others his/her age will be greatly hampered by home schooling. This could potentially lead to anti social behavior that will affect your child's success in life and the community at large.

However, this is not entirely true. Many people use the term socialization in a very lose way and often the true definition of the word socialization is not looked at. This lead many people to draw incorrect conclusions, these are often false or at least not based on fact.

Socialization in its truest form is the process of teaching a uninitiated member of a community to the norms and cultural or shared understanding that the person is a member of. For example, people living in a foreign country would have to go through a similar process if they wanted to fit in at all. Learning the cultural norms of a society helps the person to fit in socially and feel comfortable functioning in the culture.

In the case of a home school situation then the child is a young member that is beginning to learn the norms and shared understandings of a society you already effectively function within. Therefore one of your responsibilities as a home school teacher is to help your child learn acceptable and unacceptable behavior and norms of society.

So how is this socialization taught in our public education system? Typically students are grouped with others their same age. They spend 7 hours a day with these same students. However the classroom is a very competitive environment and does not allow for much outside interaction. Students rarely get a chance to work with anyone that is older or younger then themselves. Talking with the teacher would be about the only interaction with someone that is older then themselves.

On the flipside however, children that are home schooled often get to interact with a wide variety of adults and children younger then themselves. Since the time is not a rigid and more open children have many more opportunities to work with a wide range of other people.

In fact there are numerous studies that have been completed that would support this claim. They have repeatedly found that home schooled children perform as well or even better at relating to adults and younger children.

This should help allay any fears about socialization alone. However there are many other reasons why home schooled children will be far better socialized then their peers.

For example home school is often on a very small teacher or adult to student ratio and their give more flexibility in their time. Which allows for active home schooling parents to sit down and work with the children on specific communication skills?

Also since there is more time available to home schooled children they often start taking lessons in art, music, and even sports. In the end this is one of the best ways to socialize a child.

It is important to remember that home school is not a fix all solution for everything. Since the children will miss out on some of the more social aspects of school like field trips, recess and lunch times it is beneficial to involve your child in some outside activities. There are many home school groups that will do field trips and other social event together and if you do choose to home school your child it might be a good thing to look into.

Home schooling is an effective way to stay in control of your child's education, values, and social contacts. And because effective home schooling involves interactions with others, you and your children are still susceptible to viruses and germs that can make the rounds during the school year. Here are 6 steps to take to keep you home school scholars healthy.

1. Designate a Consistent Space for Study-Using a desk or table that is set aside for school materials confines germ laced materials that are brought in from the library, outside classes (for gym, dance or art), public and private schools (if you have other children who attend these), and even other home schooled children to a surface in the house other than the kitchen or dining room.

Separating school surfaces from eating areas allows study areas to stay set up, makes it easier to wipe down surfaces where germs are most likely to collect, and less likely for germs to be ingested from surfaces where food is handled or eaten.

2. Keep Hands Clean-Insist on washing hands when moving from the study to play or eating. Hand washing is still one of the best ways to eliminate germs that can enter the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Keep soap handy and easy to reach at every sink and stock book bags with hand sanitizer for those places where washing with soap and water is not possible. 

3. Keep Tissues On Hand-Take this suggestion literally. Tissues in hand when coughing, sneezing, or dealing with a runny nose are a first line of defense against getting rid of germs without having them collect on hands. Tissues also stop the tiny water globules from traveling and invading someone other person's body through inhalation or ingestion.

4. Sanitize Common Areas Frequently-Using a sanitizer to wipe down desks, chairs, tables, computer keyboards, door knobs, and any other common surfaces that are used is a good way to stop the spread of germs through contact. This is a particularly important if you and other home school parents share the teaching responsibility and pool children together during the week.

5. Say Yes to the Flu Shot-Because home schooled children are in contact with fewer people, their immune systems may not be as rugged as those children who are in the company of hundreds of children each day. Getting the flu shot gives your child a better chance of avoiding the flu altogether, or suffering a milder case of it than they would without the shot.

Adults who are in constant contact should also get the flu to protect themselves as well as the children.

6. Use a HEPA Purifier to Filter the Air-Because you will probably spend more time in your home, the air quality needs to be conducive to learning. Airborne pollutants such as dust, dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mold and mildew spores, bacteria and viruses can keep your student from feeling fit and interfere with the educational success that you are working so hard to achieve.

These pollutants are also one of the most frequent means that bacteria and viruses use to spread. They attach to the bigger pollutants and then wait to be ingested or inhaled, and wreak havoc on their new victim.

By removing the large airborne pollutants, you dramatically reduce the number airborne bacteria and viruses that are in your home, while making your home a great place to learn.

There are a good many resources available to those who are considering home schooling. This has not always been so, and that is the good news to say the least. There has been a surge in recent years that has brought about the advantages that so many are finding when it comes to home schooling and the overall experience. For those that are looking for home school information all you need to do is go to the net. There are literally thousands of sites that are available to the potential home schooler that offer scores of information that can be of the utmost in importance when trying to make this very important decision. Making the choice of home schooling vs public schools is not one to be taken lightly and should never be a rash decision. This is where so many people go wrong. They get angry with the school system and pull their children out of school and then are not prepared for the incredible responsibility that comes with home schooling.

For some of the best information you should contact the local home school association. Thanks to the recent surge in home schooling there is a plethora of home school association places that will be more than happy to guide you through the steps that it takes for you to home school your children. They are also a great place to find home school resources that are not nearly as expensive as others which can make the transition a bit more smooth. This also works as a support group for both the parents and children as the home school concept is quite a change for many of the people that are involved. You should take advantage of all that a home school organization has to offer.

In most cases there is enough information available for you to make sure that there is nothing that you can not find out with a little research. The different organizations are a great chance for you to meet with other people in the same or similar situations and then you have the chance to exchange ideas and gain some valuable insight. This is especially important for those that wish to try home schooling and all that comes with it. You are not alone by any stretch and it is important to ask questions when you have them.

Home schooling is becoming more popular today, with more parents opting for this type of education for their kids. It was not quite as accepted in the past because of some misconceptions about it. But these misconceptions have now been debunked.

Some studies conducted on this and its effects on students suggest that it is even better than traditional teaching methods. Students who were mostly home schooled normally performed a lot better than those who go to traditional schools. This is one of the reasons why more parents are interested.

Are you interested in it yourself? As a parent and would be teacher, you are not the only one who should make the decision if you are going to do these or not. Your children should be involved in the decision making as well.

You need to ask your children's opinion regarding the matter. Before you ask their opinion, you should explain to them first what is home schooling and why you think that it's a good choice for them. Here are some tips on how you can talk to your kids:

· First of all your aim is so that your child will benefit from your decision. You should have that desire with their welfare in mind and not because you want to benefit from it yourself.

· You start off with explaining to your child how the educational system works. If she is already attending school then this would be an easy thing to do. The challenge is when they have no idea about what going to school is like. You have to help them understand the concept.

· You can try to join a local group of parents who do this kind of school their kids. They would have activities where you can take your child. You can let her join and play with the other kids who also do home school.

· Once she is exposed to the idea you should explain to her what this is really is and answer truthfully any question that she might have about it. Take the time in replying to her questions and be careful with what you say. Remember that she would have no other source of information other than you.

· Try to show to her the advantages of home schooling. The best way that you can do that is by showing concrete examples of the benefits.

· One way of showing a concrete example is by showing her that she can have more freedom to do other things than if she would go to a regular school. You can demonstrate that in several ways.

· You should ask your child's opinion or what she thinks of this. Whether she likes it or not, you should ask them to explain why. It is important to involve her in the process because it is her future that is at stake.

That's how you can explain to your child how home schooling can affect her life.

With all the advances in education and teaching methods over the last hundred years, are there really any good reasons why children should not be sent to school but be taught at home? Are there any home school advantages? After all home schooling is as old as mankind - till a few hundred years ago most children never went to school and learned everything they needed from their parent at home. Is there a sound reason why some parents should choose the turn their backs on the modern system of education and stick with something that has been around for thousands of years? The answer is first that parent who choose home school for their children are not turning their backs on modern education, they are simply choosing to impart it in their own way and secondly, that home schooling today has little relation with the informal home education given in the past.

Even the best of teachers are limited by the size of the classes they teach. They have to work to the average requirements of the children and do not have the time to focus on the special needs of each child. Parents understand their children and their special requirements and so are able to tailor the teaching they do so to the child is able to perform to his or her best.

School curricula does offer choices in the subjects student takes but these are limited and based on popular demand. One of the many home school advantages is that parents can focus on the specific talents of their children and provide them education to develop their special skills, some thing that a school cannot do for one or two children. Additionally, there are important life skills that are best taught by active participation, such as shopping for healthy foods or home repair that schools cannot provide but which can be learned home.

Much of the time spent in school is not on learning, but in waiting. Children sit in the bus, sometimes for hours to get to and from school. In school itself they wait for a teacher to finish a subject they have already completed, wait for other students to finish their work, wait for lunch and wait in lines for just about everything. Among the other home school advantages is the fact that children educated at home do not have to waste time in this manner and even while working at their own pace, can finish a day's worth of study in about half the time it takes in a normal school environment. This gives them time to other things that may not be part of a school curriculum but are still import for their futures.

Many people regard the extended time a family spends together as the most important of all home school advantages. The more time a family spends together, the strong are the bonds that develop. These bonds and the greater influence that the parents exert make it easier for the children to absorb the values the parent hold important and reduces the chance of negative peer pressure having a harmful influence on them.

If you decide to home school your children, you are going to have a big job ahead of you. This isn't as easy as dropping your kids off at school where you know the administration of that school already has a curriculum in place.

If you want to school your children at home, you might be anxious over what home school program to use. You can't just make up your own stuff, after all.

The main goal of schooling your kids at home should be to give them what they need to get into a good school. They will need all the basics including math, social studies, science, English, and many other subjects so that they can be ready for college level courses.

A number of effective and favorite homeschooling programs are available with some of the best home school programs, such as Saxon and Center for Learning, along with Curriculum Associates. Saxon in particular can pretty much be considered the best home school program if only because it is a product of Harcourt Archive, the company that publishes several educational material spanning several subjects.

A homeschooling curriculum, whether it is a free home schooling program or one that you will have to buy, will provide many options for those parents wishing to educate their children in the confines of the home. Homeschooling is a good alternative to public schools and something that provides a way out from having to send your child to a traditional school.

A good home school reading program should seek provide your child with greater flexibility in terms of educational material. When you compare a good home reading program with a public form of education, you will understand the importance of the former.

If you have ever wanted to educate children and wanted to give them the tools and skills needed to survive in life with all its challenges, if you are a parent and you are not completely satisfied with the public school system and the values they are teaching your child. If you believe in the benefits of home schooling, then you could be a home school teacher. This will allow you to fulfill your dream of teaching and allow you to instill in your children the values you believe they should be taught without the conflicting values and negative thoughts sometimes taught in public school.

Home schooling has several curriculum options you can pattern your program of teaching from. Allowing much more flexibility where you are not limited by rules and regulations of the public school system. However most parents feel they are not qualified to meet the responsibility of providing their Child's education needs.

Here are some tips on what you will need to become a qualified home school teacher.

First you must have a real desire to teach your child. It does not take special training for it is your desire to teach your child and make sure they know what they will need to succeed in life that makes you qualified for the task.

Second you need to do some research on the home schooling programs available for you . Learn all you can about each one and what the differences are. This will be important when choosing the program that best fits your Child's needs and their interests. Once again it is your love and desire to teach your child how to learn things that allows you to be successful.

Finally you must believe in your child. Teaching your child how to learn and achieve their goals will all be put to waste if you do not believe they can accomplish something and be successful in life?

Home schooling does not mean you must do things like other teachers in regular school do because the learning process in regular school is different in home schooling.

During the 12 years I've home schooled my children, I've heard some heartfelt remarks on both sides of the socialization issue. The general assumption of traditional schoolers seems to be that children need extensive time with peers to learn to interact with others. Many home schoolers believe that spending the majority of time with family and only limited time with friends best serves their children's social development. I never really gave it a thought; my kids seem fine, and I have my hands full home schooling as a single parent. A few weeks ago, however, questions from a relative forced me to examine the issue.

This relative was concerned that my oldest son did not have the opportunity to make his way socially. He felt he needed more experience with his contemporaries to prepare him for the dynamics of real life. No hard evidence was presented to make this case, but the concern was genuine and I wanted to set my relative's mind at rest. I spent a little time comparing my children's social skills with those of traditionally schooled kids. I observed that we have avoided several social problems that can actually be caused by traditional schooling.

Our local paper ran an article about what kids are wearing to school this fall. The article was full of quotes about this or that style, what was "in," and so on. It all sounded extremely important. I was saddened to see a photograph of two children, apparently bucking the trend, who had put a lot of thought and energy into the very outlandish gear they were wearing. It seemed to me the school environment was placing a premium on a very superficial requirement for social acceptance. I noticed that my children are content with their simple clothes. They don't waste time or energy fussing about how they look. I believe this attitude shows confidence; they have not bought into the concept that their worth is directly related to what they're wearing.

I've also noticed that these stylish (or not!), traditionally schooled children rarely look at or speak to me at social events, even when I initiate some contact. It seems obvious that teaching large groups of children together for extended periods of time encourages them to seek their sense of belonging from other children. Their world becomes primarily about others in their age group. Many find it difficult to relate to anyone else. This was certainly my experience growing up in the conventional school system. In contrast, my children are able to connect with people of all ages, wherever we go. Nor are they embarrassed to include me in conversations with their friends. I believe this is simply because they have not spent the majority of their time with their age group.

In fact, I have long appreciated my children's view of adults. They see adults as potential friends from whom they can hope to learn. The contrast between this attitude and that fostered by a traditional school setting became apparent recently. My son (age 13) returned from his church youth group perplexed by one conventionally schooled child's behavior. This child was talking during the study, so the leader repeatedly told him to be quiet. The boy protested and continued to distract the group. To my son, the whole exercise seemed such a waste of time. He could not understand what motivated this child. He respects this leader, and wanted to hear what he had to say.

Certainly, there are many well-socialized children in traditional schools. Perhaps the examples I cited are not typical of traditionally schooled children. However, it seem to me that children in traditional schools become socialized in spite of, not because of, the system. I believe that for social development, home school has the advantage. Homeschooled children don't face constant pressure to fit in with peers. They are in regular contact with people of all ages, and they experience extensive, meaningful interaction and friendships with invested adults. Having considered these social dynamics, I felt confident assuring my relative that my children are becoming well socialized through home schooling.

For a child who has been attending public schools since kindergarten, doing high schooling from a home school can be a difficult and an asking task to say the least. Most people who go for home schooling have been educated in that environment from the very beginning itself, and for such people home schooling the high school can be a piece of cake. But for those who have grown up in a public school environment, switching to home school can be a rather difficult task.

The change associated with home schooling high school

Each state has rules in connection to home schooling which must be followed, and therefore for those parents who are looking to home school their teenagers, researching on the requirements required for home schooling high school is a must.

Rules pertaining to curriculum, high school teacher training and progress reports are stringent in some states and therefore, these rules need to be discovered and followed efficiently in order to ensure that the student undergoing home schooling high school gets a properly accredited diploma from the state education boards. You will need to prepare the necessary legal documentation and arrange for meetings with those who have undergone home schooling high school in order to get a precise idea of the kind of things required before you can actually proceed onto home schooling your child.

After the formalities are over, you would need to do your homework on effectively teaching your child. Things like joining public forums on home schooling and participating in blogs and online discussion rooms would really help you in your venture to do effective home schooling for your teenager and would also help you in keeping up with the curriculum and testing exams that are conducted by the state boards once in a while to generate the progress reports of your children.

Other than these things, you would need to keep the curriculum supplies like home schooling text books in full flow and might also have to develop a study plan for your child on a regular basis to keep his interest going.

It might be cumbersome, but home schooling definitely has some advantages to offer such as, one-to-one attention for your child, wherein he can learn and develop at his own pace, keeping up with his own style of learning and studying. Home schooling high school ensures that your child is aware of all the skills needed before going into the college.

More and more parents are taking the role of instructor in their children's lives and teaching them at home. The increase in popularity in homeschooling is at an all time high at this time. Why are so many people turning to a non-traditional way of schooling their children?

One of the reasons that many people opt to home school their children is safety. Parents want to make sure that their children are safe, and some of us just don't feel like its safe enough for our children. So they will teach their children at home, giving them peace of mind that their children are safe and are learning values that are important to the parents and not that of a stranger.

Being home schooled gives the children options to learn at their own pace and not be held back waiting on other students who are trying to grasp the material. Students that work one on one with their teachers learn faster, and better than in a larger classroom setting.  Teaching at home will give the parent the option to take additional time that may be needed on certain subjects while moving faster on others. This allows the student to be more alert and not bored while learning subjects. Children will learn better and faster if they aren't bored and have someone giving them one on one attention.

These are just two of the reasons that students are home schooled and why parents are choosing this option to school their children at home. While there are many other reasons that parents choose to home school it's a personal decision that should never be taken lightly.

Before you begin home schooling your ninth grader, you and your child should sit down and plan out, in general, what you will cover over the next four years. If you have already begun high school, making this plan should be a priority. In the state of Washington, an independent home schooling family must complete courses that approximate the courses that the public school students in their school district must complete before graduation. If you are home schooling through a private extension program, you are responsible to fulfill the graduation requirements of that private school. Other states will have other guidelines, but they should be similar. Be sure and learn about those guidelines from your statewide home school organization. They often have that information on their web site.

Most states would have similar graduation requirements. This can also vary depending on what the student plans to do after graduation. First, find out your state's the minimum requirements for graduation. Second, find out what students planning on attending community college should do. Finally, find out the requirements for students who plan to begin at a four-year college.

Another variable is how credits are counted. Traditionally, a one-credit class in high school meets for 50 minutes for 180 days. These credits count 150 clock hours as one credit which is the equivalent of 50 minutes times 180. Schools have diversified this standard, so be sure you know how they will be counted in your state or school district. For the purpose of this article we will assume one credit as 150 clock hours. College bound students should earn approximately six credits each of the four years of high school, or three each semester. Most classes are one credit, but some are one-half.

Generally, students are required to earn 3-4 credits (or years) of English and Math. History or related classes comprise 2.5 - 3 years, including State History (if not studied in Junior High or Middle School), American History, and World History (and / or geography, government, economics). Lab Science and math based science is essential for those going into a related area in college. Students need two-three years of science. Other requirements or electives include physical education, health, occupations, foreign languages, and fine arts.

Other important considerations include:

• "What does the student plan on doing beyond high school?"
• If going to college, "What does the college require for admittance?"
• Whether going to college, or not, "What job skills can the student learn to gain job experience and a means to help pay for college expenses?

Home school families may get help on these steps with variations of these two:
1. Find a consultant that will help you in your initial planning and any time you need help.
2. Find a private school extension program to plan with you and provide a constant guidance and possibly accredited diplomas.

For general information, including your state laws, statewide home school organizations and resources visit: http://www.hslda.org

Through much of human history, the only education children received was from their parents. It was only in the middle ages that special institutions were set up to impart education, and this too was only to the socially elite and royalty. The education imparted at these institutions was what is called Classical Education - the study of history, philosophy, ancient languages and perhaps some rudimentary science. Most children were apprenticed - they learned a vocation either from their fathers or from a skilled tradesman. This was the education that saw them through life.

It was only in the late 17th century that compulsory education began in the West. This was a concept the early settlers brought with them to America. Families moving out from the east coast to settle the virgin lands to the west were basically on their own and what little education was available to children was given by the parents. But schools soon followed and by the end of the 19th century, schooling was available to most American children. However, by the middle of the 20th century, people were beginning to question the prevailing education system and the type of learning it imparted. It was at this time that the concept of home schooling emerged, or to be historically accurate, re-emerged.

So what exactly is home schooling? It is basically an alternative to institutional (regular school) education in which the family, as a unit, works together to impart knowledge and learning to the children. Home schooling is legal in all the fifty states and while the specifics of the rules and regulations governing this form of education differ from state to state, in general the parents have freedom to choose when, how and what their children will study, subject to the end result being that the children have certain minimum levels of knowledge is various subjects.

Home schooling should not be confused with home study which is institutionally supervised education programs for those who would like to attend school but can not. This include such forms of education as Independent Study Programs where visiting teachers visit students who are unable to attend school, for a variety of legitimate reasons which can include physical or learning disabilities, on a regular basis to set the study schedule and monitor progress. Many school districts also offer support programs for children who are unable to attend school due to sickness and injury. These programs are designed to allow the children to keep up with the class work until they are able to return to school. Neither of these or other home study plans offer parents any control over what and how their children study and so cannot be called home schooling.

There are many reasons why parents opt for home schooling. Among the most common are:

· Control over what their children will learn
· Maintaining and developing the family bonds which need not be affected because the child must go to school.
· The option of being able to understand and respond to a child's special needs
· Concerns about the safety of children in schools and also about the journey to and from there.
· Home schooling provides a huge amount of flexibility. Parents who travel often are able to adjust the study schedules so as to take their children with them.

The huge variety of home school supplies available does not make choosing what to buy easier - it makes it harder. With so much choice and brands that promise the earth and yet are often so like one another, parents are often left in a quandary as to what to buy. Before going on to a few tips on buying home school supplies, let us first define what exactly we mean by the term. Many parents beginning on a home schooling program think that home school supplies means everything a children need for their education. Not so. In the case of home schooling all the stationery, arts and crafts materials, computer accessories and so on are left out. These are common to all schooling needs, be they regular school or home schools. When people talk of home school supplies what they are talking about is the teaching material the one thing you as a parent need to be able to school your children at home.

· One size does not fit all. The materials your friends used for home schooling their kids may not work for yours. You know your children's temperament and learning habits best. Choose material that presents what you want them to learn in a way that appeals to them. Having said that, there no harm in consulting friends or support groups on what material they have used.

· Don't forget yourself. As the teacher you have to believe in what you are teaching. If you are not clear about what is presented or unhappy with the way it is, you will never be at ease when teaching your children and an uncomfortable teacher is never a good teacher. And remember kids are smart. If they feel you do not believe in what you are saying, they won't accept it either.

· All education material is biased! Be it the author or the publisher, every bit of educational material will be presented from particular point of view. It does not mean that some are right and some are wrong. It means that every subject can be viewed from many different angles. Make sure the materials you use are the ones that are based on the concepts that made you choose home schooling.

· Expect waste when you first start buying home school supplies. Its as much a learning process for you as it is with your children. You will make mistakes and buy the wrong things. Don't waste time brooding about it. You have learned something that will help you the next time so move on.

· The internet has tons of sites offering home school supplies. Visit them and see what is available but don't start buying right away. Just note down the product details, prices and deliveries. Make a list of what catches your interest. Do some more research on each item to be sure it is what you are looking for.

· If you are lucky enough to have a retail store that specializes on home school supplies take the list down there and see for real what you saw in the screen. Retail stores rarely have the variety of materials on line shops do, but there's no harm in trying.

So, you've decided to home school your children. You've weight all the pros and cons and know you are making the right decision. Now, you need to decide on various home schooling curriculums that will help you and your children get the most out of the experience. When it comes to home school education, the curriculum is your key to making sure your child stays on track.

Ask your local school system for advice on developing a home schooling curriculum. In an area where home schooling is popular, local school systems may have guidelines and curriculums already in place. There may also be a strong support network filled with parents and children who are being schooled at home.

If you live in an area that doesn't have a strong home schooling presence, you may need to develop your own home schooling curriculums. Fortunately, there are a lot of books and resources on the subject. Check your local library as a starting point. You also may find general home schooling curriculums online.

Once you find a home schooling curriculum to work with, you will need to figure out how much leeway you have with it. One of the advantages of home schooling is you can allow your children to gravitate toward subjects that interest them. However, this should not be at the expense of obtaining a general education. A good home schooling curriculum finds that perfect balance.

Developing a home schooling curriculum is essential to giving your children the best education possible. You will either need to develop your own, or find one that is already being used. This curriculum will be your guide to making sure your children get the most from their home school education.

In just the past decade alone the popularity of home schooling has grown in leaps and bounds and has begun to revolutionize the world of learning and education. As we know, the great importance of a child's education simply cannot be emphasized enough. But, for many parents, the public school system has not lived up to their expectations leaving them to take matters into their own hands and home school their children.

Here are the five top reasons home schooling is considered by many parents and guardians to be better than traditional education.

5. Home Schooling Offers More Time to Learn

Whether it's taking attendance, preparing for activities, changing classrooms, passing out supplies, collecting homework, listening to announcements or perhaps the biggest time waster of all, discipline, in a traditional school, the bulk of a child's day is wasted on things of absolutely no relevance to them. Home schooling, on the other hand, allows for all of the time to be spent on none other than learning.

4. Home Schooling Gives Parents More Control Over Curriculum

In some areas, parents are allowed to create their own curriculum as they see fit while in others a set schedule must be followed. Parents can vary the methods of teaching based on subject, the child's learning ability, or a combination of both. And, although it is perfectly legal in both the US and the UK, specifications will vary from one state to the next so be sure to learn those before beginning.

3. Home Schooling Creates Time for Bonding

One of the main complaints of parents today is not having enough quality time with their children. With the fast paced lives many of us lead coupled with extracurricular activities and work there's often little time for parents and kids to actually talk and listen to one another.

Creating a strong bond between parent and child early on lessens the chances of trouble down the road as children are faced with things like peer pressure, changing bodies and hormones, stress at school, and problems with friends, just to name a few.

2. Home Schooling Offers Flexibility

It allows parents to choose the schedules and times for learning, both in terms of hours as well as months. Some parents choose to home school their kids year round while others follow the more traditional schedule of August or September until May or June.

Beyond the aspect of time flexibility, it also allows for adapting the curriculum to each child's learning style or capabilities. Children are all individuals and should be encouraged to continuing exploring their individuality and uniqueness. One child may learn better through hearing and listening while another might progress better through reading and home schooling allows the parent to tailor the curriculum accordingly to encourage success.

1. Home Schooling Allows for Individualized Attention

Overcrowded classrooms, stressed teachers, and children with discipline problems are all common in schools today. All children can thrive and excel when given individualized attention, something that just isn't possible in the public school system.

Although home schooling is definitely a personal choice that must be made, the benefits of educating children at home are hard to dispute.

The United States of America is a special country. The founding fathers made civil rights a priority when writing the Constitution and Bill of Rights. They did this because the countries people immigrated from did not have strong civil rights.

With the advent of the popularity of home schooling, these civil rights have been challenged. Home schooling laws are defined by each state and, often, need to be looked at for their constitutionality.

Home school inspections are for the most part illegal. The fourth amendment of the constitution prevents people's home from being searched or invaded without a warrant and probable cause.

It is important for people to be aware the Bill of Rights and be ready to take appropriate action when faced with home school inspections. Knowing ones rights and how to protect them is essential in preventing abuse of those rights.

There are many legal resources available for the average person. Libraries and internet resources are a good place to start for any legal research.

There are also legal defense organizations available that specialize in home schooling and in civil liberties. These organizations will often offer very inexpensive or free legal assistance.

If a family has had their home school inspected or is being threatened with home school inspections contacting one of these organizations will prove invaluable.

When Home School Inspections Are Appropriate?

There are some times when home school inspections will be appropriate and times when they will be necessary. First, there are states that require records of the home school be available for inspection.

These are usually the attendance and curriculum records. This does not mean that an inspector has the right to enter a person's home for the inspection but that a parent must provide the records upon request.

Another case for home school inspection is if there is probable cause for home to be looked at. If there is sufficient evidence that the children are being abused or neglected in some way they need to be protected by officials. There is a fine line between protecting the rights of the parents and their home and in the protection of the children.

Home schooling is a wonderful opportunity for most families but care does need to be taken that home schooling does not become an avenue for abuse by mentally imbalanced parents. These instances are rare but do need to be prevented.

There are many valid reasons why parent may decide to remove their children from public schools and begin home schooling them. Hundreds of thousands of parents across America have come to the conclusion that public schools simply cannot guarantee their children's safety; that public school overcrowding is depriving their children of the individual attention they need from their teachers; and that the presence from bullies and uncontrollable children in public schools is to distracting for their children.

While there are many negatives in the public school experience which justify the decision to begin home schooling a child, there is also one very big positive. Research studies have shown that home schooled children learn better than those who remain in public schools, and even better than children in expensive private schools. The truth about home schooling is that the research indicates that for most children, being removed from public school for home schooling was the best decision their parents could have made.

Home Schooling Success Stories

There are, of course, the individual stories which reflect glory on the truth about home schooling: the 2007 winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee was thirteen-year-old Evan O'Dorney. Because of is flexible home schooling schedule, his mother was able to spend two hours coaching him with his spelling each day for several weeks before the competition.

The truth about home schooling is that, unlike public schooling, it does not have artificial standards to which each child must conform before being allowed to advance to the next grade. Home schooling allows children to progress at different rates in each subject, so second-grader Mary may be reading at a sixth-grade level while she is still trying to master second-grade math. The home schooled child is in no danger of being "left back" or of being called the class dummy.

The USDE Agrees

The US Department of Education itself has supported the findings of studies which indicate that by the end of eighth grade, home schooled children are performing an average of four grades ahead of their public school counterparts. Whether the home schools are that much better, or the public schools are that much worse, may not be clear, but the results are.

Home schooling will be a learning experience for parents as well as children and in the early going can be stressful for parents who have not attempted formal teaching before. So the support of other home schooling parents can be very helpful, and another truth about home schooling is that the parents engaged in it are some of the most supportive people one is likely to meet.

The evidence seems clear that home schooling is almost never a mistake, as long as both parents and children are willing to put their full efforts into making it work!.

Instead of losing the 8-hour block each weekday with your children, you can instead play the role of the educator with a much more vested interest in the outcome your child's learning. Home schooling allows you to accelerate their learning process and strengthen the bond as a parent and educator. There's no worry about school bus bullies or any of the horrible violent occurrences at public school that you may have seen watching the news or witnessed in your own town.

Children who participate in home schooling have repeatedly been shown to outperform their public and even private school counterparts. The reasons are many, but foremost among them is undoubtedly the personal care a parent gives in the education of their own child. Furthermore, while religion is banned from being taught in public schools, home schooling gives parents the opportunity to teach their children moral guidance from the religion of their choice.

Long-term data shows home schooled children have a higher rate of college graduation and subsequently go on to earn more in the workforce.

With some research, deciding whether home schooling is the right thing to do becomes less the question while "What do I teach my children?" comes to the forefront.

Heritage Home School provides an easy to follow battery of educational materials that make it easy for the parent to teach and the child to learn. No step in the process can be skipped without passing each learning stage. Home schooling is not hard with a system like this; all grades, Kindergarten through 12th grade are taught.

Thankfully, there are several home schooling curriculum's available from many different sources. Among them is the Heritage Home School Academy who provides a full year's curriculum at a very affordable cost.

The Curriculum at Home

A good home schooling curriculum should include a parental guide that includes:

- Information on how to set up diagnostic testing

- Setting up personalized learning centers

- A student progress chart

- Religious materials for those that wish to include religion in their child' schooling

With these materials, a parent can basically set up their own classroom with training materials and means to track progress. With Heritage Home School's curriculum, each module of training is sent on a quarterly basis, so every five weeks new material is supplemented. To find out where your child stands in his or her learning development, a diagnostic test is sent and the parent can test the pupil.

Heritage Home School will assist you after receiving your diagnostic test back by putting together a custom-fit curriculum package specific to your child's educational needs.

When you first mention home schooling to traditionalist family members, their objections come thick and fast. Many will tell you about the perceived problems, and very few will talk about the pros attached thereto.

The first hurdle to overcome then is to make your decision known to your family and close friends. If you struggle to find a supporter or support among them; stick to your decision and join a home schooling chat site or group. These parents, like teachers the world over, are always willing to share success stories and tips with their colleagues.

Another con which will be thrown out immediately by concerned family members and friends will be the mention of the red tape involved. Do your homework, approach the local school board and you will find that it is not so difficult to register your home school after all.

Many doomsayers will tell you that you will never manage to offer your child a daily learning routine such as that offered by mainstream schools. Herein lies the beauty of the home school. Learning need not end when a bell rings; learning need not be restricted to a single room; the day need not be broken up into artificial time slots to cover the three R's.

Parents who have successfully home schooled their child or children will tell you that unlike in traditional learning centers and schools, the home schooled child is able to work at his or her own pace. The child is able to engage in continuous learning inside the home classroom, outside in the garden and when participating in a family outing. The universe is the classroom for those lucky enough to enjoy the benefits of home schooling.

Probably the most often quoted con is that children who do not attend the local public school will never learn to get along with other children. The opponents will tell you that your child's socialization process will be stunted or retarded in some way. While your child may not be forced to interact with large groups of children on a daily basis as happens in the traditional schools; it is ridiculous to suggest that he or she will not learn social skills in the primary classroom: the home.

Parents who school their own children obviously ensure that their children enjoy social interactions on different levels. These interactions could happen during the course of a normal family day such as taking children to birthday parties or family functions; or could even be structured outings organized by a small group of parents who home school their children. Socialization is a natural process which occurs by virtue of the fact that one is a member of human society. There is no evidence to suggest that this process can only occur if a child attends a mainstream school.

Those against the home schooling option will tell you that it cannot work because you will never know what grade your child is in and how he or she compares to his or her peers. Again, this supposed con is in fact a pro. Education cannot be placed into little boxes. A child's achievements should be reward enough, without having to compare oneself to others. As long as the exit or entry examinations are in the end, achieved, it does not matter if your child has done Grade 2 work for two years or completed it in 5 months. In a home classroom, parents take the lead from the child. Once a child has reached an outcome or milestone, one can move on without waiting for the rest of a class full of children to catch up.

The next con that you will hear is that your child will be excluded from participating in clubs, sports and activities which are offered at mainstream schools. This is not a problem as you can sign your child up for ballet class, music lessons and even at a local sports' club to participate in individual and team sports and extra mural activities. The only difference is that you will be able to steer your child into activities in which he or she is talented or interested; your child will not be forced into participating in a specific area.

If you are still unsure as to the wisdom of your choice to home school your children, simply browse the Internet and speak to others who have pursued this option and you will quickly realize that the pros far outweigh the cons.

As the standards of public education deteriorate all over the US, homeschooling children becomes all the more important for their future success and character development. Home schooling requirements as mandated by law vary from state to state. Many parents who are starting homeschooling for their child do not know of all the requirements for their state, and for such parents we bring to you this overview on state law requirements for homeschooling.

Guidelines and regulations for homeschools are set by every state and local government. Even though such guidelines may seem unnecessary, they are placed so that any unfortunate abuse of a child may be brought to the notice of the government; keeping that in mind these are well-intentioned and in many cases are well-executed too.

State Home Schooling Requirements

If you start a home school for your child, most states will require you to notify the local school board that you intend to home school your child. In a few states, including Texas, Alaska, Missouri, Illinois, and Oklahoma, Indiana, Michigan, Connecticut, New Jersey and Idaho, you do not need to inform anyone about your intention to home school your child. You may start without any interaction with any part of the state government.

There are states which require you to notify only the county board of education. These states are: Delaware, Kentucky, Alabama, Kansas, Montana, Wyoming, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Nebraska, California, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada.

The states with the tightest regulations for homeschooling are the following six: Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and North Dakota. They require that the parents show their qualifications to the state before proceeding with homeschooling their children. The qualifications etc that you may have to show include achievement test scores or professional evaluation; apart from that you may have to get your curriculum approved by the state, may get visited by state officials at the home and satisfy other state-specific requirements.

The rest of the states have moderate requirements regarding home schooling. They may require the parents to send the test scores, or get a professional evaluation of the children. To get more exact information you should contact your local school board office. You can also get more information from the local offices of the Home School Legal Defense Association. If you get in some other legal trouble, the people at this organization would be happy to hear from you.

Why Comply With Home schooling Requirements?

It is important that you know and comply with the exact and current homeschooling requirements for your state. A good working relationship with the local government is for the benefit for all - at the end of the day, they too want your child to get good education. Also, if you not get the approval of the local government, the home schooling of your child may not be deemed legitimate. This will make it difficult for your child to get into many universities that require state approval of the high school that the student attended. This can prove a heavy price to pay for what is actually just a bureaucratic formality for you. So, in conclusion, make sure you follow all of the home schooling requirements set out by your state government.

Is home schooling such a great ideas as when you first thought about it? There are many things to consider before taking this decision especially because it is about your child and his future. There are advantages and disadvantages of studying at home so you better check all of them in advance.

One of the good things about home schooling is that the child receives the attention he needs. It is a well know fact that pupils are not equal n terns of understanding the material they are being taught. Ina class of twenty children it is much more difficult for the teacher to stop and explain everything from the beginning to a single child that is falling behind while at home this is absolutely possible. Moreover the child that needs additional attention will not feel bad about asking for another explanation of the lesson in front the whole class.

Speaking of attention to one child only it is worthed to mention that home schooling gives the freedom to have a lesson as long as appropriate. Some children cannot stay focused for a long time. In any school the lessons are with fixed duration so the child will have to stay until the end although there is no point in this. At home the teacher can estimate if the child is capable of listening and remembering the lesson and adjust the lesson duration in accordance. Moreover subjects that are interesting for the child can be extended and this way the child will actually learn something extra.

Another significant advantage of home schooling is that there is much more additional recourses for your child when it comes to learning a specific thing. For example it is easier for you to take your child to the museum when teaching history as it is for the teacher in school. The same applies t any other subject - as long as you want you can buy much more tools and have your home school equipped much better than a school.

Finally the safety issue - your child is much safer in your home than going and being at school.

Of course hiring a home schooling professor has disadvantages as well. The main disadvantage is the lack of socialization. Still your child can meet his friends and play with them but the impact is not the same as the social influence he will have in school. The team spirit of child that studies at home cannot develop as well. To overcome thing you will need to find another way of socializing your kid - you can arrange him to attend dance or sport classes or anything else that ill bring him into contact with kids of his age.

Another disadvantage specific to parents who are the teachers is that in theory a teacher is much more prepared for the subjects taught and that he has specialized education to help him handle kids. There will be many times when your child will have to overcome hard subjects and it is during these periods when a parent should be very patient and strong. Of course hiring a home schooling professor will fix this immediately but it is also much costier than teaching your child alone.

Home schooling has become quite a common practice with many today due to various reasons. These include safety of the children as the schools are becoming increasingly dangerous to attend, single parents who cannot always make it on time to pick up and drop their kids, those physically or mentally challenged children and/or unavailability of a school in the vicinity.

Due to the fact that there are many children undergoing home school studies program, there are in fact many options, and they are all mostly available on the internet which is something that many people already have easy access to. Well, you will need the following: a computer, and a connection to the internet. The internet should preferably be through broadband because it the speed is fast and thus, you will be able to download and access any data, such as educational videos, quickly in double quick time

Home school connection is established through the Internet from where you can obtain daily programs; submit homework and other curriculum projects that are required. The internet will also help you get connected directly with teachers and students on the specially designed school forums; over on these forums you will be able to chat and discuss directly with a teacher, ask questions as well as get in touch with other students via the wire.

Most home school forums are open 24 hours a day to allow students to interact anytime they want. This is because children who undergo home schools find themselves at times isolated and lonely, and the forum can certainly help with that side of the home school connection.

So What You Should Know About Home Schools

Home schools have many advantages because the parents get to be a even bigger part of their child's life by being his or her school teacher, however, there are a few things you must ensure before enrolling your children in a home school. You have to make sure that the school must be accredited in order for your child's studies to be recognized once he completes programs.

Another very important factor is that home schools don't just give your child the normal social life other children access by attending traditional schooling everyday. You must ensure that the home school connections also have active forums for your child to interact freely and make friends as all other children do in school. There are many home schools available, so do your research and pick with care the one your child should follow, as that will determine his or her future, probably.

Home schooling has been around for centuries. The beginning of schooling actually started in the home and then moved into outside schoolhouses. A homeschool is where children are taught by a parent or parents without the outside influence or interference of the school system. There are many variations on a homeschool but all fellowships basic rule of no outside interference. Home schooling is legal in all 50 US states with each state having set guidelines and rules about the homeschool process. Getting started in home schooling will require the parent to do some research ahead of time, so they know exactly what laws apply to them and what they need to do to get the curriculum underway.

The reasons parents choose to homeschool their children vary. Some parents site research like home schoolers placed in the 89th to 90th percentile in national standardized testing. Others state their reasons as being able to provide religious studies and building strong family bonds. Other parents look at the quality of homeschool and feel they have more control over the curriculum and content of the materials studied in addition to knowing their children will be safe. There is also the factor of flexibility that draws some families to homeschool. Flexibility not only refers to time, but methods as well. There are many good reasons to homeschool and each family should decide based on the reasons they feel are best for their family.

Getting started in homeschool involves quite a bit of research and studying before homeschool even begins. Parents looking to home school their child or children need to first find local and state home school groups. These groups will be able to provide you the best information on home schooling in your state. You can also go online and find homeschool websites where you can discuss anything relating to home schooling. They can offer you wealth's of information and help. The more you research and talk to others about homeschool the more you will be able to learn what you want to do in your homeschool curriculum and how to avoid common problems that may come up.

Home schooling is a broad term. There are many techniques that fit under the term home schooling. There are many different styles of home schooling that you can use. The following list describes the most common types of home schooling:

Structured - This works like a public school, in that, it follows a schedule throughout the day. For example, math would be done at a certain time, English at another and so on.

Interest-initiated- This approach is based on what is happening at the current time. For example, if it is snowing, you may chose to revolve the days curriculum around snow or if someone in your family has chickenpox, you may wish to do studies on that disease. This can be very unstructured or structured depending on your choices.

Learning-style- This method is based on each child's learning style

Philosophical- Using educational philosophies and studies to mold a curriculum is the basis for this method.

Accommodating- For families with special needs this approach works around those needs.

Community- Using outside groups and learning areas to teach the children is what this method is about.

These are just some of the methods used in home schooling. Some people may find a mixture of these works best for them. Home schooling is all about tailoring the process to the child, so do the research and find the methods that work best for your family.

The quality of education in this country continues to be the focus of a society committed to leveling the playing field for children. While some areas provide adequate - and even superlative - public schooling, other areas come up significantly short when it comes to providing high quality education. Private schooling can often be an alternative but many are also cost-prohibitive. When faced with this quandary, or when addressing the special educational needs of particular students, some parents turn to a home school program as an educational alternative.

The reasons that many parents choose to home school are wide-ranging. There is often more to the decision then just low-quality education. In some situations, overcrowding is an issue in a traditional school environment and a parent may feel as though their child is being lost in the shuffle. In other situations, there are social and emotional issues that are preventing a student from achieving the educational excellence of which they may be capable. There are also some instances where particular learning or physical disabilities hinder the learning experience. If approached responsibly, a home school environment can be extraordinarily effective in addressing many of these issues and cutting a clear path to successful learning.

Parents who are interested in setting up a home school environment have a variety of tools to assist them in doing so. Today's home school community is strong in numbers and provides an enormous amount of support and information that is easily available online. There are links that help you identify the home school guidelines in your state, as well as information on how to find home school curriculum that is in line with the educational standards in your particular area. In many cases, the only requirement to home school is a desire to do so and a commitment to adhering to the certain educational benchmarks as set forth by your school district.

Home school is certainly not for everyone. But in particular situations it may be incredibly successful. Choosing whether to home school depends solely on the student's needs and your capacity for providing a high-quality education. And, while unconventional, a home school environment has the ability to foster confidence, knowledge, and a lifelong love of learning.

Do you feel as though you would like to utilize home schooling choices, yet you are not sure where to begin? Knowing that the right curriculum makes all the difference is an important key in deciding whether or not to home school your child. Even children that are home schooled must complete the state-required testing at the prescribed times in the year by being brought to an appropriate testing center (which is usually a neighborhood public school). If you feel as though you are able to put the time and effort into making sure that online home schooling is right for your family, start by checking out the state standards for your child's grade level.

To find the state standards, begin by completing a search online for your state's department of education. Every state has one, and you will also be able to find out more about the home school regulations in your state. After verifying requirements, take all the necessary paperwork steps to complete the process. If you skip this step, your child will be considered truant and you can face legal consequences by not following protocol.

Now that you are ready to begin your journey into online home schooling, you will want to decide how to best set up your child's instructional day. Many families begin homeschooling thinking that daily field trips to the park and zoo will constitute learning. While life experiences certainly add to the learning environment, making sure that the learning objectives are covered while attending these events is critical to your child's success as well.

Online home schooling courses are also available as an outlet for parents who would rather not have to directly teach their children out of a text book. Many choices offer parent message boards and ways for children to interact with one another so that isolation is no longer a looming issue for stay-at-home learning students.

Making sure your child's academic and social needs are met, online home school choices can be made much easier by researching and coming up with a plan of action that will work for the child and the family.

Home schooling can be viewed in one of two ways, sometimes both at the same time, heaven or havoc! While we are firm believers in home schooling, we understand of course, how these two conflicting feelings can come about during a stressful situation.

The key here, is to prepare in such a way, so as to avoid the, havoc part of this equation. You will only experience havoc, when you are not prepared for the upheavals that can take place in the life of the home school setting.

Though there is no perfect world here on earth, we can make it as near perfect as possible, then deal with whatever comes up after that. Learning how to avoid havoc, by preparing ahead, will prove to be a valuable addition to any organizational planning or skills.

Research is one good way to avoid some of the pitfalls of home schooling. Seeking the advice of others who have already experienced the home school processes, can be a good source of information. Reading materials related to home schooling can provide you with additional information and ideas you may institute in your plans for your own home school processes.

Planning your home school before your children reach school age, will help you to be prepared at the appropriate time, just as planning the nursery helps to alleviate last minute details, by being ready beforehand.

Whenever you become aware of the need to home school, however, is the time to begin preparing. If you have already had your kiddos enrolled in a public school, it is never too late to start.

Believing that once a child has attended public school, the home school idea is no longer an option, is like believing you have already gained too much weight to begin exercising and watching your diet and attempting to lose those extra pounds.

So long as you have children of school age, it is never too late to home school to protect the foundational beliefs you want to see instilled in their lives.

The blessings you receive from home schooling your children, far outweigh the negatives attached to this form of education.