By Mimi Rothschild
New research supports the effectiveness of homeschooling as an option for educating children. The studies prove that when children are homeschooled by one or both of their parents, it strengthens the bond between parent and child. Children who are homeschooled may have an added learning advantage since they are more likely to feel good about their parents taking an active role in their education.
Many parents today, who send their children to public or private schools, do not take an active role or interest in their child’s education. They simple rely on the school system to teach their children properly. The problem with this attitude is that often the children are learning what the school system says they are required to teach, not what the parents actually prefer their children learn. To make matters worse, many parents do not even know their children are doing poorly in school until they receive a notice from the teacher or a school board member. Often by the time this happens, the child has fallen behind in his or her studies. Children who are homeschooled have the support of their parents on a daily basis. This has been proven to increase both their learning ability and interest in their studies.
Throughout most of civilization, children have been taught at home by their parents. It is only recently since the start of the Industrial Revolution that children have been taught in a public setting among several other students. This is not a natural way for children to learn. Homeschool students have the advantage of spending several hours a day with their mother or father.
Critics of homeschooling often say that the children are not taught socialization skills, but this is far from the truth. Homeschool students can participate in many other activities outside of their daily learning routine. Often times these students are exposed to people of all different ages, since they are not constantly among their peers. This helps their socialization skills by teaching them how to act among people of all age groups.
Another common myth about homeschool students is that they will become too dependant upon their parents. This is ironic because studies have proven just the opposite. Children need to be reliant upon their parents at an early age. As they grow and mature on their own, they will naturally depend less on their parents for help or assistance. It is better to let children grow and mature at their own pace instead of suddenly removing them from their parents care to be put in preschool or the public school system. Children who are homeschooled are more likely to feel secure because they are learning in an environment that is both familiar and comfortable to them.
By Mimi Rothschild
New research supports the effectiveness of homeschooling as an option for educating children. The studies prove that when children are homeschooled by one or both of their parents, it strengthens the bond between parent and child. Children who are homeschooled may have an added learning advantage since they are more likely to feel good about their parents taking an active role in their education.
Many parents today, who send their children to public or private schools, do not take an active role or interest in their child’s education. They simple rely on the school system to teach their children properly. The problem with this attitude is that often the children are learning what the school system says they are required to teach, not what the parents actually prefer their children learn. To make matters worse, many parents do not even know their children are doing poorly in school until they receive a notice from the teacher or a school board member. Often by the time this happens, the child has fallen behind in his or her studies. Children who are homeschooled have the support of their parents on a daily basis. This has been proven to increase both their learning ability and interest in their studies.
Throughout most of civilization, children have been taught at home by their parents. It is only recently since the start of the Industrial Revolution that children have been taught in a public setting among several other students. This is not a natural way for children to learn. Homeschool students have the advantage of spending several hours a day with their mother or father.
Critics of homeschooling often say that the children are not taught socialization skills, but this is far from the truth. Homeschool students can participate in many other activities outside of their daily learning routine. Often times these students are exposed to people of all different ages, since they are not constantly among their peers. This helps their socialization skills by teaching them how to act among people of all age groups.
Another common myth about homeschool students is that they will become too dependant upon their parents. This is ironic because studies have proven just the opposite. Children need to be reliant upon their parents at an early age. As they grow and mature on their own, they will naturally depend less on their parents for help or assistance. It is better to let children grow and mature at their own pace instead of suddenly removing them from their parents care to be put in preschool or the public school system. Children who are homeschooled are more likely to feel secure because they are learning in an environment that is both familiar and comfortable to them.
By Mimi Rothschild
It used to be that we needed computer education only if we were planning to find work in a specific computer field such as computer programming or the like. That is no longer the case. You may consider teaching computer applications in your homeschool. Computer literacy has become almost as important as literacy itself and we should take that into account when planning our homeschool curriculum.
Once upon a time, it was enough for our daughters to learn how to type but we need to go beyond typing lessons in our homeschool of today. For instance, there is no better “job” in the world than being able to mother your children full-time, educating them not only academically but “training them in the way they should go.” Sadly though, circumstances often dictate that mothers who would much prefer to stay at home with their children work outside the home. In today’s mobile society however, being computer savvy can mean the difference between having to work outside the home and being able to work from home and homeschool your children. We can help our daughters achieve that goal by teaching computer lessons in our homeschool.
The number of people who work from home these days has multiplied again and again from just a decade ago. Not only do thousands of people run successful businesses from their homes, but savvy computer users are telecommuting from home for major corporations instead of having to be physically present. This computer revolution is helping to bring mothers back home. Not only can we help our daughters earn a living from home, we can help ensure that they are able to homeschool their children too.
You don’t have to be a computer genius yourself to teach computer technology to your daughters. There are many, many self-paced programs out there that will guide you and your kids through the technology learning process. One of the best ways to involve your kids and to get them excited about learning computer technology in the homeschool classroom is to make it personal for them. Start with simple applications, like keeping a calendar on the computer where they can enter in the data for important dates like birthdays or assignments due. They can also do research for literally any other class in their homeschool curriculum. If you pay your bills or bank online, involve your daughters in these applications as well.
When young Christian mothers-to-be realize that learning computer technology can not only help them to earn a living, but can help them do so while remaining at home with their children, chances are they will grab the opportunity to learn everything they can!
By Mimi Rothschild
Though some are intrigued by the idea of home schooling their children, many are weary at the same time. Unsure of their ability to handle the job of traditional home schooling (i.e. figure out requirements, create curriculum, teach each subject, test, grade, make it fun, et cetera), many parents opt out of the whole home school idea without even trying.
For these families, there has arrived a middle ground: online home schooling. No longer are online schools just for adults earning a degree after work and on weekends. Now there are classes available online for kindergarten through 12th grade, allowing home schoolers to take some or all of their courses via the Internet. Curriculum materials including textbooks and CD-ROMs are either rented or bought, a teacher is available via email or live chat for questions, and the home schooler can learn at her own pace. There is no grading, but a minimum score must be earned before the next level can be taken on.
For those who haven’t taken online courses before or are uncertain what level to begin with, there are placement tests available through many online home schools. Home school students receive transcripts and other documents that make applying for college a simpler process than if applying from a traditional home school setting. All of this at a cost that is considerably less than a private school education and a little more than a traditional home school curriculum, with a limited time money back guarantee for most courses.
Why would a parent want their home schooler to take classes online? A variety of reasons; the parent may not feel comfortable teaching every course or may not have the time or patience to do so sufficiently. Also, with academics in which a parent doesn’t feel strong, there’s the reassurance of an online professor who can offer back up and answer questions while validating the child’s progress and understanding.
The time saved on research, planning, and developing a curriculum is considerable, but online home schooling is not a license for a parent to kick back and read the paper while their home schooler clicks away on the computer. For every five hours spent doing online home school work, it is advised that parents be intimately involved in at least three of them.
If there is an online home school that is reputable, offers courses that fit state regulations, and suits the motivational standard behind the desire to home school, then perhaps online home school is for you. However, no need to jump in with both feet. Try one class, to see how it fits, and if it’s for you and your home schooler, go for it!
By Mimi Rothschild
For many homeschool parents, homeschooling is moving into the modern world with online courses. Taking online homeschooling classes is a great way to supplement a homeschool curriculum, and there are benefits for any age group. The popularity of online classes for home schoolers is quickly replacing the prevalence of correspondence schools in a homeschool setting. With correspondence courses, students must wait days or weeks for test results before they can move on to the next lesson. Online courses allow for instant delivery and a much faster turnaround on assignments.
Many homeschool parents are turning to online courses to supplement their existing curriculum. The benefits of adding online instruction to a homeschool curriculum are many. Homeschoolers can learn about specialized subjects their parents may be otherwise unable to teach them. Working at a computer also makes it easier to structure and regulate lessons, as the assignments arrive pre-formatted and ready to dive into. Adding online courses to a homeschool curriculum also frees up some of a homeschooling parents’ time to concentrate on other aspects of the curriculum as a whole.
Online classes are an excellent option for high school students who are homeschooled. With a high school home page, both parents and homeschoolers can keep track of assignments, easily transmit lessons, and take tests in an organized and structured fashion. Online courses also allow high school aged homeschoolers to sharpen their independent learning skills and study habits, which is an important step in later education.
Homeschooling parents may be wary of allowing younger children to take online courses as part of their homeschool curriculum, but there are many benefits to introducing elementary and middle-aged children to online learning. Computer skills are a necessary component of success in the modern world, and allowing homeschoolers to get an early start will help them tremendously as their education progresses. Additionally, online courses provide more structure to a basic homeschool curriculum and help to foster good study skills. With younger children, homeschooling parents should monitor their computer time carefully to ensure they do not stray from their intended work.
Whether your homeschoolers are high school aged or just starting out, enrolling them in an online course to supplement the homeschool curriculum is a beneficial option. It is much easier and more convenient than a correspondence course, and online classes serve to broaden your homeschooler’s horizons. Every homeschool parent should consider online courses as part of a successful homeschooling curriculum.