With recent tragic events such as the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and the coronavirus pandemic, you might be considering other ways for your child to earn their education. Homeschool is an excellent alternative to public and private schools. It has great advantages such as personalized learning plans and ensuring your child’s safety.
1. Personalize Learning Plan
There is a lot of debate on what should be taught in school. From critical race theory to the LGBTQ community, parents are being more selective about what their children can learn in school. When you homeschool your child, you are in control of what they learn.
If you are unsure about a curriculum but still like the idea of home school then you could look into enrolling in one of the online schooling programs that will give you better control over the educational side of things so that you can focus on the other elements of education and homeschooling.
It is impossible to monitor every single thing that your child learns, however, homeschooling can give you some sense of control. With homeschooling, you can create your own learning plan and introduce topics to your child when you feel they are appropriate or necessary.
2. Flexibility
Why only let your child learn about the exotic and historical places of the world when you can take them there? Ok so maybe not actually take them, but when you are homeschooling your child, it creates flexibility. You can take them to museums, learning centers, and local historical sites so they can get a better understanding of a topic.
Homeschool offers flexibility by not confining your child to a classroom for six to eight hours a day and gives them different opportunities when learning a new topic. Homeschool allows you to make the learning plan and schedule convenient for you and your child.
Experts such as Danny Swersky have determined that using various teaching methods is much more effective than just sticking to one, so this flexibility is actually highly beneficial.
3. Academic Advantage
Children who are homeschooled are more academically accomplished than their counterparts who are enrolled in public or private schools. Researchers show that homeschooled students perform eighty percent better than children who are enrolled in an academic institution.
This can be contributed to the fact that children who are participating in homeschooling get more attention during their lessons. In public or private schools, one teacher is teaching twenty to thirty students at a time. For more information on how this study, visit the National Home Education Research Institute.
4. Low Cost
Another perk about choosing to homeschool your child is the cost. Every year parents spend millions of dollars on school supplies, clothes, and tuition. Not to mention the special events that may occur that a parent must pay for.
Homeschooling means that you get to bypass a large part of the expenses that a parent who has a child in a learning institution must pay. Even if you do not have any of the supplies that you need to get started, homeschooling is far more cheaper than traditional schooling. In the next section, we will cover what you need and how to obtain a homeschool curriculum.
5. Safe Environment
Schools have become more dangerous, especially for grade school children. From Sandy Hook to the recent tragic events at Robb Elementary, traditional schooling can seem like a huge gamble with your child’s life. We are also in a never-ending pandemic. Although there are several vaccines available, it does not prevent your child from catching the virus and there are age requirements to get the vaccine.
There is also concern about bullying and racism. With the advancements in technology, there are several ways for a child to be bullied and harassed. Homeschool doesn’t have to consist of you and your children. You and your mom friends can homeschool together and your kids can learn with children who they are familiar with and who share the same values and morals as your child.
How to Obtain a Homeschool Curriculum & How to Get Started
There are several services that offer curriculums for grades K-12 for a fee. Visit Homeschool.com for a list of the best homeschool curriculums. You can also reach out to your local school district for guidance and a curriculum.
Here are supplies that you will need for homeschooling:
- Curriculum
- Chalkboard or Whiteboard
- Pencil/Crayons/Markers
- Paper
- Desk or large table
- Learning Posters
- Books
