With all of the recent news of violence, high drop-out rates and low test scores around the country, more and more parents are considering home school which has long been a controversial topic. Public schools want you to think that they are the only valid educational choice. Private schools are expensive. On the other hand, parents who teach their children at home will tell you it is the best decision they ever made. So which one is right for you and your child? How do you decide?
You decide by educating yourself first. You will find that there is a wealth of information about home education online to help you decide and get your home-based classroom started. Online resources are readily available for every child at any age, any grade level and any learning style. I have even found an online expo, an exciting internet-based homeschool convention, to help you explore the possibilities, find resources and networking opportunities.
Home school can sound daunting to the parent considering it for the first time. Most parents who teach their children at home do so because of their strong family values and/or their Christian values. Others feel strongly that the public schools are not the place where they want to send their children every day for any number of reasons. The online expo, which I will discuss further on my blog, is a wonderful opportunity for you to discover the possibilities that await you and your child in the exciting adventure of home school. The host of this internet convention is concerned about passing on family and Christian values through the process of home education - and helping you to do it well!
There are many advantages of educating your child at home, as you will discover as you begin your journey. One of the biggest benefits is that homeschooling is a lifestyle that encompasses your entire family and even your extended family. You will find that your children will learn when they are interested - at any age. As a parent of a toddler or pre-schooler, you most likely provided your little one with educational toys and books and environments. Home school for a school-age child works the same way - you provide the opportunity and they WILL want to learn. There are so many resources online for educating your child at home that you will never run out of ideas or material. Your children will never run out of things to explore and learn!
In my research online, I have found many sites that afford amazing educational resources and opportunities for children, parents and teachers to explore math, science, art, history or any other subject of interest. I found virtual tours of places such as the cockpit of a space shuttle or a pyramid. There are sites for math drills and tutoring, art museums to explore, and much, much more. None of this was available when I was teaching my own children [now adults] at home. Truly the world of learning is at your fingertips!
In the process of homeschooling, you will find that the most important things your children learn are not from a book. The most important things are the ones they learn from you - honesty and integrity, kindness and gentleness, socialization, a good work ethic, a hunger to explore their world and their community, and a love for learning. Proponents of public education will try to tell you that a home school child is not being properly socialized if he or she is not in a classroom with peers all day long for five days a week. Consider, however, what the word, socialization, means. Socialization is learning how to act appropriately in various social situations. Who is better equipped to teach this to your child? Another child who has not yet learned appropriate behavior? Or you? Children are best socialized by their parents and others who love them and will help them learn appropriate behaviors in various situations. Homeschooling provides children with many wonderful opportunities to learn and practice their social skills as you interact with them in the real world.
There are so many wonderful resources online that I know you will enjoy the opportunity to explore the concept of home school further as you weigh your educational choices for your own children.
Author Info:
You can teach with excellence! Want to know how?
Diana Kirsch
http://ideasforhomeschool.blogspot.com/
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