Homeschooling is one of the greatest experiences a family can have. However, it's not without obstacles. There are three specific areas that you must consider when choosing to home school. Choosing the right curriculum that your children can learn and that you can teach can be a daunting task. Will you have the support of your immediate and extended family? A lack of support from your family can strain your ability to be an effective home schooler. Financially, you can be strained even if you don't home school, so you must have a good handle on your personal finances as well.
Curriculum should be chosen according to two specific ideas: the child's learning style and your style of teaching. Does the child do better with auditory or visual learning? Will a strict formal curriculum work best or something more laid back? Each child is different as is each parent's teaching style. Only you will know which will work best for you in your specific situation.
Many families that choose to home school are met with negative responses by friends and family in many cases. Having a support group is extremely helpful in knowing how to deal with this type of pressure. It is a personal decision to home school and a support system will help you to stay focused and moving forward. Negative, outside influences add undo stress and can zap the joy from the home school experience.
Is the family able to handle the challenge of home schooling financially? Curriculum aside, the family must have a financial plan. You must be focused on your child's learning much more than a traditional school requires you to be. If the children are young and need one on one attention from the parent, it may be difficult to have an outside job while homeschooling. So you have to be organized with your finances so that being uninformed or disorganized in this area will not detract from your child's education.
These are just a few of the obstacles you will face when choosing to home school. Having things thought out and planned well will reduce the anxiety and stress for you, your child, and your family. Everything will not run smoothly all the time, but if you fail to plan, plan to fail.
© 2008 Billy Waldrop
Author Info:
Billy Waldrop, MBA is a consultant specializing in strategic leadership and management through education and practice. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Decision Science with Walden University. Billy is passionate about leadership in our homes and communities. To learn more on how to leverage the Internet to create an extra income as a homeschooling family, visit Exact Leadership.
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