What makes homeschooling better than traditional schooling? Lately, there is a rising trend in families choosing to homeschool their child than send their child to a traditional educational institution.

Let’s look at some of the benefits of homeschooling over traditional schooling:

1. Flexible Schedule

Homeschooling enables a flexible schedule. For example, the child does not need to wake up at 7 every morning. With homeschooling, your child can start homeschooling at 9am or later depending on your preferred schedule. You can schedule your child’s homeschooling education as you see fit with materials or subjects that may be not available in a traditional school.

You can tailor the homeschool curriculum to suit the needs and interest of your child.

2. Individual attention

In a traditional school setting, thirty to forty students are assigned to a teacher in class. Therefore usually, the teacher cannot devote 100 percent attention to any child since it will not be fair to the other children. Plus, it is quite impossible to provide individual attention to all students.

With homeschooling, your child gets all the individual attention he/she needs. For example, if your child is weak in mathematics, you could devote more time and energy into teaching mathematics.

Your child’s homeschooling schedule can be adjusted to crater for that. For example, if your child is better at science than at mathematics, simple devote more homeschooling hours to mathematics and cut back on science. With homeschooling, the choice is yours. Traditional schools can’t do that.

3. Family Activity

The schooling of the child can become an extended family activity. Examples are field trips and experiments. Plus, the child also receives more quality time with his/her parents. There is more time for family bonding. The child is also free of any negative peer pressure or influences.

4. No peer pressure

With homeschooling, the child does not need to prove his/her abilities to other children. Parents are able to deeply understand their child better with homeschooling and therefore are able to plan the learning program according to his strengths and weakness.

Parents can also change the curriculum to suit the learning style of the child. For example, some children learn better from reading while others need to write. Some children even learn better from experiencing or seeing things in action.

5. Religion Learning

Religious learning is a sensitive issue hence most traditional schools shunned it. However, with homeschooling, parents can take control over the moral and religious learning of the child. Parents can impart their ideologies and deep beliefs into the child rather than let the school dictate what moral and religious education the child will be receiving.

Homeschooling is the best way to educate a child as you can see from the advantages listed below. If you have the time, the interest and the ability, why not give it a try?

Posted by Nikhil Gupta

Is Homeschooling legal?

Without a doubt, homeschooling is legal in all the 50 States of the U.S. But, that is just about where the similarity ends. Laws and regulations regarding homeschooling vary from state to state. Interpretations of these laws can vary from scholl district to school district. Additionally, these laws may change every year. The National Home Education network is a wonderful resource when it comes to the legalities of homeschooling. It has a listing of the actual state laws for each state in the U.S. Reading the laws that pertain to your state is perhaps the best way to get accurate information about these laws. But, most people need to get the laws interpreted by a qualified attorney. You can get valuable information from the support group at your locality. Additionally, many state education departments have online resources that will help you in interpreting the state requirements for homeschooling. The internet is also a good source of information. It is a good idea to check out your state laws regarding homeschooling before you start educating your child at home. This will prevent any nasty surprises on the way. If you have to move, you will need to be aware of any tests or exams that your child may need to take.

Disadvantages of public schooling

When we consign our children to public schools, we feel satisfied that they are receiving quality education’. But, are we really getting our money’s worth? More importantly, are the children gaining anything from this kind of a learning procedure?

Socialization is hailed as one of the greatest advantage of schools. This is the place where the child picks up the rudiments of social skills that help him survive. But in truth, a regular school-going child can interact only with his peers. He may bully younger children or fear older ones. He does not know how to behave with an adult. This is because in the school environment he interacts only with his peers. A homeschooling environment brings in a more natural social environment.

A regular school going child cannot read literature. He cannot keep silent or think in depth about any one thing. The artificial ‘busy’ness imposed upon him by the school disallows quiet

contemplation. Rowdy and destructive behavior, as seen among peers, is more noticeable in school-goers.

There is little long-standing knowledge among regular school goers because most things are learnt for the exam. There is no  correlation of facts with life. The child may know a lot, but

understands very little. This is where the homeschoolers beat the regular school goers. Ultimately, homeschoolers emerge more adept at facing the outside world.

Benefits Of Homeschooling

Why let Tim and Lisa learn at home than send them to school? Well, first of all, you don’t have to wake them up at 7 every morning and bundle them off to school with umpteen numbers of

instructions, and wait with an anxious heart till they return. Homeschooling gives you more control over the influences that affect your child. The growth and development of your child is removed from the realm of the unknown. You, and you alone can decide what your child needs to do or learn. Tailoring the curriculum to suit the needs and interests of the child is one of the most obvious benefits of homeschooling

Individual attention is another salient benefit of homeschooling. For instance, if Lisa needs more time to learn Math, then she can reduce the time for her English lessons. There are no fixed hours of learning per subject. This means that a child has the advantage of assigning more number of hours to the subject that seems tough WITHOUT any additional pressure. The amount of time needed to learn each subject will depend on the abilities and interests of the child.

The schooling of the child becomes an extended family activity. Parents get involved in every step of the learning procedure. Field trips and experiments become family activities. Thus, the child receives more quality time with his parents. The entire family shares games, chores and projects. Family closeness becomes the focus here. The child is also free of any negative peer pressure while making choices and decisions.

Competition is limited when it comes to homeschooling. The child does not need to prove his ability with regards to other children. His confidence remains intact. Since parents have a deep understanding of their child, they can plan the learning program to pique the child’s interest. It is also possible to intersperse difficult tasks with fun activities. A tough hour with Algebra can be followed by a trip to the nearest museum. Learning becomes fun. Parents can also tailor the curriculum to suit the learning style of the child. Some children learn through reading, while others need to write, and still others need to see objects in action.

Homeschooling allows parents to take control over the moral and religious learning of the child. Parents have the flexibility to incorporate their beliefs and ideologies into the child’s curriculum.

There is no confusion in the child’s mind either because there is no variation between what is being taught and what is being practiced.

Lastly, more and more parents are getting disillusioned with the public school system. They believe that their children are being pushed too hard or too little. Other worrying issues pertaining to discipline and ethics also make the school system less welcome. Many repudiate the educational philosophy of grouping children solely on the basis of their age. Some parents themselves have unhappy memories of their own public school experience that motivates them to opt for homeschooling when it comes to their own children.

Homeschooling is the best way to teach a child if you have the time, the ability and the interest to follow through with his education. After all, nobody can understand or appreciate your child more than yourself.

How to Homeschool Your Child

Now that you have decided that homeschooling is the way to educate your child, get ready for the ecstasy and the anxiety - the road ahead is a bit bumpy, but the rewards more than make up for it. Producing a well-adjusted and well-rounded personality is no mean achievement.

First of all, it is important to check out your state laws on home schooling. Some states need an affidavit filed with the State’s education department. There are basically 3 categories for

homeschooling laws. These are: private school laws, home education laws and equivalency laws. Find your state laws. You may also need to maintain a portfolio that records the child’s educational progress. It is important to look into the legal requirements BEFORE you start homeschooling. Some States also stipulate a minimum educational qualification for the parent or teacher.

Next, look for a support group. If you live in a friendly or curious neighborhood, well-meaning friends will try to dissuade you. At the very least, they may put a lot of uneasy questions in

your mind. A support group that consists of like-minded people will insulate you from the criticism, pressures and questions of regular school-goers. Many groups organize fun events like visits to the zoo, museum, tours to the ice cream shops etc. And if your children hit it off with other homeschoolers, they will be able to build lasting relationships that do not fade when their friends change schools. These groups provide an important avenue for socialization.

The next important thing to do is to select a curriculum. Depending upon the method of homeschooling, you may choose various tools that aid you in this process. The internet is also a rich resource for homeschooling. Do some research and look into the material that is available.

Set certain ground rules. Homeschooling requires a lot of self-discipline and hard work. Here is a comprehensive list of the things you will need:

1) Eagerness to learn

2) Hard work and effort

3) Discipline

4) Time and patience

5) Flexibility

6) Enthusiasm

Consider why you want to opt for homeschooling. Your motives and your reasons are important pillars on which the whole edifice of your child’s lessons depends. Also, consult with your children.

Ask them what they feel about homeschooling. Select a curriculum or custom-make a curriculum that best suits your child. Record keeping is an important part of homeschooling.

Look into the various methods of record keeping. Set up a schedule. Your child does not have to learn 6-7 hours a day. Allow him or her to dictate the time. Flexibility and fun are the cornerstones of homeschooling. Do not stuff too many skills into a single term or year. Prepare a skill list. Make the child learn the skills that he is ready for.

Gentle parenting is the secret to successful homeschooling. Children make great advances in learning and show more enthusiasm. They also turn out to be surprisingly well balanced and well informed when they are taught at home.

Homeschool - Field trips

Why not? Regular schools have them and so why shouldnt you? If you are going over a particular subject with the family and feel that a field trip would be beneficial, then that’s what you should do - go for a trip. If you are attached to a support group, you can plan to include other children too.

Here are some guidelines that will help you plan:

1) Collect the rates

2) Allowed ages

3) Special highlights

4) Size of the group

5) Timings

6) Eating facilities

Inform your support group of all these details well in advance so that the necessary circulars may be sent out. On the appointed day, arrange to meet with other parents and children in a

particular place. Plan the mode of travel and reach the place at least 10 minutes in advance.

The field trip is not just fun. So, let your kids bring their writing material. Allow them time to stare and admire. Do not hurry them along. Collect data beforehand so that you can clear doubts. Get help from a guide, if necessary. And most importantly, have fun and enjoy the time you spend with your children.

Maintaining Discipline in Homeschooling

When the child stays at home all day, and mommy is the teacher, there are certain issues of discipline at stake. It is easy for he child to misconstrue the freedom he has at home and feel that homeschooling is just a long summer holiday. This is a potential landmine and children need to be disciplined right at the start.

Homeschooling gives you and your child a truly immense amount of flexibility. You and your child decide where to learn, how much to learn and when to learn. But,these should be decisions made at the beginning stages. If your child is too little to take an active part in the decision, chart out a few hours of the day for the various activities, and stick to it. When there is no outside agency to supervise and no exams to answer, it is easy to get sidetracked. If your child is old enough, consult him and find out when he wants to learn. Apply your parental discretion and come up with a timetable.

Homework is also a part of homeschooling. What this means is that once lessons have been taught, the child should be asked to do some part of the course work by himself without your guidance. You will need to make sure that your child sits willingly and finishes his work.

Courtesy, manners and punctuality are some of the various facets of discipline that a child has to imbibe in the early years of his life. The school where he interacts with his peers, his seniors

and juniors and his teachers mould these values quite automatically. At homeschool, the child should be taught the importance of speaking and behaving in a proper manner and appropriate corrections need to be meted out if behavior is unsatisfactory.

It is advisable to keep aside a particular room or a part of the room for your homeschool. The child should be expected to reach his desk at the appointed time, in proper attire with all the

necessary material. It is easy to allow the school to become an extension of play if these ground rules are not laid out and followed. As the teacher, supervisor, principal and janitor rolled into one, you should also approach the study area with a cool professionalism.

Homeschooling is doomed to fail without patience. In spite of all the precautions and steps one takes, it is easy for a child to get familiar’ at homeschool. At such times, it may be difficult to

discipline the child and get him to listen to you attentively. When this happens, switch to something new. Allow the child to take a breather and enjoy a break yourself.

Homeschooling is not easy. It requires a lot of hard work and patience. The very informality of the whole procedure sometimes works against it by making it too easy. If you take steps to

establish rules at the very beginning and adhere to these rules, your homeschooling experience will be a huge success.

Steve Cownley

http://infoblog.net78.net/

Carnival Of Homeschooling - Stimulus Edition!

Some stimulating thoughts by homeschool bloggers. Hosted by Judy Aron at Consent of the Governed.

Welcome to the 165th edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling!

It’s the “Stimulus Edition” because all of our posts are incredibly stimulating! (as is homeschooling in general). We won’t be bailing anyone out, unless of course one of our contributions here help solve a problem that you are having. The subject matter shouldn’t be too taxing either, so grab a cup of coffee (which can also be stimulating unless it’s decaf), and sit back and enjoy the carnival. And because there is so much to be found here, you might just have to come back for more stimulus several times this week!

Note To The Reader: There will be no government intervention in this Carnival! All stimulus will come from our blogpost contributors and your reactions should be your own! Read more…

The Year the Swallows Came Early

Recommended reading level: ages 9-12
Reviewed by: Kathy Davis

In her debut novel, Kathryn Fitzmaurice delivers a fine coming of age story.  11-year-old Eleanor has dreams of one day being a culinary expert, but her dreams are dashed by an unfortunate life circumstance.  It takes time for her to bounce back, but through the strength of friendships, the support of her mom, and her own self-reliance, Eleanor learns how to deal with a situation that would be difficult for even an adult to manage.

This story is no adventure or action packed tale, rather it centers on one girl’s dreams, and her acceptance of her lot.  Eleanor experiences a full range of emotions, and the reader will ache for her loss and root for her to rise above her problems.  The supporting cast (mom, friends Marisol, Frankie, and Luis) bring a nice mix of personality.  I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the book, being one who is more drawn to a fast moving thriller.  There are a heap of food references that tickle the palate, and might trigger a hunger pain or two.  Here’s a yummy excerpt:

The whole time I was working, I kept thinking about how years from now, when I’d finally saved up enough money for cooking school, I would write in the front of my cookbook, where the dedication usually is, how hard work had dominated every second of my life, day after day, dipping strawberries into two parts dark chocolate and one part milk chocolate.  Lining tray after tray of strawberries.  And not just any strawberry, but the extra-big ones that take at least four bites to eat.  The kind where the chocolate crumbles off after the first bite, making you catch it with your free hand and pop it in your mouth before it melts.  The good kind.

If your looking for a nice, clean, easy-going read, this one hits the mark.  Be sure to check out that chocolate-dipped strawberry recipe at the end of the book.  They sound delectable.

Author website: http://www.kathrynfitzmaurice.com
Participating bloggers for this book tour:
A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Booking Mama, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Fireside Musings, Homeschool Buzz, Hyperbole, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Maw Books Blog, Never Jam Today, Novel Teen, Reading is My Superpower

Attention writers!

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine asked their review crew members to tell everyone about their new contest.

The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine is hosting their second Storytime Writing Contest! They have two creative fiction categories: adults (16 and up 2,500 words or less) and children (15 and below 1,500 words or less). Deadline to enter is March 16, 2009. $7.95 fee per entry.

Grand prize winners in both the adult and child categories will receive prize packages valued at over $1,000, publication in the Summer 2009 issue of TOS, and publication in our Storytime 2009 Compilation E-Book. Eleven Honorable Mentions from each category will also be included in the E-Book in addition to receiving gifts from top homeschool companies.

For a detailed list of prizes, official contest rules, and more, visit their site.

Vote Early and Often

Actually I think it may be a little too late to vote. (I confess, I haven’t been following the show this season.) However, I was just informed that Mishavonna Henson is homeschooled and is a contestant on American Idol. Her family want to mobilize the homeschool community to support her. If she makes it through to the next round, and you watch the show, please call in your votes.
There are some videos of Mishavonna on the AI site.

The Jonas Brothers: from homeschool to hollywood

The Jonas Brothers may all wear purity rings, but at least one of them is a veritable Latin lover!

Interviewed on Homeschool.com Radio, the superstars’ mom, Denise Jonas, reveals what her home-schooled sons’ favorite subjects are.

“Kevin loves literature and he loves Shakespeare. He also loves etymology, which is amazing. And he loved and he studied Latin,” she says of her eldest boy, now 21. Read more…

Utah sports bill gives homeschoolers “unfair advantage”

A bill that would allow home-school and private-school students participate in sports and activities at public schools passed in committee today despite arguments that it could give home-school students an unfair advantage.

SB61 would allow home-school and private-school students to play sports and participate in extracurricular activities at the public schools they otherwise would have attended. The Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) already allows that, but bill sponsor Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Lehi, said some schools still choose not to permit those student to participate. Read more…

Carnival of Homeschooling: Hardwired Edition

Hosted this week by Topsy-Techie with a techno theme for non-techies.

A very small percentage of people may experience technology-itis when exposed to this blog which often includes flashing lights, strange patterns, and beeping noises. Even people who have no history of techonology-itis may have an undiagnosed condition that can cause strange symptoms while reading this blog.

These symptoms may include any or all of the following:

* feeling sudden and extreme gratitude for children who cannot name at least twelve different programming languages
* strong and sudden urge to take your family to a park - - any park
* severe and painful sympathy for homeschoolers whose idea of lapbooking is reading “Intermediate Photoshop 4.0” on the laptop Read more…

Image by foreversouls via Flickr

Homeschool supporters pack NH State House

It’s parents responsibility to ensure their children are receiving an adequate education. New Hampshire legislators want parents to think it’s the states job.

CONCORD - A crowd that state police estimated at 1,000 packed the State House yesterday to urge lawmakers to reject changes in home-schooling laws.

Educators said they have a responsibility to make sure all home-schooled students are receiving an adequate education. The proposals call for increased oversight of home-schooled students. Read more…