3 Tips for First Time Homeschoolers or Families Struggling with Home Study
Many parents question their teaching abilities when they start to homeschool their children. They wonder how they will teach them for 7 hours every day! The truth of the matter is, It doesn’t take 7 hours a day to school at home.
Tip 1: It Doesn’t Take 7 Hours to School at Home
Why is this my #1 tip? Because it is one of the most common questions we are asked by parents! As a homeschool curriculum provider for many years, I talk to a lot of parents considering teaching their children at home, and many have the same fear. What do we do at home for SEVEN HOURS?!
Home study doesn’t need to take that long.
Here is an example of a typical day at a traditional elementary school:
Children all arrive at school at the same time and then need time to settle down, take their seats and attendance is taken.
The teacher works to get all students to pay attention while they explain to the class what they are going to be working on. Instructions need to be repeated more than once because not everyone is actively listening. This plays out multiple times each day.
When the teacher asks a question, all students must raise their hands and wait to be called on.
When it’s time
e for recess, lunch, or an assembly, the entire class of students must line up, then walk together to their destination.
After recess, lunch, or the assembly, the reverse takes place.
This routine happens all day every day at a traditional elementary school. Think of how much time is spent just doing crowd control and review — these are things you don’t need to do at home.
Having said this, there are times where you might want to spend more than 7 hours schooling, and that’s ok. If your children are having fun doing a particular activity or want to dig deeper into something you are studying, encourage that. Family trips that focus around a subject you are studying is one example of how you might do more than 7 hours of learning in a day. Those tend to be the experiences and lessons we remember the most.
Tip 2: Make a Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Schedule
The schedule can be very simple or very detailed — it’s whatever works best for you. Take into consideration your family’s routine.
Keep in mind how and when your children learn best. Some students work best in the morning, while others are too tired and prefer to work later in the day.Trying to force a half-awake child to learn doesn’t go well.
Don’t forget to build in breaks and be flexible when you need to.
Tip 3: Create a Home Study Space
Schooling at home doesn’t need to take up a lot of room, but it’s best if each child has a dedicated space to use that is free from distractions.