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Why I Homeschool, and How I Make it Work

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I remember the first time I learned about homeschooling. It was just a few years ago, in fact, and my first impression was, “I don’t know about that.” What exactly didn’t I know? Well, pretty much everything!

It seemed strange to me for children to stay home to learn. I wondered how parents were able to not have to enroll their children into public school. Could anyone homeschool? Don’t the children get bored at home? I was also curious about the quality of a homeschool education versus going to a regular school. I had so many questions!

So, I did some research, both online and at the library, about homeschooling. Admittedly, I was quite impressed with everything I learned, and I soon longed to educate my own children at home.

One thing I learned during my research process is that every homeschool family chooses home education for their own reason. The following list, from a 1999 survey conducted by the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), includes the top reasons parents gave for homeschooling:

 

My reasons for wanting to homeschool varied. I really wanted to teach my children and spend more time with them. I wanted a safe environment, and I wanted my children to learn at their own pace.

 Making the final decision to homeschool wasn’t easy. Although I had the desire to teach my daughters, my husband wasn’t as enthusiastic at first. He had his worries, so we took time out to discuss them thoroughly. I explained why I wanted to do it and shared the research with him. The more he learned from me and all of the information available on the subject, the more he agreed with the whole idea. However, he made sure I understood what I was getting myself into.

“You realize this will be a full-time job,” he told me. “You will be their teacher every day. You’ll have to dedicate yourself to their education.”

I wasn’t scared. Before I had my first daughter, I had become a certified elementary school teacher. However, I never had the opportunity to work beyond student teaching and subbing. I was pregnant with my daughter at the time, and she was born at the tail end of July. Since then, I’ve been home with my children. The desire to teach, though, has always been inside of me. I was ready to start; and before long, so was my husband.

The first thing I did after our agreement to homeschool was check out the rules on homeschooling in the state of Missouri. I then visited several websites that offered advice on how to get started (School.FamilyEducation.com and Home-School.com). It seemed easy enough, so curriculum was the first thing I tackled. I researched all of the different curricula out there; there are hundreds! I was a bit overwhelmed, but I found a lot of help on the Internet. I learned that curriculum is completely individual. Some may like a certain program, while others don’t like it at all. Plus, not every child learns the same way.

Many families out there rely on the Internet to help teach their children. Online-based curricula (like K-12.com and KhanAcademy.com) are equally popular, and the Internet is also a great place to find free stuff. That’s right—free curriculum, free worksheets and free tips and advice. I tend to use both free stuff and also the curriculum that I purchase. I like to mix it up. (See sites such as EasyPeasy.com and Education.com)

Next up was figuring out where in our house we would do our schoolwork. For the first couple of months, we made use of the dining room and kitchen tables for our schoolwork. My husband and I then found two little school desks at a garage sale and set up a schoolroom in our finished basement. It’s worked out beautifully for us, though sometimes we meander upstairs to the dining and living rooms to do a few subjects. We’ve even done schoolwork outside on nice days and in our RV on a recent family trip. This is the beauty of homeschooling; it can be done anywhere.

Is homeschooling accepted amongst our peers? From our experience so far, yes. We’ve had more people than not give us two thumbs up—even my daughters’ past schoolteachers. A few people have questioned us on how our children socialize with others since they are no longer in a public school. Honestly, our children are equally, if not more, socialized now. We’ve joined a wonderful local homeschool group that keeps us busy with co-op classes, fun activities, field trips and many new friends.

If you’ve ever thought about educating your children at home, do your research. Don’t be afraid to find people who homeschool and ask questions. Give it a try over summer break and see whether it works for your family. Remember, though, homeschooling is not for everyone…and that’s okay!

Thinking About Homeschooling? Four Key Questions:

1. What are my legal rights and limitations? Laws on homeschooling vary from state to state.

2. How will I teach my child? What will I teach my child? Who will teach my child?

3. Will I find support from my local school or district? Many school districts support homeschooling and will provide parents with curriculum, textbooks and even a space to meet with other homeschooled students. Some schools will also allow homeschooled students to enroll part time.

4. Are there homeschool networks in my community? Almost every state has homeschool support groups or state centers where parents can go for ideas and resources; some even structure field trips and activities. Check with local libraries, too.

 

Liberty mom and author Gina Klein loves teaching her two daughters at home and has noticed a drastic change in their desire to learn.

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