How Does Homeschooling Work? The 7 Step Framework To Start Your Journey
“How does homeschooling work?” has been the question of the year.
With most public schools closing their doors and moving online at least temporarily, most parents have asked this question, trying to figure out how to make homeschooling work for their families.
As a full-time working mom who was also homeschooling full-time, I have a unique view of how homeschooling works. I understand that flexibility and chaos of teaching your kids at home can be overwhelming.
If you are brand new to teaching your kids at home, I want to encourage you to take a deep breath. It’s gonna be okay.
Now, let’s figure out how homeschooling works.
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What Is Homeschooling?
In a nutshell, homeschooling is teaching your kids at home instead of using the public or even private school system.
From here, the definition of homeschooling can get a little dicey because there are so many different ways to teach your child.
Homeschooling allows you to teach your child in a way that suits your child’s unique way of learning and interests.
For example, I started homeschooling because my son was ahead of his peers in reading and writing. There was a good chance my son would not only be bored in the public school system but lose his love of learning since he would be forced to work “at grade level.”
We started homeschooling for this reason but we continued because we fell in love with the homeschool lifestyle.
What Are The Benefits Of Homeschooling?
I’ll be the first to admit that homeschooling isn’t perfect for everyone. Obviously, I think homeschooling is pretty kick-butt, or I wouldn’t have stuck with it for 14-plus years.
We all have bad days, and one of the best benefits of homeschooling is that it isn’t written in stone. You aren’t locked into a forever kind of deal. You can homeschool your child as long as it is meeting the needs of your kids.
If the time comes when you need to re-evaluate and think about quitting, that’s okay. Ask these questions, and then make the BEST decision for your family.
Another great benefit of homeschooling is the academic freedom you have. You get to teach your child exactly where they are, in the best way they learn, with materials and methods that fit their needs.
For example, I’ve used various ways to teach my children math from cooking, to games, to online and offline programs. As they grew and became more independent, their learning style changed. Our homeschool was able to flex and adjust to their needs.
My favorite benefit of homeschooling is the flexibility. That flexibility is the only way I was able to work and homeschool my kids at the same time.
Unlike public school, which has “school hours” plus homework, we can homeschool any time we wish-before I head to work, after work, on weekends, holidays, and even on vacation. Because my kids are always learning, we incorporate educational activities no matter where we go.
There are a ton of benefits to homeschooling, but how does it work?
How Does Homeschooling Work?
This is such a hard question to answer because homeschooling looks different for every family.
It’s like trying to find the perfect pair of jeans. Have you ever noticed how many different colors, shapes, and sizes there are?? To find the right pair, you need to consider your size and shape, which is bad enough, and what you will be doing in them. Ugh!
This is the same for homeschooling- it comes in all shapes and sizes.
When you want to learn something, what do you do?
You might “google it,” look on Youtube for a how-to video, watch a documentary or hit up your library for the answer. Every time you learn something new, you are participating in a form of homeschooling.
This is why you should never worry if you will teach your kids everything they need to know. Like us, our kids will always be learning. Our job as homeschooling parents is to give them the tools they need to learn.
When used in homeschooling terms, this type of learning is often labeled child-led learning.
Interest-led or child-led learning can be a lot of fun because the child is motivated to learn and driven to find the answers. A desire to learn matched with a low student-to-instructor ratio is a recipe for success.
However, this type of learning does not work for every child. Some children do better with structure. I know because I have two of them. This could be because I missed the deschooling process needed to let go of those pesky public school traditions.
Our homeschooling journey started out looking a lot like public school, and it took years for me to relax and acknowledge that my kids learned a lot when I wasn’t actively teaching them.
My children need a daily checklist to feel like they are learning. We used a lot of textbooks and workbooks. And we mixed in online homeschool lessons, life skills lessons, and games to help make it more enjoyable.
The best part of homeschooling is doing what is right for your kid!
“How Does Homeschooling Work” Framework
While homeschooling has more varieties than there are jeans, it does have a basic framework.
When you first start homeschooling, the temptation to jump right into picking out the best homeschool curriculum is hard to resist.
After all, that is how homeschooling works, teach your kids at home. Right?
However, we must back up and build a solid foundation for homeschooling to work for our family.
7 Step Homeschool Framework:
Step 1: Figure out why you want to homeschool.
This is one of the most important questions you need to ask yourself when it comes to homeschooling. Your why will help you weather the storms of homeschooling.
Step 2: Find out your state/province homeschool laws
You need to check your state/province or country laws to see what is required, along with the homeschooling criteria.
Find your local homeschool laws here:
Warning: You need to do your own research. Many well-meaning people, both online and offline, will offer their opinions but they can unintentionally pass along inaccurate information!
Step 3: Deschool your children and yourself
This is essential to help you and your kids focus on relationship building and the shedding of the public school mentality.
If you are wondering what deschooling may look like as a working mom, click here to get ideas.
Step 4: Decide on the homeschool method and curriculum.
Now you get to dig into the homeschool methods and curriculum.
Homeschool methods are the style of homeschooling such as unschooling, child-led, classical, etc.
Homeschool curriculum includes the tools you will use to teach your kids, including books, games, online and offline programs, etc. Learn how to choose the best curriculum for your child here.
Step 5: Create a homeschool schedule
As a working mom, it is important to know exactly what is on your plate each day and where it fits in your life. Even if you are using mostly a child-led or unschooling homeschool method, you still need to find the time to check in with your kids.
Using a simple schedule can help you figure out when you will do homeschool lessons, field trips, etc.
Step 6: Get Support
Homeschooling is a journey that shouldn’t be walked alone. It is important to find a community of moms who are on the same journey as you. You can find encouragement, inspiration, and support by swapping stories, sharing what is working and what isn’t, and get a hand up from those just ahead of you.
Thanks to technology, support isn’t limited to your local area. You are able to connect with homeschooling families from around the world through online groups.
You can find them online such as through Facebook Groups and forums. Or offline in your community.
I have two online communities, specifically for working moms who homeschool.
Step 7: Start homeschooling and review
There is never a perfect time to start homeschooling. So jump in and get started!
The only way to find out what is working is to try it. Test the waters, try new things and be willing to fail.
I recommend reviewing every once in a while to figure out what is working and what isn’t working. The great thing about homeschooling is that if you find something isn’t working, you can change it up and try something new.
So, How Does Homeschooling Work?
Homeschooling is when parents educate their kids at home to meet their children’s needs in the best way possible.
Homeschooling looks different for each family and each child in that family.
If you are a working mom who is ready to take advantage of homeschooling’s flexibility, I recommend you start with this checklist!
Take care,
Jen
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Hi, I’m Jen. I help working moms juggle their career and homeschool their kids by providing support, systems and tools. You are warmly invited to Join the Online Community Here!
