Homeschool can be overwhelming, especially in the first year. I have been homeschooling for over 6 months and I feel like I am still learning new things. With the current pandemic, more and more parents are deciding to homeschool. As a beginner homeschool mom, I wanted to share my top tips for getting started with homeschool.
How much time should you spend?
It is important to remember homeschool is not like regular school. Your child does not need to do school for 7 hours a day. Trying to do this will likely frustrate your child and YOU. There are many recommendations online for how much time to spend.
My son is going into 4th grade and we average about 3 hours a day. It could be closer to 4 if we are working on more difficult subjects and he needs longer breaks throughout the day. Younger students only need 1-2 hours. Trust me, that’s it! Older students might need closer to 5 hours. The important thing is to not overdo it.
What curriculum do I do?
Curriculum will be different for everyone. We have chosen to complete some of our core subjects through our state’s virtual school. It is working out great for us because I know the word he is doing is aligned to what the public schools near him are doing. We are planning for him to return to school in the next year, so I want to make sure he stays on track.
My son struggles in reading, so we have opted to not do virtual program for this subject. Instead, I pull resources and activities that are on his instructional level. Since I was previously a teacher, I have the knowledge base to plan his reading without a scripted curriculum.
Most of you are probably not certified teachers, and that’s okay! There are many wonderful homeschool curriculums online. A simple Google search will bring up lots of options. Some are expensive, but some are relatively cheap. You have the flexibility to pick and choose what you want.
Remember, life experiences can also be part of the curriculum. You’re not limited to a curriculum or online project. As long as your child is learning, your homeschool program is being successful.
How will my child socialize?
Despite the pandemic, there are many opportunities to socialize safely. A quick search on Facebook will bring up lots of homeschool groups. Join one or join them all like I did. You will start to notice trends and can focus your time on the groups with likeminded people.
Last year, my son joined a bowling league for home school students. Not only did he get to meet new friends that are homeschooled, I was able to connect with other moms and discuss homeschool.
Parents in the Facebook groups are ALWAYS planning get togethers and outings. It’s a great way to meet new people.
How do I schedule my day?
The beauty of homeschool is that YOU decide how to schedule your day. When we started homeschool, I tried to get my son up at the same time he got up for public school. My intent was to start by 8:30, so we were done by lunchtime. I quickly found out this was a challenge. My son didn’t perform well that early in the morning, and I wasn’t the best teacher when I was still waking up.
We slowly transitioned to starting our day when we were both awake and ready. My son still had a bedtime, but was able to naturally wake up. He wakes up most days around 8:45 and we start school around 9:30. We are able to finish school in a shorter period of time, because we’re both alert and focused when we start.
Start school when it works for you and your family. Do you have to work in the morning? Start school in the afternoon. Do you work all day? Start school in the evening. I believe consistency is important, especially for the child, but find the time that works for you.
The common idea with all these tips is that you make the decisions. You figure out what works best for you and your child. You make the rules!
