Despite the many wonderful benefits of homeschooling, it is not always an easy or perfect fit for every family. Let's look at a few of the potential obstacles to understand why:
Organization and Scheduling
Do your workspaces typically look like this? Or this?
(Look at how neat and beautiful that bookshelf is!! I have no idea where the second photo is from.)
One of the keys to successful homeschooling is a degree of organization...and that organization takes W-O-R-K (unless you're one of those rare people magically gifted in this area). Does that mean that your home needs to operate within a maximum level of cleanliness at all times and all your books and materials need to be sorted in alphabetical order and always grouped according to age and ability? Absolutely not. But your home is now your classroom - it is a science lab, an art studio, a performance center, and a library. It will get messy. Before venturing down the road to home education, you should probably take into account your ability to manage high volumes of paperwork, books, and art supplies in your living space...and clutter. :) Do you have a specific space in mind for your classroom or does spreading out across the dining room table or on a blanket in the backyard sound like a better fit according to your style and needs? Does the idea of play-doh, stickers, colored rice and bits of construction paper finding its way into every nook and cranny of your home almost send you over the edge??? Me too.
One of the biggest complaints of homeschool parents is the fact that homeschool materials can (and will) consume your living space faster than you can say, "One-House Schoolroom!" If you become overwhelmed, the mess can quickly sap your time and energy...especially if you're teaching multiple children. There are several ways to combat this problem. First, if you're teaching a multi-aged group, consider doing unit studies. They are a convenient way of teaching several children at once and are completely adaptable to both the individual ages and learning styles. You'll find greater efficiency in one curriculum, as your time and attention doesn't have to be so strictly divided by the needs of each child. Second, consider doing "school" while accomplishing household chores. Noah is perfectly capable of helping me sort laundry...and we make it FUN. We practice sorting by color, counting by 2's (as we put things in the wash), matching socks, reading and pressing buttons, measuring detergent - the list goes on. Family is about teamwork and this is one of the most important messages Chris and I try to teach Noah - that we must always work together if we are to accomplish anything. *Note the title of this blog* We often discuss how important everyone's role is, whether they're big or small, and that everyone's contribution is necessary and important in the eyes of God. 1 Corinthians 12: 4-7
Organization also involves creating a system or plan for what you intend to accomplish each day. In other words - a schedule. I know, I know...that doesn't seem to take into account those families that may unschool (if you don't know what that means, you can read more about it here), but without some daily plan or goal in mind, you may find you spend an incredible amount of time just hanging about...
Or worse:
Regardless of your teaching/schooling style - whether it be relaxed or closely resemble a classroom environment - have a system or a plan in place. That way, you are always mindful of what you need to accomplish and the bigger picture doesn't get lost in the smaller stuff. Just remember that what works for one family may not be a perfect fit for YOUR family (doesn't that seem to be the key theme of homeschooling? *grin*) - following a pre-packaged curriculum enhanced by an eclectic mix of supporting materials may work for us, but your child(ren) may require more or less structure and flexibility. Just keep in mind that complete and totally honesty with yourself goes a loooong way. For me, for example, I know that if I don't have a lesson plan to follow as well as a clean and organized workspace, Noah and I (well, more like just *I*) are easily overwhelmed and more likely to finish off our day discussing the plot summary for the latest Phineas and Ferb cartoon rather than keeping up with our readers. Which brings us to another potential road hazard: What if I (or my children) can't muster enough self-discipline to homeschool?
To spare your eyes from having to read one ginormous blog post, I've opted to divide this topic into several parts. Part Two of Road Hazards to Homeschool will cover both Self-Discipline and Burn Out.
One of the biggest complaints of homeschool parents is the fact that homeschool materials can (and will) consume your living space faster than you can say, "One-House Schoolroom!" If you become overwhelmed, the mess can quickly sap your time and energy...especially if you're teaching multiple children. There are several ways to combat this problem. First, if you're teaching a multi-aged group, consider doing unit studies. They are a convenient way of teaching several children at once and are completely adaptable to both the individual ages and learning styles. You'll find greater efficiency in one curriculum, as your time and attention doesn't have to be so strictly divided by the needs of each child. Second, consider doing "school" while accomplishing household chores. Noah is perfectly capable of helping me sort laundry...and we make it FUN. We practice sorting by color, counting by 2's (as we put things in the wash), matching socks, reading and pressing buttons, measuring detergent - the list goes on. Family is about teamwork and this is one of the most important messages Chris and I try to teach Noah - that we must always work together if we are to accomplish anything. *Note the title of this blog* We often discuss how important everyone's role is, whether they're big or small, and that everyone's contribution is necessary and important in the eyes of God. 1 Corinthians 12: 4-7
Organization also involves creating a system or plan for what you intend to accomplish each day. In other words - a schedule. I know, I know...that doesn't seem to take into account those families that may unschool (if you don't know what that means, you can read more about it here), but without some daily plan or goal in mind, you may find you spend an incredible amount of time just hanging about...
Or worse:
Regardless of your teaching/schooling style - whether it be relaxed or closely resemble a classroom environment - have a system or a plan in place. That way, you are always mindful of what you need to accomplish and the bigger picture doesn't get lost in the smaller stuff. Just remember that what works for one family may not be a perfect fit for YOUR family (doesn't that seem to be the key theme of homeschooling? *grin*) - following a pre-packaged curriculum enhanced by an eclectic mix of supporting materials may work for us, but your child(ren) may require more or less structure and flexibility. Just keep in mind that complete and totally honesty with yourself goes a loooong way. For me, for example, I know that if I don't have a lesson plan to follow as well as a clean and organized workspace, Noah and I (well, more like just *I*) are easily overwhelmed and more likely to finish off our day discussing the plot summary for the latest Phineas and Ferb cartoon rather than keeping up with our readers. Which brings us to another potential road hazard: What if I (or my children) can't muster enough self-discipline to homeschool?
To spare your eyes from having to read one ginormous blog post, I've opted to divide this topic into several parts. Part Two of Road Hazards to Homeschool will cover both Self-Discipline and Burn Out.
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