With the new school year reluctantly approaching, I've had multiple people contact me to ask about homeschooling (which, btw, was not that weirdness that afflicted so many of you this spring). I'm happy to answer questions, but before we go any further, I want to issue my disclaimer.
*At no point before, during, or after this post do I or will I claim to be an educational expert, home-based or otherwise. This is stuff I've stumbled through or lucked into or read somewhere. Some of it is just what works for us. I haven't received any incentives to recommend the sites or curriculum that are mentioned below, they are all just resources I personally use. Take what you can, throw away the rest, and don't sue me.*
Anyway. If you're reading this, then the chances are that you find yourself at least contemplating homeschooling this year instead of dealing with the dystopian nightmare of online public school. You might feel a little overwhelmed. It might seem like a lot to juggle. There are undoubtedly a thousand questions pinging through your mind. Just breathe, and we'll get through this together one question at a time. I know this is a lot to take in, so browse over the questions and only read the ones that pertain to you.
In no particular order, let's dive in.
What's the first step?
First and foremost, look up your state's laws for homeschooling. It is legal in all 50 states, though some states do their best to regulate it to oblivion. It will vary from state to state. Alaska, for example, requires zero oversight or documentation unless you are in one of the state-funded programs (yes, they subsidize homeschooling up here). Other states will require as little as a notice of intent filed with the local school district, or as much as state testing, grades, work samples, lesson plans, vaccination records and proof of attendance (yes, some states require you to mark attendance for every day you do school at your home--some even mandate the number of hours that have to be logged daily--because they're control freaks). Know what's required, it makes your life easier.
What's the next step?
Do not try to recreate public school at home. For those who weren't listening or don't want to hear it because they're Type A, here it is again: DO NOT TRY TO RECREATE PUBLIC SCHOOL AT HOME. You are not a teacher who has to worry about angry parents and getting fired. You don't have to meet strict schedules or testing regimens. Even if you are a teacher by profession or education, you are not in a school anymore. You're not dealing with thirty kids who will go home at the end of the day. You're not limited by the rules and thou-shalt-nots enforced in the public school system. This is a completely new thing. Embrace it and make it your own.
What program do you use?
I don't personally use an all-in-one curriculum. I pull from various sources. There are complete curricula available which line everything out for you; they are user-friendly, but also more expensive. You also need to be careful, particularly with science, as some of the more popular curricula you'll run across are Bible-based or influenced. I'm personally religious but a secular homeschooler, so I choose to avoid those.
If you're an Alaskan and mean which homeschool program I use, I work through IDEA. I've heard great things about BEST, Cyberlynx, and Raven, though.
What's your daily schedule like?
When we do school full time, we generally get up around 7, eat breakfast, and try to get going on school work by 8. My kids are most productive in the morning, so if our work isn't done by lunch, it probably isn't getting done. The morning is spent supervising the kids' work (we will talk more about that specifically in a later answer). After lunch, we have quiet time for reading, chores, and playtime before dinner. The afternoon is largely unstructured unless we have errands or appointments, which I try to schedule during the afternoon to avoid disrupting schoolwork. Dinner, then family or TV time, and bedtime around 9 for the big kids, 7:30 for the smalls.
Your family is unique. Do what works for you. If you function best with a morning run, add it in. A flock of night-owls? Sleep in and start school in the afternoon. Just make sure you do it.
Most people benefit from a schedule of some kind, especially when there isn't something external--like, say, school--to help regulate them and keep track of what day it is. I strongly recommend at least scheduling what time of day you will be doing school, and do it consistently.
I also recommend building in some kind of recess or exercise to your day because it helps the kids stay sane and burn off some energy.
Do I have to do it five days a week?
Nope. You can; a lot of people do. Other people do a three or four-day school week. Some do a more fluid plan. Basically, it's whatever works for you and your kids. If your kid wants to do all their math on Monday, why not? As long as it gets done, the hours don't matter (unless you live in one of the states where you have to account for every educational decision you make).
Do you teach all the subjects every day?
Nope. We do 30 minutes of reading, one lesson of math and some kind of language arts every day. We alternate science and history, doing each one twice a week. We do art once a week, music two-three times, and PE depending on the practice schedule of whatever sport someone is doing. The high schooler has her stuff scheduled out like college classes, where each one is scheduled once or twice a week. You can be as flexible or as traditional as you want. It really is whatever works for you.
How do you structure your school days?
We've tried a lot of different structures, and it has changed as my kids get older. When they were all small, it was more of a group activity, with crafts, story time, educational tv, some worksheets and singing and wiggle time. As they've gotten older and their work has gotten more complicated, I actually schedule out time in the morning with the older girls. Work comes first for us, then chores, and then free time. No TV until school is done unless it is part of school.
What about socialization?
Ah, how the tables have turned.
It is challenging especially this year to get kids the face-time with other kids that they need. However, your kids are not just going to be interacting with people their own age for the rest of their lives. Take your kids on errands, and let them work the transaction with the cashier. Go to parks or on field trips. Build a bubble of families you're friends with, and arrange playdates. Phone calls and Facetime are options as well. And don't underestimate how much kids really do learn from interacting with you and their siblings. Playing games, involving them in chores, talking about the stories you've read together, listening to stories about themselves or about you as a kid...they'll love it. They don't need 7 hours of peers their age to know how to function in society. And don't worry about your kid being weird. Grab any random 8 year old and get them talking for ten minutes. They're ALL weird.
How much time is spent prepping?
Depends on how old your kids are, how much you're doing, and how neurotic you are. At the beginning of every school year, I generally take about a week to plan out and assemble my curriculum and sketch out a loose idea of what each kid needs to cover for the year. I don't print out weeks of lesson plans and school work.
This is the book I use to figure out what each kid is supposed to be doing. It is organized by grade and offers a run-down of what is *generally* taught in each grade, with the understanding that it varies from school to school and state to state. There are a lot of books like it, so go to your local book store and see what you can find.
Every week, I take about an hour and organize what I need for that particular week--make sure I have ingredients for whatever science project we're doing, craft materials (if we do one), and familiarize myself with the plan for the week.
I also check their work every day and go over it with them. It doesn't take more than a couple of minutes, but it's important or else you don't know where they're having problems.
What if I screw up my kids?
You won't. The stakes for elementary education are rather low. If you don't teach them everything about United States history before they go back to school next year, don't worry about it. They'll catch it again in junior high. And high school. And college. And probably still won't know the purpose of the Electoral College when they go vote.
High school is a different beast, but they are probably going to be more online or doing the distance-learning option. I can't help you beyond that, I haven't wandered those woods yet.
Do you lecture/teach, or do you hand them the materials you've chosen?
It depends on the age of their kids, their personalities, and the subject. My elementary age kids all do history together; we read together, I lecture, we discuss, and then they do projects. Math, however, is a one-on-one. Generally I work through sample problems with them to explain the concept, then turn them loose. After I grade the work, we go over the problems they missed together. Same thing with science. Handwriting and language arts are generally on their own, and writing projects are discussed after editing.
Younger kids obviously need more help and explanation with their work. Even if they are working on their own, stay nearby so you can derail any frustrations and make sure they are actually working instead of daydreaming about candy necklaces.
Teaching also doesn't have to be just traditionally lecture-based or individually driven. Getting them involved in making dinner or building a project, comparing leaves on a nature walk, learning an instrument, changing a bike tire, using the family pet to discuss comparative anatomy, matching socks and talking about classification or organizing things by pattern...that's all school, too.
So I guess the short answer is...both, and then some.
What about different ages--do they learn together?
In science and history/geography, yes. We also do flashcard reviews and projects together. Otherwise it is definitely more individualized. My high schooler does her work mostly solo because she's at a different level of academia. My soon to be junior-high kid will start the transition to more solo online working this year as well.
How do you deal with power struggles?
Bricks.
Just kidding. It can be a challenge, for sure. I've gotten good results by explaining that sometimes we have to do things that we don't want to do, that are hard, but the sooner we do them, the sooner we can get on to something fun. Maybe put down what they're struggling with and take a break, or do something else for a while. Do something fun. Bribes are also in your toolbox, but use sparingly or soon they'll only do math for Oreos.
Do you get dressed in the morning before you start?
Not always, but it does make a big difference in the day. The kids are more productive when they aren't still in pajamas; it flips something in their brain. I'm also more productive when I'm wearing real pants. Rick is less judgy (he doesn't buy the argument that pajamas are the school uniform.)
It also makes it more fun when you do have an actual Pajama Day.
Do you have clear learning goals, or do you take more of an exploratory approach?
I like to keep a list with grade-appropriate topics they should cover for the year, and gather my workbooks, etc., accordingly. This is the backbone of our curriculum and keeps us on course. However, sometimes a question or interest flares up, and it leads us down an interesting rabbit hole. Follow it. Don't hold so rigidly to your curriculum that you can't let it go when your kid--or you--get excited about something. Learn about the difference between Asian and European dragons or watch the space shuttle launch. Verbs and whatever x equals will still be waiting for you when you're done.
Also, keep an ear to the ground for fun events in your state and local community. Sometimes things pop up that make for interesting field trips, like the Fiber Festival last year where we got to comb rabbits, use a loom, and watch a sheep get sheared.
Do you give tests?
Yes. Sometimes. Spelling and math tests are useful, and most curricula will provide you with at least chapter tests (and answers). Honestly, I haven't seen a huge need for paper testing in elementary school outside of those subjects. The kids are much more interested in hands-on projects or giving oral summaries or writing a paper, and those things can't be gamed like a multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank test. Testing is a useful skill, but it doesn't have to be your main assessment tool.
What about state testing?
I voluntarily do state testing; a lot of homeschoolers don't. I like having an objective metric for their retention and it helps me find any blind spots in our plans. Are they the end-all be-all validation that the kids are learning? Absolutely not. Tests can be flawed, kids can have bad days, and maybe we learned about Linnaeus and Classification this year instead of the frog life-cycle like the test wanted us to.
That being said, my go-to site is www.setontesting.com, where you can find a variety of tests that can be ordered or taken online. Some require proctors. My chosen test is the Stanford 10 (SAT 10), which is a nationally-recognized and accepted standardized test. The fact that I can administer it in my own home with an online proctor is a bonus.
Are there any books you recommend for the parent who wants to look at this with a new and exciting paradigm?
I used to, but I got rid of it years ago and can't remember the title. I suggest a stop by Barnes and Noble or talking with your local homeschoolers. A lot of it will be attitude and--as terrible as it sounds--lowered expectations. Your kid will probably not be a Mandarin-speaking chess prodigy with a firm grasp of astrophysics by the end of 4th grade. It is an incredibly rare 12 year old who applies or is accepted to a college. If your kid is reading better than they were at the beginning of the year, or knows how the digestive system works (even if it is mostly because they like saying "poop"), those are wins. The best way to look at it is that this is an opportunity to really get to know and experience your kid as the person they are becoming, and not just as their disciplinarian, bankroller, and life-giver. These are hours that you wouldn't otherwise have with your child, and they'll be gone before you know it. That doesn't mean you have to love every minute with your kid, or that you shouldn't have time or goals for yourself--that's unrealistic and unhealthy. Just try to see the silver lining when you can.
What do you do with younger siblings--and babies?
Age and personality is crucial. Kids from 2 to 4 often want to copy their older sibs. Having some "work" for them to do not only makes them feel like big kids, it also keeps them out of your hair. Dry-erase worksheets they can use over and over, coloring and tracing sheets, level-appropriate books, manipulatives (blocks, magnets, playdough, etc.) are magic. Another trick is to take away some of their toys and give them back during "school"; after the big kids are finished, the toys go back on the school shelf. Really good parents (not me) will also have stimulating activities like sensory bins with rice or water or sand, or a bag of pompoms to be sorted by color or size into various jars. There is also no judgment from my end if you also give your little one special cartoon privileges for an hour so you can work with their siblings. Been there, done that, wiped crumbs off the remote afterwards. No regrets.
Babies are a challenge. Try to work around naptimes, or have a playpen/blanket near where you're working with the older kids. Cycle out toys. Or get a chest-carrier or sling and strap them on. Mostly, be patient with them and you. The most important thing is your relationship with your kids; the work can be done later.
What kind of curriculum do you use and where do you find it?
I am an eclectic homeschooler, meaning I grab a variety of curricula and smash it together until I get what I want. For elementary (K-6) I use Harcourt Family Learning Complete Curriculum workbooks. They're a little simple, but they are easy to use, well organized, and cover Reading Comprehension, Spelling, Math, Language Arts, Writing, and have a testing section in the back.
I also use Teaching Textbooks for math, their format works well for my family. For science I have grade-level textbooks that I flesh out with experiments, kits, basic knowledge, and whatever the kids are interested in. History is Story of the World, which can be a little simple for complex issues, but is geared toward elementary age kids; we also have books of myths, Eyewitness books, and other more narrowly-focused books for in-depth study to correspond with the chapters.
I DEFINITELY suggest trying to get your hands on curriculum before buying it. Buying it online sight unseen based off recommendations is pretty much the same as buying a shirt the same way--it might fit great and be perfect, or it might be four sizes too large in a weird material and funky color. If possible, stop by bookstores or talk to other homeschoolers and browse through their curriculum; it's even better to attend a homeschool curriculum fair if they still have such things in the time of Covid. If you must buy online, read many reviews.
Have you used Saxon Math?
No. I've heard about it, though. It seems to be well liked. Singapore Math has also been recommended to me. Personally, I use Teaching Textbooks. Khan Academy also has online lessons for Kindergarten through Calculus--and they're free.
How about Language Arts?
Google curricula. You can also head to Rainbow Resource, an online site dedicated to homeschool supplies.
Is it okay to use TV in our lessons?
Abso-friggin-lutely. When my second was in second grade at a real school, her "science" included watching daily episodes of The Magic School Bus. Her "reading time" also involved videos every day. Therefore, I reserve the right to use videos in my own home to help illustrate points (but not during reading time, that involves actual books in our house).
Some great shows I suggest include
DIY Sci (Amazon Prime)
History Teacher videos (You Tube, she rewrites popular songs to teach about historical events and people)
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That
The Magic School Bus
Number Blocks and Story Bots (for small kids)
Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?
All of the BBC Wild Planet/Blue Planet/Planet Earth--It's all gold.
The Wild (insert country or continent here) series--also very good.
Obviously you don't just want to watch TV all day, but these are all educational and can spur discussions, projects, reading and further investigation--which is all learning.
We need hands-on stuff for us to use. Suggestions?
Look at www.rainbowresource.com and www.homesciencetools.com (not links, don't click them). Both of these sites are geared for homeschoolers and carry hundreds of different curricula and supplementary materials that are well-organized and easily navigable. Check out your local toy and books stores as well, they often have an educational supplementation section with kits and projects to do.
What about field trips?
Do them. Schedule them out when you can. Go to the library, the park, the museum, the local tourist attraction. You can and should plan fun things. Remember, public school isn't just sitting and memorizing facts 7 hours a day. There's actually very little of that. There are holidays and parties and trips to the zoo; the last month of school is basically just a week of testing and three weeks of "enrichment activities" after grades are in. You can have those things, too.
One of the fun things my girls like to do are themed days. We pick a theme--say, Ancient Egypt--and all our activities are based around that. We dress up, and make headpieces. We learn about and write in hieroglyphics. We eat an Egyptian meal. We read myths and learn about the flood patterns of the Nile. I've got aspirations to mummify a chicken sometime. It's just fun. The themes are anything that interests you--Mad Science, Spies, Games, Poetry, Space, Tigers, Australia, Camping.
After a couple of weeks of homeschooling, your kids will see going to the grocery store as an adventure. Exploit it.
How do I handle the various subjects?
I sound like a broken record, but it depends on you and your kid. I suggest making a list of what you want them to learn (start with core subjects Reading, Writing, Math) and build from there. Don't get caught up in covering every subject. Don't think you have to teach everything. Find a friend--if you really enjoy science and detest language arts, see if you can't set up a bubble co-op with your friend: You'll teach or tutor science, and they'll take care of those pesky diagrammed sentences.
How do you stay motivated day in and day out? How do you keep the kids motivated?
You don't. They don't. Some days are just crap. Always try to work through it, but if you give it a good try and everyone is still melting down, then call it a mulligan and give yourself a day off. Don't make it a habit, of course, but remember that you are stuck with these kids after the school day is over, and you probably don't want to hate them. A day off is not going to derail anything. It can often be a good reset.
Try building in reward systems. For every 20 pages read, a small treat or 10 minutes of screen time. Every Friday is Movie Day if they finish their work the other four days. Maybe a trip or experience they want to celebrate the end of every quarter/semester, or to celebrate good grades. Find your kid's lever and pull it.
As for me, personally, I find that I am most motivated by my desire to not have six daughters in their thirties living in my basement.
What are some ways you keep them on track and also help them keep themselves on track?
In a lot of curricula and workbooks you can trace the progress you've made, and that can help keep you on track. You can also set up a goal and reward system like I mentioned above. Every five chapters, a small prize from the prize box, or extra screen time. Honestly, once they're in the swing of things I've found that my girls--8 to 14--just get their work and get going. They know which math lesson or spelling chapter they did last, and go on to the next one without having to be told. I interject the science, history, and random assignments. Every couple of weeks I check my list to make sure we're covering the topics we had planned.
About how much time do they do school for each day?
Ding ding ding! We have a winner. Your kids do NOT need 5-7 hours of school every day to learn to read good and do other stuff good too. Even public school teachers admit this.
I spend about an hour or so of focused time with my 5 year old. That's 5-10 minutes of reading, 5-10 minutes handwriting/language arts, 10-15 minutes math, maybe 10-15 minutes of science, and she'll jump in on whatever history or extra stuff the bigs are doing. It should be brief and kept interesting, and she should be allowed to play a lot because that's how young kids learn best.
My 2nd, 4th, and 6th grader do roughly 3 1/2 hours of school a day. It isn't always continuous, and it can vary based on how difficult they find their subject (or how long they squirrel). This includes their reading time.
The 10th grader definitely does 5-7 hours, but she's taking a full schedule. Even so, she finds time for her hobbies, her friends, and watching plenty of tv.
If your kid is into something, spend more time on it. If they're hating it, spend the minimum amount and move on. Here is a chart of loose time guidelines, courtesy of Popsugar and the Illinois State Board of Education.
How do you handle the different kids' different learning types?
My kinetic kids, I try to find hands-on stuff for them to do. For example, when we read about aqueducts in Ancient Rome, I had them build a working model out of salt-dough. Lessons about inertia involve toy cars. I have one who is into building right now, so she spends a lot of time with the magnatiles and my living room has increasingly intricate forts in it 50% of the time.
My more verbal kids, I engage in story-telling and summaries, presentations and reading out loud, or teaching a concept to their siblings.
My more visual kids, I try to run experiments and watch videos.
There are a lot of different learning styles, and I'm not an expert so I'm just providing several links. The main idea? Be creative, think outside the box, and tailor your child's education to the way they learn.
What do you do when multiple kids need help with their independent work?
Excellent question. I have a rolling schedule in the morning. The oldest kid goes and does her thing and I check in on her throughout the day. The middle four each get a set time slot (45 minutes to an hour) where they get one on one time with me; the other three work on their independent subjects (usually spelling and language arts) and run interference with my preschooler. I even have a set of alarms on my phone so I know whose turn is when. It allows me to address any issues and teach as needed.
That's just what works for us, though. I do suggest scheduling time with the kids individually even if it is loose.
What are your favorite or go-to math manipulatives?
My kids' very favorite manipulative is food. We do something called Marshmallow Math with cheap fruity marshmallows. They can be counted, separated by color, used to do addition or subtraction, patterns, shapes, and graphing. As a bonus, they can be eaten afterwards, which is a great incentive to do the math quickly and get it right. Cheerios and M&Ms are also contenders.
Non-edible manipulatives we've used have included a variety of small toys, rocks, and blocks. Legos are incredibly useful, particularly for number value. If you want official manipulatives, there are a wide variety available from sites that sell curricula.
Any advice that you haven't covered?
Breathe. You can do this. We've all bought into the line that we aren't qualified to teach basic addition--which kind of undermines the thirteen years of education we were given. You don't have to know Algebra to teach your third-grader.
This is as time-intensive as you want to make it.
It is as expensive as you make it. The big curriculum book I mentioned above is $20. Libraries are free. Some curricula can be hundreds of dollars. Just find what works for you.
Don't get caught up in what your friend or neighbor or that chick on the internet are doing. You do what works for you and your kids. Homeschooling can and should look different for you than it does for me because we are different people with different strengths and different needs. Our kids have different quirks and challenges and brilliances.
Again--and I cannot stress this enough--you aren't going to mess up your kid. Or, if you can't shake that feeling, remember that EVERYBODY is messing up their kid this year, courtesy of Covid. It really takes the pressure off.
This isn't as hard as you think. If your child is working on reading, writing, and math, then you're doing enough. The best way to learn how to read is to read; the best way to learn how to write is to do it. If you're worried about the extras like science and history, then add it in as your reading and writing--read about Albert Einstein, write a story about landing on Mars, read a non-fiction story and have your kids write a response to it. Kids learn by doing.
Some helpful sites include:
www.rainbowresource.com
www.homesciencetools.com
www.superteacherworksheets.com
www.education.com
www.khanacademy.com
www.prodigygame.com
www.typing.com
In conclusion...
Relax, make a plan, and have fun. You are going to knock this out of the park. You are not alone.
I super believe in you, Tad Cooper. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk.
You are incredible!!! This information is invaluable. Thank you.
ReplyDelete