Monthly Archives: August 2021

Record keeping in Homeschooling

A topic that frequently comes up in meetings and forums that deal
with homeschooling is record keeping. The importance of record
keeping cannot be ignored. It is not only legally required in
various States, but also provides important milestones in your
child’s learning experience. An interest-initiated homeschooling
approach means that the topic of studies is far ranging and
multifarious. Thus, it can be something of a challenge to write
quarterly reports for the school district, when it is difficult
to classify learning into neatly pigeonholed areas.

Record keeping is important not only for the sake of regulations.
It is also an exciting way to record and document the learning
process of the child. When most of the learning is done through
play and there is no clear cut index of topics that have to be
covered, it is necessary for the parent to keep some sort of a log
which records the child’s progress.

The records you keep can be as simple as a daily journal, or as
elaborate as a software program. If you participate in a support
group, you probably have set forms and requirements. But even so,
keeping track of daily work makes reporting easy and efficient.

There are various record keeping methods used by various
homeschools. Some of the more popular ones are:

Journal:
This can be maintained by the teacher or the student. This
basically aims to keep a log of what was learned and what was
done. Recording memorable events that happened in the course of
the year is a great way to reminisce later on.

Daily planner:
Lay out the plans and the assignments for the week in a teacher’s
planning notebook. Check each item as it is covered. Maintain a
separate area where any additional things can be recorded. This
includes educational trips, visits and videos etc. Any extra
topics that were covered are also recorded in this area. Make a
summary every quarter.

Portfolios:
This consists of a collection of varied materials that show what
the child has achieved and done during the course of study.
Portfolio assessment is a very effective way to chart the child’s
progress. It gives structure to the otherwise loose and flexible
form of schooling called homeschooling. A drawing portfolio will
consist of some paintings or sketches that are considered the best
in that quarter. A language portfolio may consist of essays,
stories, reading-logs, spelling samples or letters. Progress in
mathematics, fine arts, history, science and social studies can
all be recorded this way. The biggest advantage is that portfolio
assessment places control in the hands of the children. Having a
tangible record of what they have established eggs them on to
greater heights.

Other than the above-mentioned systems, there are also purchased
record-keeping systems that lay out a good checklist. Some of
these allow one to personalize the organizer. Irrespective of the
methods used, record keeping in one form or the other is
essential. Your child’s future may well depend on the
well-maintained record that you have meticulously kept over the
years.

Home Schooling and Socialization

When parents talk about home schooling their children, the most common concern is regarding socialization.  Parents are concerned that their children will not learn how to adapt to social situations.  Unless the home schooling parent decides to isolate their children completely from the outside world, this is impossible.  In fact, children who are home schooled have more interaction with people of all ages, not just their age group.  The average home schooled child attends more educational field trips during the year than the non home schooled child.  In addition, home schooled children have more opportunities for after school activities, such as music lessons, sports, and hobbies. 

Children who home school feel equally comfortable with younger children, peers, and adults of all ages.  Children who home school have daily social interactions with the family, neighborhood and the community.  Because of this, studies have shown that children who home school have higher self esteem.  Children who attend school do not experience real world situations, while home schoolers are definitely more prepared for the real world.

The type of socialization that is experienced in schools is often negative.  Large school settings harbor conformity, teasing, bullying, defiant behavior, popularity contests, and competition.  No wonder home schooled children have higher self esteem; children at home are learning kindness, patience, sharing, respect, and understanding.  These home schooled children are not exposed to peer influences which foster peer dependency.  Peer dependant children show diminished positive socialization, such as self-worth, confidence, reverence for their parents, and trust in peers.  Although home school children may play with other children in the neighborhood and experience this peer dependence, strong morals and values are being taught at home that override these negative experiences. 

Home schooled children learn to listen to their own instincts and let that guide them to make their own decisions.  Conforming to a peer social group that does not value individuality does not foster independent thinking, which is necessary for a successful life.

Teaching Your Child in Homeschooling

Each child has a unique way of learning.  The three learning modalities are the sensory channels we use to obtain and process information.  Visual learners process information best with pictures and diagrams; these children learn best seeing things.  Auditory learners learn best by listening and discussing things.  Kinesthetic learners learn best with a hands on approach.  Most children learn through all three learning modalities. 

Temperament theory states that all people differ in their interests, attitudes, judgments, and perceptions.  This greatly affects how we want to learn, what we want to learn, and the way we learn.  When a parent learns what their child temperament style is, they can plan out how to effectively teach their child.  There are four temperament styles:  where the attention is focused, how information is acquired, how decisions are made, and work habits and lifestyle.  The child is either extroverted or introverted, which means either focusing on outside objects, people events or inner world of ideas.  The child is either sensing, which means the child acquires information from the senses (concrete and present) or intuition, which focuses on insight, inspiration, future, and possibility.  The child either makes decisions based on logical analysis and cause and effect (thinking) or on personal values and the affect on the self (feeling).   Lastly, the child prefers their life to be orderly and structured (judging) or spontaneous and flexible (perceiving). 

Howard Gardner, originator of multiple intelligences, defines seven kinds of intelligence.  Most children have strengths in two or three of them and need work on the rest.  One kind of intelligence is verbal/linguistic, which is speaking and reading.  Another type of intelligence is logical/mathematical, which is concepts and abstract patterns.  Another kind of intelligence is visual/special which is thinking in images, pictures, shapes, and colors.  Another kind of intelligence is musical, such as rhythm, pitch, melody and harmony.  Another type of intelligence is bodily/kinesthetic, which is touch, making, and doing.  And yet another type of intelligence is interpersonal, which is relating and cooperating with people.  Last but not least is intrapersonal, which is independence and self-motivation.  Learning how your child perceives the world around him/her and learns will allow you to maximize their intellectual strengths and teach them effectively.

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Evaluating kids in homeschooling

Grading in homeschooling is done by the teacher-in-charge. In most
of the cases, this means mom! In this situation, grading can get a
bit tricky because it can be a little difficult to grade your own
child. There is no benchmark against which you can evaluate your
child’s performance. In most cases, you also have no awareness of
how well other children are doing. So, obviously the traditional
method of grading is perhaps not the best method to follow.

When grading a child undergoing homeschooling, it is more
important to assess whether the child has understood the subject
that is being taught. Inherent in this is the fact that if the
child has not understood something, you will go over it again.
This will work in your child’s favor in 2 ways. Firstly, the child
knows that if he or she fails to catch on, the topic will be
repeated till it is mastered. Secondly, the child also knows that
once the topic has been mastered, he or she will get full credit
for his hard work. Getting full reward for the hard work put in is
a great motivational factor, especially for kids.

When assessing your child’s abilities, do not allow emotions to
overcrowd your rationale. Do not yield to the cries and tears of
your child if he or she resists certain topics or subjects. If
mastering these skills is necessary, then you as the teacher (and
not as the parent alone) have to go over the topic over and over
till it sinks in. When dealing with tougher concepts, the child
may get restless and may even show frustration or belligerence.
When the child is still young and unable to understand the
importance of his lessons, it is your responsibility to see to it
that the child develops the skill set necessary for future growth.

In case you belong to a state that requires yearly tests, this
will help you to judge your child’s ability vis-à-vis his peers.
Even if it is not mandatory, you may want to test your child every
year. These tests will reveal the variations in the child’s
learning pattern. It may show up unexpected areas of strength and
hitherto unknown areas of weakness. This enables you to structure
your teaching to cover the areas that are weak, and build upon the
areas that are strong.

In case your state requires a homeschool report card, keep a
record of the yearly development and scores of your child. Include
pertinent areas like punctuality, discipline etc in the report.
You may also need to keep a record of the number of working days
and attendance schedules.

While grading your child, make sure that you use as many external
tests as possible. There are several websites that deal with the
various age groups, and allow free downloading of question papers.
This is an excellent and cost-effective method to assess your
child. Homeschooling, if done in the proper manner, will boost the
child’s confidence because he will be studying to satisfy his
natural curiosity. The scores therefore will reflect his true
intelligence.

If need any help for homeschooling please whats app us on 7014707103

Maintaining Discipline in Homeschooling

When the child stays at home all day, and mommy is the teacher,
there are certain issues of discipline at stake. It is easy for he
child to misconstrue the freedom he has at home and feel that
homeschooling is just a long summer holiday. This is a potential
landmine and children need to be disciplined right at the start.

Homeschooling gives you and your child a truly immense amount of
flexibility. You and your child decide where to learn, how much to
learn and when to learn. But,these should be decisions made at
the beginning stages. If your child is too little to take an
active part in the decision, chart out a few hours of the day for
the various activities, and stick to it. When there is no outside
agency to supervise and no exams to answer, it is easy to get
sidetracked. If your child is old enough, consult him and find out
when he wants to learn. Apply your parental discretion and come up
with a timetable.

Homework is also a part of homeschooling. What this means is that
once lessons have been taught, the child should be asked to do
some part of the course work by himself without your guidance. You
will need to make sure that your child sits willingly and finishes
his work.

Courtesy, manners and punctuality are some of the various facets
of discipline that a child has to imbibe in the early years of his
life. The school where he interacts with his peers, his seniors
and juniors and his teachers mould these values quite
automatically. At homeschool, the child should be taught the
importance of speaking and behaving in a proper manner and
appropriate corrections need to be meted out if behavior is
unsatisfactory.

It is advisable to keep aside a particular room or a part of the
room for your homeschool. The child should be expected to reach
his desk at the appointed time, in proper attire with all the
necessary material. It is easy to allow the school to become an
extension of play if these ground rules are not laid out and
followed. As the teacher, supervisor, principal and janitor rolled
into one, you should also approach the study area with a cool
professionalism.

Homeschooling is doomed to fail without patience. In spite of all
the precautions and steps one takes, it is easy for a child to get
familiar’ at homeschool. At such times, it may be difficult to
discipline the child and get him to listen to you attentively.
When this happens, switch to something new. Allow the child to
take a breather and enjoy a break yourself.

Homeschooling is not easy. It requires a lot of hard work and
patience. The very informality of the whole procedure sometimes
works against it by making it too easy. If you take steps to
establish rules at the very beginning and adhere to these rules,
your homeschooling experience will be a huge success.

If you need any help regarding homeschooling in India feel free to whats app us on 7014707103.

Social Development of kids while Home Schooling

When parents talk about home schooling their children, the most common concern is regarding socialization.  Parents are concerned that their children will not learn how to adapt to social situations.  Unless the home schooling parent decides to isolate their children completely from the outside world, this is impossible.  In fact, children who are home schooled have more interaction with people of all ages, not just their age group.  The average home schooled child attends more educational field trips during the year than the non home schooled child.  In addition, home schooled children have more opportunities for after school activities, such as music lessons, sports, and hobbies. 

Children who home school feel equally comfortable with younger children, peers, and adults of all ages.  Children who home school have daily social interactions with the family, neighborhood and the community.  Because of this, studies have shown that children who home school have higher self esteem.  Children who attend school do not experience real world situations, while home schoolers are definitely more prepared for the real world.

The type of socialization that is experienced in schools is often negative.  Large school settings harbor conformity, teasing, bullying, defiant behavior, popularity contests, and competition.  No wonder home schooled children have higher self esteem; children at home are learning kindness, patience, sharing, respect, and understanding.  These home schooled children are not exposed to peer influences which foster peer dependency.  Peer dependant children show diminished positive socialization, such as self-worth, confidence, reverence for their parents, and trust in peers.  Although home school children may play with other children in the neighborhood and experience this peer dependence, strong morals and values are being taught at home that override these negative experiences. 

Home schooled children learn to listen to their own instincts and let that guide them to make their own decisions.  Conforming to a peer social group that does not value individuality does not foster independent thinking, which is necessary for a successful life.

Social concerns of homeschooling

Social skills is an area of deep concern when it comes to
homeschooling. Many critics point out that since man needs to hone
his social skills, a homeschooling environment where social
interaction is limited is detrimental to his growth and
development. But studies have proved this wrong.

Children put into the fiercely competitive school environments
lack the confidence to hold a conversation. Such children show
little genuine interest in the topic of conversation and don’t
know how to interact with people of various age groups,
especially their elders.

Children who learn at home are more aware of the implications and
the purpose of their learning. They will ask intelligent questions
and make accurate observations. Children begin their life by
imitating their parents. Homeschooled children therefore pick
up the sterling qualities they see in their parents. On the other
hand, they are protected from the detrimental influences of their
peers.

These children are thus better equipped with the tools necessary
to face the world. The positive reinforcement that takes place
in the homeschooling environment as opposed to being abandoned,
embarrassed or ignored in a normal school environment strengthens
their self-esteem. Children turn out to be better balanced and
well-rounded as they progress into adulthood.

Home Schooling Parents: How To Be A Good Home School Teacher

Studies show that the training or degree of parents is not an important factor in the success of homeschooled children. More essential than a degree or a college diploma is your concern, commitment and eagerness to give your child the best kind of education that he/she deserve.

The fact that almost all homeschool parents are not professional teachers, they should select a curriculum that best suits the child’s learning style, capacity and needs and find ways to support that plan.

The qualities of an efficient and effective teacher vary; however, they should possess good character, display enthusiasm in teaching and have dedication to work with their students.

Here are some guidelines to help you become the best teacher for your child:

1. Choose the curriculum for your child well. Make certain that you recognize the goals defined by a certain curriculum.

Examine it to determine if the goals match those defined by your State as standard for each level, as well as if it matches your child’s learning style and capabilities.

2. Be prepared. Study the curriculum well so that you are well educated when you teach your child.
3. Determine your child’s learning style. It is only through proper determination of your child’s learning style that you can effectively teach him/her.

Note that there are children who learn well visually, so in this case, reading and videos can be a better teaching tool. Some are listeners, in such cases, music, reading to them out loud and humming for instance their mathematic tables can be a better method of teaching.

4. Be creative. Homeschool instruction doesn’t have to be a one way kind of teaching. Encourage your child to ask questions so you both can discuss the subject matter in a way that the child does not only listen and get information from you, but that your child is actively explaining and expressing his/her own opinion or views.
5. Be understanding. When you feel that your child is having difficulties on a certain subject, then give him/her time and give thorough guidance, by asking her what she finds difficult so you both can work up a plan as well as enough time to solve the problem. Understand that children are not robots who easily absorb information. Allow them to have their “shortcomings”.
6. Recognize that above all, you are a parent. Parents do what’s best for their children. Following your instinct as a mom, will make you the best teacher for your child. And it comes naturally!

If you need any help for home schooling feel free to whats app or call on 7014707103

Homeschooling for physically challenge kids in India

If you feel that your child suffers from a disability that
seriously hampers his ability to stick to a routine, then
homeschooling is your best choice. The child will be constantly
under your supervision. But he will be gaining a lot of quality
education, in spite of his disability. This is rather surprising,
considering how children with disabilities are stigmatized in
public schools.

Goal setting is an important part of homeschooling a child with
disability. Set the number of working hours per week for the
child. A child with a disability may have his bad days. Structure
the learning hours according to the needs and interests of the
child. Use the computer. This way, he will have all the
necessary information right at his fingertips while staying within
the confines of his home.

Field trips and other educational activities are just as
important. Get help from your support group. Visit places of
interest and interact with other children in the group. Take your
child out for some activities, so that he can socialize. Let him
set his own pace with making friends. This will help in
strengthening his self-esteem.

Above all, remember that homeschooling is just the same, even when
your child suffers from a disability. You will just need to look
for the right opportunities and the easiest alternatives to
achieve the same goals.

If you need any help regarding that feel free to contact us on 7014707103. Please do whats app.