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School Funding:
More on Homeschooling
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When it comes to having children, one very important issue will be the decision on how your child will be educated. You will have many options to consider such as public funded schools, private schools, charter schools, and home school. Many parents don’t give homeschooling any thought, but there are many benefits to homeschooling that you should consider.
When your child goes to school it is normally 20 or more students to one teacher, at least in public schools. In some areas it can be up to 30 students for each teacher. This means that children get very little of the teacher’s undivided attention. Homeschooled children typically get one-on-one time and this helps them to learn for efficiently and retain what they learn.
Learning at the pace the child is ready to learn at is important. When it is just you and a couple of children you are able to take the time to let them learn things according to their own schedule and skills. Children all have different strengths and learning styles and don’t understand the same things at the same time. In public school there isn’t time to let the kids learn at their own pace, that’s why they get so much homework. Homeschooled children need not made to meet these unrealistic expectations.
Each child learns things a different way. Many teachers only teach one way. Some children are visual learners, some learn by listening, and some learn by doing. Some teachers only teach one way though, which leaves the rest of the kids out. One of these kids might be yours…
Homeschooling also allows for more life skills training. This is one of the best parts of homeschooling in fact. You see 18 year olds coming out of high school that have no practical life skills that will help them get a job. They usually feel they need to jump right into secondary education instead. Can they budget money for their new apartment, balance a checkbook, or fix things that break around the house? Many times the answer is no. For the last 16 years they have been too busy learning how to do algebra, trigonometry, and learning definitions of huge words they will never use. Homeschooling can allow you to teach your child more practical things they can actually utilize later in life. You can teach them about saving, investing and paying bills. You can teach them about how fix things around their home, like the car, the toilet and electronics or computers. Homeschooling can give them the advantage they need.
The absolute best thing about homeschooling though is the fact you get to spend so much time with your children. No teacher will enjoy your child as much as you, nor will they enjoy watching your child learn as much as you.
No parent ever says “I wish I hadn’t home schooled and spent that much time with my kids” Think about it, in the end what are going to say? Consider homeschooling, you won’t regret it.
Inspiring Your Kids to Be Creative
Kids are often happy to do arts and crafts when the opportunity is presented to them. But given a choice, 
they often sit in front of the television or play video games. And even if we as parents do our best to organize creative activities, we often do not have as much time to spend crafting with our kids as we would like.
If you can get your kids to be creative on their own, that means less time spent on unproductive activities such as watching TV. But how does a parent go about that? Here are some thoughts on the subject:
* Make sure your kids see you doing the crafts you love. Answer their questions, show them how to do things, and let them give it a try if possible. If they’re interested in what you’re doing, there’s a better chance that they’ll eventually give it a try on their own.
* Get them craft kits for birthdays and holidays. If you can, get a kit that makes something they are already interested in. For example, if your daughter loves jewelry, buy her a jewelry making kit.
* Keep general craft supplies around the house. You never know when your child might get a wonderful creative idea, but if you’re always prepared, he will be able to act on it when he does.
* When your child makes something for you, display it with pride. Hang her paintings on the refrigerator, keep the paperweight she gave you for your birthday front and center on your desk, and wear that macaroni necklace. If you can’t bring yourself to wear it out of the house, at least hang it from your rear view mirror.
* Drop hints. Say things like, “I really loved that painting you did for the living room. It would be nice to have another one for my office.” This will boost your child’s confidence and encourage more creativity.
* Make stuff for your kids. They will feel special because you created something just for them, and more often than not, they will reciprocate.
* When a friend or family member has a birthday coming up, suggest that your child make the recipient something instead of buying a gift. Offer guidance if he asks, but otherwise, let him come up with his own ideas.
With the distractions of video games and other pastimes that do nothing to encourage independent thinking, getting your child to be creative on his own might seem impossible. But by limiting these distractions and making sure our children have the self-confidence and resources they need to create, we will often see an increased desire to do just that. And if they are creative when they are young, they will usually carry that with them into adulthood.
Related Links: Young at Art book review and Eco Art Supplies
The Benefits of Homeschooling
When many parents consider homeschooling their children they often think the longest about all of the challenges that would face them as homeschooling parents. Often times the hardships, perceived and real, dwarf the benefits. Parents wonder how they will find the time to homeschool. They may doubt their ability to be a good teacher or instructor. Lack of socialization and structure may also be a concern.
What about the benefits though? Are they receiving the same consideration or do they get trumped by all of the potential hardships and problems? What are some of the benefits? Here are few things to consider:
Homeschoolers Can Work at Their Own Pace
The public schooling system is often times criticized for its failure to consider the individual needs and learning styles of each child. In classes with 20 or more students it is impossible for children to get the one on one attention they may need and it is easy for a child to be labeled as “slow” or learning disabled because they appear to be behind their peers academically. The problem with this thinking this that it does not consider the very real possibility that they are simply learning and working at their own normal pace and development. When one standard of excellence is forced upon all children then inevitably some children will fall behind and be made to feel inadequate. Homeschooling can be incredibly liberating for you and for your child when they are allowed to grow and learn on their own terms and at their own unique pace. The one on one time you spend with your child may be just what he or she needs more than anything else.
Homeschooling Is Not Constrictive
Parents of publicly schooled children are all too familiar with pressure. Their lives are dictated by alarm clocks, bus schedules, lunch money, school activities, teacher’s conferences, homework, and bedtimes just to name a few. It may seem that public school is the easiest option for a busy parent but when all of the demands placed upon parents by the public schooling schedule are considered it starts to look more like a burden than a benefit. Homeschooling can be done on any schedule that works for your family.
Homeschooling Allows Parents to Teach Family Values
Parents of publicly schooled children will often be the first to tell you about how the issues that face young children in schools today are of great concern. Children are exposed to foul language, drugs, smoking, illegal activities, and sex just to name a few. Most parents would probably consider this peer top peer education to be inappropriate and lacking. Parents that homeschool are in the unique positioned to be the able to teach their children about these issues on their own terms and at the appropriate time without too much outside influence counteracting their instruction.
Homeschooling Can Increase Socialization for the Whole Family
The availability of homeschooling playgroups and support groups and other homeschooling activities such as travels to museums and historical areas of interest provide opportunities for socialization for everyone. More and more homeschooling parents are realizing that they don’t need to stay home and assist their child with workbook drills. They can take their children out of the home and benefit from real life experiences, meeting to new people, and seeing new things and places. The whole family benefits when learning is expanded in this way.
When considering homeschooling for your child it is easy to dwell on the hardships that may be presented by this choice but don’t forget that there are a lot of benefits too.
Easy Homeschooling Techniques
I just finished reading Easy Homeschooling Techniques by Lorraine Curry. I wasn’t so sure I would like this book after reading the first few pages where it had lists of what to teach boys and what to teach girls. On the girls page one of the lessons for girls was this: To exercise a quiet reserve in the presence of boys and men.
Then it went on to mention a whole of bunch homemaking tasks. I almost quit reading…blah…a quiet reserve in the presence of men. Frankly I will feel a failure if my daughter picks up something so demeaning.
Buy anywhoo I kept reading and the book is actually quite good albeit very religious in nature. I skimmed over much of the religious instruction information. I did like her recommended curriculum ideas for all the grades, the resources she mentioned and her instructions for making homeschooling easier and less stressful. Curry really does make you quit over analyzing stuff and when you do that you see how easy the process can be.
I would recommend this book even though I did disagree with some of her ideas.
Easy Homeschooling Techniques (General Edition): The Real How-To Guide
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