Homeschooling,
Like Lessons, Requires Careful Planning
Every
day countless families wrestle with whether to homeschool. When
making this important decision for your family, consider the following
factors.
Homeschooling takes from 2.5 to 5 hours a day. Successful homeschooling
families structure their days around their lessons. By creating
a “schoolroom” within the home, families often quickly establish
an atmosphere for learning.
Additionally, homeschooling families find that educational opportunities
abound in everyday life—such as using math skills while shopping.
Still, these families enjoy the freedom to pursue other interests,
including travel, performance and athletics.
Home teachers come from all walks of life and education levels.
A curriculum prepared specifically for homeschoolers with detailed
lesson plans, incorporating activities, assignments and discussion
questions, helps make sure families teach the right lessons in
the best sequence.
Finding appropriate textbooks, workbooks and other materials can
be time consuming and complicated. Although some families gather
their own lessons, many families opt for a complete curriculum
to ensure there are no gaps in their children’s instruction. Relying
on education professionals to find the best educational materials
and guide home instruction maximizes teaching time–and gives families
the peace of mind that comes when their children excel.
Selecting the right curriculum is critical. Completing a pre-enrollment
assessment and working closely with a curriculum provider’s educational
experts for suggestions on accelerated or remedial work help guarantee
a child’s success in homeschooling.
Homeschooling is legal throughout the U.S., although state regulations
differ. Contact the Home School Legal Defense Association at www.hslda.org
or call them at 540-338-5600 to learn more about the state homeschooling
laws.
And homeschooling has proven benefits. A recent Fraser Institute
study found that educating a public school student costs about
$5,325 per year, with the average student scoring in the 50th
percentile on standardized tests. The same study found that children
schooled at home cost $549 each per year and scored on average
in the 85th percentile nationally.#
Education
Update, Inc., P.O. Box 20005, New York, NY 10001.
Tel: (212) 481-5519. Fax: (212) 481-3919.Email: ednews1@aol.com.
All material is copyrighted and may not be printed without express
consent of the publisher. © 2002.
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