Homeschooling is parent-led home education and is an age-old traditional educational practice.

In homeschooling, the parents or other tutors teach children at home itself.

But now, because of COVID-19, there has been a “significant” increase in the number of students who have joined homeschooling.

Many parents have pulled their children out of schools entirely and are opting to keep them at home or looking for options that offer more in-person instruction” as public schools shift to remote or hybrid learning.

Needs of Home Schooling 

• Parents needed to homeschool because they could not find a way to make our virtual plan work or were afraid their child could not handle wearing a mask all day; most of these children are elementary school-age students.
• Elementary students started falling behind and falling asleep during online classes.
• Children have started having eye problems and headaches due to continuous online classes.
• In homeschooling, you are looking at the progress of a single child and providing more attention than schools where focused attention is difficult.
• You can focus your teaching as per the individual capability of each child.
• Grandparents and family friends can teach through activities like storytime and craft sessions etc.

Tips for better Home Schooling

Do a research

Before making a decision, research homeschooling, read books, talk to people who already homeschool, and join a homeschooling organization.

Choosing a better homeschooling curriculum

Choose a curriculum for your child based on the syllabus of the grades they are studying. Also, participate in state conventions and curriculum fairs held several times each year from which parents will get homeschooling publications and products.

Availability of free online resources

Check the online resources as per your child’s understanding and preferences.

Kindly note that if you are dependent on online resources like downloaded pdf and lesson plans, it could be overwhelming, especially if you are working from home.

Prioritize your kids’ most significant interest or passion

Homeschooling helps children to focus on their interests like cooking without fire, drawing, painting, etc. There is no need for more parent intervention. If they master a new skill or concept, encourage them to do it in a creative way

Set up a good learning environment and routine

Having a timetable with predictable breaks can help students manage their time and attention.

Children should learn time management skills for their future life.

Allocate a place

Choose a place for schoolwork, whether at a desk or a particular seat at the kitchen table.

Teach them lifelong skills

Academic skills are essential, but lifelong skills are more critical. Encourage children to do for themselves rather than trying to do it all for them. Homeschooling should focus on quality time instead of giving them more academic burdens.

Let them discover boredom and play

Parents should give them gaps in the day. Let them decide what they want to do. Two or four hours of homeschooling is enough. Physical activities like football, karate, and badminton are vital because they relieve stress and increase the productivity of children.

Parents are not superhumans

Give yourself breaks and time to spend with your children

Accept that every day will not be the same

We should understand that on some day’s children will not be attentive and will not be willing to learn, we as a parent should accept this and not burden them.

Join in a homeschooling group

Joining a group is another crucial step of homeschooling from which parents get essential guidance, support and help to understand the rules and regulations for homeschooling in your country.

Benefits to Parents

Provides an opportunity to pass on Values & Beliefs

Homeschooling offers an excellent opportunity to pass on good values & beliefs you have gained over a period to your children.

Protect your wards from the negativity of the society

Since your child is not getting more opportunities to interact with other children and society with negativity, they are less likely to get bad influences.

Helps in conveying your self-earned tricks and shortcuts

It will be easier and more effective to teach them the tricks, shortcuts, & traits you have learned or acquired at home.

Help in making parents aware of their children’s hidden talents

It also helps to initiates a discussion between parents and kids where the parents can also learn from children

Trends in homeschooling during this pandemic

• More families are using online resources & education opportunities nowadays. The access has increased to online searches has also increased.
• More parents of special needs children are homeschooling.
• Colleges and universities are becoming more homeschool-friendly

Most institutions have improved their admissions policy to include homeschoolers and loosened requirements for accredited transcripts

• Private schools are more expensive because these parents prefer homeschooling.
• During this pandemic situation, more parents are working from home and they prefer homeschooling.

Conclusion

You cannot recreate school in one day, so start small. We must prepare our new generation with globally marketable skills.

There is no reputable statistical evidence that homeschooling parents’ educational level directly affects their children’s educational outcomes. Still, since we always want the best for our children, we will always pass on the good deeds to them.