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Easing the Home Schooling Load
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If taking your child out of a conventional school, keep a number of things in mind.
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by Vicki Lewis
Easing the Load
Are you starting home schooling by taking your child out of a conventional school? Realize that this will require more adjustment time for both student and teacher. Allow three to nine months for this adjustment. You may need to focus on family, faith and character before hitting the academics. Establishing your authority as the parent-teacher, develop a good working relationship together, learn to be punctual when there are no bells that signal class changes, and find ways to include a younger child while you work with an older child.
Remember the freedoms you have that conventional school teachers do not have. Individualize the academics to meet your child's needs. The tutorial method of teaching is one of the factors making home schooling so successful!
You may need to ease slowly into a full schedule. Begin with a few subjects. When you think that you have these areas up and running, add a couple more.
Your child's joy for learning may have been quenched from conventional schooling. If so, determine to restore a love for life-long learning by modeling your own enthusiasm for what you are doing. Your enthusiasm will be contagious!
Your Child's Academic Level
For each subject area, decide if your child is on grade level, below grade level, or above grade level. You have the flexibility to design a curriculum that is individualized for your child. You have the flexibility to put your child in a second-grade reading book, a third-grade math book and a first-grade speller.
Much has been written and published determining what to cover at each academic grade level. The following are very general, but is a good overview of expectations:
Preschool
Develop the character qualities of attentiveness, obedience, and discipline.
Using 4" x 6" blank index cards, write down all activities that are available in your home for this child. For example, baking a cake with Mama, riding the tricycle, playing catch, singing songs together, taking a nature walk, drawing with chalk, playing in water at the sink, listening to story tapes. Choose five or six cards from the stack you have made. Allow your child to select and do the stated activity one at a time.
Let your child be a child. Do not expect too much too soon. Explore and discover God's world through play and recreation.
Read aloud together as much as possible.
Kindergarten
Check your state compulsory attendance laws to determine if kindergarten is mandatory or voluntary.
If your child is interested, begin a basic phonics program. Add some fun math.
If your child is not interested, wait. Work on faith, character and exploring the world.
Have your child work alongside you as much as possible.
Read togetherboth fiction and non-fiction.
First Grade
Emphasize faith and character.
Incorporate language arts and math skills. Language arts include spelling, reading, writing, handwriting, alphabetical order and dictionary skills. Math skills involve computation, time, calendars, seasons, money and measurements.
For science and history, use library books. Take advantage of exploratory field trips like going to the zoo or the park.
Keep readingboth alone and together.
Elementary Grades (2nd through 5th grades)
Begin devotional times of Bible reading and prayer.
Continue individualized language arts and math studies.
Emphasize science and history using library resources and unit studies. Study history chronologically and together as a family.
It is not too early to start computer keyboarding skills.
Read, read and read some more!
Junior High (7th and 8th grades) OR Middle School (6th through 8th grade)
Encourage personal devotions and study.
Take time to try to fill learning "gaps" (what your child should know but does not) or move ahead.
Try not to overwhelm or under-challenge your child.
Teach study skills and test-taking skills.
Continue grammar and writing.
Begin learning about high school record keeping.
Continue reading alone and together.
Senior High (9th through 12th grades)
Continue developing faith and character.
Teach basic life skills: budgeting, writing checks, nutritional eating, changing the oil in the car and answering the telephone politely.
Your student can help determine his or her own program and can handle more self-directed instruction.
Add driver's education and work skills.
Plan for college and/or career placement.
If college-bound, plan to take the SAT and/or the ACT
Copyright © 1999-2007 Focus on the Family - www.family.org
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