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Statistics show that elementary home schooling is the ideal time
to start a home schooling program for a child. Children who enter
home schooling during the elementary years are the students that
tend to succeed the most. Throughout the course of their home schooling,
these children will reach the highest level of academics when compared
to the national average. Additionally, students who start young,
often find themselves three to four grade levels above that of their
public school peers.
On the other hand, high school home schooling can be extremely challenging.
By the time a child reaches this level of education, they may be
far too advanced in their educational needs to be taught by you.
If that is the case, it will be necessary to seek out various resources
that are available for home schooling. Online resources that provide
both curriculums, and textbooks are available, which will allow
a child to learn through the web. Classes can be held in a virtual
classroom, students can use a web cam to participate, or they can
be simply assessing lecture-based courses online as well.
Before considering a home school option, it is important to insure
that the child's current education is tested. This can be done right
online through a series of tests. The tests will access the knowledge
of a child, their weaknesses as well as strengths. This can then
be used to help choose the right method and curriculum for a child's
needs.
There are many curriculums available for home schooling, and they
can focus on the specific needs of the child. In the elementary
levels, there is a wide range of course work. While it may be necessary
to choose a program that fits with your state's regulations, programs
that are suited to what a child wants to learn should be considered
as well. For many, this includes specific studies such as languages
or Christian home schooling. It is important to take the time to
choose the right home schooling package for you, and your child.
This will allow you to learn more about the program, and to insure
you know what is included as well as which methods are used for
teaching it.
There are disadvantages of home schooling that must be considered.
Many parents feel that the purchase of home schooling materials
is too expensive. In some cases, the local or state government will
help fund the home schooling, though this is not so in all areas.
Some feel that the home-schooled child is not getting the social
experience that they need to learn to work with other children and
to then use later in life. While this is true to a certain level,
it can be overcome by encouraging the child to play a sport or to
be involved in community activity. Further, home school parents
may end up feeling that they are not educated enough to teach their
child. This apprehension is unfounded; there is a wide range of
teacher resources to tap into, as well as forums. Besides, parents
teach their children how to eat, behave, go to bed, it is an instinctive
behavior.
Home schooling is an excellent bonding time for you and your child
to share learning experiences together. The cons of home schooling
do not outweigh the plusses. Elementary is the best time to get
started with your child in the home schooling environment. They
can reap the rewards of being at home with you, by working on a
program designed for their needs and at the pace that they need,
and they can find the value of all that home schooling can offer.
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