Getting Started with Homeschooling
Practical Considerations for Parents of School-Aged Children
© Beverley Paine
Index
Homeschool
Australia
Using Resources Designed for Schools
Many parents visit educational suppliers at this stage of developing their programs, and consider purchasing workbooks that often include blank spaces for the children to write or draw in. A major disadvantage of using this type of activity is that these texts have been written specifically for classroom situations, often as 'time-savers' for teachers, and seldom offer the excellence an individualized home learning program can. However, 'graded' workbooks are often a useful starting point for many home schooling situations and purchasing one or two different levels is a reasonably inexpensive exercise, and they can always be passed on or thrown out if not used in the future.
Purchasing whole curriculums or materials suitable for a while year of work can be very costly and may not suit the child down the track. It is best to wait and gauge your child's learning preferences and styles before committing yourself to large, one off, expenses.
The National Curriculum Guidelines, state or private school curriculum guides can also be a guide to what can be included in your learning program. These should be available for borrowing from a near-by school or TAFE college library. If a particular curriculum is compulsory in your state ask for a free copy from your local educational authority, or arrange for an extended loan. In large libraries you will find many books outlining educational programs, especially for early childhood. These will give you an idea of the kinds of activities that are used in schools.
Visiting educational text suppliers can be overwhelming, and the content of material displayed rarely applicable to most home learning situations. However, families starting out generally find some comfort in continuing with using school-like methods for a few months, and there these places can sometimes help in determining your child's level.
Some educational facilities offer testing to determine the educational level of your child. Most charge a fee and some supply learning material, either in the form of a course or selection of books. Remember that learning is a lot more than working from books, and carefully investigate the worth of such testing services before committing yourself.
Most importantly follow your instincts. Your close and intimate relationship with your children will supply you with enough information to get started. Always begin at the centre - with the child at the centre of the learning program. Look at his or her needs, stemming first from the developmental stage he or she is progressing through, then at his or her interests, hobbies and passions. Add to that your own needs with respect to his or her education, your own expectations and finally the needs of the family. From this centered position you can then include other external factors, such as what the child was doing recently in school, what level of understanding, knowledge and ability he or she had achieved, and the direction you all want his or her future learning to take.
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Excerpt from Getting Started with Homeschooling, Practical Considerations
© Beverley Paine, 1997
