Common Questions About Homeschooling
In my years of homeschooling, I’ve noticed that the same questions pop up again and again. These are the most common questions asked by people considering homeschooling.
#1 – Is it legal?
The answer to this question depends on where you live. Homeschooling is legal in the U.S. and other countries. However, some countries do not allow homeschooling. The easiest way to find out if it’s legal where you live is to do a web search for homeschool laws in your area. Even though it’s legal in all 50 U.S. states, each state has its own laws for homeschooling. So, you still need to look up your state to find out exactly what the law requires of you.
#2 – How much does it cost?
There is no definite answer for this question. Homeschooling costs as much as you are willing and able to spend on it. It will depend on what materials you choose to use. It’s possible to homeschool for $100 or less per child per year. It could also cost up to thousands of dollars per child per year. There’s a myriad of free online resources, especially for the lower grades. All those cost you is the price of paper & ink. Your local public library is another great free resource. You can borrow books, software, CDs, and educational DVDs. Some public libraries have large collections of workbooks, books on homeschooling, and non-consumable curricula (i.e. Mystery of History, Five in a Row, etc.). You can save some money by purchasing curriculum used (when possible), shopping the sales, and comparing prices at different stores. Consider memberships to museums you plan to visit often. We have a membership to a local Science museum. As long as we go at least three times a year, we’re saving money by being members. Plus, it also gets us discounts in the gift shop and free admission to many other museums. Some stores (Barnes & Noble, Borders, Staples, teacher supply stores, etc.) offer teacher programs (discounts or reward programs) which homeschoolers qualify for. Some of them may require proof that you are a homeschooler.
#3 – Am I qualified?
Unless you live in an area where the law requires parents to have teacher certification to homeschool, yes you are. There are so many materials available to us. There are programs that come with lesson plans, teacher editions, and/or answer keys. There are online schools and tutoring programs that have certified teachers on staff. There are plenty of ways for us to cover the classes that would otherwise be difficult for us to teach. Since you probably don’t have 20 – 30 children, you don’t need to take courses on classroom management. Also, most public school teachers don’t have a degree in the subject(s) they teach. So, don’t feel that your kids can’t learn a subject just because you don’t have extensive education in that subject. There are plenty of ways to for your children to study without you being an expert in all subjects.
#4 – How many hours per day or days per year should we do school?
This is another question that has no set answer. Some states require you to have a certain number of days or hours per year. Some states require a certain number of hours per day. If you live in one of these states, you have to have at least the required number of hours or days, though you can do more. If your area has no requirements for hours or days, then it is really up to you. Generally speaking, the lower grades will need less time per day than the higher grades. It will also depend on what you’re considering to be part of ‘school time.’ Some people only count sit down work. Others count everything they do related to the topics they’re studying. So, they count educational shows, educational computer programs, educational games, nature hikes, time spent on research and long term projects, etc. as part of school. Another deciding factor will be how many subjects you do each day. Some people do some classes only a few times a week (or only one day a week), instead of doing every subject every day. It will also depend on how fast your children do their work. Some kids can get through a Math lesson in 20 min, while another child may take 2 hours to do that same lesson. Unless you’re required to track days and/or hours, your best bet would be to plan for how much work you want done in each subject each day, instead of how much time to spend on each subject each day.
#5 – What do I need to homeschool?
The specifics will be different for each family, but here are the basics everyone needs to homeschool.
1) You need to follow your local homeschooling laws.
2) You need some form of curriculum. Curriculum does not mean a pre-packaged, all-in-one curriculum. Curriculum is simply the materials you use to educate the child. It could be textbooks, workbooks, hands-on projects, library books, materials you create, Notebooking Pages, computer programs, nature walks, games, etc. Whatever you use to educate your child is your curriculum.
3) You need the determination to make it through the rough patches.
4) You need patience to deal with all the day will throw at you.
5) You need research skills to look up answers to your child’s questions, find materials, find directions for projects & experiments, find field trip opportunities, etc.
6) You need a desire to do what is best for your child (all good parents have this whether or not they homeschool).
7) You need the courage to break away from the “norm” and go your own way.
8) You need support. This may be from family, friends, a local homeschool group, an online homeschool group or message board, etc.
#6 – Aren’t all homeschoolers religious?
Nope. While many homeschoolers are religious, there are also many who aren’t. Some are religious, but don’t homeschool for religious reasons. Homeschoolers are a very diverse group. We come from different religions, cultures, races, financial backgrounds, etc. Some have two parents; some have one. Just like everyone else, we have our similarities & our differences. We are not all the same. No two homeschooling households look exactly alike.
#7 – What about socialization?
Simply put, it is a myth that homeschooling means sheltered kids with no social skills. There are many opportunities for homeschooled children to socialize. They can be in sports, band, choir, theater, 4-H, scouts, outside classes, homeschool groups, co-ops, etc. They can play with the neighborhood kids, go to the park, have play-dates, and more. How much socialization you plan for (and what kind) will depend on your family’s needs & situation. For a more detailed look at homeschool socialization read this article.
#8 – Can homeschooled kids go to college?
Yes. Many colleges accept homeschooled students. Visit the websites or contact the admissions offices of potential colleges to find out exactly what records they want from homeschoolers. Typically, you’ll want a High School transcript, which you can make yourself or find free templates online. You’ll also want to have scores from tests such as the ACT or SAT, if your child took them. Records from outside High School level classes, dual-credit classes, AP classes, community service, and extra-curriculars are other things you may need/want.
#9 – What does a typical day look like?
This is yet another question with no definite answer. There is no such thing as a “typical day” when talking about homeschooling in general. Some families go by the public school calendar, taking off the same days the public schools do. Some school year-round, taking time off for holidays & short breaks whenever needed. Some people start school right after breakfast, while others wait until after lunch. Some do school for 2 hours, while others do school for 6 hours. Some families have strict schedules while others have very flexible schedules or no schedule at all. Each family has to decide what works best for them.
#10 – What subjects should I teach?
There are really two answers to this.
1) Make sure to cover the subjects your local homeschool laws require.
2) In addition to the required subjects, cover the subjects you feel are important. If your child is working toward college, look up the requirements for different colleges. If your child knows what career they want after school, cover subjects important for that career. Include areas of study that you feel are important to their future. Include areas of study that are of interest to your child. As long as you do the subjects your local laws require, any & all other subjects are up to you.
Here are some subjects you may want to include in your child’s studies:
Math – in addition to the general Math in elementary school & Jr. High, there’s also Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Trigonometry, Accounting, Consumer Math
Science – in addition to the general Science in elementary & Jr. High, there’s Earth & Space Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy & Physiology, Computer Science, Health
Language Arts – this includes Reading, Writing, Spelling, and Vocabulary. You can also do specific courses such as Journalism, Creative Writing, Speech, Debate
Social Studies – this includes History, Geography and Cultural Studies. Government & Economics are generally required in High School. Community, Holidays and Citizenship are also part of this area of study.
Art – this could be Art History, Art Appreciation, or learning how to do different types of Art (photography, painting, mosaics, origami, etc.)
Music – this could be Music Theory, Music History, Music Appreciation, learning an instrument, singing lessons
Drama
Foreign Language – Latin, Spanish, Chinese, Sign Language, French, German, Italian, etc.
Religion – this could be regular study of your family’s religion or a comparative study of Religions of the World
Logic
Home Ec./Life Skills – this could include cooking/baking, child care & development, sewing, quilting, car maintenance, basic home repair, personal finances, woodworking, cleaning, organizational skills
P.E. or Sports
These are just ideas; don’t feel you need to have your child study everything. Cover what the law requires, then add other subjects/topics according to your child’s plans & interests.
