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Homeschooling Help
Can I really homeschool my child?   Am I capable?  Is my child patient enough? These pose critical questions that can often deter a potential homeschooling parent from even attempting this seemingly "daunting" task. Take your advice from fellow homeschoolers..."Don't be too hard on yourself, it is really a lot easier than you think."
There are several approaches you can take to make the homeschool process easier: Find your area of expertise, as a teacher... What expertise?  Creating an ideal learning situation means a couple of things.   First, are you teaching the appropriate curriculum to your homeschooler(s) in a way that is constant with educational standards and second, is it working?  These two may sound similar in point, but can be entirely different.  Part of the beauty of homeschooling is being able to mold your child's curriculum into what you want it to be (i.e. faith-based).  But, an unspoken benefit is being able to mold your teaching style to fit your child's specific needs.  Use this to your advantage.  Seek the method that you find is best for getting your student excited about learning, then go with it! Stay prepared - at all times! Choosing to homeschool is a great responsibility and although you may not have a Ph.D., you should be disciplined enough to plan and follow through.  Teaching involves more than just tossing a new workbook in front of your child every few weeks.  Presenting the material in an exciting and fresh manner can make or break the experience.  What does this mean for you?  Most importantly - be prepared.  Take a few minutes each day to go over the new material you will be presenting the next day.  If you don't have a curriculum guide that gives you options for interaction, come up with a few ideas of your own.  Be sure to ask questions after covering a topic to insure understanding.  Don't take anything for granted...kids are great at professing to "know" it all when they just want to be finished so that they can go to the pool or watch their favorite program. Fit small time allowances into your schooling session to allow your child time to relax. Distributed Learning is a great technique which incorporates one hour of study and practice to 30 minutes of "down-time".  For smaller children this translates into about four 10-15 minutes segments sprinkled throughout the day.   Experts have found that your brain continues to process and retain information better when periods of learning activity are followed with "free time".   Our brains are somewhat like a computer, we need time to hash through information after being feed with raw data.  Our body has different "channels" through which this input is received.   Eyes, ears, mouth and hands are all receptacles for gathering knowledge. If we as parents and teachers acknowledge this process, we can better formulate the cirrocumuli to suit that particular child.  Rotating these predefined input receptors can lead to increased stimulation. What students can do to use multiple learning "channels":      * read a book out-loud instead of silently      * type study guides instead of highlighting in the book      * record vocabulary words and definitions onto an audio tape so you can listen anytime      * create flashcards for quizzing How can educational computer software fit into my homeschool schedule? Using computers with homeschooling can make the day much more enjoyable for your student(s).       * offer computer time as a reward when other tasks are accomplished      * set a timer for a few minutes at a time (this works out great for rotating to different stations or for more than one child.)      * use software as a way to break-up your schedule or transition between lessons      * start out with 2-3 titles as not to overwhelm Parents, be sure to sit down alone at the computer and get acquainted with the new software before presenting it.  Then, if they need assistance, you will already be familiar with the product and look like an expert. You will find that you really don't have to be highly qualified to teach your children.   Just be prepared in each subject area before you teach them because great students are sure to have lots of questions!  Stay a step ahead of the game and your child will blossom.
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