Delving into the world of homeschooling can be a daunting prospect. You want to be successful, but what does that look like? Every family is different, and what works for one may not necessarily work for another. That being said, there are some universal qualities that can be found among high quality programs that are important to keep in mind as you design your family’s homeschool.
The first and most important quality that your program needs to have is to be goal driven. What skills do you want your children to have mastered by the time they graduate high school? What skills do you want your six year old to master? Character goals matter, as well. Consider who you want your child to be. Daily tasks and unexpected events in life can make us lose sight of our goals. The years of childhood can seem vast when you are starting out. Make sure you are navigating toward a point, and not letting the waves of life cause you to drift aimlessly.
Discipline follows as a necessity for homeschool quality and success. As in discipline to press on, keep a schedule, and help your children to learn and grow even on the days when they are fighting school. Growth is tough, be it emotional or intellectual, and it rarely comes without occasional struggles. While schooling should by no means be tortuous or miserable, there will be days when your child is frustrated and when you are tempted to put it off till another day. You can do this, and so can they.
While it seems counter to the prior value, the next is to be flexible. Flexibility and discipline can go hand in hand. There will be days when you just aren’t up for the battle, or when your kids are worn out and struggling. It is ok to take a break. Let yourself and your kids have the occasional day when the pressures to work and grow fall away. Enjoy each other, and let your bodies and minds rest. With good discipline and tangible goals, these days can be taken in moderation, and will serve to enhance progress, not inhibit.
Creativity is a must when homeschooling. After all, the freedom to take charge is part of why you chose this path. Don’t be intimidated if innovative ideas do not simply pop into your head on a regular basis. There are homeschool coops, online curriculum, and a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips thanks to the internet from which to draw support and inspiration. Schedule regular, perhaps monthly, “planning days” for yourself, and make a point of getting input from your kids. They will be more enthusiastic about school if they have special things to look forward to that they have helped plan.
Finally, the best homeschool programs are ones that reach out to others around them, to offer and ask for support. You will feel overwhelmed if you isolate yourself. Coops are a great way to participate in a like-minded community, let your children build relationships with their peers, and to brainstorm with other parents dealing with the same struggles. This world is not our home, and it can be a battle ground. Make sure you aren’t trying to go it alone.
While these suggestions may sound simple, it is surprisingly easy to lose sight of core principles when dealing with the chaos that can sometimes be raising a family. Chart a course, reach out to others, and remember why you began this journey in the first place.
Mimi Rothschild is a veteran homeschooling mother of 8, writer of a series of books called Cyberspace for Kids, and passionate advocate for children and education that is truly worthy of them. In 2001, Mimi and her late husband founded Learning By Grace, a leading provider of online Christian homeschooling Academies.