| Get Started: Answer the Right Question!
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| | about how to get started homeschooling.
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| You've made the big decision to
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| | Next, figure out when your child's peak
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| homeschool but there seem to be so many
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| | learning times are. I have a daughter who
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| questions that need answered. What style
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| | is a real night-owl and whose most alert
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| will work best for us? Do we use a
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| | and creative periods are between 11PM and
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| curriculum? What about assessments? What
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| | 2AM. It isn't always possible that she
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| do we do if our child doesn't want to do
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| | can work at that time, but that's what
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| what we think is best? How do we decide
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| | she prefers and when she does her best
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| what is best? It goes on an on, and each
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| | work. Consequently, she is often a late
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| answer just seems to bring on its own set
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| | riser so we plan accordingly.
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| of new questions.
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| | Finally, you will need to discover what
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| Before you begin to answer any of those
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| | attracts and motivates your child. What
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| "how to" questions, sit down in a quiet
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| | are her interests? What kinds of learning
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| place and ask yourself one simple
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| | experiences draw her in? Children learn
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| question: "What do I believe it means to
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| | because there is something that attracts
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| learn?" Take some time to really reflect
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| | them, that draws them into the learning
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| on what learning means to you. You may
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| | experience, and then motivates them to
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| believe that it is a set of facts to be
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| | become involved.
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| memorized and then recited back and
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| | Plans For Success Once you have collected
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| tested. Or maybe it is a joyous
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| | enough information about how your child
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| exploration where the journey toward
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| | learns best you can begin to create a
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| mastery is its own reward. Most likely,
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| | learning environment that will make
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| if you are like most of us, it is
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| | learning a joy.
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| something in between.
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| | First, help your child learn things he is
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| Think about a time you learned something
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| | interested in. You will have a more
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| you were really motivated to tackle: how
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| | interested and involved learner once you
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| you went about it, what motivated you,
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| | recognize that, regardless of what you
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| what resources you used, what kind of
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| | want, your child is the one who
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| environment you worked in, what level of
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| | ultimately decides what he is going to
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| expertise you had before you began. You
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| | learn. Most skills we think of as "basic"
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| chose the subject, you chose the
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| | can be learned through a variety of
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| resources (maybe with some help), you
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| | learning experiences. Math can be learned
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| figured out what level of help you needed
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| | through construction or sewing projects
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| and you worked on it until you were
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| | and in the kitchen. Reading can be
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| satisfied that you had mastered it
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| | learned by being read to, by reading
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| satisfactorily.
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| | computer game hints and through tackling
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| We all learn in much the same way.
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| | serial thrillers. Writing can be learned
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| Something motivates us to want to learn a
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| | by having online penpals, by writing book
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| particular thing. We choose materials we
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| | or software reviews, or by writing a
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| can understand but that aren't too hard
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| | family newsletter. Skills will develop
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| or too simple. We use resources that make
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| | when the content of the learning reaches
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| learning easiest for us - books, videos,
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| | out and grabs a child with such intensity
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| tapes or perhaps an expert. We work until
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| | that they must learn these skills in
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| we have mastered the activity, and we
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| | order to continue learning about the
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| know at the end whether or not we've
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| | subject at hand.
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| learned it well enough.
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| | Second, have resources available that are
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| Motivation, resources and assessment.
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| | at, or just slightly above, your child's
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| These are all tied together to make up a
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| | current ability level. Forget about
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| successful learning experience. Our
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| | grade-level.
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| children use exactly the same process for
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| | It is an outdated and unhelpful notion
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| learning as we do. Although each child
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| | for homeschooling. If you know what your
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| begins with a knowledge bank that is his
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| | child already knows you will be able to
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| or her own and may have a unique learning
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| | help her find resources and experiences
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| style and ability levels, creating a
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| | that will allow her to succeed as she
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| creative and supportive environment for
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| | continues to gain knowledge and skills.
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| that learning to take place in couldn't
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| | She will build on all the things she
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| be simpler.
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| | already knows and, if you help her out,
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| Become An Observant "Watcher" Creating
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| | she will be able to work above her
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| this environment starts with knowing how
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| | current ability level and stretch to new
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| your child learns, her ability levels,
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| | heights.
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| and what motivates her.
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| | Third, keep a journal as an assessment
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| These are the essential pieces to the
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| | tool. Write regularly about what your
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| "beginning to homeschool" puzzle. With
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| | child is doing and learning. At some
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| this in mind, it is probably becoming
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| | point you will probably panic because you
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| clear that a "one-size-fits-all" approach
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| | will be sure he isn't learning anything
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| to learning isn't going to help to build
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| | because you don't have test scores or
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| that environment very effectively. That
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| | numbers on papers. We all do it at one
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| kind of learning environment was created
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| | point or another. Your journal will help
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| for ease of teaching, not for optimal
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| | you chart his progress in ways that make
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| learning.
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| | sense to you.
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| The only way to determine who your child
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| | Take pictures or videos. Make a memory
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| is as a learner is to become a patient
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| | book. Create a portfolio or a wall that
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| and observant "watcher." Watch and
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| | he can fill with all his favorite work.
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| listen.
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| | Look at it often and notice his progress.
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| Carefully collect pieces of your child
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| | True assessment compares progress between
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| that can be stored in your mind and in
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| | one point in time and another.
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| your heart. Learn to know yourself and to
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| | Finally, be an integral part of your
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| know your child. It's really as simple,
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| | child's learning life. Learn to listen
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| and as complicated, as that. If you don't
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| | carefully and to work and learn together
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| spend the time to know how you each
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| | with her. Be a model of active learning
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| learn, how you approach life, how you
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| | for her. Continue to be that careful
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| react to stress, even how you each prefer
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| | observer and watch her as she works,
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| to wake up in the morning, you'll
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| | because what worked last year or last
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| struggle much more than you have to in
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| | month or even yesterday may not work
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| order to homeschool successfully.
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| | tomorrow. Children grow and mature and
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| Because, at each stage, it will be you
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| | their needs often change as that happens.
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| and your child, working together, that
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| | will make this adventure successful.
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| Put It All Together If you make your
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| | First, you'll need some basic information
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| child your focus right from the
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| | about your child's learning style. Is she
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| beginning, creating a learning
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| | active and talkative? Does she learn best
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| environment filled with resources that
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| | from interacting with another person or
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| honor your child's learning styles,
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| | from watching videos? Is he shy and
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| abilities and level of understanding will
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| | inwardly directed with a need to touch
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| come naturally. If you encourage learning
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| | everything he works with? Active or more
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| that is motivated from a sincere
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| | still? Vocal or quiet? A toucher? A
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| interest, and help your child build on
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| | picture-drawer? There are many excellent
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| what she already knows, you will be
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| | books that outline learning styles in a
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| amazed at the depth of learning that
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| | variety of ways. Buy one or two, check
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| takes place. And if you include your
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| | them out from the library, or do an
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| child in the decision-making part of your
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| | online search. Learn as much as you can
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| learning lives you will become partners
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| | about learning styles because this will
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| who work and learn together - and that is
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| | be the basis for the activities and
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| the real answer to all the questions
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| | resources you help provide.
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