| Educating a child is a very big | | | | particular subject. A home tutor can charge |
| responsibility and is expensive too. Often | | | | approximately $300 per subject. |
| people think that homeschooling is | | | | |
| inexpensive, but it need not be so. No doubt, | | | | However, before parents get discouraged with |
| homeschooling is cheaper than elite private | | | | the idea of homeschooling by checking out the |
| schooling, but it can be as or even more | | | | long lists of costs involved, they should |
| expensive than a public school. There are | | | | know the fact that there are ways to reduce |
| other reasons as well for parents | | | | the homeschooling costs. One of the ways is |
| homeschooling their child like inculcating | | | | to become a member of support groups for |
| cultural/religious beliefs. | | | | homeschooling families. Joining a group will |
| | | | allow you to swap books, curriculum, or any |
| If you dont have prior homeschooling | | | | other reference materials. Thus saving you |
| experience or a teaching background, then it | | | | from the need to buy an entire set of |
| becomes imperative that you first subscribe | | | | homeschooling resources. The best part in |
| to an independent study program or buy an | | | | joining a group is that it gives your child |
| in-built readymade curriculum suited to you | | | | an opportunity to interact with other |
| and your childs aptitude levels. These may | | | | children who are homeschooled by their |
| prove expensive, but in the long run they | | | | parents. Try and find out the public or local |
| will make your attempt at homeschooling a | | | | private schools, which give access to some of |
| success by removing the trial-and-error | | | | its educational resources to the home |
| process. | | | | schoolers at a discounted rate or for free. |
| | | | They even offer a stipend for activities like |
| However, that is not the end of it. Parents | | | | music or sports lessons. |
| have to supplement the curriculum with | | | | |
| textbooks and workbooks. Additionally | | | | For parents who have more than one child to |
| reference materials are also needed like an | | | | be homeschooled, can use the same curricula |
| encyclopedia CD-ROM and Internet access to | | | | and books for all the children. This will |
| supplement the main resources. | | | | help to reduce the cost greatly. The |
| | | | materials can be renewed as well for a very |
| A homeschool should have a proper study | | | | nominal cost rather than buying. Visit the |
| environment to help children concentrate more | | | | local library as often as you can, that will |
| on their studies. Study room infrastructure | | | | not only give you an access to the text and |
| includes a proper study table, a comfortable | | | | work books but also new edition textbooks, |
| chair and adequate along with a computer to | | | | which are otherwise very expensive, if |
| have positive results in the childs attitude | | | | bought. Also keep on visiting yard sales, |
| for learning. Plus, to provide a well-rounded | | | | book sales and fairs or swap meets, where you |
| education for your child, parents need to | | | | can get homeschooling resources and study |
| include extra-curricular activities as well | | | | room infrastructure at a fraction of cost of |
| like sports; music etc and also plan | | | | buying them. |
| educational trips to museums, theaters and | | | | |
| nature parks and all this will cost a | | | | Always remember that spending money on |
| substantial amount of money. | | | | education is an investment and not an |
| | | | expense. If managed properly, homeschooling |
| It is not likely that parents are experts in | | | | can give your children a unique educational |
| every subject. In such a case, a home tutor | | | | experience that will last for a lifetime. |
| would have to be engaged, in order to teach a | | | | |