subject: How To Choose A Homeschooling Program [print this page] Once you decide to teach your children at home, you must also decide what kind of homeschooling program you will use. There are many homeschooling programs to choose from, and your choice will determine how you teach your children. Among other things, you must also consider if you want an accredited homeschool program. An accredited program will make it easier for your child to transition into college or a public school.
You have to determine the reason for teaching your children at home instead of a regular public or private school. You may want to homeschool your children for religious reasons, or to give them a more well-rounded education. Your children may be gifted and bored at a regular school, or they may be lagging behind in their schoolwork and needing one-on-one attention. Once you have identified the reason, you can start looking for the right program.
Keep in mind that with home schooling you will be teaching your own children. Assess your abilities honestly and determine if you are capable of teaching all the different subjects required for a homeschooling program. If you are weak in certain areas, you must find a program that will supplement your abilities.
Although many programs are now available, not all programs have the right balance of structure and simplicity in the curriculum that you may want. This can make it difficult to decide on the right type of program.
There are many different types of home schooling programs, including online interactive courses and videos. Some programs include grade record sheets, weekly lesson plans, attendance log, and reading list forms. Some even include awards and certificates. An effective program should contain a combination of traditional education as well as unstructured learning activities such as field trips.
You may also want to consider integrating certain values in the homeschooling curriculum. There are many programs based on the Christian faith that contain teachings from the Bible. Other programs stress humanist or non-religious issues.
When choosing a program for teaching your children at home, try to find one that inculcates the values you want your children to learn. Once you find a suitable program, you can use it for your children's educational needs.
Should you opt for an accredited home school program, it will still be possible to include lessons on values or faith. Homeschooling programs are flexible, allowing you to incorporate special life lessons into the curriculum.
