How Does Homeschooling Work?

How does homeschooling work? I've been asked that question so many times. I know for a fact that each homeschooling family have various ways of doing their homeschooling. For my family though, it starts with a bit of planning. Where we are, the law dictates that we need to make sure that we include the learning areas designated by the education department as part of our homeschooling curriculum. The eight are: English; Mathematics; Sciences; Humanities and Social Sciences; The Arts; Languages; Health and Physical Education; Information and Communication Technology, and Design and Technology.

Before the start of the school year, I do some research. Actually, research doesn't seem to end. I try to be online each day even for just a few minutes and I try to find some things that I can use in our homeschooling. I also try to keep myself updated from social media groups and check out whatever is new out there. I also talk with other homeschooling families and ask them what they use for their family's homeshool resources. Then, before the start of the school year, I talk with my family and we try to make a homeschool schedule that all of us can agree on. We usually follow our agreed schedule. However, when it doesn't seem to work anymore because of changes of schedule or change of interests, we would meet again and try and make another schedule that would be suited for everyone and something that we can agree on.

Our normal days consists of four (4) hours of learning although we don't really limit it at that because children can learn at anytime in our home and they don't really mind and we don't really mind as parents or teachers either. But for formality's sake, we have in our schedule 4 hours each day of the children immersing themselves in learning the subjects assigned for the day. However, the children are free to learn whatever piques their interest on that particular subject. We like the children to learn something of their own choosing so that they will be more interested in what they are learning. As Plato wisely said: “Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.”

Since our family has been homeschooling for ten (10) years now, we have been accustomed to what we do so there isn't much chaos anymore compared to the time when we first started. Back in those days, we didn't know anything so we tried a lot of things. I remember that there was a time that we even had a free for all schedule. We let the children learn whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted them. It probably only lasted a week since it was chaos for our kids. We learned from that experience that our children do better when they have a structure. So that is why, we decided to have a schedule for them so that it will be more organized for all of us.

How Does Homeschooling Work?

To the question: "How does homeschooling work? Well for us, we first make a list of the subjects we want to include in our homeschooling. Then, we research and check what programs or resources would suit our children. We take into consideration if we can afford the program or subscription we want. We buy the programs or subscriptions. Then we talk as a family what schedule we will have for the year. We make that schedule and then we just do it! If it doesn't work, we go back to the drawing board again. It's always good to plan because if you have a plan, it will give you a guide. And if things don't work , which can happen, you can always make changes according to your needs.