In the last blog post we discussed the basic preparation that you would have to do in order to shift from public school to homeschool. Here we elaborate on what else you may have to consider.
The Legal Aspect
If your child has been attending Public school and you should find out the legal requirements that you will need to meet before you can switch over to homeschooling. Some states have different laws and if you are in and out of the country, you may actually want to consult with someone knowledgeable from the education department. This will help you avoid hassles later on when your child wants to go to college.
The Physical Classroom
To a child used to the public school routine sitting on the dinning table and studying all day will not come naturally. He will want to take his lunch break, and ask about what he is supposed to do for PE. It would help if you can designate a room in the house as the homeschool classroom. The child will compare everything and you have to be ready to explain why some things will change in homeschool.
The Change in Teaching Style
Homeschooling involves one on one teaching which is a lot more intensive than the typical public school classroom where a single teacher must keep track of multiple students. The child may be uncomfortable at first with such direct supervision. It would be a good idea to give him some self learning time where you are not directly teaching him all the time.
Missing Friends and Old Environment
No matter how exciting you make it sound, homeschool will be very different from what your child has experienced so far. He will miss old friends. He will miss the old learning environment and possibly things that irritated him when he attended public school will become things he wants to do. Keep your patience and explain why things will have to be different. Try and make new friends to replace the old and find new activities to burn energy as well. It will take time for the child to get accustomed to his new reality. Stay his friend as he works through this.
