In the last three decades the number of homeschooling families has shot up radically. Recent global events have led to more children being homeschooled today, than ever before in history. What this indicates is that a number of parents, who may not be formally trained as teachers, are now handling the elementary education of their children. Many of the parents may have a basic idea about what and how they wish to teach, but for some souls formally laid out programs can be a boon.
Do New Homeschool Teachers Need Formal Programs?
As with everything that we do, the more we practice the better we get. This is reflected in the home school classroom as well. The parents who are turning homeschool teachers for the first time are juggling many new hats. They have to balance being the teacher with being the parent. They need to ensure that they are taken seriously in the classroom, and actually get the grade related material completed. By having a formal program that outlines just what you need to teach your homeschool students, it can become much easier to do the scheduling and teaching.
How Does a Formal Program Help?
The large number of recommened activities, which are included in a prepackaged formal program, also make it possible for homeschool teachers to make their sessions informative and creative. As the homeschool students settle in with the routine that you have created, you can step outside the confines of a formal program and add subjects of interest to your homeschooling family. The pre-made schedules can also act as a good starting point for new homeschool teachers to work from. Again, as they gain more experience, they will be able to adapt these schedules to better suit their homeschool family’s needs.
Should You Invest In One?
If you feel that you are able to cope up with a few basic guidelines and expand it into the whole academic year’s teachings, chances are that you don’t need to invest in a formal program. However if you are feeling overwhelmed at the mere thought of having to come up with a year full of academic schedules, activities, and tests for your homeschool students, it may be a good idea to find a formal program most aligned with your style of teaching and committing to it for a year.
