How to Start Homeschooling
If you are considering a homeschooling path there may likely be something in the public school or modern iteration of education that seems less than ideal. Now this “something” may be an unsettling feeling, a reaction to declining test scores, shock at the politicization of learning objectives, or just a sense of dread towards a world that has seemed to have lost its mind, heart, and soul.
John Taylor Gotto, a longtime New York public school teacher, has written a few books describing his experience in the public education system. To summarize some of his findings, his experience suggests that the “rigid schedules” of the school day stunt creativity, autonomy, and thinking. The school system due to the sheer size of its classes and student population prioritizes compliance over creativity which results in “stifling a child’s natural curiosity” discouraging the kind of self-directed exploration that leads to real understanding and learning. Gotto also points to the artificial environment of the classroom and its separation from real life, complexity of community, important skills, and genuine relationships. Underneath all of this, which is disappointing enough, is the “hidden curriculum” of dependence on authority and passive consumption of ideas which promotes a low level of engagement with life in general. Gotto’s solutions are to encourage family involvement, community-based learning, apprenticeships, and giving children more freedom to learn and develop at their own pace.
Looking at the historical perspective regarding the purpose of education, it often points to helping students notice what is true about the world, what is praise-worthy in the actions of people, what skills are worthy of practice, and enumerating the vital reasons that cause people to come together in order to produce societies that allow for safety, flourishing, and meaningful purpose. Without these aims education can become trivial, emotionally reactive, and descriptive rather than prescriptive with ends toward a morally and ethically excellent existence.
Even with these brief and general observations, there are a few paths to consider. Should you homeschool at home, at a co-op, online, or at a local community?
Homeschooling completely at home would put the full weight upon the parents in terms of curating content, teaching phonics, grammar, reading and writing, working through math curriculums, surveying history, doing art projects, and conducting science experiments. Though this is daunting there are more than enough curriculum options today to choose from in order to find something that might align with your values.
Homeschooling with a co-op is the next option. In these situations a family signs up for a few classes that meet the approval and interest of the parents and the child. Parents might be asked to volunteer a few hours a semester or teach a class or two. These programs typically meet one to three days a week. Often, the families are using a variety of curriculums and lack a central core that would create a cohesiveness amongst the families. It most likely would not offer a K-12 curriculum but would be an “a la carte” experience that would ebb and flow in offerings and proficiency.
Homeschooling online is an option which can be added to any of the other paths or used in isolation. By signing up for online classes, students would have access to experts or at least teachers with a bachelor or advanced degree. These online programs often offer third party assessments of assignments and group online interaction.
Homeschooling with a community possibly offers the fullest experience of homeschooling. These types of programs typically meet once a week within a K-12 curriculum structure, offer the opportunity for family involvement, and provide the interaction and proximity necessary for families to mentor one another along the way due to consistency of content, curriculum, and teaching philosophy.
Overall, homeschooling can be a blessing with the right support, attitude that our children are precious gifts, and that our child’s moldable and teachable years will end soon. It is reasonable to assume that there will always be some regret in the life of a parent but let it not be because we didn’t try to do our best.
If you are interested in hearing more about homeschooling with a community, check out www.classicalconversations.com for more information.