Being a Great Teacher In the Home School Family

Studies show that the training or degree of parents is not an important factor in the success of home schooled children. More essential than a degree or a college diploma is your concern, commitment and eagerness to give your child the best kind of education that he/she deserve.  While being a home school family is not the right decision for everyone, it is a cost effective way of controlling the educational process of your children.

The fact that almost all home school parents are not professional teachers does not mean that your family can not be a home school family.  Parents  should select a curriculum that best suits the child's learning style, capacity and needs and find ways to support that learning style with an organized plan. 

The qualities of an efficient and effective teacher vary; however, they should possess good character, display enthusiasm in teaching and have dedication to work with their students.  This is no less true for the home school family, perhaps even more, since parents are teaching their own children.

Here are some guidelines to help the home school family and the home school parent to become the best teacher for your child:

1. Choose the curriculum for your child well. Make certain that you recognize the goals defined by a certain curriculum. Unless you are the ultimate organizer for your home school family, it is better to keep al the children in the same curriculum. Examine your chosen curriculum to determine if the goals match those defined by your State as standard for each level, as well as if it matches your child’s learning style and capabilities.

2. The home school family must be prepared. As the parent and teacher, Study the curriculum well so that you are well educated when you teach your child.

3. Determine your child’s learning style. It is only through proper determination of your child’s learning style that you can effectively teach him/her. Even within the home school family, this may change from child to child. Realize that there are children who learn well visually, so in this case, reading and videos can be a better teaching tool. Some are listeners, in such cases, music, reading to them out loud and humming for instance their mathematic tables can be a better method of teaching.

4. Be creative. Home school family instruction doesn’t have to be a one way kind of teaching. Encourage your child to ask questions so you both can discuss the subject matter in a way that the child does not only listen and get information from you, but that your child is actively explaining and expressing his/her own opinion or views.

5. Be understanding. One of the big advantages of being a home school family is that when you feel that your child is having difficulties on a certain subject, you can give him/her time and give thorough guidance, by asking her what she finds difficult so you both can work up a plan as well as enough time to solve the problem. This might not ever happen in a classroom setting, especially in a public school where ther are more than 30 students to one teacher.  Understand that children are not robots who easily absorb information. Allow them to have their “shortcomings”.

6. Recognize that above all, you are a parent. It is likely to be true, however, that in a home school family, parents do what’s best for their children. Following your instinct as a mom, will make you the best teacher for your child. And it comes naturally!

 

 

 

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