Tips on Transitioning into Homeschooling
1. Start on some good footing
(Public School) Highlight the benefits.
There are great benefits to homeschooling for the kids themselves, which they can often understand. It can be difficult for children to leave public school friends behind to begin a new and unknown homeschooling adventure, and they often need help to making it through this transition from their parents. Some benefits to them are: deeper relationships with parents and siblings; more free time; getting out of the “peer group” mentality and appreciating people/friends of all ages; flexible time schedules. Perhaps one of the biggest ones is getting to spend more time doing what they love. To woo a child toward homeschooling this is a great place to begin concentrating. Does she love horses? Then really dig in to them – start or increase lesson time (PE), do a study on horse anatomy (art, science) and the history of her favorite purebred (history). Read books about horses and write reports about them, (literature, writing). Does your son think building, science and technology are cool? Invest in a Lego robotics set, read about great inventors, take a tour at a local tech manufacturing plant or design business to learn about how gadgets are made, have him dig in and prepare a report on some aspect of space travel, watch scifi films and have him do compare/contrast papers about the major themes. Tell your children about all these benefits so that they become excited about the possibilities of homeschooling.
(Newbie) Love your learning life!
Homeschooling is all about helping your child love learning. We’re born with an innate curiosity and love of experience and knowledge. Although different children learn in different ways, learning itself is something we all seek out. I like to think of homeschooling as essentially an effort to keep that going. Often, children in formalized education lose that love fairly early in life. School becomes a chore, and no longer an exciting adventure. Sure, there is plenty of sheer work involved in learning academic skills, but as Orthodox parents, even this task can be directly tied to the more important values of self-discipline, investing our talents wisely, obedience, diligence, and joy in the wonderful world God has given us. Continually making those connections for and with our children is the wonderful responsibility and joy of being a homeschooling parent.
2. Give it some time
(Public School) Children have to “de-tox” from public school.
You can expect a period of transition for most children coming out of school. Like “de-toxing” from anything else, it can be painful at times when they are missing the good parts of public school or even simply what they have known for awhile and no longer have. It also takes time for many of them to shake off the “learning is a dreaded chore” mentality and begin to actually enjoy the process again. Expect it, as a parent, and don’t let it get you down. It’s a great opportunity to work through feelings together and develop a better understanding of your child. It also helps you and your child create a homeschool experience that is truly your own. For older kids transitioning to homeschooling, helping them take responsibility for their own learning is an essential step. Letting them be involved to some degree in planning your homeschooling endeavor can make a huge difference.
(Newbie) Build a foundation of lifelong learning over the years.
You don’t have to do it all at once! In fact, many people starting out with homeschooling make the common mistake of trying to cram too much “school” into their young children’s lives. Resist pressure from ads that say your child can read at age 3! (Why would you want them to?!) And realize that the actual amount of learning and study that happens in the public school day, especially up to 5th-6th grade or so, is actually not many clock hours per day. A lot of time is spent in activities, crafts, games, and classroom logistics. The greatest thing about choosing to educate at home is that you get to participate in the unfolding of your children’s lives on all levels, and can contribute to that process in a God-pleasing way. Don’t focus too much on the academics too soon, because it can kill your child’s love of learning early on. Learn from other Orthodox homeschoolers and truly take advantage of this great gift. Combine blocks of “core” academic subjects that you consistently do every day/week (increasing them slowly each year) with lots of creative, life-giving experiences, fun hobbies, lots of activities to make the feast and fasting days come alive for your kids, and whatever else God brings into your life!
3. Connect with other local homeschoolers.
They are there; really, they are! Although you may share more overall vision of your homeschooling with people spread across the country whom you share with over the internet, the local folks are your day-to-day and face-to-face support. You need them, probably, especially if you are new to this and don’t have a large family. Look around anywhere that kids gather: the library, bulletin board at the Y, a local rec center, sports clubs/teams, even call up and ask the local public school; check newspaper ads, google your town + homeschooling, call the larger Protestant or Catholic churches to see if they have homeschoolers among their parishioners or even a group; find the official homeschool association for your state and ask them what’s going on in your area. If you know of some homeschoolers, invite them over to lunch and ask lots of questions; they will probably know of groups in your area. However you can do it, get ahold of some live bodies within easy distance of your home and figure out what they are doing and what they know of going on in your vicinity. Homeschoolers love to share this kind of information with each other!
4. Join a local homeschooling group.
This is an important step for good social time – for both kids and parents. Most of us don’t have 4 or more children who can constitute our own built-in social group. And being with other children of all ages is very important for most kids; Sunday for 2-3 hours is not going to be enough. Making friends, doing activities, some co-operative education, and just hanging out can all happen in the local homeschooling group. This is where you can learn about what curricula people like/dislike, how people plan their day, what local activities they do, and where you can get play dates with like-minded families. Groups may meet weekly for 2 hours at the park just to play, meet once a month for a field trip, hold scheduled classes taught by parents, host a science fair or spelling bee you can participate in, or offer an evening support-type group for parents. Each one is unique and driven by the parents involved. These are all “grassroots” organizations and you won’t find homogeneity. Here is a general breakdown to consider that is helpful for Orthodox homeschoolers:
a. Protestant groups:
If you have anything locally, chances are it’s a Protestant group. And they range from “seriously Protestant” (with corporate prayers & strict expectations, maybe even a doctrinal statement to sign) to simply requiring a respect of the Judeo-Christian worldview and little to no group discussion, let alone practice, of any certain doctrine. Calling the leader or a member you may know and getting a feel for how the group runs then going to try a play day at the park with them (or whatever they do) will let you know if it’s the group for you. There are some Protestant groups out there that are just fantastic which we Orthodox can easily plug into, and others where it’s not a good fit at all.
b. Catholic groups.
Like the Protestant groups, these can differ a lot, depending on the leaders and the group vision. Check it out, if there’s one available, and see how well it fits you.
c. Secular groups.
Although you may find a much wider array of approaches to homeschooling and also family lifestyles, sometimes the secular groups are actually easier to be a part of than the Christian ones. Ironically, sometimes you can find a healthier respect for different beliefs in these groups than in some of the Protestant ones where you would find yourself considered an “outsider” and not welcomed to be yourself in the group. Don’t be afraid to check these out. Chances are very high that you will find other families of faith in these groups, and the focus being more on the education side than the shared-faith side may work better for you, particularly if your local Protestant or Catholic groups are more rigid or specific in their expectations.
5. Find or make the classes or educational groups you need.
Yes, homeschooling has “home” at its base, but that doesn’t mean you need to STAY home all day long with your kids. It also doesn’t mean that you are the only one who can teach them. Happily, homeschoolers are notorious for co-operative education, and various (and sometimes fleeting) classes tend to pop up all the time. If there’s a Mom with a degree in Biology, she might offer a weekly lab for teens at her home the years her own kids need it. A Dad helping his son work on a merit badge may offer a hiking excursion once a week; someone else may get up a homeschool soccer team, a play, or an instrumental band. Beyond parents involved in their children’s education, the larger community has also clued into homeschoolers in recent years. You can often find classes designed specifically for homeschoolers at public places and private businesses that cater to children. In most towns and communities you can find a number of activities you and your child can plug into. Here are good places to look:
a. The public library
they often have after-school programs and groups for different ages. Sometimes they even have special events during the day geared for homeschoolers. Go in and get to know your children’s section librarian and see what they have to offer. If nothing else, that librarian would probably be very happy to develop a relationship with your child and help her discover great books she will love whenever she comes in.
b. The local recreation center or YMCA
these places always have classes for kids, and they are usually not too expensive. Learn a new sport or craft with other kids and perhaps find something your child becomes passionate about. Again, talk to an administrator and ask about services they may offer for homeschoolers.
c. Local sports activities
check into intramural sports teams, gymnastics centers, swimming pools, golf courses, ice/rollerskating rinks, rec centers, YMCAs, private fitness gyms, batting cages, horseback riding arenas, and anywhere else kids are taught sports skills. These days you are likely to find some of them holding classes for homeschoolers; if not, there will at least be after-school classes and teams you can participate in.
d. Local businesses
art studios, clay and ceramics studios, tutoring businesses, quilting/sewing stores, machine shops, jewelry or bead shops, bookstores, etc. Look at your local businesses in an area you or your child has interest. Make connections. People are usually excited to share their love of something with a child, and they may already offer a class or group for kids.
e. Local clubs
4-H, Girl/Boy scouts and the like are no-brainers. Also look for some of the “hidden” clubs you might plug into: rock club, mountaineering club, cycling club, Master gardeners, chess club, quilting club, history club, geneology club, poetry club, teen writing club, computer club, hiking club… the possibilities are endless. You often find retired folks very active in community clubs and they can be an invaluable resource for homeschooled kids that want to learn about something. Clubs can be very rich educational environments and they are almost always absolutely free!
f. Offer your own class
One of the best ways to make homeschooled friends and create great learning experiences for your kids is to offer a class at your home. If you have a special area of study from college or a hobby, offer that. If not, do something easy for you: a cooking around the world class (Italian: make spaghetti; Ireland: make Irish soda bread…), a simple craft class, a nature walk, a finger-painting class, a poetry tea class (drink tea, eat cookies, read poetry!), make-a-birdhouse, a weekly field trip group…. whatever works for you. Invite them, make it free, give it a specific time and duration, and they will come!! It can be a one-shot thing you do in a half-day or an on-going weekly class for a few months. As your kids get older, it’s invaluable to have friends you can co-operatively educate with, and you can get into more of the core subjects where having a group can be a real benefit: science, discussion-oriented classes like a book club for teens, etc.
6. Consider innovative public school programs.
The public schools have lost many of their students (= much of their funding) to homeschooling in the last couple of decades. They have been motivated to create programs that cater to homeschoolers yet still technically (on paper) keep the kids in the public school sector. They may be called charter schools, alternative learning programs, parent-partnership programs, and probably other things. Programs can range from almost-entirely parent-led to almost-entirely school-led; there is always a degree of organized participation required, ranging from perhaps only a weekly field trip or monthly meeting with a teacher to a required number of classes on a public school campus several times a week; there are almost always more educational activities available to participate in, like school sports teams, select classes, extra-curricular activities like drama or music, and special services like tutoring and testing; there is always some basic record-keeping involved on a regular basis and oversight by a certified teacher for the learning you do at home; the degree of choice for curriculum can vary widely from one program to another: some have no real choice beyond the mandated curriculum, others leave parents free to choose any curriculum that fits inside wide parameters for the general subjects required; some money may be available to purchase curriculum or classes of your choosing (religion-based materials are not permitted as they are public funds); online learning may be available (many of these programs use or allow the new national K12 program – and they pay for it, rather than you!). The variations are endless from one school to the next.
To find out about what is offered locally, simply call all the local schools where your children would be able to go (including neighboring towns where you could transfer) and ask about alternative education programs where the parents have more involvement. Tip: they don’t refer to these as “homeschooling programs” because technically, they are public school programs. But in actual practice, many of them are set up so that the education is indeed done largely (or completely) by parents in the home, not teachers. They will be able to tell you about their programs.
Although there is a certain amount of structure that is rigid with these programs, they can be excellent alternatives. For those hesitant about homeschooling or with oppositional spouses/children, these programs can provide a good “halfway point” where the parents can take some responsibility for education, but not all. The “safety net” of having the child still technically enrolled as a public school student and work overseen by a certified teacher can satisfy the qualms of some parents. The social, extracurricular, organized educational and financial benefits offered can be important priorities that allow home-based education to work for some families. There is almost always enough flexibility built-in for parents to spend much more good quality time nurturing their child’s spiritual education (the main reason many Orthodox want to homeschool), whether that means simply having more time-flexibility to attend more services or actually being able to present and plan the bulk of your curriculum around the Orthodox worldview.
