A question about homeschooling: What should parents do who are "weak" in some specific part of the curriculum such as geography or, say, grammar? How does one compensate for that? What about the risk of not even recognizing one's weaknesses?
Regards,
That is a very valid question. But then don’t expect any better from the public school. I still remember from about 20 years ago the AA teacher in the classroom next to our son’s having a poster up on the hallway wall with “goverment” on it. 2nd or 3rd grade.
We left public schools shortly thereafter.
Learn as you go along. Your child will still emerge better educated than he would have been at public school.
One of our daughters homeschools - they all love it.
She is lucky to live where there are 2 home school support organizations. One is Christian. Each offers tutorials in many subjects. And fun things, like all-homeschool skating in the rink, once a month. And monthly dances, with very strict rules.
The tutorial teachers, are often the qualified parents.
Or someone from ‘outside’ is hired. Each tutorial has a fee.
Our granddaughters have taken science, art, choir, beginning composition, often held in church classrooms - churches of home school families.
Besides teaching her kids the 3 R’s, our daughter teaches art in her home. About 5 elementary age kids go to her home for about 90 minutes, and together with her 3, they fill the dining room table.
Art is not her degree, but homeschool curriculum is so vast and outstanding, one just follows the plan, which can include, in the case of art, the reading by the ‘teacher’ about an artist, watching a DVD of said artist, and the creating of something either painted, markers, clay, whatever.
The kids cart around an art folio, with their own supplies. The ‘teacher’ can back up the supplies, of course.
In this circle of homeschoolers, the other mothers take a turn at teaching art.
Daughter’s husband taught economics to high school kids. He is a fee only Certified Financial Planner with a UCLA Economics degree.
He used space in a modest office of a homeschool dad, and the course was half a year.
The best way to get started is to be mentored by a homeschool parent.
Our daughter has homeschooled for 4 years, and she is still mentored, because each succeeding grade is new, and those who have been there, make good mentors.
Hope this insight gives you some ideas. You never know what can develop when there’s excitement to at least try!
——: What should parents do who are “weak” in some specific part of the curriculum such as geography or, say, grammar?-——
Don’t compare yourself against an imaginary ideal.
Teachers are of average intelligence, and they’re “teaching,” or really, talking at 20 children. You will be tutoring one or two children. The greatest teacher in the world can’t compete with a dedicated tutor, motivated by love. You will be able to accomplish in two hours what teachers can’t accomplish in a full day.
I know. My wife and I have done it for 11 years. Believe it or not, it’s a cakewalk.
Begin at age 4 or 5 with a phonics book, like Alphaphonics. If you spend 15-30 minutes per day for 30 days, your child will be able to read Dr. Seuss books on his own. And that’s the hardest thing you’ll have to do.
Yes, in 20 hours of instruction, your child will be able to read on his own. Both of ours did. It’s pretty typical.
After that your options are unlimited. I prefer unschooling, but in a compromise with my wife, agreed to a rigid pre-packaged curriculum.
Our kids needed one-on-one kitchen table instruction for 2-3 hours per day, up to third grade.
After that, they simply looked up their daily assignment, and completed it, before my wife rolled out of bed. They knew that they could play after they finished their work, so they were motivated.
They will need help in HS, in subjects like math and English, but there are countless supplemental resources out there —many for free.
So don’t let that stop you.
Both of our girls are a year ahead of their age/grade, and tested well on their SATS.
Unfortunately, the oldest wants to go to college, ruining an otherwise perfect record.
Thank you grammar police. Again MY WIFE is doing the schooling. On internet forums I do not proof read or spell check.