Raising Homeschool Awareness
September is National Homeschool month. I am raising homeschool awareness in this blog post by answering some common homeschool questions.
Keep in mind that I am sharing facts in this blog post but also my opinion centered around raising homeschool awareness.
Homeschooling your child seems like such a radical idea but did you know that most of our grandparents were taught at home for the first few learning years of their lives?
Especially farming families! A growing homesteader community has grown over the last 15 years going back to the foundation of farming families in the United States.
This vintage book extols the virtues of farm life and gives a compelling argument for why farm life and education is much better for children.
The first Kindergarten opened in Boston in 1860. This blog post is organized for you to get the most out of it by reading sections that may be beneficial to you.
- A brief History of Kindergarten
- What is happening in Public Schools now
- Why Parents are choosing to Homeschool nationwide
- How can I Homeschool and work?
- Is Homeschooling legit?
- What about getting into College?
History of Kindergarten
The first Kindergarten actually developed in Germany. Friedrich Froebel opened the first Kindergarten in 1837. Building upon other learning philosophies, things like “circle time” and Montesorri styles of learning were developed.
In 1856 Kindergarten came to America. This however was not the first English speaking Kindergarten. Elizabeth Peabody opened the first English language Kindergarten in 1860 in Boston.
By 1874 the National Education Association began a kindergarten department. Teachers founded the International Kindergarten Union in 1892.
These are the very foundations of formal public school education for school aged children.
Public Schools Now
Now we find a variety of ideas and concepts happening in U.S. Public schools. Less life skills are being taught during the school year. Children learn concepts that are antiquated and are usually preparing for testing.
We live in a world now where children need to learn how to apply for a credit card. They need to learn about social media. Reading time is centered around classic materials rather than learning about new technologies and how to compete in the workplace.
Childrens public school education has not changed much since its inception which is why raising homeschool awareness is important.
It’s time for education that fits your child and incorporates educational activities that teach them about the world in front of them.
You can read more about the detriment of dismantling the board of education although I am not sure this was that terrible. Reform was needed even if it stayed intact in my option.
With states taking matters into their own hands we can see that most of the country is not faring well. There is a dire teacher shortage nationwide.
The national guard has been called in to teach and Arizona is no longer requiring a college degree.
There has also been an uptick in violence in public schools. It’s not hard to see why some parents are searching for alternatives.
Hopefully National Homeschool Month will allow parents and caretakers to learn about the benefits of homeschooling.
Why are parents choosing to homeschool now?
The obvious answer is a lot of what is mentioned above. Children’s education has not changed in decades and many parents are discontent with the offerings.
Also even more concerning is the violence level in high schools. How can children learn in fear? How can they spend time focusing on studies when they are being bullied?
The environment overall has not been desirable for many parents for years.
How can I Homeschool and Work?
This has to be the most asked question. There is no easy answer but there are answers. Many parents who homeschool are business owners. They run their own businesses so they decide to work homeschooling into their day.
Everyone has a different life flow and schedule. One thing for certain is that if homeschooling is your priority you will create a new life flow to fit your needs.
There are dozens of work from home jobs. Many are in tech and customer service. I blog for a living.
Get started blogging for profit! I do offer blogging services.
Any new thing or change will take time. Most people transitioning to work from home decide to solidify their income first and then launch their homeschool.
Blogging as a career can take as little as 3 months to bring in the first trickle. It depends on how dedicated you are. Within a year you should be able to generate a substantial income.
It may take 2 years before you can completely leave your job. It takes planning and effort.
There are also jobs that offer work from home. Most prevalent work from home jobs; Amazon, Wayfair, Sistel, Williams Sonoma, and Disney.
Training for a tech career via Coursera or Udemy will range the same time span. Putting in the effort is worth it.
I also suggest becoming a notary(depending on the state it can be very lucrative). There is also Medical billing and coding.
Lastly, don’t discount overnight work. I worked as a night auditor as a student. If you are a night owl anyway something like this is perfect. There is overnight work online as well.
Shifts range from 10-6 and 11-7 for night work. These hours still allow for gym, homeschool and a decent sleep from 2pm-8pm or so.
If you want more info on these please be sure to subscribe to the blog.
Is Homeschool Legit?
Absolutely! Every state has different rules and regulations. Be sure to check your state website in regard to the regulations.
I have a video about how to homeschool in Georgia. Also read my blog post about How to Homeschool in North Carolina. I hope you can check these out.
Keep in mind that some states are not very homeschool friendly. NC has very relaxed regulations whereas New York State requires regular reporting. In New York State you must get your curriculum approved.
It’s important to note that hundreds of students go on to become well paid employees and fulfilled entrepreneurs from homeschooling.
Raising homeschool awareness means telling you as much as I can about the diversity of people who homeschool. Some are affluent and some are not. Parents that have children who are differently abled find great comfort in homeschooling.
Keeping good records and following your state’s guidelines will create a legit learning environment which prepares your child for the future.
Socializing your homeschooled child is a big topic. There are community activities and organizations that provide plenty of socialization. The YMCA offers activities and don’t discount going to the park for lunch!
Other children are around in various places like places of worship. School is not and has never been the only place where children socialize.
What about getting into College?
Aspirations for College and University are fading in our society. I do understand if that is still a goal.
College is absolutely necessary in the STEM fields.
Khan Academy shares some information about what is different about applying to college as a homeschooler. I suggest bookmarking this!
The homeschool mom suggests dual enrollment with a community college. There are tons of opportunities to prepare your child.
My approach will more than likely be to work backwards. Choose the school we will send our child to and simply ask what they are looking for in an applicant.
MIT has restarted their tours. No harm in going for a visit even before high school.
I hope this has given some insight this National Homeschool Month!
Please leave a comment below with a homeschool question or resource you love.
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