Things to Consider when Talking about Homeschooling

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Do you know any homeschooling families? Homeschooling is relatively common today. Did you know that in the US the number of home-schooled children is over one and a half million?[1]

Reasons that parents give for homeschooling include[2]

a concern about the school environment (such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure)

dissatisfaction with academic instruction

a desire to provide their child with a nontraditional approach to education

a child's health problems or special needs

a desire to provide religious or moral instruction

My family has had a remarkable 10 year experience with homeschooling. We've discovered that homeschooling can provide a family with time and freedom. We've also found that homeschooling works well with a child's natural desire to learn and grow.

Homeschooling as a Right

It's important to be clear on the legality of homeschooling where you live. Homeschooling is legal in every state in the USA; however, each state has certain requirements for home education which must be followed.[3][4]

The same is true in the United Kingdom where it is also legal in every country in the union.[5] In the UK the government accepts the rights of parents to home educate their children and they have produced elective guidance for local authorities.[6]

Things to Consider

When thinking about homeschooling there are a number of aspects to consider:[7]

Family Agreement

This is fundamental to the success of homeschooling. Are you and your partner in agreement with the decision? Are your children willing to be homeschooled? I recommend a trial period so the whole family can test if homeschooling is the right decision.

We always made sure that the children knew they had the o...

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... USA Today Magazine - Homeschooling: the sleeping giant of American education, Sep 2009

4. Home School Legal Defense Association - State Laws, 2014

5. UK Department for Education - Home Education, 2013

6. UK Department for Education - Elective Home Education Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2013

7. About.com - Is Homeschool for You? 10 Things to Consider, 2014

8. About.com What is Unschooling?, 2014

9. UK Department for Education - Testing and assessment, 2013

10. Infed - Informal learning, home education and homeschooling (home schooling), 2014

11. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis - University College Bepko Learning Center: Office of Academic Enrichment Three Learning Styles, 2003

12. About.com Homeschooling - Homeschool Kids are "Socially Challenged" What about socialization?, 2014

13. A smallholding is a small farm.

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