Starting With Home Education!

 

So you are considering home educating?

Welcome to a new way of thinking and living, one that thousands of families have found to be very rewarding. This page is an introduction to the discovery of a new lifestyle. It is in no way intended to be comprehensive, but only a guide to point you down the path of home education adventure. We want to share with you a few tips and pointers that helped us in our journey. Many of your initial questions can be answered by reading through the material on this page.

   1. Before you begin READ!

      The best way to begin getting the home school picture is by reading. Home education is a different way of life, a new (actually old!) way of learning that is unfamiliar to most people. You will probably find that home education is difficult or ‘doesn't work’ if you have not invested the time and thoughts in understanding the philosophical basis. Check out the suggested book list on this site. It is very important that you do a fair amount of reading before you take the plunge and begin home educating. It is also very helpful to talk with experienced home schooling families for their insight.  Check out the Support Group List for a contact in your area.

   2. Understand The Home Education Philosophy

      It is important to learn and remember that home education is not school at home! Home educating is a completely different way of learning, based on the natural ways we learn in all our pre-school years. Do you remember how your pre-schoolers learned? You were so anxious to hear them say those first words. You would talk to them, saying the simple words slowly and then one day they would up and say it! There wasn't any stress in the process; it was the relational learning method. The same goes for reading. Read lots of good books to them and they will become excellent readers.

      We are interested in teaching our children skills: reading, writing, math, how to do research, how to use the dictionary, encyclopaedia and the library. If they have these basic skills then they can always acquire the knowledge. Do not concentrate on giving them knowledge. There is too much knowledge in the world to have them learn it all. That would be mind-boggling! Give them a love of learning and it will give them a lifetime to thrill in the joy of discovery.

      Be aware of the efficiency of tutoring. Learning takes place much faster in a one-on-one situation. You will find that you will not need as much time as the public school to cover the material. You will also find that younger children get tired faster because it is still difficult for them to focus on one subject for a long period of time. Don't push them to exhaustion!

      Do not be afraid to have your older children teach the younger children. One of the best ways to learn something is to teach it.

      Remember that you do not have to know everything in order to teach. One of the exciting rewards of home educating is that you will learn along with your children. When your children see you experiencing the joy of discovery it will make a lasting impression on them.

      Be careful not to compare your children with other families. It may be wonderful to hear about all the good things others are doing, but resist peer dependence. You are an individual; do what is best for your family. There is no right or wrong way to home educate.

   3. Write Out Why You Want To Home Educate

      It helps to articulate what you hope to accomplish in your home education experience. Write down some measurable goals so that you have some specific markers to work toward.

  4. Get Your Curriculum

      You will want to learn what skills are expected at each grade level. A good resource for this is the curriculum handbook for parents, available from Alberta Learning: http://www.learning.gov.ab.ca/parents/handbooks/. These are small handbooks that explain in easily understandable language what is taught in Alberta schools in each grade. There is a booklet for each grade and they cost $3.50 each. You can obtain these booklets by contacting Alberta Learning at 310-0000-426-5775 (This is the toll-free Government RITE number.)  See Curriculum Links.

      Another tool you could use for grade expectations is the Alberta Program of Studies. It is more thorough, but also more technical, and can be more difficult to understand. You will probably find the Handbooks much more practical.

      As you read about home education you will begin to learn about curriculum. I especially recommend the Christian Home Educators Curriculum Manual by Cathy Duffy, or The Big Books of Home Learning by Mary Pride.

      Begin slowly with the core subjects of reading, writing and arithmetic. Don't try to do everything at once. Remember, if they know those subjects well they can learn anything!

      Do not be afraid to ask your children what they would like to study and go to the Social Studies and Sciences.

      If you order too much, you don't have to use it all. Remember that the curriculum is your servant. You are in charge.

   5. Time To Get Started.

      Design some type of planning sheet to use. You could record your plans on a sheet of paper and then when it is accomplished just check it off. These sheets become a kind of "journal" of your progress, and your record of accomplishments. You may want to begin with only 2 or 3 subjects. As you gain confidence and organization, you can slowly add more. You may have to drop a subject, and pick it up later. But that is okay. Remember you are teaching a child according to where he/she is, and what's good for one may not be good for the other.

  6. Miscellaneous Tips To Help You

    * A Note to Fathers

      Show interest in how the day went. Instruct the children in respecting and obeying Mom. Help establish the consequences of disobedience. Discipline is a top priority in a successful home school. Home educating is much easier when there is constant discipline. Take your wife out on a regular basis. It means so much to even go on a walk.

    * Have Your Family Help With The Housework

      This is a life skill. It is an important part of education.

    * De-junk Your House

      Get rid of any unnecessary fancy things you have to dust etc.

    * Keep Your Life Simple

      Learn to say no, and slow down on outside activities. Don't let the good things crowd out the best. Keep focused on the most important aspects of life.

    * Limit Your Child's Outside Activities

      The temptation is to put your child into all kinds of lessons. Do not do this! Young children do not need all that pressure, and neither do you!

    * Don't Try To ‘Prove’ Home Education

      Resist the pressure to have to "prove" the value of home school by having your children excel. Let them be normal kids - some are ahead, some are behind the crowd. That is okay. Let them develop at their own pace. Also remember you don't have to prove anything to your friends about home education. When we make the decision to home school our children we seem to automatically be put on the defensive. Try to resist the urge to defend your choice in a negative way. Be kind in explaining your position but be sensitive to not make the others feel that they are less because they do not home school their children. Do you remember how you felt before you were a home educator? Going through the process to decide to keep your children at home is a life-changing event. Be understanding of others who are not in the same frame of mind that you are. Be confident in your decision and don't feel as though you must convince others of how "right" it is. Your children and family life will do that as time goes on!  There are some great resources to pass on to questioning family & friends.  See www.hsldacanada.org or call the Home School Legal Defence Association at (403) 528-2704.

    * Join A Home Education Group

      See 'Support Group List' for a list of local support groups in Alberta. They often offer parental support, field trips, and sporting events.

      Alberta Home Education Association (AHEA) - This is your provincial home education association, and the 'voice' of home educators to the Provincial Government. We also sponsor an annual home education convention every Spring in Red Deer, designed to equip and encourage parents and teens. We publish a Magazine, called AHEA Matters. You can request to be put on the mailing list by clicking here. The annual membership fee of $15.00 can be included in the convention fee.

      Home School Legal Defence Association of Canada - this is a national association that provides protection against harassment from anyone, whether school boards or government. www.hsldacanada.org

 

You are beginning on a wonderful journey of discovery with your children! You will not only be exploring education, but you will be starting a new way of life.

Home education shapes kids who are leaders, and are not peer dependent, because they spend more time with you than with their peers. They can relate to people of all ages. Their self esteem blossoms in the warm environment of the home, enabling them to develop into a whole person who is capable of relating well to others.

Home education also gives tremendous purpose to parenting. It adds rich meaning to life when you share the joy of discovery with your children.

Welcome To The Wonderful Life Of Home Education!