So You Want to Continue Home Schooling After Lock Down? Are You Joking or Are You Serious? Things to Consider.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Py0SPUOVzrJrW3C3uLifN?si=c7IwplyCSDWRPRyiyun8qA

Benefits and Disadvantages of Homeschooling

I was interviewed on The Daily Mail Podcast about Home Schooling today which is the most visited English-language newspaper website in the world, with over 11.34m visitors daily reaching over 225 million unique monthly visitors globally.

So I thought I’d weigh up & consider the pros and cons as a former Deputy Headteacher and Class Teacher for over 22 years!

Coronavirus and Lock Down have affected families in many different ways.

Some children have thrived with eLearning and home-learning as they can explore new subjects, hobbies and interests in their own time.

Some children have had chaotic experiences battling hunger, no access to a common computer or laptop and little or no structured learning.

Some have been traumatised, some have thrived.

So, what are the things to consider if you want to continue or start home schooling your child long term?

Well, apart from not having to do the school run twice a day, or being able to stand at the school gate catching up on the latest gossip here are some pause to ponder moments !

Homeschooling in the UK has long been regarded as unconventional until now, but health uncertainties that have arisen around the reopening of UK schools this week have left many parents feeling like there’s no other choice.

Pause to Ponder

It’s not a decision to be entered into lightly but you may be worried about your kids getting or passing on the Covid19 or you might have elderly parents living with you or a child with additional needs or a child or adult living with asthma or other conditions.

The following information will help you to know what to expect when you home school your children, and help you consider both the benefits and disadvantages.

It will enable you to make a better informed decision if you’re thinking about homeschooling, and it will help you determine what negative as well as positive aspects of homeschooling you will be able to tolerate or enjoy.

Top 15 Benefits of Homeschooling

You have the opportunity to:

• • Determine the curriculum and your children’s schooling schedule & timetable
  • Demonstrate to your children that education is fun
  • Create strong bonds with your children
  • Adapt teaching methods best suited to how your children learn
  • Spend extra time with your children on difficult concepts and move ahead after your kids master a subject or concept
  • Create a flexible schedules not possible for  your children enrolled in a state school
  • Provide religious and ethical instruction for your children
  • Shelter children from school bullying, violence, drugs, and other negative behaviours  that children in schools frequently encounter
  • Provide your children with the personal interaction that teachers in large classrooms are not able to provide
  • Spend extra time helping your children develop any special talents they possess, including musical, athletic, artistic etc
  • Discuss controversial topics at your discretion with your children
  • Enjoy spending more time with your kids
  • Assist & support 1-2-1 your  children during adolescence and other trying times
  • Draw closer to your partner as you homeschool your children together
  • Take your kids children on holiday when schools are still in session

  Top 12 Potential Disadvantages of Homeschooling

  Homeschooling you are required to:

  • Be around your children all day long. This can be difficult when children become restless and misbehave
  • Frequently explain your reasons for homeschooling your kids to friends and relatives unsympathetic or confused about your decision
  • Restrain anger and remain patient when your kids are struggling with learning
  • Effectively handle the difficulties of moving at a faster pace than state school instruction
  • Spend large amounts of money on books and other learning materials
  • Constantly adapt to be effective teachers
  • Constantly have to motivate your children
  • Speak with other people homeschooling their children to get ideas about solving difficult problems if you’re unsure about the best course of action
  • Spend time reviewing numerous curriculum programmes to understand their standards and best suited to  your children’s learning needs
  • Spend more time finding playmates and friends for your children in similar circumstances
  • You’re not qualified to teach
  • It’s exhausting and demanding

   

  

   

  I was very surprised to read in a recent survey by childcare.com that 78% of parents liked being in control of what their kids were learning.

  51% said they felt homeschooling reduced bullying.

  91% said they enjoyed spending more time with their child.

  This surprised me as most of the parents I have been working with during lock down are exhausted juggling building Lego Castles with high powered Zoom Meetings, helping kids who constantly interrupt whining that they are bored with meeting deadlines, juggling baking cookies with cooking meals and getting older kids up before 1pm and off their social media.

  Home schooling is not for the faint hearted. It can be very stressful, and demanding but of course very rewarding.

  What have been your experiences of home schooling?

  Will you be carrying it on?

   

   

   

   

  Thanks to Becton Loveless from Education Corner