Homeschooling Help

Ten Ways to Simplify Homeschooling

Colette Longo

August 2001

1) Keep everything as simple as you can. Jesus wrote with a stick in thedirt, and He was the greatest teacher that ever lived. He used no curriculumor flannel graphs or lesson plans. Homeschooling can be made far morecomplicated than it should be. A simpler approach is much more effective.

2) Stick to the 3 R's. They form the foundation of life-long learning inevery field because they are the tools of study. There will be no need toformalize any other subject if the children are doing their best in these 3,because people who are well grounded in reading, writing and math willapproach other subjects boldly, independently and confidently.

3) Let the children teach themselves as much as they are able to. Thisteaches them responsibility, intellectual independence, and buildsconfidence. It's also better for the parent/child relationship because youcan focus on parenting instead of playing schoolteacher.

4) Use the most direct method available. For reading, read. For writing,write, for math, do it, and for Bible, read it. Don't fall for catchycurriculums or methods that are really just something else for you and yourchild to learn.

5) Don't worry about your child's age or grade. Just let him do the best hecan each day. Children grow intellectually like they do physically: inspurts. Although we may have an audience of skeptical relatives,homeschooling is not a circus, and we refuse to train our children to dotricks for people.

6) Minimize distractions in the home. Watch for excessiveness inentertainments, snacking, outings, phone conversations and the like. Thesesorts of things can easily get out of hand and compete with theeffectiveness of a homeschool and sap the family of time and energy.

7) Seek quality over quantity. A few tapes of great music, a small case ofcarefully chosen books, a few special play mates, and an occasional outingis better than a large, but poor quality collection.

8) If you must document your school activities, do it after the fact. Thisway you will not make promises you cannot keep. If you are required to makelesson plans, be as vague as permissible. Don't let transcripts, diplomas,records and tests determine your academic plans. Focus on learning and therest will follow.

9) Put the needs of your youngest, most vulnerable children first. If anolder child gets a little behind in school, I'm sure you can forgiveyourself. But if something happened to the toddler while you were busyhomeschooling, I don't think you would be able to say the same.

10) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and don'tneglect to seek him early...giving him the first fruits of your day andteach your children to do the same. I know that you are tired and that therearen't enough hours in your day, but we serve a God who can make the sunstand still.