The Home School Legal Defense Association reports that more than 250,000 high school students are homeschooled every year. There is no doubt that homeschooling is on the increase all over the world, and for good reason. Parents are able to stress the importance of learning on their own, without having to rely on the willingness and ability of traditional high school instructors while also virtually eliminating the social pressures associated with high school. Once you have decided that homeschooling is the right choice for your child, the next step is to make it happen.
Step 1
Talk to your child about the idea. Some children are bound to be more open to the idea of homeschooling than others. While one child may welcome the idea of not having to wake up and get on a school bus every morning, other children may be concerned about the impact on their social life. Discuss homeschooling with your child, describing the reasons why you feel it is the best option for them. It may be difficult to educate a child at home who would much rather participate in a traditional high school educational system.
Step 2
Research different homeschooling programs. Your local school district may be able to point you in the right direction. More school districts these days are offering online alternatives to traditional high school. Look into the various programs offered in your area and the financial obligations of each to find the best one for your child.
Step 3
Look into college entrance requirements for the colleges your child wishes to attend. Many high schools target their curriculum toward satisfying the entrance requirement of popular state colleges and universities in the area. Researching these requirements will help you to make sure your child gets all the high school courses he needs for the college of his choice.
Step 4
Get them fully enrolled in the homeschool program. This may require unenrolling them from their regular high school. Many high school homeschool programs cost money, so make sure to pay all the necessary fees for homeschool enrollment and curriculum in advance to avoid any problems.
Step 5
Purchase supplies. Homeschooling requires many of the same supplies as traditional high school, so purchase the usual notebooks, pens, pencils, folders and traditional supplies. The homeschooling program that you have selected may also have a list of required supplies, computer software and books needed to complete the program successfully.
Step 6
Get started. Once you have everything in place the next logical step is to get started. Some homeschool programs run on the same calendar as your local school district, while other programs may follow a calendar of their own. Homeschooling requires a great deal of time and commitment, so it is best to get started as soon as possible, and follow a strict schedule.
Tips and Warnings
- Although homeschooling schedules are flexible, devote the same time block to teaching your child every day to establish a routine.
- Forcing children who want to be in traditional high school into homeschooling may result in a poorer quality of work.
