I spent over a decade working in education then left the classroom to unschool my daughter.
If you want to homeschool your kids, here's what you should know before you start.
= Thread =
If you want to homeschool your kids, here's what you should know before you start.
= Thread =
Before I dive in, I want to S/O @DevLinguistic for the inspiration.
He asked the million-dollar question on a post a while back:
"How can I best prepare to homeschool my future kids?"
Here are my top recommendations for anyone looking to start their homeschooling journey.
He asked the million-dollar question on a post a while back:
"How can I best prepare to homeschool my future kids?"
Here are my top recommendations for anyone looking to start their homeschooling journey.
@DevLinguistic 1. Do your research.
After hours and hours of research, my wife and I started out with traditional homeschooling.
We failed miserably and landed on unschooling because it fit our daughter.
After hours and hours of research, my wife and I started out with traditional homeschooling.
We failed miserably and landed on unschooling because it fit our daughter.
@DevLinguistic I strongly believe unschooling is the best path in home education, but you will have to come up with your own direction.
With that being said, start by gaining a good understanding of the different types of home education.
With that being said, start by gaining a good understanding of the different types of home education.
@DevLinguistic Think of it this way: If "homeschooling" is the base of a tree, the styles are the many branches, and the leaves are your interpretation.
There's:
Eclectic
Classical
Traditional
Montessori
Unschooling
Roadschooling
Worldschooling
Charlotte Mason
& many more.
There's:
Eclectic
Classical
Traditional
Montessori
Unschooling
Roadschooling
Worldschooling
Charlotte Mason
& many more.
@DevLinguistic The key to remember - the style you go for is not about what:
- Will fit you
- Is most convenient to you
- Makes the most sense to you
It's about what's best for your child.
Experiment, don't be afraid to f*ck up, and adjust to them.
- Will fit you
- Is most convenient to you
- Makes the most sense to you
It's about what's best for your child.
Experiment, don't be afraid to f*ck up, and adjust to them.
@DevLinguistic 2. Itโs a lifestyle change.
When you decide to homeschool, understand that itโs a lifestyle change and your kids wont be the only ones affected.
The entire family will need to adjust.
Give yourself time, make the necessary arrangements, and be patient.
When you decide to homeschool, understand that itโs a lifestyle change and your kids wont be the only ones affected.
The entire family will need to adjust.
Give yourself time, make the necessary arrangements, and be patient.
@DevLinguistic 3. Prepare financially.
My wife and I were both teaching public school in Hawaii when we decided to homeschool and due to many rolling parts in our personal life, we hit the reset button.
- We quit our jobs
- Sold our home
- Moved 2500 miles away
My wife and I were both teaching public school in Hawaii when we decided to homeschool and due to many rolling parts in our personal life, we hit the reset button.
- We quit our jobs
- Sold our home
- Moved 2500 miles away
@DevLinguistic And we didnโt financially prepare at all.
We knew we were going to unschool our daughter and start building the life we had always envisioned.
That was about it.
We knew we were going to unschool our daughter and start building the life we had always envisioned.
That was about it.
@DevLinguistic I have zero regrets about how we did it, but if I could go back, I would have set up things better financially to make sure that by the time we were ready to "school," we could pour more into our daughter.
@DevLinguistic It's so important to have those conversations about finances and create a plan.
Your kids are watching and will learn from you, so remember:
The home education journey is not about them learning how to survive, it's about showing them how to live and thrive.
Your kids are watching and will learn from you, so remember:
The home education journey is not about them learning how to survive, it's about showing them how to live and thrive.
@DevLinguistic 4. Before you "school," you need to understand yourself and your relationship to school.
Regardless of the type of homeschooling you choose to do, I strongly suggest you spend time deschooling yourself before you get going.
Regardless of the type of homeschooling you choose to do, I strongly suggest you spend time deschooling yourself before you get going.
@DevLinguistic Some of the key questions we had to answer for ourselves to effectively work with our daughter:
- What was school for you?
- What was the importance?
- What did you like/not like?
- What worked/didn't?
- How did your experience impact who you are today?
- What was school for you?
- What was the importance?
- What did you like/not like?
- What worked/didn't?
- How did your experience impact who you are today?
@DevLinguistic - What is the root of your feelings for/against?
- How do you want to change that in your household?
- How do you want to change that in your household?
@DevLinguistic 5. Block out the noise.
We started homeschooling over a year before the pandemic hit.
It was frowned upon by both sides of our familyโฆ until the pandemic hit.
Here's the realization we had:
What you decide to do for your family is no one's f*cking business.
We started homeschooling over a year before the pandemic hit.
It was frowned upon by both sides of our familyโฆ until the pandemic hit.
Here's the realization we had:
What you decide to do for your family is no one's f*cking business.
@DevLinguistic If youโre getting objections from family or close friends on your decision-making as a parent, just remember that they are doing so out of fear of you doing something different, and apparently...
Different is never cool until it's trending on social media.
Trust yourself.
Different is never cool until it's trending on social media.
Trust yourself.
@DevLinguistic 6. Drop your limiting beliefs.
"I don't know if I'm good enough to teach them."
Stop it.
Get that out of your head.
"I don't know if I'm good enough to teach them."
Stop it.
Get that out of your head.
@DevLinguistic I've said it once on here and I'll say it again:
I have a Masters degree in education and have worked with 2,000+ students over 10+ years.
There is no one more qualified for your kids than yourself.
You are more than enough.
I have a Masters degree in education and have worked with 2,000+ students over 10+ years.
There is no one more qualified for your kids than yourself.
You are more than enough.
@DevLinguistic 7. Forget about "schooling."
Know that the first years your child is alive or the first year you transition to homeschooling, education shouldn't even come to mind.
Focus only on building your relationship.
Know that the first years your child is alive or the first year you transition to homeschooling, education shouldn't even come to mind.
Focus only on building your relationship.
@DevLinguistic When THEY are ready to learn, they will have no problem or hesitation asking.
@DevLinguistic When we first started working with our daughter, we had to rebuild our relationship with her before we could even begin guiding her.
Education is about trust.
Don't assume you have their trust to facilitate their learning.
Education is about trust.
Don't assume you have their trust to facilitate their learning.
@DevLinguistic 8. Have. Fun.
My wife asked our daughter what she would suggest to people looking into homeschooling and this was her response:
"Just have fun with your kids."
This is the most important point to remember.
My wife asked our daughter what she would suggest to people looking into homeschooling and this was her response:
"Just have fun with your kids."
This is the most important point to remember.
@DevLinguistic If you enjoyed this thread, please RT the first tweet and consider following
@ianthewritedad.
If you have questions or need guidance when it comes to making education decisions for your family, my DMs are open.
@ianthewritedad.
If you have questions or need guidance when it comes to making education decisions for your family, my DMs are open.
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