Creating a homeschool environment and curriculum for your child.
When you choose to homeschool your child, you also need to choose a curriculum to follow. Many parents simply want their child to follow the local curriculum which would have been taught at a traditional school, however, there are others who want to have more of a say in what their child learns, and therefore the curriculum they follow.
But what are the main aspects of the curriculum, and indeed your child’s learning, which you should consider? The rest of this article shall go on to discuss this in a little more detail.
Priorities and objectives
What are the primary motivations for homeschooling your child? Some families choose to hire a private tutor to homeschool as a result of ongoing travel around the world, usually as a result of business, live in a remote location or an area in which they’re not happy with the local school offering , or potentially the child or children is simply not sufficiently challenged at school. Here at Beacon, these are just some of the reasons for homeschooling that we hear on a regular basis, and parents’ priorities will often fall in line with these reasons.
Long term, the objective may be for the student to attend a top tier university, such as the Ivy League’s Harvard, Princeton, Yale or Columbia. If this is the case, the homeschooling curriculum will have to largely follow the nationally recognised curriculum, in order to ensure that the qualifications needed to enter these prestigious schools are achieved. On the flip side, if the long term ambition is to take a more vocational career path then the curriculum may be tailored to suit this.
The family’s lifestyle will also play a part in terms of their priorities and objectives when it comes to homeschooling and the private tutor. For example, if the family travels on a regular basis, they will look for a tutor who is flexible to follow them, delivering a consistent learning environment and curriculum no matter where in the world they are.
Subjects
We have already briefly touched upon subjects when talking about the student’s future plans, however it is generally accepted that literacy, numeracy and the traditional sciences are considered to be core learning subjects. Away from these, there are of course a multitude of other subjects which may be of interest to the student, or which the family may want their child to learn more about. Generally a varied curriculum which stimulates learning and encourages engagement is the best option.
When it comes to selecting topics for long term study, it could also be possible to offer taster sessions in various subjects over a semester in order to see which subject appeals to the student the most. Of course subject selection may also depend on the age of the student, with older students potentially needing a more specialised approach due to their future college or university plans.
Routine
Some people are under the impression that homeschooling children means a lack of routine, structure and no dedicated learning space. However, this is not the case, and certainly not when you work with a handpicked Beacon tutor. Our tutors work with the parents in order to set out the plans over the academic year and on a weekly basis to ensure that the students stay on track with the learning requirements. Of course there is still an element of flexibility with homeschooling, with lessons and teaching time planned around any outside plans such as travel.
Tailored Education
As we’ve previously written about, one of the many benefits of homeschooling is the ability to deliver a tailored curriculum and learning experience to a child on a one-to-one basis. As we all know, every student is different and therefore learns differently to each other, and homeschooling means that a student’s wants and needs can be better catered for as a result of the one-to-one environment. This bespoke learning isn’t just in relation to the style or environment, but also relates to the curriculum being taught too.
Socialisation
One of the potential pitfalls of homeschooling is the lack of socialisation with other children. However this can be addressed in a number of ways, ranging from extracurricular activities such as sports teams and play dates to projects which involve collaboration with other children.
With these various elements taken into account right through from the topics and subjects of the curriculum through to routine and potential issues with socialisation, we’re confident that your child will benefit from a bespoke homeschooling programme with a Beacon tutor. If you would like to learn more about us or how we work, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
