Am I Qualified For This?
I am always amused when I hear parents say “I wish that I could homeschool my children, but I don’t know how to teach.”
Whether parents realize it or not they are their child’s first teacher. Your child’s first learning experience happened in the home. They learned to walk, talk, dress themselves, rode their bicycles under your supervision. Chances are when your children were very young you playfully taught them their alphabet through songs and learned shapes and numbers through games. You taught your children morals, manners, and arranged play dates for social interactions. Your home was your child’s first educational institution whether either one of you knew it or not.
During these very formative years did you once ask “am I qualified for this?”
You are your child’s best teacher. No one knows your child like you do. You know their strengths and weaknesses. You know their history. You know what your child will and will not respond to.
Your child’s learning is not based on you being a certified teacher. It is based on instilling a love of learning within your child.
According to Sherri Linsenbach’s book The Everything Homeschooling Book, research has shown that what is pivotal to homeschooling is:
• Interact one-on-one with each child.
• Tutor and mentor your child.
• Design a curriculum best suited to each child’s learning style.
• Take advantage of learning opportunities whenever they arise.
• Learn together and seek answers together.
• Learn through hands-on approaches.
• Pinpoint a child’s weaknesses and spend time right then to help improve those areas.
• Exhibit patience and good humor.
• Share moral beliefs and values with each child.
• Share deep love and close bonds with each child.
Whether you are a stay-at home parent, working parent or single parent you can homeschool!
How do you decide what the right curriculum is for your children?
Check out my next blog for details on this topic.