How to Transition to Homeschooling from Public School
The year I started homeschooling my oldest child was the year I felt excitement and panic all at the same time. I knew this was the choice God had led our family to but I wasn’t sure how my daughter would transition to homeschooling after being in public school. Perhaps you can relate?
How to transition to homeschooling from public school
Discover the Blessings of Homeschooling
The reality is that your child is probably going to miss many things about public school like being with friends all day and having class parties. Help your child discover the blessings of being homeschooled such as sleeping in, taking lots of field trips and doing school outside.
Starting the school year with some fun activities can assist in making a smooth transition from public to home education.
Some families take a few days to decompress from the public school mindset while other families take several weeks or months off of formal education. Only you know what is best for your child and family. Make sure to consider your state’s homeschool requirements and your child’s own unique needs.
Create A Simple Routine
It can be helpful to create a simple routine once you are ready to start formal learning. A routine is just an order of events for your school day. Perhaps your routine might include breakfast, chores, school work, lunch, finishing up school and then free time. Take it slow and ease into your homeschool routine.
Start With A Few Subjects
Once you have a simple routine in place, you can start adding in subjects for your child to do each day. It can be helpful to start with just a few subjects and then add in one or two every few weeks. This will give your child and you some space to tweak your routine and adjust anything that isn’t working in your homeschool.
Deal With Discipline
One of the things you might need to work on in the early months of homeschooling is discipline issues with your child. This is not the time to be a drill sergeant though. Your child will need loads of grace right alongside consistent discipline as they learn to respect you as parent and teacher.
Make Changes As Needed
As you move through your first year of homeschooling you will probably make a lot of changes in your homeschool. It will take time to discover what works best for your family. Don’t be afraid to tweak the curriculum. You don’t need to follow the teacher’s manual every single time. Change things up, add in some fun and keep going.
Give Yourself Grace
Homeschooling takes a lot of work but it is worth it in the end. Give yourself loads of grace as you maneuver through your first year of homeschooling. Don’t worry about finishing the curriculum. Relax and enjoy this special time with your child.
Homeschool moms are busy
Bright Ideas gets that. And that’s why we promise to publish Christian-oriented curriculum that will fit into your hectic lives, curriculum that is both affordable and easy-to-use with children of different ages at the same time. Curriculum that busy Moms love! The team at Bright Ideas Press prays that our products and resources will not only help to simplify your life, but also inspire, encourage, and enable you as parents to effectively educate your children.
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Author
Janelle Knutson is a wife and homeschooling mom to seven children. She has graduated her oldest child from high school with six more children still to go. She enjoys encouraging and equipping homeschool families through her writing, blogging, speaking and one-on-one homeschool consultations. You can find her at JanelleKnutson.com or on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
Comment (1)
How many subjects do you think is an average amount to start with for my first year? I will be teaching a 5th graders