When people think of homeschooling, they might think of a family that does little more than sitting at home all day, reading books and filling out worksheets. They may even think of how time-consuming it must be for the home educators to take on the momentous task of schooling their children all by themselves.
However, the reality is that homeschool can be quite the opposite. Not only can you do most of your schooling outside the home, there are also a wide variety of resources you can use to educate your child. You don’t have to do it all alone and you certainly don’t have to be stuck indoors all day. Below, you will learn about a few of the many homeschool resources outside the home.
Classes
Let’s be honest – it can be very intimidating to think about teaching your child some subjects. I’m sure that we can all think of a few subjects that we do not feel comfortable teaching. Fortunately, that doesn’t have to mean that your child can’t learn it. There are plenty of places that offer classes on various subjects. Check with your local community center, parks and recreation department, and other local organizations to find out about classes that are offered in your area. You might even be able to find some affordable (or free) classes offered at local community colleges. Some businesses might even offer classes (for example, music stores might offer singing and instrument lessons; hobby stores might offer classes on sewing, scrapbooking, baking, etc.). Just keep your eyes open for opportunities and be proactive about finding classes for those tough subjects.
Tutors
An alternative to taking classes on tough subjects is to find a tutor who will work with your child one-on-one. You can often find tutors through local websites, on bulletin boards (especially community boards or boards in or around schools), and online. There are even websites dedicated solely to connecting tutors with students that need help mastering various subjects. Another option is to reach out to friends, family, and fellow homeschoolers to find out if any of them are able and willing to tutor your child.
Homeschool Co-ops
Speaking of your fellow homeschoolers, you should definitely connect with your local homeschooling community to find out if there are any cooperatives set up. A cooperative (commonly referred to as a co-op) is when a group of homeschool families get together on a regular basis to teach a variety of subjects. They usually meet once or twice a week for a couple of hours. Typically, the parents work together to decide which classes will be offered and which parents will teach each class. From my experience, the parents volunteer to teach subjects that they have an interest in. They might also bring in outside people to teach certain topics or to serve as guest speakers. Co-ops can vary greatly, depending on the parents who are participating so it would be wise to shop around a bit before deciding which one is the best fit for you and your family. However, if you find a good one, it can be very helpful and enjoyable.
Community Resources
If you are fortunate enough to live in a community with a variety of things to do, you should definitely take advantage of it. One of the best parts of homeschooling is that you can go on as many field trips as you want to. Sit down and think about all of the places in your town that might be fun and educational to visit: the library, museums, nature centers, the zoo, aquariums, observatories, etc. All of these are examples of ways that you can incorporate fun into your homeschool life.
Extracurricular Activities
Another awesome aspect of homeschool is that your child will have more time than their public school counterparts to engage in extracurricular activities. They don’t have to be restricted to evening and weekends. Think about what your child is interested in and then see what your community has to offer that they might enjoy. A few examples are sports, martial arts, art classes, music lessons, chess club, debate club, 4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, etc. If there aren’t any activities going on in your area, perhaps you can band together with other parents to get some going.
Enrichment Activities
Sometimes an enrichment activity, like music, dance, or scouting, may become the center of your curriculum for a season or a few years. Your days might revolve around lessons, practices, and performances or outdoor events that require planning and preparation. Math, language arts, history, science, and other subjects can be interwoven with the tasks required to accomplish your goals. Working alongside an instructor, troop leader, or other mentor to plan tasks, perfect skills, document accomplishments, and teach them to others requires reading, writing, analysis, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills that are sometimes best learned in real-world activities.
Hopefully this has helped to get you thinking about all of the ways that you can get out and about as you navigate the world of homeschooling. It really just takes a bit of creativity, a heap of resourcefulness, and a willingness to try new things.
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* 7 Homeschooling Resources To Check Out Now
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