Many families have stopped taking a one-sized fits all approach to their children’s education. There are some students that thrived in an online learning environment or when learning from home. Gone are the days where the only option is sending children off to school every day.
The elementary years of school are vastly different than when we were in school. Children aren’t simply memorizing facts and spitting them back. The world is so different now that we all have a phone in our hands that can look up a random fact in a couple of seconds. So the paradigm has shifted from holding facts in your memory to showing higher level thinking skills. I recommend that you let go of the idea of trying to teach them every fact we learned during our elementary school education. That step will make the home schooling process much less stressful for you. Instead let their interests drive the facts that they learn, as it will be infinitely more meaningful than being handed a list of facts to memorize.
What should a child in elementary school work on in home schooling?
Each child should have direct instruction at their level of reading and word study (aka spelling). Figuring out your child’s level and finding appropriate resources can be daunting if you aren’t an educator. So I could work on assessing your child and recommending resources or I could provide some or all of their reading instruction.
Math is also a key skill that needs daily practice. There is a natural progression to math instruction as the skills build upon one another. Home schooling would give you the opportunity to move through those skills with your child at their pace to ensure they master all the necessary skills. They can have gaps in their skills to be addressed or they may be working at a higher level and need to be challenged. Again I could help with assessment and make recommendations or work with your child directly.
Writing is another skill that is mandatory in any home schooling program. Children need to be taught to write for different purposes. We can write to entertain such as in short stories or poetry. We can write to teach about something we know or to inform others about a particular topic. Another purpose for writing can be to persuade such as in opinion pieces. Each child develops as a writer at their own pace and in their own way. We can work together to help push your child to their potential as a writer without overwhelming them with the process of writing.
How do I find out more about home schooling options?
We can set up a time to meet and develop a program for your family. We can take into account how many hours you have each day to devote to their schooling and look at the needs of your children. We may need to schedule a monthly time to check in or we can schedule daily sessions. It really depends on what works best for your family.
I am certified to teach in New York and I am equipped to work online. I would love the opportunity to help your family get started with home schooling.
Cost: first thirty minute online consultation free
$50 per hour for subsequent sessions.