Busting Homeschooling Myths #7
Myth: I can’t homeschool my kids because I don’t know how to teach everything.
Truth: You don’t have to teach everything. Depending on your situation, you can enlist others to help teach your kids.
There are two common reasons parents feel overwhelmed when they think about having to teach their children a wide assortment of subjects. First, parents may feel they don’t have enough time to be responsible for all the teaching duties. Second, parents may feel they don’t have the know-how to teach many different subjects.
How you choose to handle these challenges will depend on how you wish to use your time and money. As is often the case in life, spending money will save you time, and spending time will save you money. Every family’s circumstances are different, and you should make decisions that work for your family.
Here are some ways to share teaching responsibilities that may require more time, but save money:
Co-teaching with another family member - Spouses can split teaching duties. Grandparents or other adult family members might volunteer to pitch in part-time.
Co-teaching with another homeschooling parent - Sharing with a friend works particularly well if you have different strengths/interests. For example, if you love science and your friend loves history, you might lead a group science lesson in which your friend’s family joins yours, and then your family would join hers when she teaches history. A word of caution: this solution only works well when both families share similar education goals.
Co-ops - Some co-ops can be expensive, but many keep their costs low by having parent volunteers teach and facilitate co-op activities. It can be difficult to find a co-op that fits your preferences, but if you are able to find one, you will also enjoy the benefit of a supportive community.
Now for some ways to share teaching responsibilities that may require more money, but save time:
Online classes - There are so many online class options, ranging from short-term experiences, to full-year classes, to complete virtual schooling. Online classes may work particularly well if your child wants to learn a subject you know nothing about. They can also provide online community, and your child will usually learn from an instructor who loves what they are teaching. The drawback is that you may lose scheduling flexibility if your child is required to be online at a certain time.
Private tutors and instructors - You can find private tutors locally or online. You will pay a premium price to hire a private to work with your student through your preferred curriculum throughout the entire school year. For a less expensive option, you may still find it helpful to hire a tutor to work with your child on a specific skill (such as multiplying fractions) for a short time.
Maybe you want to teach everything - that’s totally cool. But if the idea of teaching writing, math, reading, foreign language, history, science, art, music, and everything else seems overwhelming, remember that you have options. Just remember, no matter what you decide, make sure you are complying with your local homeschooling laws while honoring your family’s preferences.
