If you’re thinking of starting to homeschool, it can be hard to know where to begin.
Here’s our top tips on how to begin homeschooling to help you make the transition as stress-free as possible.
Creating A Home Classroom
When starting a homeschool, it’s essential to get the learning space right. Having a space in your home devoted to homeschooling will not only help your child focus, but also help you stay organised.
It really doesn’t matter where that space is. It could be an entirely different room, like a spare room, if you have the space. But equally, it could be your dining room table. The key here is consistency. ¹
Wherever you choose to have your learning space, ensure it’s quiet and free of distractions. Plenty of natural light and access to fresh air will also help create an excellent space to learn. ²
Don’t feel that you need to restrict yourself to the four walls of your home – remember that the entire world can be your classroom. Feel free to take your lessons outside your home, whether that’s in your garden or local park. ³
Homeschool Decor Ideas
Traditional classrooms can be bland and inspiring, which can hinder learning. Shades of blues and yellows can help you create a fun space where your child can feel inspired to learn. Saying that, a room bursting with colour may be a bit overwhelming for your child. Rather than using all the colours of the rainbow on the walls, try to create a palette of three or four colours, and stick with those. ⁴
Displaying learning materials on the walls, like world maps, charts and artwork, will further emphasise that this is a space for learning. It’s a good idea to get your kids involved with decorating the space to give them a sense of ownership over their own learning environment. ⁵
Starting To Homeschool – Shopping List
When you’re considering how to begin homeschooling, having everything you need to hand will set you up for success.
Stationery is a must for any classroom, but you don’t want to end up with mountains of it.
Here’s some of the essentials you might wish to consider when starting a homeschool:
Writing pens and pencils
Coloured pens and pencils
Highlighters
Rulers
Exercise books with a variety of plain, ruled and graph paper
Sketch pads
Scissors and glue sticks ⁶
When you’re starting to homeschool, it’s important that you as the teacher have everything you need to provide the best learning experience you can.
Here are some suggestions of what you’ll need when starting a homeschool:
Coloured pens for marking work
Whiteboard with pens and eraser
Flipcharts and marker pens
Lesson planner
Diary or journal to help you chart progress
Files for storing teaching materials ⁷
Best Online Homeschool Curriculums
Homeschooling is a viable option for anyone, thanks to the wide range of online resources available. The national curriculum may be taught in UK comprehensive schools, but homeschools are under no obligation to follow it.
The curriculum you choose will depend on your teaching style, your and your children’s interests, what year they’re in, and what they might want to do after school if they’re old enough to consider their options. ⁸
Here are some of the best online homeschool curriculums for you to explore:
EdPlace
King’s InterHigh
Estia Tuition
Twinkl
Homeschool Lesson Plans – Made Simple
For many children, the rigidity of traditional schooling can make their learning experience a negative one. The beauty of starting to homeschool is that the same restrictive practices don’t bind you.
Saying that it’s important to establish a routine that works for you and your family. For example, if your child needs a little extra time in the mornings before they’re ready to learn, consider starting lessons later in the day.
It’s worthwhile buying a planner to help you plot out your lesson plans.
Make sure you allow enough time for breaks and leisure time in your planning to help keep your child motivated. ⁹
When considering how to begin homeschooling, remember that this is a new experience for you and your children.
As well as being a parent and child, you now have additional roles of teacher and student. It can take time to adjust, so keep an open mind and be ready to make changes if something isn’t quite right.
References:
https://demmelearning.com/blog/homeschool-room/
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/reviews/home-improvement/how-to-set-up-a-homeschool-room
https://www.familyeducation.com/school-learning/homeschooling/how-to-get-started-with-homeschooling
https://rockyourhomeschool.net/homeschool-room-ideas/
https://www.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/homeschooling-info/homeschool-supplies-oxford-home-schooling/
https://www.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/homeschooling-info/how-to-choose-a-homeschool-curriculum
