For many dads, the idea of staying home and homeschooling their kids may seem daunting at first. It can be hard to give up the steady paycheck and adult conversation that comes with a job outside the home. But for others, it can be a perfect way to spend more time with their children while teaching them in a way that meets their individual needs. If you're considering becoming a stay-at-home dad and homeschooling your kids, here are some advice to help you get started!
With the pandemic essentially over in terms of quarantine and safety protocols gone, many men are facing the challenging reality that they are being pulled back to the office once again. However, during this time spent at home, millions of American dads have re-discovered how much they enjoy spending time with their children and being an important part of their development beyond simply being the "bread winner".
While some men have negotiated with their employers to continue work from home status, others are looking for a lifestyle transition that includes becoming a home school educator.
What Is Homeschooling And Why Do People Choose To Do It?
Homeschooling is an educational option in which parents take responsibility for their child's education instead of sending them to a public or private school. Many families choose to homeschool because they want more control over what their children are learning, they want to spend more time together as a family, or they want to instill specific religious or moral values in their kids.
How To Get Started If You're Thinking About Homeschooling Your Kids
Whatever the reason, if you're considering homeschooling your children, it's important to do your research and make sure it's the right fit for your family. Here are some things to keep in mind:
The first step is understanding the homeschool laws in your state. Every state has different regulations about who can homeschool and how it must be done. For example, some states require parents to have a teaching certificate, while others do not. You can find out more about your state's homeschooling laws here.
Once you know the homeschool laws in your state, you'll need to decide what type of curriculum you'll use. There are many different types of homeschool curriculums available, so it's important to find one that meets your child's needs and learning style. You can read more about choosing a homeschool curriculum here.
You'll also need to create a schedule and routine for your homeschool days. This will help keep both you and your child on track and ensure that all the necessary subjects are being covered.
Thankfully, there are many resources available to help you get started today if you are considering homeschooling your kids.
This includes online resources and the homeschool community is generally pretty open in terms of helping each other find success in educating from home.
For instance, reach out talk to other homeschool families and talk with neighbors and ask for recommendations about books and articles about homeschooling. You can also attend local events for homeschool educators. With some planning and preparation, you can make the transition to becoming a stay-at-home dad and homeschooler!
Benefits Of Homeschooling For Both Parents And Children
Homeschooling can be a great way to spend more time with your kids and help them learn in a way that's tailored to their individual needs. It can also be a great opportunity for parents to bond with their children and teach them important life skills.
Other benefits for homeschooling include:
1. More control over what children are learning
2. Spend more time together as a family
3. Instill specific religious or moral values in their kids
4. Help children learn in a way that's tailored to their individual needs
5. Bond with children and teach them important life skills
6. Opportunity for parents to work from home.
Many dads who homeschool find that they are able to continue working from home while also educating their children. This can be a great way to have the best of both worlds and allows fathers to spend more time with their kids.
How To Create A Curriculum And Home School Environment For Your Family
Educating children at home is now becoming a more and more popular occupation, and with both sexes becoming the main breadwinners as a matter of normality, it’s not uncommon for men to be taking on this role more and more.
If you’re about to start life as a home education Dad, then it’s worth preparing for this task and to take it seriously. While it’s true that home educators have more freedom in how you tackle certain topics and what you do to reinforce learning, you’ll still be getting inspected by professional bodies to make sure you’re following a complete curriculum and that your teaching methodologies are properly planned.
We’re sure you’ve got this in the bag. However, like with any life change, listening to advice is almost always a good idea and can help you take that next step. In this post, we hope to offer some insight that should push you in the right direction. Without further ado, please consider:
Outfit The Home Learning Space
It’s healthy to outfit your learning space to the degree that you can. With classroom stools that help your children sit still and listen, paying attention to their textbooks or your teaching focal point, you’ll be able to hold their focus. It can also be nice to segment space in the home for this, like around your kitchen table, or at a relatively humble area in your living room. On top of this, displays (such as a times table poster), and kinetic tools for teaching (like bean counters) can be ideal.
Budget For Appropriate Technology
Just as you'd expect from a classroom in a school, technology isn't cheap. However, that doesn't mean it has to be super expensive either. You'll find that you can get a lot of use out of an iPad or Android with the right apps, and a laptop. While some homeschool software is application based and designed for Windows or Mac, most resources are now designed to work through a standard web browser.
This means that a Chromebook will work well, compared to that expensive business laptop you use for work right now.
Other technology needed for a home school
In addition to the devices mentioned above, other technology needed for a home school includes:
- A printer and scanner
- A good internet connection
- A video camera and microphone
There are plenty of other things you could budget for when it comes to setting up your homeschooling environment - from arts and crafts supplies to puzzles and games - but these two should give you a good starting point.
Think About Your Child's Learning Style
This is something all teachers need to take into account, whether they're in a physical classroom or not. Some children learn better by listening to audio recordings, others through interactive activities, and some via reading texts. As such, try and tailor your homeschooling methods to how your child learns best.
Not only will this make learning more fun for them, but it'll also help them retain the information better. It's a win-win!
Organize Your Lesson Plans
It’s healthy to organize your lessons plans if you can. If you have a structure for the week, then you’ll be more ready to keep consistent in your teaching progress and move forward without confusion or feeling overwhelmed. On top of that, you’ll have an easier job of resuming previous lessons that you may have paused before they were completed, be able to set long term projects that your children can work on for maximum learning, and of course, prepare properly for the official tests and equivalent courses that your children will need to go through in order to graduate with the correct schooling qualifications. Set a goal for each lesson, the duration, and one topic a child can answer questions on in order to solidify their learnings. Bind like topics together. This will have the best effect.
With this advice, we believe you’ll continue to serve as an excellent home educator, regardless of your gender.
