Is Homeschooling Right for my Child?

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Homeschooling has become more and more popular over the last decade, during the pandemic many families were forced to adopt this method of learning and many have not returned to a conventional school setting post-COVID. In this article, we explore some of the questions you will need to ask yourself to decide if homeschooling could be right for you and your family. Consider these four questions before you proceed in your homeschooling journey.

Why do you want to homeschool?

There may be many reasons why you may be considering homeschooling. Our culture is becoming more and more polarising and some families may feel the current culture is morally bankrupt and not aligned with their values and morals, it then becomes more difficult to justify allowing your child to spend at least 6 hours a day in this environment for approximately 36 weeks of the year that are not aligned with your values.

Alternatively, there may be additional elements of learning that you value that are not part of the curriculum, for example, outdoor pursuits, financial literacy or other life skills.

Homeschooling also allows you to control the pace of work, and delve into topics in a lot more depth than you may be afforded in mainstream school. Whatever the reason as with most cases your why needs to be clear and strong to take such a serious step away from mainstream education.

Is homeschooling a better alternative?

Just because you’re considering homeschooling this does not mean that it is a better alternative than mainstream education. Is home a safer and more conducive learning environment? Often parents will remove students from school due to bullying or other adverse situations but parents must consider if home is a better environment. Do they have space to work? Is it a stable environment? Will they be protected and nurtured there?

There is a difference between homeschooling and doing school at home, when doing school at home you are recreating what is being offered by their current institution normally via online or textbooks and worksheets are given by the school and they are to be completed at home.

On the contrary, when it comes to homeschooling you become responsible for all aspects of their education, the subjects covered, the resources used, etc…

Do you have the facilities to be able to do this?

Parents before taking on the responsibility need to be aware of what they are committing to and the amount of time and energy that will be required of them. Along with this will be a requirement of resource gathering, administration as well as teaching at times and emotional support.

As a family are you in agreement? This is essential because of the magnitude of the task you are embarking on, parents need to be in agreement or it is going to be very difficult to homeschool effectively. Teaching in itself is not easy, are you patient, composed, and organised? Even if this does not describe you, you will need to be committed to going on this learning journey and be committed to growing as an educator.

Do you have access to a support network of other parents? This will be very important also as you need help and advice from like-minded parents and educators. Another consideration is the fact you probably will not be able to work a full-time job if you are planning to homeschool without external help, this is because along with teaching there will be large volumes of administration and preparation that go into homeschooling you will need to be available to support whilst learning is happening. Therefore this is a financial commitment that families must consider before they decide to homeschool.

Where can I get more information?

Rejecting mainstream education for your children is a very important decision and one that should not be taken lightly this article is in no way exhaustive and is designed to be the beginning of the conversation on the best way to educate your child. If you require any more assistance and advice there are many homeschooling communities online not only in your area but are also aligned with your values.

Along with advising and providing the resources Sam Tutoring can deliver homeschooling sessions both individually and in small groups. For families based beyond Kensington, we’re able to take care of all of your academic needs via our virtual school which is launching in early 2024.

Samuel Adu-Gyamfi is the CEO and founder of Sam Tutoring, a tutoring service and consultancy in London he founded a decade ago.

Sam Tutoring provides private one-to-one tuition along with group and online tuition for families in Central London and internationally, as well as tailor-made services for schools.

Working with students from the ages of 7-18 we provide academic support and mentorship.

Email info@samtutoring.london, to book a consultation or visit www.samtutoring.London to see how we can help your child succeed.

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