You don’t have to be your kids’ only teacher
I was recently asked by a mom how I did it when all five of my boys were home. How did I teach all of them at their different levels? All the different subjects? And then grade everything too? I’ve had other parents ask how I do it all now, working full time and homeschooling only one kid.
I didn’t, and I don’t.
I figured out a long time ago that I couldn’t do it all. I had to find people to help me.
That is one of the awesome things about homeschooling. We don’t have to do it all ourselves. We can find the teachers our kids need.
Here are six different people/sources that can teach your kids, making your life as a homeschooler a little bit easier.
- Friends. Our friends. Friends of friends. Over the years, I’ve had many people teach my kids. And I’ve taught many kids that weren’t my own.
History, economics, personal finance, leadership, and sewing are all things I’m interested in. I’ve taught classes for my kids and other kids on all of these subjects. My kids benefited because we had a much more diverse and dynamic class. The other parents benefited because they didn’t have to teach those topics.
I’ve taken advantage of this too. My oldest had the father of a friend teach him high school chemistry. This gentleman had worked in science for decades and was willing to take some time during his retirement to share his knowledge and experience with a young person who showed interest. My twins benefited from a similar situation. One of the dads from our homeschool group was a scientist, and his son (a good friend of my boys) had to take chemistry, so they invited my sons to join them. We split the costs of the materials, and I didn’t have to teach that subject. It was a win-win situation. Both of these situations gave my kids a deeper understanding of the subject’s application that I could have ever given them.
- Family. I am blessed to have parents who have always been very supportive of homeschooling. My in-laws and extended family haven’t always been.
When my older boys were little, my parents would take them on trips – the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, San Francisco, etc. They almost always included visits to museums and historical locations. These trips added more dimension to my kids’ education and gave my kids opportunities they wouldn’t have had otherwise.
For those in my family who weren’t as supportive of homeschooling, I tried to provide opportunities for them to share their interests with my kids. My kids learned more about their aunt, uncle, or grandparent and the subject they were passionate about, and these family members discovered a little bit about my kids and homeschooling. I ended up converting a couple of them! Even those I didn’t convert had a much better view of homeschooling and no longer were concerned about my kids’ education.
- Community – Finding a homeschool community, especially one that provides classes for your kids, is a lifesaver. It gives you opportunities to find and develop relationships that can be mutually beneficial. I joined a community (or homeschool group) early in our homeschool journey. We did co-op classes where parents took turns teaching classes. It gave us all a little breather when it wasn’t our turn, but it also allowed us to volunteer to share our genius with everyone else.
When we moved to a different state, I eventually joined with other families to build another community. This one, the teachers went through training to teach the classes offered. I’ve taught many of these classes over the years. And my boys have taught some too. The opportunity to teach, especially with a trusted adult to help and guide you, is a fantastic growth experience.
- Your Kids – Yep. They can help. When your kids get older and have developed a good sense of intrinsic motivation (i.e., they want to learn), have them grade their own work. If you don’t feel comfortable about that, you could have older siblings check younger siblings’ work. Make it a win-win situation. It might mean they get paid to do it or maybe extra privileges.
- Curriculum – Finding a curriculum that supports you as the parent/teacher is important. Especially if you have a bunch of kids you are trying to teach at different levels. For example, if you have a math curriculum that you have to teach the concepts and correct all the work, it can take up a lot of your day. Finding a curriculum that teaches and/or corrects the material will save you time (and your sanity).
- Classes – There are so many online classes available today! It is hard to sift through the ones that will work best for you. These have variable costs and methods. You need to figure out what is best for you and your child.
This is where your friends, family, community, and curriculum can help! Talk to your friends and community and see what they recommend. If the ideal class for your kids costs too much, see if grandparents can help with the cost or give it as a gift. If you have a curriculum you love, see if there is a class that works with that curriculum.
If you would like a learning opportunity for yourself, check out the Transformational Education Homeschool Conference. There are many SPEAKERS who are sharing their genius. Check out the list of PRESENTATIONS and REGISTER TODAY.