What are the advantages?

Here are reasons for choosing to teach your children at home as discussed in the chapter, "The Home School Alternative." Of course not all apply to every family.

In a home school you can educate your children according to your own convictions.

Nearly all classroom schools are highly competitive (in the wrong ways).

A good home environment enhances social development. (People frequently get this idea backwards.)

School at home encourages what we might call self-propelled" learning.

Home schools educate children and youth who live too far away to attend the public school or to attend a private school with a compatible philosophy.

School at home is often an advantage for children with problems which threaten their opportunity to achieve.

Individualized instruction may keep efforts directed toward specific learning needs.

Flexibility allows convenient scheduling of family trips and other activities.

Relief from tuition expense.

School at home brings parents a sense of satisfaction. It's not easy, but rewarding accomplishments seldom are.

Am I qualified to teach?

Teaching comes naturally for loving parents although it is serious business. The first part of the job is helping your child be ready to learn, That, too, is natural in a good home atmosphere. When it comes to academics, there are books and supervising services to help you.

The whole process is easier for only one or a few children because with individual instruction you know right away when something isn't understood, or you can head off a behavior problem before it develops. Without the distraction of 30 other children, you can direct your teaching to your child's needs.

Requirements: First, you should have a relatively good home atmosphere. Then I believe it's best if you: (1) can use fairly good English (or whatever the language of instruction will be) in reading, speaking, and writing, (2) have a basic sense of numbers. (3) have time to spend with your child.

You can learn much of what you teach as you prepare for each day, or even while your child learns. Of course it's best, in subjects like math, to have the skill equivalent of couple of school years ahead of what you are teaching.

In summary, most all parents can teach and do an excellent job. You will make some wrong turns now and then, but children are amazingly adaptable and will usually learn no matter what methods you use. Of course you want to do your work well and efficiently. Books like The Home School Manual can help.

How do I get started?

The following is a "one-minute lesson" in how to set up a home school, taken from The Home School Manual.

The process isn't really difficult. You don't need to know everything professional teachers should know.

Think about what you believe education should do for your kids. Discuss the idea with your family.

Pray for wisdom.

Read the essential chapters in this book and browse through the rest. Read other books on the topic.

Ask your state or area organization for a basic information packet.

Choose an organizational approach.

Find a support group and pick up ideas from people who have already been home teaching.

Purchase the essential materials you will need and sketch out your overall plan.

Arrange to satisfy legal requirements.

Make friends with families who have similar interests.

Expect to modify your program as you discover what works best for your situation.