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The term ‘homeschooling’ basically refers to the process in which one or more children of not more than 2 families are instructed by parents or legal guardians, or a member of either household. The laws that define homeschooling vary from State to State. The legal requirements for establishing a homeschool also vary with the State.

For most children, the actual process of learning begins much before school. Many children already know their alphabets, the names of animals, colors and other more complicated stuff before they reach school. This is mostly due to the hard work of a member
of the family who has taken the time to teach the child. Homeschooling is just a natural progression from here. Instead of
sending their children to a public school, parents make their own curriculum and teach their children in ways that best suit the child. This is homeschooling, in its most simplistic form.

Before you decide to go in for homeschooling, there are certain important matters for consideration. First off, meet with parents
of other homeschoolers. Find out the pros and cons of homeschooling. Then ask yourself why you would want to adopt this
method. This is a very important aspect, as the success of the program depends on the clarity and sincerity of your purpose.

Next, it is time to consider the expenses of homeschooling. It may cost anywhere between a few hundred dollars to a few thousand
every year. More importantly, you are also effectively shutting out any job opportunity for one of the parents. It is only obvious
that one parent will have to stay at home full time to manage the homeschool. A home-based business however is a great alternative.

Are you qualified to take on homeschooling for your children? Teaching is a continuation of your own learning process. With the
advent of the internet, information is aplenty. There are various books and resources for those interested in homeschooling. Go
through the various methods of homeschooling and choose one that is most suited to you. It helps if you know what kind of learning
style your child has. Also, find out what your child feels about homeschooling before you start.

Every state has its own laws regarding homeschooling. For instance, in North Carolina, you must first file a ‘Notice of
Intent’ to start a home school. In this you have to mention if the school is a ‘Private church’ school or a ‘qualified non-public
school’. The persons providing the education are required to have at least a high school diploma. You have to maintain an annual
record of the child’s attendance and disease immunization. Every year, the child is required to undergo a standardized test. Each
student attending the eleventh grade has to take a nationally standardized test. These are the requirements in North Carolina,
but it is enough to give you a good idea of what homeschooling entails.

Homeschooling may seem like a lot of fun and freedom from the outside. However, things are seldom as simple as they seem.
Homeschooling is a lot of added responsibility and hard work. But, if successful, it will forge a strong bond of love and respect
between parent and child, while providing your child with the best form of education he needs.

Each child has a unique way of learning.  The three learning modalities are the sensory channels we use to obtain and process information.  Visual learners process information best with pictures and diagrams; these children learn best seeing things.  Auditory learners learn best by listening and discussing things.  Kinesthetic learners learn best with a hands on approach.  Most children learn through all three learning modalities.

Temperament theory states that all people differ in their interests, attitudes, judgments, and perceptions.  This greatly affects how we want to learn, what we want to learn, and the way we learn.  When a parent learns what their child temperament style is, they can plan out how to effectively teach their child.  There are four temperament styles:  where the attention is focused, how information is acquired, how decisions are made, and work habits and lifestyle.  The child is either extroverted or introverted, which means either focusing on outside objects, people events or inner world of ideas.  The child is either sensing, which means the child acquires information from the senses (concrete and present) or intuition, which focuses on insight, inspiration, future, and possibility.  The child either makes decisions based on logical analysis and cause and effect (thinking) or on personal values and the affect on the self (feeling).   Lastly, the child prefers their life to be orderly and structured (judging) or spontaneous and flexible (perceiving).

Howard Gardner, originator of multiple intelligences, defines seven kinds of intelligence.  Most children have strengths in two or three of them and need work on the rest.  One kind of intelligence is verbal/linguistic, which is speaking and reading.  Another type of intelligence is logical/mathematical, which is concepts and abstract patterns.  Another kind of intelligence is visual/special which is thinking in images, pictures, shapes, and colors.  Another kind of intelligence is musical, such as rhythm, pitch, melody and harmony.  Another type of intelligence is bodily/kinesthetic, which is touch, making, and doing.  And yet another type of intelligence is interpersonal, which is relating and cooperating with people.  Last but not least is intrapersonal, which is independence and self-motivation.

Learning how your child perceives the world around him/her and learns will allow you to maximize their intellectual strengths and teach them effectively.

Parents who home school do not have to have an advanced degree.  There are a few qualifications of successful home school parents:  love for their children, understanding of their children, desire to keep learning and growing, desire to spend time with their children.  Although it may seem awkward at first, especially if your child has been in a public or private school, teaching will eventually become second hand.  Parents need to learn flexibility and also organization at the same time.  Open communication and a strong bond between parent and child is key to successful home schooling.

Home schooling is legal in every state in the United States.  Each state has its own guidelines for home schooling.  There are also plenty of support groups for parents who home school.  Some private schools offer home school support and/or curriculum.  After school group activities, such as sports, or science are also offered by several different programs.  Friends and family can also help with home education.  Sometimes there are co-op home school groups, where one person teaches math and another parent teaches history.

There are also support groups for parents of home schoolers who feel burned out or frustrated.  There is guidance on teaching and teaching classes parents can take.  Continued education helps a parent feel confident in their teaching skills.  But keep in mind that every parent in a teacher at some point, it is unavoidable when you are a parent.

Parents document the progress of their home schooled children with testing, some are annual, and some are alternative assessments.  Keeping records of your child’s daily activities and learning is essential to monitoring the child’s progress. When parents find it difficult to teach a certain subject, they turn to private tutors, online classes, CD tutorials or community college classes to supplement their studies.