By Lewis
Deciding to homeschool your teen can be a huge step for many parents, particularly for those who have little or no experience in education. While this may seem like a daunting task, there are many supports available to those who are interested in educating their teens from home these days. As you look to set your teens up for success in their education, make sure that you are equipped with these homeschool essentials.
Proper Eyewear
A teen’s ability to see can massively impact their ability to learn. Eye strain can further damage their eyesight, trigger headaches, and even cause fatigue due to their eyes working harder than they should. If your budget is tight, but your teen has glasses and their eyesight worsens, lens replacement can utilize the same frames to replace the lens of the glasses. This option can set up your teen for educational success without having to break the bank. Don’t wait until it’s time for them to get their driver’s permit to find out they need glasses, because they might not pass the vision test portion of the permit testing.
Research
While not a physical item, research of homeschooling is going to be critical as you begin educating your teen. It will be immensely important to understand the criteria that your state sets forth for homeschooling and the curriculum. To ensure they stay on track with their peers, many requirements must be met. A homeschooling group can be particularly useful in creating a community outside of a traditional school, offering support and also to confer with over curricular choices.
Dedicated Workspace
Just as you would when working from home, having a dedicated workspace for school is important to make this journey a successful one. By establishing a set area and location of the house that is only for schoolwork, your teen has clear boundaries between home and school. This area should be set up with all of their school supplies, technology needs and accessories. Keeping this area clean and tidy with desk organizers and drawers solely for school creates a space that truly embraces their education. By setting up and cleaning up this area every day, this establishes a routine that indicates a separation and clear boundary for when it is time for school.
Supplies
Essential items of homeschooling include various office supplies, technologies and curricular pieces. While many of this can be purchased at local office supply stores and online, there are also online stores focused completely on homeschooling supplies. It is important to fully stock up to ensure that you have all of the items that you will need. While items like writing utensils, notebooks and a computer may be obvious items, math manipulatives and calculating tools may be less evident. Make sure that you have all items that may be necessary for your teen’s learning and developmental engagements.
Schedule
A homeschool schedule that is designated for each day is useful in creating a routine at home. Just as a student would have a typical schedule they would follow at a traditional school, it is important to build a structure for your homeschooling. This will also keep you on track with tasks and activities that must be completed, and provide your teen with clear sets of expectations for each school day. It can be beneficial to include them in the planning process. While there are certain tasks they may not prefer, creating it together gives them some ownership of the process.
Community Engagement
While this may not be as high on your list, community engagement is critical when homeschooling. Whether it’s playing community sports, or exploring local historic sites to engage your student, getting involved outside of the home is important. Consider purchasing or enrolling in memberships to local museums to integrate your teen into the greater community. By utilizing the museums and activities around your community, you can take field trips to immerse your teen in culture and history up close. There are many free trips that you can take, so don’t be discouraged by membership fees or activity fees.
Homeschooling is a big undertaking for any parent. Knowing all of the nuances of a good education can feel challenging and scary, but know that with your homeschool essentials and the proper structure, you will be sure to best support your teen’s education.