Homeschooling Parents Don’t Need to Teach Their Children Because Homeschoolers Teach Themselves

Do you think you’re not qualified to teach your children? Well, you’re blessed, because homeschoolers don’t need to be taught. They teach themselves (as my mother always used to tell me). Furthermore, homeschool parents learn their children’s textbooks alongside their children when they study.

To make things easier, children can get help from tutors, or parents who are willing to pre-learn difficult material and then teach the material to their children. Bill, a homeschool parent of three, used to learn his children’s algebra lessons on nightshift before teaching the lesson to his children the next day.

But, even if parents aren’t able to answer their children’s questions, they can find other parents who can. Or they can hire a tutor. Older children who reach high levels of study sometimes use tutors. Homeschoolers can get tutors as part of their high school correspondence or university enrollment. These instructors engage with students over the telephone or in online chat forums.

What about critics who say homeschool parents must have a teaching degree? For instance, educateexpert.com says, “In order to be properly prepared to teach your child, you should ideally get a certification in education.”[i] Another website says, “Unless a parent is a previous honours student, or a genius who mastered more than the three R’s, the child may not receive quality home education.”[ii] Dr. Brian Ray’s thinks this is overkill. His studies have shown there is no relationship between student achievement and parental teaching certification level. No matter if children have special needs or ‘normal needs’ – teaching certification isn’t required.[iii] Isn’t it ironic that a parent who home educates has children who do better than their school peers who are trained by government certified teachers.[iv]

But sometimes you will hit a brick wall. And, when you do – and it will happen at some stage – networking often holds the answer. Weekly home groups are great places to talk over problems. Homegroup parents raising children of different ages are usually happy to give advice on any problem.

This support is crucial for embattled parents. It gives them confidence in their choices and abilities. For this reason, some think an established curriculum is the best move for new homeschooling families. An established curriculum gives new parents time to find their feet until they become more comfortable with making thier own material. After they learn their child’s strengths and weaknesses, they can create their own curriculum based on what they know, if they prefer.

Parents who love their children are always watching, intent on teaching, fostering and nurturing inquisitiveness in their protégés. They keenly sense their child’s physical and emotional needs. When parents tune into their children’s emotional radio station, they can cater for their needs without needing an education degree. These parents have put their children’s needs above their own. No longer are children’s schedules movable around the parent’s ‘more important work’, but their children’s life becomes the parent’s priorities.^[v] In the end, if you can read comprehensively and speak with understanding, if you have basic mathematical skills and if you love your children with a Christ-centered love, you’ll be a good teacher.

So if you thought you’re not qualified to teach your children, you can think again because homeschoolers often don’t need to be taught. They teach themselves (as my mother always used to tell me). Furthermore, homeschool parents learn their children’s textbooks alongside their children when they study.

To make things easier, children can get help from tutors, or parents who are willing to pre-learn difficult material and then teach the material to their children. Bill, a homeschool parent of three, used to learn his children’s algebra lessons on nightshift before teaching the lesson to his children the next day.

But, even if parents are not able to answer their children’s questions, they can find other parents who know how to answer tricky questions. Or they can hire a tutor. Older children who reach high levels of study sometimes use tutors. Homeschoolers can get tutors as part of their high school correspondence or university enrollment. These instructors engage with students over the telephone or in online chat forums.

What about critics who say homeschool parents must have a teaching degree? For instance, educateexpert.com says, “In order to be properly prepared to teach your child, you should ideally get a certification in education.”[1] Another website says, “Unless a parent is a previous honours student, or a genius who mastered more than the three R’s, the child may not receive quality home education.”[2] Dr Brian Ray’s thinks this is overkill. His studies have shown there is no relationship between student achievement and parental teaching certification level. No matter if the child has special needs or ‘normal needs’ – teaching certification isn’t required.[3] Isn’t it ironic that a parent who home educates has children who do better than their school peers trained by government certified state teachers.[4]

But sometimes you’ll hit a brick wall. And, when you do – and it will happen at some stage – networking often has the answer. Weekly home groups are great places to talk over problems. Homegroup parents raising children of different ages are usually happy to give advice on any problem.

If you're interested in getting more of your homeschool questions answered, such as, 'Can I afford to homeschool?', 'What about socialisation?', 'When should I start formal education?' and other fascinating homeschooling FAQs head on down to www.whyonearthhomeschool.com

[1] Homeschool: Argument’s Against Homeschooling ‘The Con’s and Argument’s Against Homeschooling’ accessed 26/8/2014 at <www.educateexpert.com/argumentsagainsthomeschooling.html>.

[2]Sylvia Bui ‘Homeschooling is a Bad Idea’ The Examiner accessed 15/11/2013 <www. Examiner.com/article/homeschooling-is-a-bad-idea>.

[3] Brian Ray ‘Home schooling: The ameliorator of negative influences on learning?’ (2000) Peabody Journal of Education 75 (1 &2) p. 71-106.

[4]See Chapter *** on homeschooling academic achievement.