Another of the major misconceptions about home education is that the parents have to “teach it all.” You don’t. You can’t. So, what do you do when you come across something you just don’t feel qualified for? Here are some choices.
- Allow your child to learn it himself. One of the major goals our family has is that our children know how to learn thing, how to teach themselves. I don’t need to know everything because I need to teach them how to find information, to learn, to seek out what they want or need to know. Of course, I am there to guide and to help. I have often done some research of my own on the side so that my guiding is more informed but I still teach them to teach themselves. Videos abound on all sorts of topics. Blogs are out there that are highly specialized. Companies exist for every niche imaginable. Learn to seek out these things and anything can be learned.
- Learn it yourself by staying one step ahead. There have been a few classes where I have learned either by doing the lessons one day ahead or doing it right alongside the girls. I don’t have to know it all ahead of time; I can learn as we go, too. History and science are some that this approach has worked well with.
- Find someone who knows. Maybe this is a friend. Maybe this is a company with a video curriculum. Maybe this is a co-op class. There are tons of options for outsourcing the class. You do not have to be the one teaching every single component of every single student’s curriculum. You can find help. Voice teachers and violin teachers – we have done both of these even though I could have done both of them myself. (I have a music ed degree and taught it for several years.)
- Video curriculum is available for many things. Some of the best companies have great customer service where there is a teacher answering phones or chat boxes so that the student can get expert help with this struggle. Unlock Math was fantastic about this and every time my oldest got stuck, she could enter a question into the chat box and have automatic, specialized help. Journey Homeschool Academy is another video based curriculum that is highly specialized and has great help available to the student. The biology class that my oldest is using is just fantastic about pushing and encouraging and helping the student along.
I am sure there are plenty of other options out there that I haven’t touched on because, honestly, I am just sharing what is coming to mind when I sit here pondering the question “How do I teach. . .?” Don’t stress because there are plenty of options and you know yourself and your children better than anyone else. Nothing is permanent and choices that don’t work out can be changed. So, dive in and find what works best for you, for your child, and for the subject that you are considering teaching.
There are others writing about how they teach different subjects so visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog to read about the topic of “How do I teach. . .?” From tot school to high school to the many elective options, there is a lot of wisdom being shared at the linkup.
Yesterday was discussing curriculum choices. If you missed it, here are some of the blogs for you to read.
Chareen @ Every Bed of Roses shares Homeschool High School Curriculum Choices for 2020.
Annette @ A Net in Time shares Grade 10 Curriculum Choices.
Yvie @ Homeschool on the Range shares Curriculum Reveal.
Vickie B @ Tumbleweed News shares Our Favorite Curriculum {Blog Hop}.
Jessica H @ My Homeschool with a View shares Tips for Curriculum Shopping.
Yvonne @ The Life We Build shares Our Kindergarten and 4th Grade Curriculum Choices.
Dawn @ Schoolin’ Swag shares Morning Time.
Teresa B @ Teresa Brouillette shares Homeschool Curriculum .
Kristen @ A Mom’s Quest to Teach shares Top Five Homeschooling Curriculum Choices.
Blessings,
Lori, At Home.
At Home 
This is excellent advice: Nothing is permanent and choices that don’t work out can be changed.
Thank you.
One of the smartest things we ever did was remind the lad how he always looked stuff up that he wanted to learn, why not apply that to his schooling too? Smartest thing EVER! He teaches himself so much now it’s amazing.
Simple but effective. I love that all it took was reminding.
I have preached this to my kids over and over again. They need to own their education, I am the facilitator. I will help them to do their best!
Repetition is often needed, isn’t it?
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