Teachers in the Homeschool World

Homeschool parents do not have to be the only teachers in a child's life.

The home does not need to be their only school.

Homeschool children can benefit immensely from having multiple teachers, beyond the homeschool parent paradigm. Having other mature, stable, and successful adults teach your children exposes them to different types of role models, personalities, and perspectives, and can enhance the homeschooling experience -- but only as long as they are teaching under the same principles as you would and with your oversight. Listed below are several programs that can be used, which will both provide your children with additional opportunities to make friends as well as open your children to other teachers. And many of the sources listed below are actually staffed by former school teachers who have left the public school system and are now assisting homeschool families with their children's education.

Generally, homeschool families participate in a few private education or childcare options, like the ones listed. If you are doing research about homeschooling or have an infant or toddler, you might consider thinking about what your homeschool might look like and which ones of these your family could use to augment your homeschool in the future.

Differences between Homeschooling vs. Private School

Adding tutors, teachers and other educational programs to your homeschool is a form of "private education". However, If you plan to homeschool, it is important to know the differences between the options listed below and a traditional private school.

In public school and private charter schools, education is done within a highly-structured and regimented school day. This is not the case when homeschooling. Educational lessons are more "a-la carte" or like a buffet where families take only the classes they need or can excel at. 

In Public and Private school, children go to school and are off during the summer months because they must meet the legally required number of school days and hours of instruction (no more and no less). Children may have one teacher or several teachers facilitating lessons during that time frame. Lessons are linear and performed within well-defined time periods; one lesson immediately following another.

When homeschooling teaching is individualized, where its more important that every student achieves mastery of what is being taught, rather than simply moving on to the next subject when the time-period is done. There's no reason to have a student get an "F" in a subject (or even a "D" or a "C"): students should be taught so that they learn what is needed. For example, if your student is having trouble with long-division, homeschool families spend more time on it, until they get-it.

Moreover, there's no reason to restrict homeschool hours to just the weekdays. Homeschooling can be done on weekends, during the summer vacation or in the evenings at 7pm as well. Although homeschooling can be done in a regimented fashion, it offers much more freedom in when and how teaching is done. This also means that you are free to use other teachers, like the ones listed below.

Curriculum differences- In some of these situations, the teachers/program will provide the curriculum and for some, the homeschool parents provide the curriculum.

There are so many advantages to utilizing educational options like the ones listed below in your homeschooling plan. These options are more budget friendly than a private school, you get to choose your child's teachers, you have a flexible schedule, and you can sleep in. Parents also have the opportunity to choose the teaching method. Similar to choosing college classes, families can choose online learning, hands-on or book work; whatever works for their child.

Homeschool parents are responsible for managing their child's education more than if their child attended a private school.

Parents are able to direct their children's education, but this is also a higher level of responsibility. Public and private schools provide an "all-or-nothing" choice: either you send your children to the school, where you have no ability to control the curriculum, or not at all. When you homeschool, you must manage what curriculum is completed and keep accurate records. If you are using an external teacher in at an outside class, you must still keep track of instructional hours completed, communicate with their teachers, and keep records of dated assignments. Parents are also responsible for following state homeschool laws. For more information, we invite you to visit our article about getting started homeschooling.

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Examples of Teachers in the Homeschool World

Tutors

• If you're not good enough to teach a specific subject, you can use tutors to provide coverage in those subject areas.

Facilitated Online Learning

• Live online lessons facilitated by a teacher are available. This is also a way to hire a tutor who does not live near you. Outshool.com is one example, but there are other providers and platforms that provide this service as well. Some services offer an online "classroom" format with many children logging in to participate.

Youtube Sources, such as the Kahn Academy

• Youtube is also a great way to watch a teacher give a lesson, however it is generally not live. The Kahn Academy has hundreds of great educational videos online, and can also provide a structured curriculum.

Extracurriculars

• Art classes, summer camps, STEAM workshops, and music lessons are all examples of opportunities for homeschool children to be around other children and be taught by another teacher.

Sports

• Dance, Gymnastics, Swim lessons, Town baseball etc. all count toward "PE" and the coaches are the teachers.

Nanny's and Babysitters

• Historically, families used "Governesses" in their home to help children with their learning, which is similar to a nanny or babysitter situation. It is not unusual for an evening babysitter to help public school children with their homework. A Nanny or babysitter can help homeschooled children with their schoolwork as well. Click to see our article about the benefits of having home childcare.

  
  

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Microschools

• A micro-school is a drop-off educational program for homeschoolers. They may seem like a daycare or preschool, but they are for school age children. Age brackets, curriculum and cost varies.

Co-ops

• Co-ops (cooperatives) are a group of families who get together once a week to do school. Parents take turns teaching the classes and may have other responsibilities to help run the program. Co-ops are not a drop off program. Age brackets, curriculum and cost varies.

  

Extended family

• Grandparents, aunts and other family members can participate in a homeschooler's education by facilitating lessons too. Many older adults can provide a wealth of experience and knowledge. Is a grandparent a vetern? They can talk about what was happening.

Other "Ala carte" opportunities

• Educational opportunities are often available all around us. These are often facilitated by another adult and count as "school". For example; attending the sea lion presentation at the aquarium, going to the fire station open house, attending a community science show, watching the "Hall of presidents" show at Disney World, and other filed trips.

American Heritage Girls and Trail-life

• These are both great alternatives to the Girl Scouts and Scouting America (previously known as "The Boy Scouts") that teach godly, American values. If your child is in these programs they will be working on badges, which count as homeschooling. The leaders of your local troop are teachers and you may use your child's participation in these programs as homeschooling. As an example, my girls are in American Heritage Girls and have earned sewing, space, wildlife and heritage badges. These are all educational in nature and count towards their instruction time, as long as you are actively participating in these programs, perform adequate record keeping, and treat these activities as a learning experience, rather than babysitting. Meetings and activities are facilitated by leaders who are "teachers" in a homeschool child's life.

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