Category: Wholesome Homeschool Information

Following Provincial Standards With Your Homeschool

Deciding to homeschool can be such an exciting yet terrifying experience. You may love the idea of educational freedom and making education fun. However, learning standards might scare you, which can make the idea of following provincial standards with your homeschool an overwhelming task.

Canada is considered to be one of the most educated countries in the world. Ranking 2nd out of 16 peer countries. In 2019, 73% of Canadians between the ages of 25 and 34 had obtained postsecondary qualifications, according to Statistics Canada.

Additionally, 15-year-olds in Canada are among the world’s highest educational performers in reading and math. Even though education appears to be solid throughout the country, staff shortages, strikes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and overcrowded classrooms have all played a massive role in parents choosing to homeschool their children across the nation.

Homeschooling is legal across Canada, which is excellent! Because you can offer your child the one-on-one learning they need while still following provincial standards with your homeschool.

What are provincial standards for education?

If you live in Canada, you may be familiar with the term ‘provincial standards for education.’ But you may be unsure of what it means exactly. Canada has a very robust and well-funding public education system. Most aspects of this educational system are managed on a provincial level. Meaning each province manages its educational system.

As a result of each province managing its education system, educational standards and the system itself can vary by province. Furthermore, the federal government still oversees the education system of each province to ensure that education remains consistently high throughout the country.

How can you follow provincial standards?

Each province in Canada follows the same standards for Math and Language Arts. Sometimes a province may have a slight shift in learning standards for Science and Social Studies. Following provincial standards with your homeschool is as simple as finding a Canadian homeschooling curriculum that aligns with provincial standards or looking up those standards for yourself.

Some provinces like Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland have much more strict rules around homeschooling. So, checking in on your local laws around homeschooling before diving into educational standards is best. These provinces have been hyperlinked for your convenience to the homeschooling standards of each province listed.

Math and Language Arts learning standards.

As stated above, Math and Language Arts standards remain consistent throughout Canada. This means regardless of which province you are in, you can follow the same learning standards for their grade. The significant variations by province are in Social Studies and Science.

Ontario learning standards for Science and Social Studies.

The Ontario educational system follows Canadian standards closely. Here is a breakdown by grade.

Grade 1 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 1 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 1 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 2 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 2 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 2 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 3 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 3 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 3 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 4 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 4 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 4 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 5 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 5 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 5 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 6 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 6 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 6 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 7 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 7 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 7 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 8 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 8 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 8 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Nova Scotia learning standards for Science and Social Studies.

The Nova Scotia educational system is similar to Ontario. Here is a breakdown by grade.

Grade 1 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 1 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 1 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 2 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 2 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 2 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 3 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 3 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 3 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 4 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 4 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 4 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 5 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 5 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 5 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 6 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 6 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 6 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 7 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 7 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 7 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 8 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 8 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 8 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

British Columbia learning standards for Science and Social Studies.

Here is a breakdown of the British Columbia learning standards by grade.

Grade 1 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 1 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 1 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 2 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 2 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 2 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 3 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 3 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 3 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 4 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 4 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 4 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 5 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 5 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 5 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 6 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 6 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 6 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 7 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 7 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 7 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 8 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 8 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 8 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Alberta learning standards for Science and Social Studies.

Here is a breakdown of the Alberta learning standards by grade.

Grade 1 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 1 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 1 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 2 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 2 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 2 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 3 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 3 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 3 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 4 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 4 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 4 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 5 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 5 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 5 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 6 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 6 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 6 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 7 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 7 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 7 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 8 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 8 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 8 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Saskatchewan learning standards for Science and Social Studies.

Following provincial standards with your homeschool in Saskatchewan will look like this.

Grade 1 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 1 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 1 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 2 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 2 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 2 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 3 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 3 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 3 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 4 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 4 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 4 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 5 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 5 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 5 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 6 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 6 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 6 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 7 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 7 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 7 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 8 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 8 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 8 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Manitoba learning standards for Science and Social Studies.

Following provincial standards with your homeschool for Science and Social Studies in Manitoba will look like this.

Grade 1 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 1 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 1 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 2 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 2 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 2 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 3 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 3 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 3 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 4 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 4 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 4 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 5 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 5 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 5 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 6 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 6 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 6 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 7 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 7 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 7 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Grade 8 Science and Social Studies:

For grade 8 science you will need to cover these units: 

For grade 8 social studies you will need to cover these units: 

Following provincial standards with your homeschool is easier than you’d think.

You can find all of the units listed for each provincial standard in the Schoolio shop. You can also add in fun electives and interested based learning projects to keep your homeschool fun.

If you are using the Schoolio Digital Platform and aren’t finding the provincial units listed for your child’s grade, know that the Schoolio Digital Platform follows the Ontario learning standards. While some provinces vary, most remain on track with this platform.

When you select your child’s grade and are looking for additional lessons to match your child’s learning standards, search for that unit in another grade using the list above, then add that grade to your child’s courses to cover those topics.

And remember not to stress too much! You’re doing a great job!

Why Are So Many Parents Homeschooling?

When most people think ‘homeschool,’ they think of the stereotypes attached to it, like the stereotype that people only homeschool for religious reasons. And while many do, statistics show that there is now a wide range of parents homeschooling their children worldwide. So why are so many parents homeschooling?

Why are so many parents homeschooling? 

Since homeschooling is becoming so popular, it’s no surprise that around 3.7 million children were homeschooled in the United States from 2020-2021, from kindergarten to grade 12. According to the National Home Education Research Institute, this translates to roughly 6% to 7% of school-aged children. In comparison, in the spring of 2019, 2.5 million children were homeschooled in the United States. Following the same trend, Canadian families have turned to homeschooling as their education choice. According to The Fraser Institute, an average growth rate of more than 5% per year.

So why are so many parents homeschooling? There are so many reasons, and each homeschooling family has their unique reason for homeschooling. But some of the most popular reasons include:

Homeschooling offers stability.

The pandemic was a staunch reminder that the education system is fragile and struggles to pivot when things get messy. Children need stability, especially when it comes to their education. While many may assume that homeschooling is the opposite of a stable educational choice, they’re mistaken. Throughout the pandemic learning chaos, homeschooling families continued to do what they had done all along: learn. While many traditionally schooled children were slipping through the cracks, homeschooling children continued to thrive with their education.

The pandemic aside, there are many other reasons traditional education isn’t the most stable choice. Let’s take a look at education in Ontario, Canada, in the school year 2019-2020 before the pandemic made things even messier. Many forget that a teacher strike saw children missing essential learning time. Compacted with the pandemic caused learning loss to affect children in momentous proportions.

Homeschooling offers safe learning. 

We have all seen the news and been traumatized by images of school shootings across the United States. Something so horrifying is, unfortunately, happening more and more. Many parents are fearful when they drop their children off for school, and many children face immense anxiety throughout the school day. As such, homeschooling offers safe learning, where children are safe in their own homes with the people they feel safest with, their parents.

Homeschooling is customizable. 

There is no such thing as one size fits all regarding education. Yet, traditional education is very much one size fits all. When we try to answer the question of ‘why are so many parents homeschooling?’ we cannot overlook that homeschooling is customizable to meet the student’s needs. Every child is unique, and so is their learning style.

Say your child is technically in grade 4 but understands math on a grade 5 level; their reading and writing are on a grade 3 level. Homeschooling allows you to help your child learn what they need to learn. Not forcing them to understand the same way everyone else is, because one size fits nobody.

Or if your child learns better with a hands-on approach vs. Sitting at a desk for hours. Homeschooling offers the opportunity for children to learn in the way that best suits them. 

Homeschooling offers different social opportunities.

When you think of homeschooling, you may assume that socialization isn’t a homeschooling family’s strong suit. But that’s false. Homeschooling offers children a fantastic opportunity to socialize in ways many traditional learning students do not have ready access to. 

Homeschooled children can volunteer with their families at community events, nursing homes, veteran halls, and more. These opportunities allow children to socialize with more than just their peers. They can socialize with a wide variety of people, which helps them to have better social connections and understanding of the people around them. 

Homeschooling helps children become self-reliant. 

Many homeschooled children are independent and self-reliant. This is because homeschooled children can learn at their own pace while also self-motivating themselves as they need to be accountable for their progress. The significant benefit is that it helps children by boosting their confidence and helping to shape a sense of responsibility. Additionally, homeschooled children have the chance to go deeper with their interests while learning. This benefits them as they continue to develop greater independence and self-direction.  

They also can develop their organizational and time-management skills better. As many older homeschooled, students can manage their schedules around extracurricular activities and studies. These wholesome benefits are confirmed by 87% of peer-reviewed studies. These studies demonstrated that statistically, homeschooled students score much better on emotional, social and psychological development metrics than their peers in traditional learning venues. 

Homeschooling is becoming a much more affordable option. 

There’s a misconception that you must be ‘rich’ to homeschool your children. The truth is that with homeschooling gaining popularity, many affordable curriculum options are becoming available to serve homeschooling families with all financial backgrounds. Schoolio Learning offers excellent rates for an all-in-one, open-and-go, inclusive homeschooling curriculum. Parents can homeschool easily, knowing they didn’t just break the bank to provide a quality homeschooling curriculum for their children. Concerned about homeschooling costs? Check out this blog on affordable homeschooling curricula. 

Homeschooling allows more one-on-one time. 

When you ask the question of why are so many parents homeschooling? You will likely get this response. Many parents only see their children for a couple of hours daily. Between rushing to school, coming home and rushing to sports, then off to bed as soon as they get home, many parents feel like their children are growing up without them getting to be present for a lot of it. Homeschooling offers families the opportunity to spend more time together. With a much more relaxed schedule, homeschooling families can embrace the valuable time learning together. Indeed, there are stressors and things that take from our time, but homeschooling offers parents the ability to spend more time with their children. 

Homeschooling offers a bully-free environment. 

Unfortunately, bullying seems to be a norm in school. According to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, one out of every five (20.2%) students reports being bullied. 43% of students reported being bullied in the hallway/stairwell, 42% reported being bullied in the classroom, 27% reported being bullied in the cafeteria, 22% reported being bullied outside on school grounds, 12% reported being bullied in the bathroom or locker room, and 8% reported being bullied on the school bus. 

One of the big answers to the question of ‘why are so many parents homeschooling?’ is that homeschooling offers children the chance to learn and grow in a safe environment, away from bullies and peer pressure, which means that children are free to be themselves without the fear of being bullied. 

Homeschooling gives you the freedom to schedule your own time. 

Parents that are homeschooling report that their children get much better sleep. Because they can sleep until their body is ready to wake up, some days are rushed, but most homeschooling days are much more relaxed than traditional learning days. Homeschooling families also have the opportunity to partake in more fun extracurricular activities, field trips, and learning fun. 

Homeschooling keeps children from slipping through the cracks in the education system.

Unfortunately, many children are slipping through the cracks of a broken education system, even more so during and in the aftermath of pandemic learning. The sad reality is that many students are pushed onto the next grade level even though they don’t fully understand what they need to do. Thus many children are struggling now more than ever before. Yet, there is not enough time, money or resources available to help those children that are slipping through the cracks. Homeschooling meets the child where they are. Offering them the opportunity to learn what they need to and catch up on the areas they are struggling with. 

There are countless answers to the question ‘why are so many parents homeschooling?’ 

While we listed some of the most popular reasons to answer the question of why so many parents are homeschooling? There are hundreds of more reasons. Each family is unique, and so is their reason for homeschooling their children. The bottom line is that homeschooling is becoming much more popular and for the right cause. Because children deserve the chance to learn in the environment that best suits them, whether traditional learning or homeschooling, finding the learning avenue that helps your child thrive is essential. Take some time to evaluate the pros and cons of homeschooling with conventional learning, then make the right decision for your family. 

 

homeschooling curriculum
Look no further than Schoolio Learning for all your homeschooling needs.

Homeschooling and Socialization

Homeschooling and Socialization is a topic that makes many homeschool families cringe. And it’s not because their children are inadequately socialized; it’s because so many people ask them about socialization and voice their concerns. From something as simple as walking through the grocery store during the day with their children, a homeschooling parent will likely get grilled about their choices, and random strangers will ask questions about homeschooling and socialization.

Homeschooling and Socialization go hand in hand.

This might surprise you, but homeschooling and socialization go hand in hand. In fact, many homeschooled children have better social lives than their traditionally schooled peers. How could this be possible? Well, first, let’s look at the facts. According to Think Impact Homeschooling Statistics, recent federal data shows that 3% to 4% of the school-going population in the United States is homeschooled. There are 73 million children in the U.S., which means over 2.9 million children are homeschooled in the U.S.

With that many children being homeschooled, do we still believe that they are all not adequately socialized? Of course not! Homeschooling has been growing in popularity for the last ten years, especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when over 300 million students worldwide became homeschooled briefly.

Pandemic learning didn’t help stop the myth that homeschooled children aren’t socialized.

Unfortunately, when most parents and children were forced into remote learning through school boards during the pandemic, it did nothing to diminish the myth that homeschooled children aren’t socialized. Because children were being isolated with a makeshift version of online learning, parents also attempted to work from home simultaneously. This caused tremendous stress for parents and students alike and caused many parents and friends of the family to assume that what they were doing was homeschooling. Which they were not.

Recently I had a concerned citizen ask me why I would choose to homeschool my children, knowing that they wouldn’t get socialized and wouldn’t have as many opportunities in life—a shocking claim. Especially since statistics show that homeschooled children have a 67% College graduation rate compared to their public schooled peers at 59%, not to mention that my children have better social lives and many more friends than I do.

This person’s concern stemmed from watching their grandchild struggle through online/pandemic learning. And the isolation they felt. I kindly explained that homeschooling is 100% different from pandemic learning. And that my children have many opportunities to get out and socialize. Still, the person seemed bewildered.

A conversation with a homeschooled child.

As stated above, if over 2.9 million children in the United States are homeschooled, how could they all be isolated and live unsocialized lives? Have you ever had a conversation with a homeschooled child? They are usually the ones the explain in detail the project that they are working on. They are the ones that have unique interests and see the world through a much different lens than those around them.

Recently we had a family move to our neighbourhood that homeschools. While I was out for a walk with my kids, we stopped to say hello to two children playing catch. I welcomed them to the neighbourhood, and the one boy introduced himself, shook my hand and wished us a wonderful day. Why did this child interact so politely instead of ignoring our passing? Because many homeschooled children have opportunities to participate in socialization that other children don’t have access to. Let’s talk about that.

Socialization opportunities for homeschooled children:

There are so many opportunities available for homeschooling families to participate. Here are some of our favourites!

  1. Homeschooling Groups.

    Since there are so many homeschooling families, many families get together to plan fun activities and sports-related opportunities for their children. Most cities have such a large amount of homeschooling families that they have registered homeschooling groups. These groups offer support for homeschooling families, co-op learning, field trips, sports, and lessons.

    Are you looking for virtual socialization opportunities for parents? Check this out. 

  2. Sports.

    Our local homeschooling group comes with some fantastic perks, like gymnastics lessons, at a local gymnastics club, swimming lessons at the pool, track and field during the warm months, and gym/indoor pool rentals during the cold months, sledding, skiing, horseback riding and more.

  3. Park dates.

    During the summer months, when homeschooling activities are mostly paused, many homeschooling groups offer weekly meet-ups at parks in your location so homeschooling friends can get together to play and have fun!

  4. Community Service.

    Many homeschooling families understand the importance of the community. That’s why so many homeschooling families will volunteer at community events. Or care homes. Some homeschooling groups organize carolling and visits with local care homes during the holiday season. Other homeschooling families like to get involved in community gardens or soup kitchens. All of this community involvement helps children have budding and diverse social lives. They aren’t just socializing with their peers; they are also mingling with the community of people around them.

  5. Basking in the Arts.

    Since homeschooled children have more time during the day than traditional learning students, they have more time to get involved in the arts. This means they have more time to attend music lessons or art classes. Being able to develop those additional skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. This also means they will have more opportunities to meet people in the art community, which diversifies their socialization and opens their world to a new level of learning.

  6. More time for imaginative play.

    You can have homeschooling and socialization while still encouraging imaginative play. One of the top benefits of imaginative play is social development. When children engage in imaginative play, they can begin to understand relationships which help to improve their social skills and become more confident, connected, and self-reliant. And this results in children building better relationships with their peers.

  7. Good old fashion play.

    Just because your child is homeschooled doesn’t mean they can’t or shouldn’t partake in friendships in their neighbourhood. Most homeschooled children have ‘homeschooled’ friends and ‘neighbourhood friends.’ Just like a traditionally schooled child will have ‘school friends’ and ‘neighbourhood friends.’ Evenings, weekends, and summer days are perfect for neighbourhood mingling and budding friendships with peers.

All this to say, that yes, homeschooling and socialization are partners. This terrible stereotype of homeschooled children is that they are always alone, awkward, rude, and don’t know how to take social cues. The opposite is true. Homeschooled children are brilliant and capable of having successful friendships and positive social lives. So, the next time someone doubts your children’s social lives, go ahead and point them to The Schoolio Blog!

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Want to Homeschool More Efficiently? Try this!

Are you frustrated with your current homeschooling situation? Do you want to homeschool more efficiently? And does the circumstance below sound overly familiar?

It’s 2:00 pm, and your sink is full of dishes, goldfish and cheerios scattered all over the dining room and trailed into the living room like some odd trendy art studio. You dreamed of making a roast chicken and potato dish for dinner but forgot to pull the chicken out of the freezer to thaw.

There is a list of five hundred things you’d like to get done today, but you find yourself sitting at the table with your eight-year-old as he constantly avoids answering the math questions that appear before him. You feel like you are wasting 80% of your day trying to lesson plan and get your children to accomplish some curriculum.

Do you want to homeschool more efficiently? How can you accomplish this?

First, you need to simplify your learning materials. If you are using a homeschooling curriculum that is leaving you and your children frustrated and overwhelmed, you will never be successful.

Try a curriculum that is open-and-go.

What is an open-and-go homeschooling curriculum? It means you aren’t spending hours planning your homeschooling lessons. Schoolio’s open-and-go curriculum means you can simplify the prep and spend more time enjoying the process. If you couldn’t schedule prep time, the lessons are organized neatly so your child can stay on track without elaborate planning. They can open their books and go!

Use a curriculum that is easy to follow.

Have you used a homeschooling curriculum that had you check multiple books to ensure you covered all the bases adequately? The problem is that you are now overwhelmed by all these books, feel you’ve missed something, and your dining room table looks like a library that lacks a librarian?

The Schoolio curriculum has raving reviews from both seasoned homeschoolers and new homeschoolers. Both stated the same thing: We love the simplicity of the lessons. We don’t overcomplicate learning; we stick to the basics and make it easy for the student to understand and for the parent to teach.

Try a customizable curriculum.

Having a customizable curriculum is essential for your children’s learning needs. There’s this outdated misconception that children should all learn the same way and simultaneously. The opposite is true; kids thrive when their learning content is customized to meet their needs.

If your child needs help with concepts they haven’t yet mastered, you can customize the curriculum to help them master those skills. Alternatively, suppose your child finds their current level boring. In that case, you can customize their curriculum to reflect their interests by going more of an interest-based route with fun electives to keep them learning and intrigued.

Schoolio has received many positive reviews about our customizable curriculum options because we know that one size doesn’t fit all. Every child is unique, and therefore so should their learning journey. If your child is genuinely struggling with a specific subject like, for example, Math Grade 2 – remember they don’t need to stick with math grade 2. You can switch it up and dive back into a unit of Math Grade 1 to help them refresh and master the skill.

Use an affordable curriculum.

Many homeschooling families are single-income, so finding a good homeschooling curriculum can be tricky. Because let’s face it. Homeschooling curriculum can be expensive. Finding an affordable, quality homeschooling curriculum is so important. Compared to top homeschooling curriculum companies, Schoolio Learning is the #1 choice for affordable and quality content. Curious how the two compare? Check this out! 

That means you can get what you need for your child’s learning without breaking the bank.

Purchase a curriculum that has a reasonable amount of content.

There are many homeschool curriculums that are so full of content, you barely have time to think. The pressure of ensuring your child finishes everything before the end of the year can leave many parents feeling stressed and overwhelmed as they know that if they miss a day, they won’t be able to finish at the time they’d like to.

Schoolio curriculum is created with those needed breaks in mind. Life happens; sometimes we get sick, sometimes we like to go on field trips, sometimes no one feels like diving into a lesson, and sometimes we want to take a week off to reset. Our curriculum was created by homeschooling parents that know that those homeschooling breaks are just as important as the content that you purchase to teach.

Our full learning bundles are filled with excellent lessons in Math, Social Studies, Science and Language Arts, enough to encourage continuous learning but not overwhelm the family’s schedule and rhythm.

Want to homeschool more efficiently? Remember you don’t have to revolve around your homeschooling curriculum.

Homeschooling is a beautiful opportunity to educate your child from home and help them thrive on their learning journey. We have to be careful not to be blinded by this idea that you must make your homeschool ‘just like traditional school.’  Suppose you constantly fight with your kids to get them to complete assignments x, y, and z before the ‘next period’ of your day. By the end of the day, everyone is burnt out and even if your child completed assignments x, y, and z, they didn’t retain the knowledge because they were too stressed.

Your life doesn’t have to and shouldn’t revolve around your homeschool. Your homeschool should revolve around your life. If you want to take a fun field trip with the homeschool group to the museum but have a pile of Math to complete, it’s ok to pause the math work to enjoy the fun moments.

Because learning happens everywhere. It’s not just in books or classrooms; learning happens in the car, at the park, grocery store, the museum, and the art gallery. Learning is everywhere.

Do you need help choosing the right homeschooling curriculum for your family?

We’ve got you covered! This blog is by Lindsey Casselman, co-founder and head curriculum writer at Schoolio Learning. She walks you through essential steps to choosing the best curriculum for your family and lifestyle.

Why Parents Are Turning To Homeschooling

Why Parents Are Turning to Homeschooling

The other day, I was at a dentist’s appointment with my kids. While we were there, the secretary asked my daughter if she enjoyed the morning off school to be at the dentist. My daughter responded with a “no” because she despises dentist’s appointments. I followed up the question with, “We will be doing school when we are home as we homeschool.” She looked at me with disbelief and said, “You homeschool? How could your children be socialized then? With online learning, children were struggling with isolation and lack of socialization.” I then went into a long explanation about how homeschooling is far from isolation learning. She still looked confused, as many people do when they wonder why parents are turning to homeschooling as their education choice. 

Here’s why parents are turning to homeschooling:

After two years of the pandemic and homeschooling becoming a norm in education, I shouldn’t still have to give explanations to strangers about my children’s social lives. Yet, that remains one of the most common questions I receive. The world needs to subscribe to the Schoolio Blog and read blogs like Socialization and Homeschooling. One thing that might interest you about homeschooling is that socialization is one of the main reasons why parents are turning to homeschooling as their preferred education method.

Homeschooling improves children’s social skills and interactions.

One of the most important reasons why parents are turning to homeschooling is because of healthy socialization. When homeschooled, children have much less exposure to peer pressure and bullying. Homeschooled children are also able to have more customized social interactions. Additionally, most children in the public school system spend hours in classrooms listening to teachers. In comparison, homeschooled children have many more opportunities for learning activities outside of the home.

A flexible homeschooling curriculum means homeschool families have more opportunities to participate in fun activities. Some of which include: museum trips, park playdates, community service activities, art classes, and track and field days.

Using a flexible homeschool curriculum and making homeschooling a lifestyle significantly improves emotional and psychological development in children. While also strengthening family connections and connections with other homeschooled children.

Homeschooling means having access to higher quality education.

Many parents believe that the quality of education is not what it once was. With a decline in the education budget, increased student enrolment, large class sizes, burnt-out teachers, and other factors. Parents feel that homeschooling gives them more control over their children’s learning. In 2015, long before the pandemic and the devastating effects on children’s education, a Career and College Readiness Survey showed shocking results. These results indicated that less than half of high school students feel academically ready for college.

Interrupted education, overcrowded classrooms, and fewer resources have made it extremely difficult for teachers to provide one-on-one instruction to students. When homeschooling, parents can use a curriculum that follows learning standards while also offering personalized education to their child, which is so often missing in today’s learning venues.

Homeschooling can support a child with diverse learning needs.

Unfortunately, children with learning disabilities or even physical disabilities have difficulty thriving in a traditional learning environment. Many schools don’t have adequate resources and time available to support children with diverse learning needs. Additionally, formal education is a one size fits all model when we all know that one size fits nobody. Having a customizable curriculum and a flexible learning environment is essential for children with diverse learning needs.

Homeschooling means educational stability.

Even before the pandemic began, there were teacher strikes, bad weather and many other reasons students were forced to miss class. Homeschooling means educational stability for many students as they have that flexible learning solution and learning lifestyle that keeps them learning even when schools are not in. Many homeschooling parents (who were homeschooling before the pandemic) were thankful that they had chosen that educational path for their children, as homeschooling offered much-needed stability to their days.

Homeschooling means better educational results.

It might shock you that homeschooled children often score better on federal standardized tests than their public school peers. Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institute showed that homeschooled children often achieve much higher results. Regardless of parents’ income or teaching experience.

Homeschooling offers student-athletes and musicians a flexible education option.

Many student-athletes have intense travel and practice schedules. Additionally, many students who participate in fine arts, theatre, or music need time to rehearse and perform. These students need a flexible education option that will work around their busy schedules.

Homeschooling offers a learning environment that children enjoy.

Unfortunately, many public school children feel stressed over the volume of homework and the lack of instruction. Many children don’t thrive in environments that are high stress, where they are required to memorize and keep up with their peers around them. This popular model of education doesn’t cater to the majority of students. Learning should be fun and engaging, not blank and stressful. Homeschooled parents report that they have much more time during their day to incorporate fun activities and hands-on lessons that encourage learning.

Should you homeschool?

Even though many think homeschooling is a terrible option, as the secretary at the dentist did, the reality is that homeschooling can be an excellent option for many families. But is it the right choice for your family? Ask yourself these questions:

  • Does my family need more flexibility?
  • Do I want to give my children and myself the freedom to choose?
  • Would I like to be more involved in my child’s education?
  • Is my child struggling academically?
  • Does my child need more positive social experiences?
  • Are there affordable homeschool curriculums available?
  • Does my work schedule permit this choice for my family?

If you answered yes to more than two of these questions, then homeschooling might be an excellent option for your family. Remember, there are many families and experts available to help guide you through the process of homeschooling, like the caring staff at Schoolio Learning, that wants you to excel on your homeschooling journey. If homeschooling seems like the best option for your family, but you aren’t sure where to start – please reach out to us, and we can help set you and your family up for success.

Can you travel and homeschooling? Check this out.

Check out our one-of-a-kind homeschooling curriculum.  

Take The Stress Out Of Your Homeschool

Parental stress can damage your well-being and your child’s development. And as a homeschooling parent, you might feel overwhelmed and stressed when you think about everything you need to accomplish in a day. So, what are some ways to cope with and overcome the stress you may feel? How can you take the stress out of your homeschool?

The negative impact stress has on your child.

Your child feeds off of how you’re feeling. When you’re feeling stress, nine times out of ten, they will also feel some stress. Homeschooling has provided many children with the break they desperately need from a stressful school environment. However, when we place more emphasis on them at home, we reverse the positive impacts homeschooling can have on your child.

Unhealthy and ongoing stress can weaken the architecture of your child’s developing brain, leading to lifelong problems in learning. Homeschooling is a huge commitment, and it can be stressful, but unfortunately, too many homeschooling parents make it even more stressful than it should be. When we are always bringing the stress to the homeschool, our children will begin to associate this negativity and stress with learning and, in extreme cases you.

Three ways you might be bringing unintentional stress to your homeschool.

  1. Expecting perfection. When expecting perfection from your child or yourself, you place unnecessary and unhealthy stress on your child and yourself. If you’re transitioning your child from public school to homeschooling or just starting Kindergarten with your child, remember that this transition takes time for you and your child.
  2. Comparing yourself to others or comparing your children to other children. Comparing your homeschool to another parent’s homeschool can be extremely easy. Or worse, comparing your child to another child. But the issue with comparison is that we will always compare our very worst to someone’s very best.
  3. Trying to finish every book. Do you become obsessed with finishing different subject books before the end of the year? Are you constantly attempting to have your child complete every assignment daily without any room for breaks? It’s okay if you don’t finish the entire book, primarily if the subject reflects previously-learned concepts like math. There’s a huge chance that when your child begins the next level, the beginning lessons will review what they should’ve learned in the previous level.

Please don’t feel guilty; we all seem to bring unintentional stress to our homeschool from time to time.

Nora has three children and decided to start homeschooling the two older ones during the beginning of the pandemic, but she quickly found that stress was taking over. “I wanted to keep my grade one and Kindergartener safe at home; I thought it would be a piece of cake. But I started struggling right from the get-go. I wanted to be this amazing homeschooling teacher and balance it all. But I found I was short with my kids when they weren’t doing their homework. Then the baby would start fussing. And the situation turned bad quickly.”

What did Nora do to ease the stress in her homeschool?

“I decided to take it day by day. I stopped trying to get it all done, so when my son, who was in grade one, started to lose focus, we would stop for the day or move to an activity to shift his focus onto something else. I initially put a lot of pressure on myself because I didn’t want to mess up my kid’s education. But I found that I was quickly pulling us all down in my efforts to make our homeschool-like school.”

What can you do to take the stress out of your homeschool?

Find great resources.

There are so many options available to homeschooling families now, so it’s up to you to find the best resources for your family. Most, if not all, homeschooling curriculum providers have free samples available either on their website or upon request. This means you don’t need to purchase a curriculum and hope for the best blindly. Instead, you can use these samples to see which works best with your family’s homeschool vibe.

Don’t be afraid to switch resources when something isn’t working anymore.

Additionally, don’t forget that switching your learning materials up is ok. You don’t have to commit to one homeschool curriculum from grades 1 to 8. One curriculum that might have been an excellent match for your family one year might not be the best option for your family the next. Using other resources is okay; you don’t have to stick to the same one forever.

Allow your homeschool to evolve.

Just like you might find that your family grows out of a specific curriculum, your family may also evolve through different homeschooling styles. And that’s ok! If you started homeschooling with the school-at-home style but have found that unschooling is more your vibe. It’s ok to evolve, again and again, to meet your family’s learning needs. As our children grow, they’re constantly changing. Finding the best way of learning for them throughout these changes is essential.

Figure out your family’s learning routine.

You don’t have to stick to a specific routine like a traditional school. Your children and family are unique; why should your homeschooling routine not be? A good way will help keep your homeschool less stressful.

Remember that homeschooling doesn’t take as long as a traditional school.

This is important to remember when taking the stress out of your homeschool. Children in traditional schools spend around six hours each day in school. That doesn’t mean you have to mirror that time commitment because homeschooling is entirely different from conventional school and doesn’t take as long. Children in traditional schools have assemblies, circle time, recess, lunch, and breaks and must wait while the teacher attempts to teach a class of 20+ children. Homeschooling is one-on-one, which takes away a considerable chunk of time.

Teach critical social-emotional skills with your core subjects.

Emotional skills are often left out of education; how can a holistic education be without these skills being taught? Our children experience big feelings, and they might not be able to communicate them very well, so it comes out as bad behaviour. If your child is melting down over things that seem small to you, they might be flooded with emotions. First, respond with empathy towards your child, and help them get to a calm place. Then be sure to make learning social-emotional skills a priority.

Check out Social Emotional Learning by Schoolio for excellent lessons on learning to manage how we think and feel.

Avoid pressuring your child.

We all know that homeschooling isn’t always sunshine and roses, some days, your child might feel stressed from a particular concept they are learning if you sense that your child feels that stress, don’t pressure them to complete it. Take a break and revisit it another day. While being sure to implement fun activities and give them breaks to process.

Start with what they’re interested in.

Do you usually start your homeschool day with the least favourite subject in an attempt to get it out of the way? Don’t do that! Begin the homeschool day with what your child is highly interested in. This will help take the stress out of your homeschool by setting up a healthy love for learning.

Outsource when needed.

If you’re struggling to teach a particular subject to your child, consider outsourcing the teaching of this subject through an online class or tutoring platform like Schoolio After-School.

Take care of yourself.

You are doing all the things. Homeschooling, cleaning, cooking and probably working a job also. Doing all these things can place you at a higher risk of burnout, so prioritize self-care. Schedule it, take time just for yourself, and do something you love. And be patient with yourself because just like your child is learning – so are you.

Additional resources for parental stress: Click here.

 

Not sure how to get started with your homeschool? Or need some help organizing it?

Book a Concierge Call.

If you aren’t sure how to get started or what programs would best suit your child’s learning needs, then you can chat with one of our experts on a one-on-one Concierge Call, completely free!
Click here to book a Concierge Call. 

 

Will Homeschooling Ruin Your Child?

Do you remember the day you brought your baby home? In those precious moments, you likely had a significant mix of emotions: joy and a hint of fear. This nagging worry that you were going to do something wrong, which would inevitably ruin your child. Despite all the baby books and pre-natal classes you took, you still felt unprepared. As your child got older, you felt comfortable, like you were getting the hang of this parenting gig. Only for the pandemic to hit, those worries and fears you first thought about in the beginning days have come to light again. All the things you thought you knew about parenting are now being questioned. You’re now asking yourself: ‘Should I homeschool?‘ ‘Should I keep sending my kid to school with all the educational uncertainties?‘ Will homeschooling ruin your child?

This wasn’t in the plan.

You likely never even considered homeschooling. But now, with the pandemic, health concerns, education cut-backs, and school closures, you aren’t sure where you stand. There’s this nagging worry that if you homeschool your child, they won’t ever be able to get back into ‘real’ school. Or that you’ll somehow ruin your relationship with your child. Additionally, you might fear that you will mess up their education and social skills.

Will homeschooling ruin your child?

You already know the answer to this question. And the answer is no. Homeschooling your child won’t ruin them. Of course, you want to do the right thing for them and their education. And I can’t tell you whether or not homeschooling is the right option for your family; only you know that, however, if you can homeschool and have the desire to help your child thrive on their educational journey. Then homeschooling might be a good choice for you and your family. Homeschooling doesn’t ruin children, in-fact many homeschooled children lead successful lives, both socially and academically, with most going on to University and leading successful lives.

8 things to consider about homeschooling:

1. Your schedule.

Unfortunately, in our current economy, both parents usually have to work. Gone are the days of one parent staying home and minding the house and kids while the other went out and earned money. Breadwinner is a term that often applies to both parents now. If you’re a stay-at-home parent, you work from home or have the opportunity to work evenings while your partner is home. Then you have a much more accommodating schedule for homeschooling.

If you work during the day, you’ll have to walk through the obstacles of finding childcare during the day and doing school in the evenings. Which many parents know is not ideal as kids are usually wound up or exhausted.

2. Your motivations.

There are many different reasons to homeschool your child. Some factors that can sway your decision are Your child’s health, the quality of their education, religious views, special needs, having a flexible schedule, and stability for your child’s education. Every homeschooling parent and family have reasons and motivations for homeschooling their child. Figuring out your motivations is essential.

3. Your child’s learning style and learning needs.

Even before the pandemic, children were falling behind in traditional learning venues. It is basic math, with one or two teachers responsible for a class of 20-25 children. Someone will fall behind. Perhaps your child needs more individual attention to thrive. Some children might succeed in the traditional learning setting because they enjoy collaborating with other children and want a competitive learning environment.

Additionally, some children with unique learning needs may need to be in school because they require specialized instruction from teachers and staff trained to work with them. However, some children with special learning needs may need more one-on-one time in a quiet setting with a curriculum customized to help them thrive.

4. Your ability to be a parent-teacher.

Believe it or not, you don’t need a teaching degree to teach your child. Teaching degrees do help people become great teachers. However, being a good teacher boils down to the characteristics that you already have. Excellent teaching characteristics include Patience, the ability to learn a concept to teach quickly, and your ability to go with the flow. Another fantastic characteristic is the ability to inspire your child. Do you have that ability (only answer if you’ve put your self-doubt away)?

5. The cost.

Homeschooling does come with a cost, as homeschooling parents have to spend hundreds of dollars on curriculum and supplies. However, there are many affordable options available. It’s essential to set a budget and then do adequate research to find the best curriculum for your price range.

Schoolio’s curriculum is loved by thousands of parents and students and comes at a very affordable price. Check it out for yourself.

6. Socialization.

One of the main concerns of parents that are contemplating homeschooling is socialization. Will homeschooling ruin your child because of the lack of socialization? Are homeschooled children behind on the socialization ladder? Let me clear this one up for you quickly. This idea that homeschooled children aren’t socialized is a complete myth. Despite this myth being extremely popular, it’s highly untrue. Most homeschooled children have a great social life. Curious how this could be true? Read Socialization and Homeschooling.

7. Your support system.

Homeschooling parents need a village. Because when you’re home with the kids all the time, you will need help with things like appointments. If you need to visit a doctor’s appointment during the day, do you have someone to watch your kids? Are you connected with other homeschooling parents that can help answer your questions and guide you down the best homeschooling path? Having a healthy homeschooling support system will make all the difference.

8. Local homeschooling rules.

What are the rules around homeschooling in your province/state? You will need to do some thorough research into this. If you have local friends already homeschooling, you can reach out to them with your questions and concerns.

Only you know what’s best for your family.

You and only you know if homeschooling is the best option for your family. If you see that it would cause more stress on your family than good, then obviously it’s not the best option. Alternatively, if you think you can do it and benefit your family, go for it.

Will there be tough days? Absolutely! And there will be days that you question your decision and wonder if you should give up. Everyone does. And as parents, it’s almost second nature to guess ourselves second. Don’t let your self-doubt determine your decision.

Boost your confidence.

If self-doubt is standing in your way of homeschooling. Then remind yourself just how awesome you are, and give yourself some credit. You have been teaching your child since day 1. You taught them how to walk, talk, eat, and make healthy choices. You inspire them daily to be the best version of themselves. So, you can do this; you need to believe in yourself.

 

Customizable Curriculum

Homeschooling can be a very overwhelming task to take on. Especially if you’re trying to search for the right curriculum to suit your families learning needs. There are so many different options out there, which can make finding the best one even more of a challenge. Having a customizable curriculum can benefit your homeschool greatly, let’s find out how.

The negatives of purchasing a non customizable curriculum.

Your curriculum should be your tool, not your master. Purchasing a curriculum that isn’t customizable (or doesn’t have room to move, built into it) will only cause issues for you and your child. One of the biggest mistakes I made when I first started homeschooling, was to choose a curriculum without doing any sort of research on it. Or taking the time to review samples before I spent hundreds of dollars on it. I purchased this super expensive curriculum, that wasn’t at all customizable and left no room for anything. This left my oldest, and myself, feeling overwhelmed at the end of each day. Causing our homeschool journey to start out really messy.

I felt like we had to accomplish all the things, on each page, every day. There was this huge pressure to get it all done before the end of the homeschool year, because that’s what the book said! As a result, at the end of the homeschool year we both felt completely derailed. I wish that I could go back in time and give my old self some words of advice. Some of which being: You don’t have to follow the curriculum exactly, in order for your child to succeed with their learning. And also, go purchase a customizable curriculum!

Your curriculum should be your tool, not your master.

If you feel like you are constantly dredging through your curriculum. And the assignments and activities are actually just overwhelming you and your child. That’s a pretty good indicator that your curriculum needs to be customized to fit your child’s learning needs, and your own unique teaching style. All too often people give up on homeschooling, because they think there’s something wrong with them. When it’s actually their curriculum that needs to be reevaluated. Assignments and activities aren’t there to be your boss, they’re there to help you teach your child.

You as the parent teacher, can pick and choose the assignments and activities that you know your child needs help with. If you’re finding that a certain assignment is just not working, skip it! If an assignment 3 lessons ahead seems to be a better fit for your child, then jump ahead to it. You get to decide how the curriculum is presented to your child.

Why is customizable curriculum a good thing?

Having a customizable curriculum is a great thing because it helps you let go of those unrealistic curriculum expectations. This then gives you an amazing sense of educational freedom. When your curriculum is customizable, you can choose what your child actually needs to learn. Based on where they are at. Unfortunately, the educational system is famous for pushing kids along to the next grade. Even when they know a child is lacking in certain areas. And clearly need help with aspects of their education, like reading.

When your curriculum is customizable, you can dig deeper into the areas you know your child needs help with. Without this pressure of ‘I better finish this book so they can move onto the next grade.’ Wouldn’t it be so much better for your child to actually know what they need to?

Work with your child’s strengths.

If you focus on an area of your child’s education, that you know they’re struggling with, have your child use their strengths to accomplish it. This will help to boost their confidence. If you know that your child is really good at art, then incorporate that as much as possible into your day and curriculum. Have them paint numbers, do play dough math problems, or trace letters in sand. If your child is really good at creating or building, have them build their own math problems, sentences words, and paragraphs.

Many children need a lot of movement in order for the information to stick. You could put sight words on the stairs, and have them read each word before they can go to the next step. This causes a lot of anticipation and excitement, which can help get the wiggles out. Also, be sure not to sit at the table or desk for too long. I totally get that sometimes you feel like you need to push your kids to finish a lesson. But you don’t. Take breaks, run around, go outside, put a pause on an assignment until some energy has been released.

Schoolio’s customizable curriculum fits!

The amazing Schoolio writing team came up with the phenomenal idea to create unit studies for you to choose from. Most curriculum companies only sell their curriculum by the book. Schoolio offers individual units. That means, that if you’d like to start mid year, and know that your child needs help with Grade 3 Numbers, then you can purchase the Grade 3 Numbers unit. Or if your child has been homeschooling all year but needs help with a certain aspect of Language Arts, you can pick up the unit of Language Arts that your child needs.

We also offer bundled curriculum options, which have all the core subjects, and units included. It’s important to remember that even if you purchase the bundle, you can still customize it to fit your child’s learning needs. You can choose what unit of which subject your child should work on, and when.

What if your curriculum isn’t working for you?

If you’re finding that your curriculum is causing a lot of stress for you and your child. Or it just isn’t cutting it at all. Consider making some necessary adjustments to it. This doesn’t mean that you have to completely abandon the curriculum. You could add in some units here and there to help your child. Additionally, you could skip certain lessons that aren’t relevant to your child. The point is, you know what your child needs to learn, and you have the power to adjust the curriculum.

There’s help for you.

Fortunately for you, homeschooling has become so much more mainstream in the last 5 years. And homeschool curriculum companies, like Schoolio, exist to help you. Schoolio Learning was created by a team of extremely passionate individuals. All of whom care deeply about making education simple, affordable, customizable, and enjoyable. If you’re in the process of weighing your options and figuring out what curriculum works best for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to TEAM Schoolio for guidance.

If you’re feeling stuck in your curriculum, just remember it’s not the master of your homeschool. You are.

Browse Schoolio U.S. curriculum

Browse Schoolio Canadian curriculum

15 Habits of Successful Homeschooling Families

Small Changes for Huge Growth, Utilizing 15 Habits of Successful Homeschooling Families.

Making small changes for bountiful growth is an ideal way to ensure that your homeschool is everything that you want it to be, and more. Maybe you’d like to homeschool your children in the new year, or perhaps you’d just like to be more successful at homeschool. We are going to dive into 15 habits of successful homeschooling families, to help you obtain your homeschooling goals.

It’s the time of the year when you get to set goals and hope to stick to them. Many people often list all the amazing things they’d like to accomplish like sticking to that diet, organizing the house, getting a new job, or committing to an exercise regiment. We often start out with the best of intentions but many of us end up reverting to our old ways in a matter of weeks.

This usually happens because the changes that we wanted to take place were just not feasible. Why is that? The answer is simple, because life happens! Life is a never ending cycle of ups and downs. The key is to set manageable, realistic and obtainable goals. Goals that will benefit you and your family.

This is imperative when it comes to setting goals and habits for a successful homeschool. You don’t need to wait until the new school year to begin homeschooling or to change things up to make your homeschool more successful. The time is now to utilize 15 habits of successful homeschooling families. You don’t need to be overwhelmed, or stressed about learning new habits. Because these habits and goals are just so much more simple than you’d think.

What are the 15 Habits of Successful Homeschooling Families?

1. Successful Homeschooling Families are Flexible.

When it comes to successful homeschooling families, they have learned that in order to be successful, they must be flexible. Realizing that life happens, and homeschool happens around your life not the other way around, is key to a much more peaceful homeschool. You can plan things out in perfect detail, but sometimes things will happen that will shift your best laid plans.

It’s always important to factor in flexibility so that when things happen like, sickness, job loss, doctors appointments, or a headache that keeps you from teaching, you won’t feel burdened down by unrealistic expectations.

2. Successful Homeschooling Families Make Learning a Lifestyle.

Learning isn’t just something that happens from 9:00am – 2:00pm. And learning certainly isn’t something that happens only when the workbooks hit the table. Learning is all around them, all the time. Successful homeschooling families utilize opportunities to gain more knowledge. Many homeschooling parents are constantly teaching their children in various forms. While instilling a genuine love for learning in their children.

3. They Ask For Help.

You’re familiar with the term “It takes a Village”. Well, it takes a village to homeschool your children. It’s not a one parent does all the teaching, all the time, kind of situation. You will need help, from family, sometimes from friends, and from your partner. Never be afraid to ask for help.

4. Successful Homeschooling Parents Share Responsibility.

Going along with habit number 3 of the 15 habits of successful homeschooling families, is sharing responsibility. You cannot do it all by yourself. Having an understanding with your partner is extremely important. As is having real conversations about sharing the responsibilities of homeschooling and raising your children. Doing so is imperative to a successful homeschooling journey. Sharing responsibility can look different for every family. So be sure to find your own vibe.

5. Never Fall for Comparison.

Which brings us to the next point. It’s important for your family to find it’s own unique vibe. Chatting with your partner about ways to share responsibility is so important, but so is not comparing what that shared responsibility looks like to another families shared responsibilities.

Perhaps your homeschool family friends have an amazing system where the partner teaches math when they’re home from work and also does the dishes and laundry. But your partner isn’t doing the dishes or laundry, or teaching math. However they take the kids for amazing nature walks where they teach your children really important lessons about nature while you take a break at home.

When you start to compare yourself to other homeschooling families, you will inevitably feel miserable about some aspect of your homeschool, family, or life. So be sure to stay far, far away from the comparison trap. Because once you fall into it, it’s really hard to get out of.

6. Say No!

It can be so tempting to say yes to everyone and everything. Maybe your friend just planned a really cool field trip for the homeschool community. But you’re feeling burnt out and exhausted, you can say no. Maybe a family friend thinks that you are just staying home doing nothing all day, so has asked you to babysit their child. You know that this will have a negative impact on your homeschool. And you really just can’t. Say no! They will find alternative help. All too often people think that homeschooling families just sit around and do nothing. Now’s your time to prove otherwise.

7. Avoid Jumping at Every Opportunity.

It can be so tempting. Sometimes homeschooling parents feel like their children are lacking in some form because they aren’t going to ‘real school’. Therefore they must be missing important aspects of socialization and field trips. This may cause you to jump at every opportunity that arises. Doing so will only cause your schedule to get overbooked, your kids to be tired, and you to burn out. When you dive at every opportunity, your homeschool lessons will fall way behind which will then cause another layer of unfortunate stress, that you simply don’t need. So, avoid jumping at every opportunity.

8. Understand the Importance of Community.

Another really important habit/ goal to have, when it comes to the 15 habits of successful homeschooling families, is the ability to embrace community. This doesn’t mean that you’re going back on number 7 and suddenly doing all the activities with the local homeschool community. No, this means that you are investing in healthy homeschool relationships with other homeschool families. Families that you meet through the local homeschool communities.

Building those friendships is so important. Because they get it! Other homeschooling parents understand just how crazy homeschooling can be. They understand the frustration of people constantly poking them and teasing them about how their kids should be in school. When you have that important community built up around your homeschool, your homeschool will thrive in the safety that the community brings.

9. Successful Homeschoolers Read a lot!

I get it! You’re busy. You have 10,000 things to do, at any given time. Sometimes, reading gets pushed to the very bottom of the agenda because it requires stillness. And, your mind is anything but still. I understand that you feel like you need to be moving and doing things at all times in order to feel like you are getting anything done. But trust me when I tell you, that spending time with your kids reading is extremely important work and truly needs to be at the top of the list.

Reading together sparks conversations, enhances the imagination, grows bonds, and builds vocabulary and reading comprehension. Truly reading together is a gift.

10. We Get Really Excited!

Your kid just read a full sentence? That’s a reason to celebrate! Your child just memorized their times tables! Celebrate! Successful homeschoolers don’t save celebrations for birthdays and report cards, they celebrate all the little moments along the way to the big milestones. Celebrate those small wins! You and your family have earned it.

11. Successful Homeschooling Parents Start the Day on a Positive Note.

Before the children are awake, you can often find a homeschooling parent reading a book, journaling, meditating, or exercising. This is the time of day to get that inner peace and balance that they will need to carry them through the craziness that the day will inevitably hold. Finding out what your jam is when it comes to starting on a positive note is essential.

12. Successful Homeschoolers Involve the Kids.

Starting a garden? The kids are right there, getting their hands dirty. Working at a soup kitchen? Your kids are right there handing out food with you. Successful homeschool parents involve their children in the many different areas and aspects of life. Giving them the opportunity to learn vital lessons from a young age.

13. Avoid Conversations with People who Just Don’t Get it!

Whether that be an internet troll, or a moody aunt. There will always be someone who has something negative to say about your choice to homeschool. Even if you’re doing an amazing job, they will find something wrong with it. They will throw out harsh accusations and rude comments regarding homeschooling. These are the people and conversations that you want to avoid. They are not life giving, they are life draining. Make it your mission to stay away from that drama, because your mind doesn’t need to be filled with nonsense.

14. Successful Homeschoolers Aren’t Afraid to Switch it up!

The curriculum you purchased is just not working? Your kids mastered a concept and are bored with the repetition of the concept? Maybe your kids need extra practice work to master a concept but your curriculum wants you to move on. Don’t! Successful homeschoolers aren’t afraid to throw out a curriculum and start something new.

They will spend more time or less time on a concept based on how their students are doing. You are with your child all the time, so you know what your child is responding to better than anyone else. If something is just not working for your homeschool, you can ditch it and find something that does work!

15. Understand Just How Difficult the Task Is.

Because you are always teaching in some capacity, you as a homeschooling parent will know that even the tiny, mundane moments are leading to something great. You have the ability and opportunity to stay home with your children, not everyone can do that. In fact, most parents can’t. You have an abundance of patience and dedication to your children and their education. We don’t need to tell you that this is a difficult task, because you already know.

But you also know that you have the ability to do it. You know that each moment is unique and that one day you will see the rewards of all this hard work that you are pouring into your children’s education. You should be so proud.

Summing it Up!

There are a million ways to homeschool, finding your rhythm is essential. Will you find thousands of reasons as to why you shouldn’t homeschool? Yep! But, for each reason there is two reasons why it’s so important to press on and homeschool your kids. Will you have ups and downs? Absolutely! However, the ups are so amazingly great that they make the downs seem like nothing.

Be proud of yourself, the strength you are demonstrating by homeschooling your kids is simply amazing. Now go ahead and write down 10 things that you’d like to accomplish in the new year with your homeschool. Make sure they are realistic and obtainable goals. Then each day, aim to work towards them.

Should Homeschool Curriculum be Accredited?

We all want the very best for our kids. So naturally many of us are feeling overly stressed with the ups and downs of pandemic learning and school closures. As a result, many parents have turned to homeschooling. Doing so as a method of greater stability for their children’s education. Even after taking this large step, many parents are still worried. Especially if they’re struggling with questions like: ‘Should homeschool curriculum be accredited?’ Or: ‘If my child goes back to school, will they go into the correct grade?’

Question 1: Should Homeschool Curriculum be Accredited?

The short answer is no. Your child’s homeschool curriculum doesn’t need to be accredited so please don’t stress yourself over it. The reality is, most home learning programs aren’t accredited. Because accreditation requires that a particular program is being delivered. While assurances are made that it’s being delivered properly and completely. It’s very difficult for the company that sold you the curriculum to keep tabs on all families. They would need to insure that all curriculum is completed and standards are met. Which would obviously be a huge undertaking for any company.

Supervision would be needed by the curriculum company. This supervision would often come in the form of standardized testing. This would be to ensure that students are completing the program. And also helps the supervision to know if the student has obtained satisfactory understanding of the content that they have been learning. In this situation, not only would you need to comply to their assessments and scheduling. But you would also expect additional fees for testing or a higher price-point on the home-learning program itself.

This often goes against most homeschoolers reasons for homeschooling.

For most homeschoolers, this goes strictly against many of the reasons they chose to homeschool in the first place. Because teaching things that they choose are valuable rather than having strict adherence to a particular program is important to them. Additionally, many homeschoolers enjoy having the opportunity to alter, delete, or add in lessons to tailor learning to their own unique child. These are both important reasons why most homeschool families aren’t worried about questions like “Should homeschool curriculum be accredited?”

Another awesome aspect of homeschooling is the opportunity to have flexibility when it comes to scheduling. And how much time is needed or taken to learn. This way you won’t feel trapped by test dates. Or be stuck to the idea that testing is the only way to determine how much your child has learned. As we all know that standardized testing is suited to particular types of minds. Which is why it’s important to remember that not all minds think the same. This is especially true for our kids with unique learning needs.

Are there any accredited homeschool curriculum companies?

Some homeschool programs are accredited but be careful of what governing body is accrediting them. Sometimes accreditation just means that a particular college (usually an American Christian College) has approved the program. This is usually more of a marketing position on the part of the college. As they are trying to encourage students of the program to apply to their college after homeschooling. Therefore, it’s usually not a genuine concern for the program of study.

The Results:

Should homeschool curriculum be accredited? No, homeschool curriculum can not be accredited and should not be accredited. Because homeschool curriculum can’t be accredited on its own. The homeschool curriculum would have to be a part of an institutions program. Because homeschool curriculum isn’t a part of a school, it can not and does not need to be accredited.

Question 2: What if I want to put my child back in school?

If you decide to put your child back into the education system after homeschooling, your child should be able to go back into their grade level without hassle. You would simple need to enrol your child back into school. For elementary school, your child would usually just be placed back into their age/grade. Without any need for additional testing.

Therefore, you don’t need to worry about whether or not your child would be able to join back into their grade. As long as you are keeping up with their homeschooling curriculum they will stay on track with their peers. Even if you find that your child is struggling in different areas with their education because of pandemic learning. Please know that your child will quickly catch up. With a little time, dedication, and understanding, your child will be back on track in no time.

The Takeaway:

With the right curriculum, guidance, and time, your child will stay on track with their education. And your child will be able to attend traditional school again.

Try not to worry!

Please know that you aren’t the only parent worried about your child’s education. Most, if not all, parents are worried in some capacity about their child’s education right now. You are doing the very best that you can for your child’s education. And while sometimes you may feel like you haven’t done enough, you have. It’s normal and healthy to have questions about homeschooling like “Should homeschool curriculum be accredited?”

No one wants to “mess up their child’s education”. So, let us assure you that you are doing a great job. Asking questions, doing research, finding the best learning solutions for your child – those are all huge steps in the right direction. You’re doing an excellent job, and your child’s education will show that, with time. Try not to get so consumed by the idea of how things should look. Because homeschooling often looks very different for everyone. Just take it one day at a time. And tap into more amazing homeschooling resources to help you get started on the right track.

Check out “The 20 Do’s of Homeschooling” for helpful tips on how to have a successful homeschooling journey. https://schoolio.io/news/the-20-dos-of-homeschooling/

The Homeschool Mom – Is Your Curriculum Accredited? Does it Matter? https://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/is-your-curriculum-accredited-does-it-matter/

Homeschooling In Ontario – How To Get Started Guide

Let’s Talk About: Getting Started

Beginning Homeschooling is easy in Ontario! So you’ve made the decision to homeschool- welcome to our wonderful world!! Now you’re wondering what your next steps are.

What Do I Have to Do for the Government?

  1. In Ontario, we have a very easy system. You are asked to send a Letter of Intent to provide Home Education to the school board in which your child has been registered, and that is all.
  2. You can find a template to print and fill out of the Letter of Intent here: The Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents » The Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents » Letter of Intent to Homeschool (ontariohomeschool.org)
  3. You do not need to fill out any other forms, submit a learning plan, or anything else. If you are asked to do anything more, please contact the Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents for advice before proceeding.
  4. Most of us also send a copy or CC the principal of the school the child has been attending. This is a courtesy that gives the school earlier notice, so they know your child won’t be joining them when they plan classes, etc. There can be a delay in the school board processing the Letter of Intent and notifying the school, so if you don’t notify the principal yourself, you could hear from the administration team about absenteeism in the first couple of weeks.

What Am I Required to Teach?

  1. You are not required to teach anything specific in Ontario.
  2. You do not need to use a premade curriculum unless you want to.
  3. If you think your child may be returning to public school in the future, you may choose to follow a curriculum that is Canadian and similar to the Canadian public school structure, but that is your choice.
  4. If you want a Canadian curriculum that aligns with the Ontario government standards, you can shop Schoolio here: Schoolio.io | Homeschooling Canadian Curriculum Support for Parents

What Records Am I Required to Keep?

  1. You do not have to keep any records!
  2. You don’t have to prove to anyone what you taught, or they learned this year in order to re-enroll next year.
  3. You are not required to do any formal planning in advance or to work on any set schedule. If you’re interested in using planning and scheduling in your homeschool for your own personal organization, you can find a lot of tips and free templates here: Welcome: Schoolio Planning Freebies – Schoolio.io | Ontario Curriculum Homeschooling Home Learning

  4. You do not need to provide any sort of Report Card to the school or school board. If you want to give your kids a Report Card just for fun and personal feedback, check out this alternative Report Card for Homeschoolers here: Homeschooling is about more than the “3Rs – Schoolio.io | Ontario Curriculum Homeschooling Home Learning

Is There Funding for Homeschoolers?

  1. There is no funding for homeschoolers in Ontario.
  2. You cannot write off any of your homeschooling expenses on your taxes.
  3. Homeschooling does not exempt you from paying school taxes.
  4. Homeschooling does not have to be expensive. Read more about the costs of homeschooling here: Let’s Talk About: Finances – Schoolio.io | Ontario Curriculum Homeschooling Home Learning

Where Can I Get More Help and Advice?

  1. There are several great resources available for new homeschooling parents in Ontario!
  2. The Schoolio page has information in the Blogs section from planning to finances to socializing to Kindergarten: Blog – Schoolio.io | Ontario Curriculum Homeschooling Home Learning
  3. Covid Homeschooling- Canada is a facebook community dedicated to helping new homeschoolers in Canada: Covid Homeschooling- Canada | Facebook
  4. The Canadian Homeschooler has a wealth of resources for the new to veteran homeschooler: Home – The Canadian Homeschooler
  5. The Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents can offer any advice you need, including legal advice, whether or not you are a member: The Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents » You CAN educate your child at home! (ontariohomeschool.org)