COSTS OF HOMESCHOOLING
The
costs for books and equipment to homeschool can range from
less than a hundred dollars up to hundreds of dollars depending
on your
selection
of materials, new or used, and how you acquire them. While
it may seem like a daunting task to choose from among the
high
quality
programs
and
materials
available on the market, a bit of research will quickly
lead you to a
well
rounded
curriculum that best fits
your
budget and
needs.
For many homeschooling parents, a pre-packaged curriculum
is an ideal fit. Years of research and practical
use have typically gone into the development of these programs.
Many of them
meet
state standards (check with your district for their list
of approved programs), removing parent concerns that their
children may not be
getting
an education
in
line
with their age and/or grade level. Another
great aspect of a ready made
curriculum is that pre-planning time is significantly reduced
because daily lesson plans are generally included. Ease
of mind and ease of planning, without compromising quality
in education, are the order of the day when choosing a
ready made curriculum.
For other homeschooling parents, putting together a customized
curriculum best suits their teaching style.
While this approach definitely requires the greatest amount
of pre-planning and consideration of what to include,
the parents who choose this method wouldn't have it any
other way. Since
parents can select all the books and teaching tools which
they believe best suits their child's needs and learning
abilities,
they feel confident that their child is getting the type
of education that they envision for him/her. Parents
who take this path may be teachers by trade or
individuals who enjoy the challenge involved in
researching options and constructing what they feel is
the most favorable
educational plan for their student.
Somewhere in the middle lays yet another group
of homeschooling parents. Utilizing
a pre-packaged program as the core for teaching, but then
supplementing
with other resources or trading out portions of the program,
provides structure with flexibility. Being comprised of
the various subjects that a child's education are expected
to include,
a ready
made curriculum becomes the basis from which an individualized
curriculum is borne. Often a child
will either excel or become "stuck" in one
or more subject areas. With this in mind, the homeschooling
parent will
soon learn that it is totally acceptable to either minimize,
trade out,
or
supplement
portions of the program that don't match their
child's aptitude for learning.
One of the
many beneficial aspects of homeschooling is that you
can quickly and easily
alter your
materials
and
teaching style to optimize your child's learning
experience. As homeschooling
parents we seem to do this naturally, honing
our teaching techniques in conjunction with our child's
pattern of growth. Obviously, there is no right or wrong
approach to teaching
your child at home, only what is most favorable for your
child.
No
matter what you decide with regards to your schooling
curriculum, the good news is that you can spend as little
or as much as you choose. Most families will end up spending
somewhere between $300.00 and $1, 000.00 per child per
year, not including extracurricular expenses. Some great
ways to
find discounted materials are at garage sales, homeschool
swap meets (you can organize one together yourself), and
the numerous homeschool resources web sites. Some other
well
known places
for purchasing
new and used discounted materials are E-bay and
Amazon.com. By doing your homework, you
can choose all the materials you need and keep costs
to a minimum.
Whatever you decide, just be sure to check with your state's
laws to determine how flexible you can be in administering
your homeschooling education.
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