Homeschool Subjects: Know What to Teach and How to Teach It

For beginning homeschoolers, figuring out what subjects to teach can be quite a daunting task. Some states regiment homeschooling and require families to teach a certain curriculum or area of study. Certain subjects lend themselves better to grades, levels of accomplishment, or maturity (for instance, one cannot learn lab chemistry until certain levels of mathematics have been completed).

To determine what you should teach your children, you should first outline two things - a philosophy for your homeschool and an academic goal for your children. Some families function best in a loosely structured college preparatory sort of program. Others decide on a rigid homeschooling plan with advanced science and mathematics classes. Still others choose an "anything goes" fine arts approach. This is something that you should choose as a family, tailor to each child, and prayerfully consider. Be flexible and be pro-active: your child must graduate prepared for life, as well as for college and career!

Once you have an approach settled, begin to address the "core" subjects. At one time, these were considered to be the "Three R's" - Reading, Writing, and 'Rithmetic. Children simply must excel in communication and mathematics skills in order to succeed in today's world. Many homeschooling families require reading and writing as part of all subjects, not just English. Mathematics is one of the most difficult subjects to teach at home at higher grade levels. These days, fifth graders are learning algebra and it's not uncommon for high school kids to be learning calculus, trigonometry, and statistics! Most homeschoolers hire a tutor or take part in group or online classes for these advanced - but necessary - classes. Remember, these are the areas tested in the SAT and ACT tests. The higher your child scores on the SAT and/or ACT, the better their chances for college admissions and high scholarships!