“Mom, Can YOU Teach Me?”: A Faculty Homeschooler’s and Worldschooling Scholar’s Perspectives on Home Education
Resources on Home learning
By: Dannielle Joy Davis, Ph.D. & Bryce Davis Bohon
In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, parents across the nation find themselves immersed in the world of home education. While most families’ current educational situations should not be confused with what most would define as homeschooling, we can learn quite several important skills and lessons from these families who have opted for this educational choice. This edition of the PRiME blog features a guest post from Dr. Dannielle Joy Davis and her son, Bryce Davis Bohon. Dr. Davis not only researches homeschooling, but also serves as a homeschool consultant, was once homeschooled, and currently homeschools her son via Davis Academy. Here is their advice on homeschooling and home learning.
After consistent complaints about the practices of his 5th-grade teacher, my son ultimately asked “Mom, can YOU teach me? I learn better from you.” As a parent educating at home you become a teacher, principal, counselor, and school nurse, 24-7. Is it possible? Yes! My family is proof that it’s so. Here are points parents new to home education must keep in mind:
YOU CAN DO THIS. Due to the one-on-one nature of homeschooling, far more can be covered in less time. Eight hours of instruction is not necessary. For instance, we homeschool for 4 hours daily (Monday-Friday). Days are divided in ways that meet our schedule. At times we complete work early in the day or instruction may begin later, ending as late as 8:00 p.m. Do what makes sense for your family, taking into consideration 1) your own unique circumstances, 2) the age of your child, and 3) the overall goals for your student and family. Through personal experience, my interactions with other homeschooling families, and review of the literature, I found that homeschooling time ranges from 1 to 6 hours per day. This time is often broken up in child-friendly ways. For instance, I learned during my research that the average middle school student’s attention span is approximately 12 minutes. Because of this, I keep lessons to this length and have learned through observation that my middle schooler enjoys learning more when lessons feel conversational and discussion-based as opposed to a formal lecture. Observe your children and teach in ways that resonate with them as individuals as often as possible.
Remember that education includes academic, emotional, and life skills. Yes. Math and science are critical. Cover core subjects, such as these, while incorporating play or child-informed projects when possible. Yet once the “core” is covered, you can use this time as an opportunity to educate the whole child: Intellectually, emotionally, and practically.
Use this as an opportunity to nurture your young person’s strengths or to address academic challenges. The poems I wrote during leisure as a child-led my mother to make writing central to my homeschooling experience. She allowed me to develop my writing skills and voice - at my own pace, in my own way. It was the ultimate act of love, from her to me. My son’s gift of building and inventing, coupled with my adoption of my mother’s strategy of having the child’s gift lead the learning experience, makes science key throughout his curriculum.
Consider your child’s gifts and their role in child or teen learning and behavior. Homeschooling elevates you to an advanced level of parenthood. Often your roles as teacher and parent mesh as one. Remember, parents are the first teachers. Embrace this fully. My own mother (Linda M. Davis: An award-winning educator with St. Louis Public Schools and education author) kept this in mind when schooling me. I was expected to either write one report or give a presentation on any topic of my choosing once a week. The enormous amount of choice I had under my mother’s tutelage demonstrated her understanding of the importance of considering developmental stage and cultivating my own agency in the learning process.
Our world is filled with resources to help you succeed at homeschooling. The public libraries have free online resources and curricula available for grades K-12. In addition, Kahn Academy is a free resource with online lessons and videos in multiple subjects. There are also Facebook groups for homeschooling that daily share information on resources and suggested practices from successful veteran home educators. These online communities offer mentorship and inspiration to homeschooling newcomers.
Advice to Kids From a 6th Grade Homeschooled Scholar
I have been homeschooling for over a year, all year [year-round homeschooling]. One benefit of homeschooling is you get to have a say in your curriculum. For instance, you can ask to adjust your curriculum so you can add things like Nintendo Labo and do Legos as engineering. Kahn Academy has a wide variety of interesting subjects like engineering, physics, and chemistry. My favorite Kahn Academy class is engineering because I would like to pursue a career in either electrical, chemical, or mechanical engineering.
Another benefit of homeschooling is you’re able to do your schoolwork from the comfort of your home. Sometimes I do Duolingo while sitting on the couch.
Last but not least, worldschooling is gaining knowledge through travel. I very much enjoyed traveling to Canada, Ghana, Jamaica, Cuba, and Hawaii while homeschooling.
All you need to become a good homeschooler is to make significant efforts in your school work. You have to take a significant part in your education. Focus and keep on, keeping on!
We hope this is useful for everyone stepping into the world of home education. Remember, you can do this and that you and your students are working together!