With so many choices, you might not even know where to start.

Ever see those posts on social media in which people choose a word for the new year? Most people choose words like “growth” or “peace”, or maybe “Wisdom.” The word for 2020 clearly should have been “overwhelmed.” I see the o-word everywhere, especially now that it is back to school time. Because your schools may not be back at all. Or they are back, but only two days a week. Or every other week? I know I am not the only parent who would be likely to send a kid to school on the wrong day. (Good thing I already homeschool!) So let’s talk about your options for not-back-to-school.

Who is doing the teaching?

The first thing you really need to consider is who is doing the teaching? Here’s a hint- the options are you or not you. Either way is totally okay. Homeschool rule #1- the program has to fit the child AND the parent.

Two options for homeschooling

Maybe the student you are looking to homeschool is in middle or high school, and Algebra is a hard pass for you. Many parents are still working from home and barely made it through the sudden switch to Zoom school in the spring. If this sounds familiar, you might be interested in a Virtual school. Unlike what the public schools tried to throw together with absolutely no warning or training (God Bless them for it!), these programs were conceived as an online entity. Most states have an online public school option that your student can enroll it and it. is. free. Some states have (also free) online charter schools, and some states have online schools that come with some funding for academic materials (hi there, new printer that actually works!). Depending on how things are set up in your state, you may not even need to register as a homeschooler, because they are legally enrolled in a public school. There are private virtual schools as well, if the virtual public options do not thrill you. Many of the private schools are aligned with a religious worldview if that is something that is important to you.

Let’s look at the upsides here- you aren’t the teacher. The virtual school faculty gives out assignments, grades assignments, and keeps the records. The possible downsides- if the classes are synchronous (or “live online”) and you have more than one kid, there could be a computer and bandwidth issue. It can be a little trickier to monitor your child’s progress in a virtual environment. A parent could log in one day and realize that the kid hasn’t done an assignment in two weeks. (It’s me. I’m that parent.) So some diligence is required on your part. But if you have a good internet connection and a fairly motivated student who will not get up and wander off, this could be a great option for you.

If you decide to dive in and teach your child…..

The other option for “not back to school” is parent-led homeschooling. (Yup. You are the teacher in these next two possibilities.) If you decide to dive in and teach your child, you have one more choice to make. You can purchase a complete curriculum from one of the many curriculum providers, or you can assemble your own curriculum subject by subject. Let’s dig into these two options for a bit.

A complete curriculum is referred to by some as “school in a box.” I do not like that term because it sounds very derogatory. Parents that choose to teach their own kids at home are NOT “less than” for buying all their stuff from one program and following that. In reality, this is a great choice for many families. A lot of new parents find this to be a gentle transition from public school because they don’t have to figure out the differences between reading programs. Many of the complete curriculum programs also (for a fee) will provide lesson plans, grading, and support by email or telephone. They also do placement tests, and can help you combine students in different grade levels if you wish. And guess who doesn’t have to figure out how much math a third grader needs to do each day? YOU.

The other parent-led option is an assembled curriculum. In this scenario, a parent chooses each individual subject, which means that there are a lot of opportunities to play to the strengths of the parent and child. You can also tailor to particular interests (natural sciences or physical sciences?) and provide support to kids with learning differences (some complete curriculum providers can work with LDs as well). There are so many more options than there were when I began homeschooling, you can find great materials for almost any kid.

When we evaluate the parent-led option, the upside is the relationship you can build with your child. It is different from the normal parenting relationship. You will see exactly where he struggles, and enjoy when he masters a concept or finds something that sparks his imagination. If you homeschool into the high school years, you will be able to let their goals and interests guide their coursework. A complete curriculum comes with (usually) lesson plans and support. An assembled curriculum can meet the diverse interests of parent and child.

The downside of parent-led homeschooling is the time commitment, even with a motivated student. Younger students will need more teacher time, especially if they are still learning to read. When we discuss an assembled curriculum, we have to acknowledge the stress of choosing all. the. things. That can be intimidating, especially if you are new and have multiple kids! If you want to see what I mean, go ahead and do an internet search for “homeschool math curriculum.” Now imagine that search for the other 6 or so subjects your child takes. The experience can be worth it, though.

Only you can choose what is right for your family.

Are there more steps after this? Yes. But this is the first hurdle, and there is no shame in any answer. Only you can choose what is right for your family. Whether you choose virtual school, parent-led homeschool, or traditional school, I wish you this best this coming school year!

Still feeling overwhelmed? Read about how I can help you navigate the process here.