Using Your Child's Interests to Enhance Their Education
Some children are not cut out for the public school life. They have a difficult time becoming interested in certain subjects. If your child loses their interest in a subject, it may not be the subject causing their disinterest. The way subjects are taught in public schools does not interest peak children's interests.
When there is one teacher against 25 children, is difficult to approach a topic in a way that interests everyone. Whether your child attends public school or you homeschool, you can use their interests to enhance their education.
Parents who homeschool their children are at an advantage. They can set up lessons in a way that accommodates their child's personal learning style. Children who attend public school may need to have their education enriched at home, through one on one instruction from a parent.
What if Your Child is Not Interested in Learning?
If your child is not interested in learning, evaluate what is going on at school. Meet with teachers to find out what they are doing instead of their school work. Talk to your child to find out what is causing their disinterest. Is it the subject or the way it is being taught?
Most children who have problems in public school do not find the way information is presented interesting. Some children need a hands-on, interactive education. Public schools do not have the resources necessary to provide this type of education, so they stick with the boring approach.
How to Make Learning Interesting
If you feel that being in a public school is beneficial to your child, use their interests to enhance their education at home. Provide them with documentaries, hands-on projects, and educational videos to substitute for long reading assignments. Interactive educational games can provide your child with an active, fun way to learn about topics they cannot become interested in.
Best Interests of your Child – Homeschool vs Public School
If you are in the process of weighing homeschool vs public school, you may want to ask your child how they feel. Some parents feel their child wants an excuse to stay home when they ask to be homeschooled. The truth is, children are naturally social creatures. Many kids go to school simply to socialize with peers. If your child is willing to sacrifice their social life, there is probably an underlying problem.
Homeschool and public school both have benefits. You should evaluate your child's needs against the methods used by public schools. Does a classroom provide your child with an education they can be proud of? If not, do you see any benefits to homeschooling your child? The only person who can make a decision in the best interests of your child is you.
Don't forget, public school and homeschooling aren't your only two options.
Benefits of Homeschooling
Homeschool allows you to plan your child's education around their learning style and capacity. If your child loves to read, you can provide them with interesting books. If they are more hands-on, supplement their education with projects and experimentation. If they enjoy absorbing information from the television screen, turn it into an educational experience. If your child loves video games, provide them with educational, interactive games online.
There is no limit to the way your child can learn!
Homeschooling also allows parents to maximize their child's education. Some children have the capacity to learn more than a public school has time to teach them. If your child has this potential, do not allow your child to get lost in the crowd. Give them a chance to stand out, just like nature intended.
Using Your Child's Interests to Enhance Their Public School Education
There are many ways you can enrich your child's public school education at home. Even if they are not interested in learning, you can use their interests to help them understand what they are learning in class. Along with academic support, you can help your child succeed in school by being an active part of their education, and helping with their homework every day.
Give your child a small project that expands on what their study material covers. This research project should allow them to expand on what their book has to offer, and helps them develop a curiosity to search beyond the information they are handed.
If you feel that your child would benefit from expanding on what public school has to offer, you have options. Public school has a limited time to cover material, which places limits on what they can teach. After school, you can use their interests as a method of teaching your child beyond the scope of what public school has to offer. This offers your child a brighter future, higher test scores, and better options when it comes to higher education.
Not only is there is no limit to the way your child can learn, don't expect all of your kids to be similar. Or even remotely similar. Our 4 children all learn differently and have really pushed the limits of what I thought was "normal" before homeschooling. Perspective is an incredible thing. It can take a long time to fully grasp a necessary paradigm shift.