One of my favorite stories is about some well-meaning advice from a friend.
I was at a barbecue lamenting to another friend how difficult it is to give baths to my large dogs. She, too, owns large dogs. We had already run through everything we’d tried and were winding down the conversation with an exchange of pet groomers’ prices and phone numbers when the host of the barbecue walked up and chimed in.
“Have you tried chaining the dog to a fence?”
She must have seen one of many reality shows about pet groomers which clearly shows well-behaved dogs connected to a post while being bathed. Unfortunately, I did not own a pet bathing station and chaining my dog to the fence meant that he could then dance away from me every time I approached with a hose. I wondered, unfortunately out loud, if that worked with her dogs. She admitted she didn’t have dogs and I was not invited back to another barbecue at her house.
The point is, there are many people who are happy to offer advice when they have no experience to back up their opinions. And… there are many blogs about home schooling written by parents who are in the thick of it, who are home schooling and are happy to share their experiences and wisdom with the rest of us.
One such mother is Dianne McLean, owner of the website Home Education Council of America, who shares some great advice, such as how to home school children as they enter secondary education.
As a tutor, I appreciate her advice: “… don’t think that just because you chose to homeschool, that you are required to do all the teaching. The beauty of homeschooling is exercising your right to choose, not forcing undue stress upon yourself. If you are juggling many children, then take a look at what subjects you can possibly trade with another mom – or even still, pay someone if you are unable to reciprocate in services. Some states vary in their laws, but there is always a way!”
Finding the right writing curriculum may be the first hurdle, much like securing a dog for a bath may be the first step in bathing the dog. Unfortunately, even with a secure dog, the right person for the job is very important. Thus, finding an expert in the curriculum subject and in instructional strategies may be the best approach for teaching your home school high school student.
You may just need to swap prices and phone numbers with a friend who has been there.
writingforhomeschoolers 