Can a Parent Be a Homeschool Teacher Without a Degree?
Is a Teaching Degree Necessary for Homeschool?
What if the Parent Has No Degree?
There are many curricula on the market that will contain everything needed to instruct the child. Even when a packaged curriculum is not used, the parent can teach the child from the chosen class materials. Most textbooks and workbooks will come with answer keys. When they do not, it is quite simple for a parent to look up the answers in an encyclopedia, in the study material, at the library, or on the internet. Another thing to remember is that just because a person has not gone to college and received a degree, it does not mean the person is not intelligent. Many people enjoy studying about a variety of topics at their leisure. Even when this is not the case, as previously stated, the answers are simple to find and they can be found prior to instructing the children. Many parents who homeschool examine the material before presenting it to the children. According to the HSLDA, there is no significant difference between the scores of a home schooled student whose parent held a degree, versus a student whose parent did not. Homeschooled students also score significantly higher than public schooled students.
What if the Child Has Questions the Parent Cannot Answer?
When there are questions presented by the child, the parent can instruct the child by teaching them to refer back to the study material to answer questions. Parent and child can do this together. If the question is not found in the study material the parent can say something like "Let's learn more about that" and can look in encyclopedias, through other study materials, and even on the internet. There are always a variety of ways to find an answer.
What About Subjects The Parent Knows Nothing About?
There are a variety of options for this scenario. One option is for the parent to learn about the subject a little bit at a time, ahead of the child, and then instruct the child on the topic. Another option could be to hire a tutor for those subjects. Another way to solve this could be to enroll the child in an online school, either just for that subject, or for all subjects, depending on the child and family's needs. Yet another option could be to place the child in a class outside the home for that subject. There are likely many more options. Those are just a few.
Will It Be Stressful For The Child?
Some may worry about children feeling some sort of anxiety over their parent teaching them. Some students may feel pressured to over-perform. If that is the case, if the stress does not die down after a reasonable amount of time, home school may not be the right choice. However, in many situations, the children will actually feel a comfort in knowing their parent will be instructing them. Many children might actually feel a relief of stress from homeschooling.
How Will The Parent Separate School And Home?
Depending on the family and the style of schooling, this may not even be necessary. With homeschooling, there is the benefit of being able to school in the same loving and nurturing way as you would parent. However, if a family does prefer to separate school and home, a schedule and set of rules that the family sticks to for school time can easily take care of that.
How Will The Parent Know What To Teach?
Just as a traditional teacher derives information from the Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov), so will a parent who homeschools. This information is easily attainable and is public information. Also, the HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) at http://www.hslda.org has plenty of helpful information and resources to point parents in the right direction.
Overview
While having a teaching degree would certainly be helpful and beneficial, it isn't always necessary. While this will not be the right choice for every family, there are many homeschooling families that are successful in schooling without a parent having a teaching degree. All factors should be weighed before making a decision like this. However, with determination and dedication, teaching home school without a degree is certainly possible.
Resources/Experience
Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov
HSLDA
http://www.hslda.org
HSLDA (test score study)
http://www.hslda.org/docs/study/rudner1999/Rudner2.asp
HSLDA (study figure 6)
http://www.hslda.org/docs/study/rudner1999/Rudner2.asp#Fig6
The author is successfully homeschooling her own children.
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Have you had experience with this topic? Have a differing opinion?
The author welcomes suggestions, feedback, and discussion in the comments section below.
To read more articles on homeschooling, parenting, and family issues, simply click on the author's name.
Published by Lyn Lomasi - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Lyn's the Community Advocate at Yahoo! Contributor Network. Contact her with community issues & ideas. She's been contributing since 2007 and previously acted as a Community Guide. Read her tips for success... View profile
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- Many parents who homeschool examine the material before presenting it to the children.
- There are always a variety of ways to find an answer.
- A parent can attain needed information from the Department Of Education, as well as the HSLDA.
74 Comments
Post a CommentGood article, Momie! My mother homeschooled all 6 of her children until they were in junior high. I have two siblings still in school doing online education; 4 of us have graduated (from the same online school). 3 of us were valedictorians; those same three are all in or starting university programs, and two of us are planning to go on to graduate school. Mom never had a degree in education, but she sure did a great job!
Nice article. :) As an unschooling mom I am always so happily surprised at the wide variety of resources that are available. :)
Great points Rooster and thanks for your kind words. :-)
I am a homeschooling dad, and enjoyed your article. In fact, I was searching around to see what kind of articles had already been written on homeschooling so I could write a few as well. You've had a lot of comments on the topic, and the debate over the internet in general is always going. I can tell you that my wife has an AS, and I have an MBA. We have both taught our children at different times, and I am firm believer that you DO NOT need a college degree to teach your kids. What you do need is a desire to TEACH your kids. Over the last year or so that I have been the full time "teacher", I have met many a homeschooling parent that does the very minimums or less each day. You have got to be motivated and dedicated to it or they may as well be in public school.
Thanks for the article!
R
Thanks for your interest and input Karen. Actually, I find homeschooling to more affordable than sending my children to public school. I will pm you with some tips. :-)
I was once told by someone who I trust that a college degree was necessary to homeschool your children, of course I never did any research of my own. Even though my oldest, 4th grade, and my second oldest, 1st grade, are in a public school I do not rely solely on the school/teachers to teach my children everything they should know. I may not have a degree, I have spent some time in college but unfortunately life got in the way (planning to go back in the near future to finish), but that is no excuse to not be involved in my daughters' education. I have been contemplating homeschooling my third, she's about to turn one, when the time comes during the elementary school years. It seems like homeschooling can be expensive and the information on the internet about homeschooling seems so overwhelming. Its nice to find articles like yours on homeschooling though that are helpful for people who are interested.
An intelligent, caring parent who is homeschooling will find a way to educate their child. In today's world there are so many resources; if the parent/teacher finds that they are in "over their head", (I would think that would most probably only occur in the math/science/chemistry subjects) there are tutors and other resources that can be utilized. Then, as you said, the parent and the child can learn at the same time. Great subject!
I think you're right Charlotte. Bridget, that's when an outside class would come into play. Thanks all three of you. :-)
Very informative article!
This is a tough subject for a lot of people, I know. Unfortunately, I know a lot of people with PHDs who shouldn't be allowed to teach but they do. I've also seen parents without degrees do a wonderful job. I think it depends a lot on the individual.