How to Get the Most from a Homeschool Support Group

When you operate a homeschool program you can feel very isolated and alone. However, there are other parents in your community, city and state that are in the same boat as you are. If you need the emotional support offered by other homeschool parents and teachers then consider joining a homeschool support groups. These groups are great for finding solutions to learning issues and for helping you get through the rough times.

Tip #1 - Be Dedicated to the Group

In order to benefit from participating in a homeschool support group you need to show up to meetings. While everyone is bound to miss a meeting every now and then, it is important to show up to as many meetings as possible. Each time you show up to a meeting you will gain new insight into the homeschooling process and each time you miss a meeting you create a gap in your homeschool teacher education. Think of these meetings as a staff meeting and make a pledge to show up.

Tip #2 - Contribute to the Group

It is important that you contribute to your homeschool support group. The more you share about what you are doing at home the more the others in the group will learn about homeschooling. To contribute to the group you will want to create a list of successes or solutions that you have had with your kids. You will want to share at least one success or solution at each meeting. For example, your child may have been having a hard time learning how to convert fractions into decimals until you discovered that using a calculator activity helped them to overcome this obstacle.

Tip #3 - Ask Questions

The homeschool support group is all about parents helping parents. This means that in addition to sharing what you have learned about teaching your kids at home that you will also have the opportunity to ask questions that you have about this process. It is a good idea to create a list of questions before you arrive at each meeting. You can then ask the questions as the meeting progresses. Remember to write down the answers that you get form the meeting.

Tip #4 - Join the Right Support Group

While a homeschool support group can be very beneficial if you are in the wrong group you can end up frustrated. It is very important to select a homeschool support group that meets your needs. To find the right support group you will want to look at how often the group meets, when they meet and what age groups are discussed. Obviously if you have elementary aged students and the group is made up of primarily of parents of high school aged students the group is not going to work for you.

Tip #5 - Don't Be Afraid to Lead

If you are a natural leader don't be afraid to take on this role in the support group. You can help to establish rules for the group, goals for the group or you can just keep the discussions on track. However, keep in mind there is a difference between being bossy and being the boss.