Many things have changed in today’s world, and the needs of children have also changed. Traditional learning methods are not as suitable as they were many years ago. Moreover, the schooling system has not been updated for many years.
Even if you are in a country like Australia, where the schooling system is relatively better, the classical approach of putting children in the classroom, rote learning, tests, and teaching, in the same way, is still a constant in any school.
This is why many parents are opting for homeschooling their children. It is estimated that it will become as mainstream as going to school in the coming years.
As of now, more than twenty thousand children are being homeschooled across different states of Australia.
However, to get clearance from the education authorities, you must design an Australian homeschooling curriculum that resembles the overall values of the state’s curriculum. Once you have the approval for homeschooling from the state education department you can begin with your child’s education.
But deciding the best curriculum might be the most challenging task as it impacts their overall education.
So, here are some things you must pay attention to make the curriculum for your child.
- Their learning style
Contrary to prevalent belief, there is more than one way a person can understand and retain information, and not everyone learns in the same manner. Some children might be visual learners, while others might learn by reading.
So, you must resolve what type of learner your child is, as it will only help you structure the curriculum that way. Suppose you can not make the curriculum yourself. In that case, you can take assistance from various websites that will be able to provide you with the resources and educational material for your child.
You can explain your child’s learning style and other preferences to them for a tailor-made educational course for them to follow.
- Your teaching/supervising capacity
You must have clarity on how much time you can devote to your child. If they are in their initial grades, you might have to supervise and invest more time in teaching them. However, once they enter their teenage years, their attention span and their involvement may also decrease.
With the advent of online learning applications and optimized educational resources, you do not have to worry much about teaching them.
- Child’s personality
One of the most important things you must consider while designing the Australian homeschooling curriculum is the child’s personality.
Pay attention to their skills, hobbies and interests while icing their subjects and courses. Moreover, you must also pay attention to their attention threshold and learning ability.
For instance, if they are more online towards music and arts instead of science, then you can include advanced arts and other related subjects in their curriculum.
- State requirements
If you are designing the course outline yourself, it may become a challenge for you to stay compliant with the state’s education standards and board requirements.
Each state in Australia has set different requirements and eligibility criteria for homeschooling application approval. The standards might differ in grade, subject, age, etc.
When you choose to take help from an expert company that specializes in compliance, they will make it easier for you.
- Consult your child.
Before finalizing the course of action for them, you must ask them first and consider their considerations before making a decision.
You must ask them whether they are comfortable with the shortlisted subjects, the topics, the pace of the course and advancement levels.
If they have any issues, it is better to address them before the course begins to avoid any problems in the future.
Moreover, if they have any recommendations about subjects they want to study, you must try to include them.
So, it is essential to consider the learning styles, state’s requirements, and your child’s preference to finalize the curriculum for their homeschooling.
If you want to take a faith-based approach, browse through a slew of Christian curriculums and homeschooling tools to get started. There are materials such as sermon notebooks for kids that will help with homeschooling them the Christian way.
Blogs written by homeschooling veterans like Not Consumed also provide a wealth of resources to help you and your child through this educational journey. Research is crucial to develop a curriculum that will set you and your child up for success.
