Know your Homeschool Laws
Every family is different and every state has different requirements. To follow state laws, you will need to research and find out what is required for your children in your state. To find out the laws in your state, click here. Then find your state and click on the category “state laws.” Since the laws vary greatly from state to state, you may find that in order to follow the laws, you need to have more specific goals to meet your state requirements.
Consider your Methods of Home Education
Another consideration when setting goals is the method of education that takes place in your home. Are you a structured homeschooler and want to follow a “school at home” approach? If so, this might include breaking your day into specific subjects at specific times and following a written curriculum without deviation. Your goals will be different from a “car-schooler,” who does much learning on the road in the car. Car-schoolers set goals in consideration of the length of time spent traveling and the learning opportunities they encountered.
Unschool families will set different goals for their students, generally allowing the student to choose their goals since the educational philosophy is to allow children to learn based on interest. Classical educators, who base their homeschooling on three stages of learning, follow a more rigid structure and will have goals that must be met each year to progress along the Classical track.
Bible-based home educators use the Bible as the main teaching resource and bring scripture references into the homeschool subjects taught. Goals for this teaching method might reference the Scriptures to be memorized or studied in a school year. Families who use Unit Studies set goals based on the topic to be covered in a specified timeframe, experiencing multiple subjects of learning focused around one main subject.
Charlotte Mason teachers set goals based on Mason’s philosophy of educating the whole person through a wide range of “living books,” firsthand experiences, and good habits which build character. The Montessori Method homeschoolers will allow children to choose their own work and concentrate on it as long as they need, so they will have different goals from the Waldorf families, who follow a seven-year educational cycle. There is also the eclectic homeschool family, who uses many different teaching styles to achieve the desired homeschooling result in each subject.
All of these different educational methods require unique consideration when planning goals for the homeschool. For example, when doing a unit study, it is important to set a goal so your student knows what is expected of him from the beginning. This helps him to be successful instead of overwhelmed by the amount of information you may cover in a months-long study. Goals are not just for the teacher but also for the student, to know what is expected, as well as having an aim in mind.
How to Start Setting your Homeschool Goals
Where do you begin to set goals? Consider what your child knows already and what you hope for him to learn this school year. A goal can be simple: “Through this unit study, my son will memorize the U.S. Presidents in order and by number.” This goal is straightforward. The student knows what is expected of him and it is easy to ascertain if it has been reached. A more difficult to measure goal might involve behavior. If your son has messy handwriting, for example, a goal such as “My son will improve his handwriting” requires an action plan; “My son will improve his handwriting by doing copywork daily for a month.” At the end of that time, review his work. If you can see a noticeable difference between a sample from the beginning of the month and a current sample, the goal has been achieved. If improvement is still desired, a new goal can be set.
Time is a key part of goal setting. It’s important to give your student enough time to accomplish the goal, so this may take some trial and error.
Another important factor in goal setting is writing the goals down on paper (or typing them on the computer). There is something about seeing it in writing that can light a fire under you to get it done. Say them aloud. Let your student know what is expected of him. Celebrate with him when the goal is reached!
Many Homeschool Resources can Help You
There are many homeschool resources that can help you. If you have a pre-packaged curriculum, it is likely to come with goals for your student. The Core Knowledge books (also known as “What Your _ Grader Needs to Know” books) are available for grades preschool through sixth grade. They can serve as a roadmap if you choose, giving you educational benchmarks for which to reach. Classical educators may use “The Well-Trained Mind” by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise to provide a grade-by-grade and subject-by-subject guide to the classical style of educating. Each method of homeschooling has at least one book to give you guidance on what your student can accomplish in a given amount of time. It’s up to you to decide what is important and how long it should take to reach that goal.
Homeschool co-ops and support groups can aid you in setting goals. Talking with other homeschool parents in a similar situation can provide much-needed clarity. To find a co-op or support group near you, click here.
Determine Your Homeschool Educational Goals
If you are still struggling to set goals, check out the local school district’s educational goals for your child’s grade level or even the state goals. Use a search engine and look up “educational goals (your state name)” and a link to the state board of education will likely appear. For example, on the Illinois State Board of Education site, clicking on New Illinois Learning Standards English Language Arts fourth grade brings up educational standards such as, “Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, setting descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text.” This can provide specific goals for you until you feel confident in writing your own.
Remember, a goal is meant to provide you with an idea of what you want your homeschool to achieve. You can set goals for each individual subject and student, or a goal for the entire homeschool family for the year. The more specific a goal, the easier it is to tell when
you’ve attained it.
Now you have an idea of what you want your homeschool to achieve. In part two we will address scheduling and managing your homeschool.
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