Welcome back to the How to Begin Homeschooling series!

Did you miss Part 1: Getting started with homeschool?

Here’s Part 2: Determine your teaching method and your kids’ learning styles.

Coming up:

Part 3: Curriculum planning with multiple kids

Part 4: Homeschooling as a lifestyle

Teaching method is important. If you don’t have a background in teaching, then this will require some prayer, thought, perhaps research.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but a jumping off point for you in researching your direction for your family’s homeschool journey.

So, How do You Determine Teaching Method and Kids’ Learning Styles?

First, consider your purpose and vision for homeschooling.

Is your purpose primarily for

• academics? {our first reason was academics. Liz has an October birthday and couldn’t start Kindergarten. I was worried she’d be teaching the class or in the office for behavior problems every day that next year!}
• religion? {Homeschooling allows us to educate our children in the Word and not in the worldly values that diminish God.}
• health? {I know many families who have health issues or special needs and homeschooling is flexible and makes their lives easier.}
• some other reason? {being military and homeschooling makes transferring during the school year less stressful.}

Parents are vision casters.

• You set the stage for success for your children and your homeschool. Set the vision and go after those goals. Win that race.
• What are your goals? {Set a goal and think backwards to determine how to get there.}
• Think positive. {For example, if you’re pulling your kid out of public school due to bullying or poor performance, then don’t make your child feel guilty or put him or her in a social bubble. I’ve noticed that it’s seldom his or her fault.}
• Have a firm foundation. {Pray for direction. Enlist your husband’s support. Find a local or online homeschool support groups.}
• Who gets credit or blame? {You? Jesus? Your children? Your husband? For years, I was still stuck in the school mindset and anxious about my kids’ progress, grades, accomplishments. But you know what? God fills in the gaps and leads us where He wants us – and it’s so much more peaceful giving Him the control and glory.}

Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours.

Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither.

Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary.

But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].

~1 Corinthians 9:24-27 AMP

Tori persevered in her 5K and won a medal! She wanted to quit halfway through, but she’s been trained to always try her best. Character development at its finest. She just turned 7 in March.

What methods are you comfortable teaching?

Your teaching style may change over time or with each child or during certain seasons of life.

More info about teaching styles:

• Other methods explained here.
• Comparisons of methods here.
• How Stuff Works: Homeschooling

What are the learning styles of each of your children?

It’s important that you understand how your kids learn so you can best teach them.

And there are multiple intelligences to consider (very similar to learning styles) – based on Howard Gardner’s theories.

Most kids have a blend of learning styles and multiple intelligences with a prominence. For instance, my four kids are all different – to keep me on my toes all the time. God is laughing, I’m sure. I am fascinated and horrified at different times.

Elizabeth is an Extrovert, iNuitive, Perceiver (ENP) . She’s an Auditory (aural) learner. Her intelligences: music, verbal, visual. She loves to read and discuss history and she’s highly social (interpersonal). She is very aware of others.

Victoria is an Introvert, Sensor, Judger (ISJ). She’s a Visual learner.  Her intelligences: numbers (logic-math), nature, music. She would like nothing more than to sit quietly and do puzzles – with others nearby for comfort. She is painfully shy and always wants everything to be fair.

Katherine is an Extravert, iNtuitive, Perceiver (ENP). She is a Kinesthetic (physical) learner. Her intelligences: self (intrapersonal), nature, body (kinesthetic). She’s always moving and loves to do her own thing. She is very self-aware and meta-cognitive.

Alexander is an Introvert, Thinker, Perceiver (ITP). He’s a Kinesthetic (physical) learner. His intelligences: numbers (logic-math), body (kinesthetic), pictures (visual-spatial). He has a mind of his own and loves to play games. He is aware of others (interpersonal) and naturally empathetic.

Understanding my children’s personalities and intelligences help me to teach them most effectively. I know that math rules will be easier for Tori and Alex. I can’t get angry with Liz for not “getting” algebra. I shouldn’t get upset with Tori for not enjoying reading. And Kate and Alex both need to move around a lot to keep their brains stimulated. Tori, Katie, and Liz all love music and it can help them learn other subjects. I know that one of the best things I can do for Tori, Katie, and Alex is send them to nature camp in the summer.

Focus on your children’s strengths and pray about the weaknesses that they won’t hinder your child or your relationship with them. {TWEET THIS}

Don’t allow your children to get lazy though. They do need to learn basic math and reading skills and life skills to function in society. They must be able to interact politely with other people no matter how shy they feel. There are many activities I don’t particularly enjoy,  but character development is more important. You have to make the call. And there are always appropriate seasons to teach these skills. Don’t traumatize your child because she won’t learn something right now. Pray for God to open your child’s heart and mind and give you peace to know when the time is right.

note: extravert and introvert have nothing to do with being comfortable socially. It’s how you recharge your batteries. For introverts (me, Tori, and Alex), being in a social environment is exhausting and I have to be alone to refresh my spirit. For extraverts (my husband, Liz, and Kate), being in a social setting is exhilarating and they get irritable being alone.

Resources

Personality types play into learning styles. For older kids and adults, you can go here to take a free quiz to learn your Meyers Briggs letters. I am an Introvert, iNtuitive, Thinker, Judger (INTJ).

For detailed explanations of personality types, visit this The Personality Page site.

Knowing your and your children’s spiritual gifts is important too. This can help identify strengths to focus resources. My gifts are teaching and exhortation.

Take the Multiple Intelligences quiz to find strengths and weaknesses. Great explanations here.

Find your child’s learning styles with free quizzes. Kidzmet offers personalized books for your child so you can assist him or her best in individualized learning. There’s even a picture quiz for non-readers. I think they’re amazingly accurate.

A great homeschool site for all things legal, and here’s a great article about learning styles: HSLDA

Stay tuned for next week’s post: Curriculum Planning with Multiple Kids – multiple age groups.