Tips for Teaching Homeschooled Students

Homeschooling is something that everyone is familiar with. However, as educators, we often ask ourselves, “Is teaching homeschooled students the same as teaching students in regular schools?” The answer is that it is similar, but it requires an extra approach. Teaching homeschooled students requires a different approach than teaching in a traditional school environment. Here are some tips to help you teach homeschooled students based on my experience teaching homeschooled students.

Plan a Structured Curriculum:
Create a structured curriculum plan for teaching various subjects. Identify clear learning objectives and determine relevant material for each subject. The plan will help you stay focused and provide clear direction in the teaching process.

Identify Students’ Needs and Learning Styles
Every student has different learning needs and styles. Investigate the best ways to tailor your teaching methods to each student’s preferences and learning needs. Some students may be more responsive to visual learning (especially elementary school students), while others may prefer question-and-answer, discussion, or demonstration-based learning for students who tend to be quiet.

Use Varied and Creative Educational Resources
Utilize various available educational resources, including textbooks, online materials, videos, educational games, and visits to places related to learning. Presenting variety in learning resources can make the learning process more interesting and bring the material to life. During learning sessions, I often ask my students, “Do you know this?” If they don’t know, I will show them pictures, videos, or illustrate the concept with simple drawings to help them understand.

Involve Students in Learning
Give students space to actively participate in learning. Encourage them to ask questions, discuss, and give their opinions on the topics being studied. By actively involving students, they will feel more engaged and responsible for the learning process. If students do not ask questions, I usually ask them questions myself. I always do this after discussing a topic or sometimes in the middle of discussing a topic. I might start with questions such as, “What do you think of this work?” or “What do you think
is the reason the author wrote this work?” and so on.

Use Practical Learning Methods: In addition to theoretical learning, applying practical learning methods can help students understand and remember the material better. Invite them to conduct experiments, projects, or field activities related to the topic being studied. This will help students relate abstract concepts to real-life experiences.

Provide Feedback and Regular Evaluations
Provide constructive feedback and regular evaluations of students’ progress. This helps them identify areas for improvement and strengthens their confidence in learning. Also, give rewards or praise for their achievements to motivate them and recognize their efforts. At the end of the lesson, I often give praise such as “thank you for today, you did great today,” or point out the student’s strengths and weaknesses, such as “I think you have a good understanding of this material, but it would be good to practice more on other topics (mention the topic or material) because you still need improvement in that area.” Pointing out students’ strengths and weaknesses can also help them choose and realize what they can do well today and in the future.

Flexibility and Balance
Don’t be afraid to adapt and incorporate flexibility into the learning process. Sometimes, students may have special interests or want to learn about specific topics that are not included in the initial curriculum. Allowing room for personal interests can build motivation and enthusiasm for learning and prevent students from feeling bored while studying. Teaching homeschooled students is a unique and exciting journey. With a structured approach, adaptation to individual needs, and good collaboration, you can create a meaningful and satisfying learning experience for your students. May these tips be beneficial for all fellow teachers.

Nurlya Rhomadona – Teacher Homeschooling Discovery Private