Homeschooling Materials: Absolutely Necessary or Completely Worthless?

When many people criticize homeschooling, they point out falsehoods regarding the social awkwardness of homeschooled children or the biased, Christian education that many of these children receive. While it is clear that these criticisms are unfounded, there is one aspect of homeschooling that is very real yet few if any people point it out: Put simply, homeschooling is ridiculously expensive! Teachers get paid for the job they do and, naturally, they don't have to pay for all of the supplies and books necessary for teaching children. A parent teacher, though, not only doesn't receive a dime for their work but they also must shell out exorbitant amounts of money for the very expensive homeschooling materials they'll need to buy each and every year.

Fortunately, this cash crisis can be averted for at least the first three or four years of a child's homeschool education. Other than pencils, paper, and similar trinkets, most homeschooling material that is sold online is not necessary until the child nears the fourth or fifth grade. Teaching your child arithmetic or spelling doesn't require a textbook with a teacher's edition, after all! Taking your child to a museum is a great way to teach them about the fundamentals of science, rather than purchasing a replica of a human skeleton in order to teach your eight year old about the femur!

In later years, however, homeschool supplies like textbooks and chemistry sets are absolutely necessary. Fortunately, many organizations have come out that are dedicated to ensuring that these supplies maintain their affordability so that a family doesn't have to take out a second mortgage in order to teach their child the difference between an isosceles and right triangle. Websites like thecambridgeacademy.org or k12.com are a only a couple of the hundreds of sites dedicated to providing homeschooling resources to those in need of them. There are even Christian-specific sites, like thejubileeacadamy.org and sonlight.com that provide more "niche" material.

It also may be a good idea to, when your child reaches high school age, involve him or her in the curriculum decisions. This will not only further cement your bond with your child but it will also allow him or her to keep a positive and excited attitude towards education. Also, remember that many "classes" don't necessarily need textbooks or material. A creative writing class, for instance, can help your child garner writing skills for only the cost of a pen and a pad. When teaching the child more advanced mathematical information, a trip to the grocery store can be an opportunity for working under a budget and a look at the daily stock market can teach statistics and percentages to your child. When you balance your checkbook or peruse your credit card balance, you can involve your child and thus accomplish three things at once. You can teach your child mathematical skills, teach the child about real world issues, and get some work done on the clock! Remember to always keep an eye out for educational opportunites as a homeschooling parent. With that advice, the prices for materials and books should swiftly plummet!