Get started with homeschooling by establishing your WHY. You may not know exactly your WHY for homeschooling yet but can get there by asking your self a few important questions.
So you want to homeschool? Or maybe this is a decision you are compelled to make because of new school guidelines and implemented rules.
Regardless how you have made the decision to homeschool, it’s time to get started with planning.
But wait – why exactly are you choosing to homeschool? This is the question that must be answered.
The answer to this question is going to help you to persevere when things get tough (and they will get tough). The answer to this question will help guide you in curriculum choices and life choices for your family going forward.
You must put your WHY in writing.
My family and I were years into homeschooling before I knew the precise answer to this question: Why do you choose to homeschool?
Our Initial WHY for Homeschooling
Our homeschool journey started with my oldest in preschool. I looked into sending her to a preschool and discovered the enormous cost! It was not in our budget at the time to pay for her to attend a preschool.
I began searching online and asking my friends if they knew anything about homeschooling. I quickly found out that the word “homeschool” can be/look so many different ways!
I’m sure if you have done a recent Google search about homeschooling you also have discovered how many options (and opinions) there are on homeschooling.
Once you know your WHY then you will be able to build your family’s homeschool vision and mission statement.
Finding Your WHY For Homeschooling: The Vision
This is the foundation for any future decisions you will make for your child’s education. The vision for your homeschooling journey is what you will refer back to when days get hard.
Your vision outlines the goals for your homeschooling journey.
Questions To Ask
Finding the vision for your homeschool will take a brainstorming session. Here are some questions to ponder and discuss with your spouse/family.
- What inspired our decision to homeschool?
- What are the advantages of homeschooling?
- What are the disadvantages?
- What do I want the end result of homeschooling to be?
- What are the top priorities for our homeschool classroom?
- What does a successful homeschool classroom look like to me?
- What is the main goal in homeschooling my child?
- What character qualities do I want my child to leave home with?
After answering these questions you should have a clearer direction for your homeschool journey moving forward.
To help you to create the vision statement for your homeschooling journey, I put together a printable worksheet with blank spaces to document your brainstorming session. Grab it in the Freebie Library below!
Your WHY May Change – That’s OK!
Don’t be surprised if your reasons for homeschooling change along the way! I know my reasons have changed over the 8 years of homeschooling.
You may have several reasons why you are choosing to homeschool.
My first reason was money. But as time went on I discovered more reasons why I wanted to homeschool my children.
Making our own schedule was a big reason. This allowed us to go on trips and explore when we wanted to and not be tied down to a brick and mortar school schedule.
It’s OK to change your reason(s) to get started with homeschooling. As you get started you will learn more about yourself and your child’s temperaments and strengths.
RELATED: Free And Paid Resources For Home Learning
Creating A Homeschool Vision Statement
Your vision statement is your WHY written down. It outlines where you want to be. It communicates the purpose and goal of your homeschool classroom.
Using the answers from your vision brainstorming session, create your homeschool classroom’s vision statement.
You are taking your vision and making it into a clear and concise call to action for your homeschool journey.
Try to write your vision in 3-5 sentences. Creating a small paragraph.
This vision statement is something you may choose to print out and display in your home as a daily reminder of your WHY for homeschooling.
Knowing your WHY is the first step to get started with homeschooling! When you have your vision statement written, it will help you in the decision making and planning process for homeschooling moving forward.
