Affordable Homeschooling
Only wealthy families with a full-time stay-at-home parent can homeschool.
This, as well as assumptions about unmet social needs (see that article here), are the top two misconceptions people have about homeschooling. Both are wrong.
Throughout history, children have been educated at home with both parents working in storefronts, fields, film, and politics—oftentimes with meager resources. For example, Abraham Lincoln was homeschooled by parents who worked full-time on the farm and lived at poverty level; yet, more biographies have been written about his accomplishments than almost any other historical figure. Somehow, the consumerism of our culture has led us to believe that a big budget is required to provide a great education—and that isn’t necessarily the case. Below are a few suggestions how to make homeschooling affordable.
Math Book. Before we talk about where to save money, let’s talk about the one key place to spend it: math. It’s important to pick a math curriculum and then to stick with it year after year to prevent gaps in concepts. That said, math doesn’t have to be expensive. Many families have purchased a math textbook and teacher key, then completed all the work on separate sheets of paper so the book can be handed down to a sibling or resold.
Library. Many homeschooling families have provided excellent educations for their children with little more than a math book and a library card. Now, with the advent of eReaders and the internet, learning becomes even more affordable if well directed by the parent teacher. When schedule limitations, health issues, or weather make trips to the library impractical, it’s worth looking into investing in an eReader. The public library system nationwide now has hundreds of thousands of titles available for instant download—and, with no late fees. In addition, Amazon sells MegaPaks of classic mysteries, fiction, and nonfiction, where parents can purchase sometimes 20 titles in a set for 99 cents. Be sure to look for books with science experiments you can do at home with basic kitchen supplies.
Writing. In the early elementary years, writing assignments can be as simple as a daily freewriting journal entry and a book report once a week answering the question “What was the book about?” Encourage your student to incorporate meaningful words. As your student progresses in grade level and maturity, the book report expands to a book review, and questions become more analytical: “What was the author trying to prove?” and “Do you agree with the author’s argument? Support your view with three points.” Journal entries are valuable even through high school, where daily options can alternate between freewriting and creative writing prompts. Especially in the weekly book reports and book reviews, this is a great place to practice grammar and punctuation rules. Inexpensive grammar workbooks abound, as do great books at the library teaching grammar usage.
Free Ideas. Just as important as having access to the library is knowing how to direct your young readers to great books. Consider looking at book lists from curriculum distributors online, whose title lists are freely available for view, and create your own list of books based on their suggestions as it seems appropriate for your child’s interest, grade, and maturity level.
Ebay. Homeschoolers love eBay. Prices on curriculum are often cheapest in Spring and most expensive in Fall, and it’s a great place to resell teacher keys or pick up one you need this year on the cheap.
Family Share. Sometimes a subject, book pack, or resource is one that can be shared between families. Especially when it comes to fragile equipment (like a microscope) or faith based information (such as religious biographies) they may be harder to source through the library or garage sales. It’s a great idea to invest in resources that can be shared between families. I’ve even seen families go so far as to share a small pet that lives part time between the two houses to make upkeep easier.
Internships. Sometimes the best way to learn is to try. For students eighth grade and up, look for internships (perhaps even unpaid) that would expose them to new concepts, skills, and leadership opportunities. Getting a great education is not limited to books and worksheets, and sometimes real world experience can be the best teacher.
Free Resources. Next to “summer vacation,” “free resources” seem to be the favorite two words of any homeschooling parent. Please visit our Links to Expert Resources under our Resource Page and look for Free Homeschool Curriculum Resources—a list curated and shared by Cathy Duffy Reviews.
With careful shopping and a little planning ahead, a great education from home can be absolutely affordable.