Eleven-year-old homeschooler Avantika shares her top homeschooling advice she’s gathered along her homeschooling journey. Avantika started homeschooling in Ireland with Wolsey Hall when the Covid pandemic struck in 2020.
My homeschool experience
“I found the experience of learning from home, at my own pace, very comfortable,” says Avantika. “I was more relaxed than I had been in a very long time. Once the academic year was completed, my family debated on whether or not I should return to my bricks and mortar school.”
As the pandemic was still rife, Avantika’s family decided to continue homeschooling for the next year too. After trying a couple of different methods of home education and undertaking extensive research, they decided to enrol Avantika with Wolsey Hall Oxford.
My progression
“I am almost at the end of a very busy yet rewarding academic year,” continues Avantika. “Switching to the IGCSE curriculum was challenging at the beginning but I have now become a strong, independent learner, especially in the core subjects of Maths, English and Science.”
“Before I began my journey as a homeschooler, my parents and I did not have a lot of information regarding homeschooling. This motivated me to create some homeschooling advice to help other families.”
Avantika’s top 10 homeschooling advice tips
1. Planning and organisation. At the beginning of the year, collectively brainstorm ideas and determine learning goals as well as key outcomes for that academic year.
2. Daily routine. A daily routine is highly recommended and should include focused study sessions, physical education and frequent breaks to prevent fatigue.
3. Dedicated learning space. It is best that a dedicated study place is found, this could be an entire room or a small area. Perhaps it may be necessary to designate several study spots through the house.
4. Identify useful resources. Identify free study resources that could supplement learning. Research before investing in study tools like educational apps, websites, laptops etc.
5. Physical activity. There are many exercises that the homeschooler could easily access at home and Wolsey Hall Primary students have free access to Fitter Future.
6. Develop hobbies and talents. Using the free time and flexibility you have, homeschoolers may want to pursue different activities. At Wolsey Hall there are also two student Communities – Primary and Secondary – where students can participate in clubs and competitions.
7. Outdoor learning. Take your learning outdoors with trips to museums, galleries, nature walks, zoos, farms, libraries, and local businesses. Outdoor learning presents a great opportunity to bring freshness and fun to learning. It’s also possible to learn while travelling on holidays; imagine how cool it would be to learn about Greek history while visiting Athens!
8. Learn useful life skills. Expand the homeschool curriculum to include important life skills like first aid, budgeting, taxation, home economics, presentation skills etc.
9.Include the whole family. Certain projects could become a fun activity by involving the whole family. It will bring new perspectives and ideas which could expand the child’s knowledge and imagination.
10. Build close connections. It is important that opportunities which allow the homeschooler to connect with their peers, family and friends are created regularly. Their social skills are enhanced by meeting others and forming close connections. Why not try joining homeschooling groups in your area to meet and connect with other like-minded families?
