How to Outsource your Homeschool

The following is a post from Karin Katherine

When I first began homeschooling I thought that meant that I had to do everything on my own. During my second year of homeschooling, that thought began to branch out to participating in co-ops where the parents in our co-op took turns teaching on a weekly basis.  By my third year,  I finally learned that homeschooling does not mean that I have to be the only teacher my children ever experience. It simply means that my husband and I are in full control of our children’s education.  We chose the curriculum, schedule, and even the instructors.

While many homeschool families are fine outsourcing extra curricular activities like ballet, horseback riding, or music lessons, they are hesitant about outsourcing core subjects like Math or English.  If you think about it, there is really no difference between the two.  If your goal is to offer your child the best education possible and you have the means to utilize the strengths of another instructor, for the benefit of your child, why wouldn’t you?

5 Ways to Outsource your Homeschool

Utilize Co-Ops
Co-ops  allow your children to spend time with other homeschoolers in an academic setting, but they also allow you an opportunity to utilize the teaching strengths of others.  If you participate in a co-op where parent/teachers share lesson planning you will also have an opportunity to learn from the teaching styles of others (as well as have a break on the days/weeks you don’t teach).

Hire Tutors
Just because you have chosen to educate your children at home doesn’t mean that you cannot utilize tutors when necessary. If Math gives you hives, why not hire a math tutor to assist your child in the math curriculum you’ve chosen?  This philosophy also extends well to other subjects like art, music, foreign language etc.  Because your children are available for instruction during traditional school hours you should have no problem scheduling lessons, with even the most popular instructor in your area.

Trade Skills/Resources
If your budget doesn’t allow for hiring private instructors, why not consider trading your talents for another homeschool parent?  This year, I am teaching a 10-week science study on Green Energy in exchange for 10 weeks of golf and archery lessons from another homeschool Dad. I know a family who is trading time teaching photography lessons and sewing lessons.  Think outside of the box when it comes to trading skills and resources. You can also trade babysitting services for tutoring or private instruction.

Participate in Online Course

Online courses are available for a wide range of subjects and are particularly useful for high school students who are preparing for college courses.

Enroll in Trade Schools, Workshops and Community Colleges

Professional workshops, Trade Schools and Community Colleges offer a variety of learning opportunities in various settings and cover a wide range of subjects.  These courses offer an opportunity to not only utilize the skills of a knowledgeable instructor, but also specialized equipment and resources that might not be available to you or are too costly to obtain on your own.

Remember, outsourcing isn’t an all or nothing proposal.  You can utilize other instructors for a season or just a subject.  The goal is to direct your child’s education and learning utilizing all of the resources and talents you have available.

Karin Katherine is a homeschooling mother of 5.  She blogs about her family’s homeschooling adventures at Passport Academy and shares Online Educational Resources at Ed Resources Online.