Overcoming Obstacles to Home Schooling Your Expat Child

An expatriate parent’s first concerns when moving abroad are the welfare and education of their child.  Depending on the age at which the child moves overseas, integration, language learning, social skills and educational ability can all be affected if the move is not managed correctly.

The key to a smooth transition for school age children is often found in not upsetting their education – and whilst for some parents this can be achieved through the use of boarding or international schools, for other parents the best approach could be home schooling their children.

However, home schooling (or homeschooling) is widely derided as a lesser form of education – so much so that parents who do decide to tackle the challenge head on find one of the main obstacles they have to overcome is other people’s prejudice.  In this report we’re going to discuss overcoming all the obstacles to home schooling your expat child, so that if you are considering this method of approach, you can find answers to your worries and concerns.

Overcoming the Obstacle of Disapproval

To successfully home school a child requires massive commitment from the parent/teacher – therefore you would expect others to be fully supportive of your decision to home school, but it doesn’t work like that.  We are so pre-programmed into accepting without question that a formal classroom environment is the only way to educate a child, that anything that falls outside of this model is almost universally criticised.

You cannot take on the entire world when it comes to proving them wrong, but if your immediate family are opposed to you home schooling your child you do need to try and work with them to bring them around to your way of thinking!  Doubtless you will have some very valid reasons for choosing this approach – and these are what you need to present to your critics.  For example, perhaps the local school offerings are sub standard, maybe the teaching method in your new nation is unacceptable, maybe classes are overcrowded or over-run with bullies or just children that you would rather your child didn’t integrate with.

By being able to explain exactly why you have come to the decision to home school your child, others should at least listen.  Then, over time hopefully they will watch and see your child flourish under your tutelage and be convinced that you made the right choice.

Dealing with Integration Issues

One reason why expatriate parents in particular struggle with the thought of home schooling is because they do not want their child to be isolated in their new home nation abroad.  After all, the fear is probably that your child will never make any friends or meet any peers and will not learn the local language and therefore turn into a strange recluse!  Well, there are very real ways around this…firstly you can use the online home schooling resources and forums to see if there are any other expat or even local parents who are home schooling in our area.  These people will all reach out and support you.  You can arrange social and also ‘school’ trip and activity time where you meet the other parents and your child meets other home schooled children.

In addition to this, encourage your child to meet children in your neighbourhood by hanging out where they hang out, introduce your child to the children of friends and colleagues that you have.  Find out about clubs and sports teams that your child can get involved with where they will meet up with their peers and perhaps just be prepared to put a bit more in in terms of taking your child to specific functions and events where they will meet potential friends.

Once your child has a few contacts you’ll be amazed at how quickly their network will expand and you’ll wonder why on earth you were concerned in the first place.

Coping With Discipline

Discipline comes in two forms here – the self-discipline you and your child need to make home schooling work and the discipline you need to be able to have over your child so that they do complete any tasks set for them.  The key here is absolutely 100% in getting your child to understand and accept that home schooling is the best method of approaching their education.  If they walk into it willingly the rest will be easy…if they are dragged into it kicking and screaming, it will be up hill all the way.

Therefore, it is important to include your child in the thought process from the word go.  Get them to think about the realities of any alternatives that exist – from boarding school to local state school.  If they can see that the options are less than ideal, so much the better.  Talk to your child about the way they like to learn, explain that you will be willing to work with them to support their learning style, that you will both develop your skills together and that you will not hold back their development.  Maybe show them the online resources that are now available for home schooling – this may encourage their willing participation.

In terms of your own self-discipline, this cannot come in to question!  You absolutely have to be able to manage your time effectively so that you have the time necessary to plan lessons, the time to work with your child, the time to supervise your child and the time to mark and analyse their work.  To this end you really need a good support network around you who can help take up some of the slack and who can also take your child off your hands sometimes to give you back a bit of personal space.  Again, consider speaking to others who home school – if only online in forums or via email – and find out their top tips.

Know When to Call in the Cavalry

If you’re approaching subjects that you’re less than comfortable teaching because of your own level of ability, know when it may be time to call for backup!  Perhaps enlist the support of a local teacher or specialist in the subject in question, (for me it would always be maths!), and get them to guide your child through this particular area of their education.  There is nothing wrong with admitting defeat in some areas – just don’t allow your child to copy your failings!!!

Embrace the Positives of Home Schooling Your Expat Child

Whenever you need to remind yourself of why you’re making this time sacrifice all you need to do is look at the positives that abound when you’re home schooling.  For example, you get to know your child so much more closely and spend very valuable time with them – this could forge special bonds for life.  You can also take your vacations in term-time, saving you a fortune and meaning that you visit places when they are less crowded!  You retain control over what your children learn, so you can steer them away from subject matter you think inappropriate, and if they have a natural interest and passion for a given subject you can really indulge their interests and their talents and perhaps produce a star in a given field! 

Your child will have so much more learning support and freedom – and this is priceless.  You won’t have to spend money on uniforms and set equipment – and what you save you can then invest into their education by joining the best home schooling networks who will give you all the curriculum support you need.

Home schooling can and does work…but you need to be committed to it and have the support on side to help you succeed.  We suggest that you examine all the online support resources available, and spend enough time researching the realities and planning the practicalities before you dive in.