Everyone is in the same boat this year with school. While some states are starting to reopen things again, most children are still being told that they have to stay at home for now and implement their new curriculum from there. But curriculum can be expensive and it’s important that you know how to homeschool without blowing the budget.
The school year is going to look pretty different for most and there’s a good chance that you didn’t expect to be dealing with anything like it. You had expected your kids to be able to go to school so that you could continue with work. However, this isn’t how it’s panned out, and now you have to reconfigure everything to make it work. Let’s take a look at how to homeschool without blowing the budget, so at least money doesn’t have to be an issue.
How to Homeschool Without Blowing the Budget
Find a Student Who Can Tutor
While you might like the idea of hiring a professional to tutor your children, the reality is that this will cost entirely too much. This is where an older student comes in – they will know the material, yet they will cost a lot less than an expert.
Additionally, hiring a student tutor to teach your child from home might mean that they will have someone who can relate to them a bit better. An older student might already know what the teacher expects from them, and so will be able to prepare them accordingly. They’re also a lot less likely to charge a big bill if they’re still living at home and rely on pocket money.
Make sure to ask around your friends or coworkers to see if they know anyone who is up for the task.
Reading Comprehension App
One of the things that you don’t want to let slip while your child is learning from home is reading comprehension. Whatever stage your child is at with reading, if they don’t keep up with things, they could end up falling behind, which is the last thing you want for when they can finally return to school.
However, getting someone to help with their reading comprehension on top of a tutor, whether they’re a student or not, could set you back quite a bit. Instead, try a reading comprehension app. They’re affordable and available and can help your child stay on top of their reading.
Band Together to Make it Work
One of the biggest issues that you might face with your child learning from home right now is the work you will miss out on potentially. You can’t afford to not go to work because you’ve got to pay the bills, but your child also needs help with their schooling.
One way to get around this is to rely on other families’ support in the same situation. You could come up with a rotating schedule, where one family looks after all the kids on certain days, and you do the same on the others. This way, you don’t have to miss out on too much work, and you don’t have to pay someone to look after them.
Find Other Free Online Resources
You’ve got reading comprehension apps that can help with your child’s reading skills, but what about everything else that they’re learning? If you’re trying to save money while homeschooling, see what’s available online to help you.
There are many different free online resources that can help you make sure that your child is getting the learning they need from home. Generally, there’s a number of youth development nonprofits in your local area as well. There are plenty of ways to get the help that you need, that’s either free or really affordable.