Ideas - what do we need to consider? Considering homeschooling with another family

[Anonymous]

We live overseas and are considering pairing with another expatriate family from the US -- the mother is a certified teacher and had decided to home school her children using "Moving Beyond the Page." I have the strong impression that values-wise we are well aligned, and she seems like a great person and teacher.

We would withdraw our kids from their current private school and instead purchase curricula and pay her as well, of course.

I know this is a broad consideration... but what do we need to consider? For instance, guidelines or ideas for speaking through quarantining protocol? What types of contingencies should we talk through?

Both families have immuno-compromised family members.

[Anonymous]

Set hours
whether there will be homework assigned, time frame and amount
Whether any work will be completed independently at home (not homework, schoolwork at home)
What the parameters are for lunch

How many kids total and had she ever homeschooled before? It’s very different from being in a classroom. How many grade levels? Are your kids able to do the placement tests without too many errors?

[Anonymous]

Thank you!

She's never homeschooled before but is well recommended teacher with a lot of experience. But I am nervous about it, for sure!

Right now, it's actually NOT the same teacher and will only be our kids - ages 5, and 7.... wondering how aggressively we need to find someone else to join.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you!

She's never homeschooled before but is well recommended teacher with a lot of experience. But I am nervous about it, for sure!

Right now, it's actually NOT the same teacher and will only be our kids - ages 5, and 7.... wondering how aggressively we need to find someone else to join.

Wait, she taught but never homeschooled, and she thinks homeschooling both sets of kids together is going to be easy?

She doesn’t know your kids like she knows hers. And while many teachers THINK they want to homeschool, I’ve heard many say they never want to do it again.

There are skills that teachers need to manage a large group of children with similar ages and abilities. It’s a far different skill set to homeschool a small group with very diverse ages and abilities.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, this is a concerning answer but I hear you. Not sure what to do about it, though.

[Anonymous]

PS- at this point all the kids would actually be new to the group (the teacher is NOT the mother of one set-the situation has changed).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PS- at this point all the kids would actually be new to the group (the teacher is NOT the mother of one set-the situation has changed).

Then it’s less of a concern. However, you stilled you make sure you are on exactly the same page for how behavior will be managed, how much time per day, how much rigor, etc.

[Anonymous]

We're going with a professional teacher - on the brink of retirement - so I see it as up to her... (the teacher)

[Anonymous]

^ am I missing something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're going with a professional teacher - on the brink of retirement - so I see it as up to her... (the teacher)

Then leave discipline, rigor, style and everything else up to her.