Introduction:
These questions are divided up, but they overlap. Everyone’s participation is important and valuable. Answer honestly, with thought and above all have fun!
This will be used to help families who are new to homeschooling or who are considering it. I would like them to see first hand what the results are,
what the challenges are and the successes, pros and cons and of course the magic.
I left a category for less serious (although truthful) answers such as, “What’s your favorite part of homeschooling?” Answer: “Not having to wear a bra or brush my kids hair….”
When there is a “yes” or “no” question, please explain your answer so that we can understand the reason. Answer what you want, ignore the rest.
If there is anything you would like to add, please do. If you think there should be other questions, let me know….
The more information we have the more helpful it will be. Feel free to answer these questions in video, audio or written form, in English or in Hebrew.
Then submit them to me at beehive40@gmail.com If anyone would like to volunteer to translate, please contact me…
If you would like to be interviewed, via zoom, that would be great too!!!!
Contact me through nettlesandpins.com , fb, whatsapp or with smoke signals. (:
Please pass this on to anyone who you think would be interested in contributing to or in learning from this…This is an ongoing project, so anyone can answer the questions at anytime.
This questionnaire is posted on my blog at nettlesandpins.com I have a related blog on homeschooling called “Home-schooled in Israel” that also makes a strong argument for the subject.
Thank you for your time and your thoughts……
Questions:
For Parents
1. How long have you been homeschooling?
2. What were the reasons you chose to homeschool?
3. What were your expectations ? Does/did your experience match that expectation?
4. What was the process you went through of applying for homeschooling? Did you receive permission to homeschool in the mail or otherwise?
5. Has the local government been supportive of your family for homeschooling? Give examples of what they have done to help, ignore or hinder your hs experience (either through the application process or afterwards)
6. Are you a part of a community? Physically or virtually? How much time a week to you spend with various groups? Are these groups related to homeschool, hobby , external learning or other ?
7. Do you have any qualifications that would make you better able to teach your kids? Do you feel that someone needs qualifications in order to homeschool their kids?
8. What challenges do you face because of homeschooling? How do you deal with this?
Bureaucracy? Bullying from local government? Time? Focus? Work? Friendships? Social interaction? Income?
9. How do you decide what to teach and when?
Is outdoor and/or physical exercise part of your day ? How important is it to you?
10. How do you divide your day? Is it scheduled or spontaneous? Has it evolved over time?
11. Is it expensive to homeschool? How is the money spent?
Learning materials ? Activities? Courses? Memberships?
12.How much of the responsibility do you give to your kids regarding the household?
Their learning? Finances? Chores?
13. How do you combine homeschooling with work (earning an income?) Time? Focus? Energy?
How does homeschooling affect your work? How do you share in the responsibility with your spouse/partner, grandparents, tutor or anyone?
14. Do you feel you need “alone” or “quiet” time? How do you find time for yourself? Do you pursue your own separate interests?
15. How is the kid’s health? Mentally ? Physically?
16. Would you recommend homeschooling to parents who are struggling with their kids or their kid’s school?
17 How did corona affect homeschooling? What did you do differently? Was it a positive experience?
18. How did your non-homeschooling friends and family react to your decision to homeschool? How has their opinion changed over time?
19. How do you see your relationship with your kids? Teenagers?
20. Do you notice a difference in their behavior , accountability, respect , fortitude or otherwise from non-homeschooled kids you know?
21. Has homeschooling helped with the kid’s interaction with others?
ie.. Patience? Tolerance? Competitive attitude? Talking to different age groups? Relationships? Organizational skills?
22. How important is TV/ computer time? Do you limit their time? What kind of things do they watch?
23. Is creativity important to you? How do you get their creativity flowing? Scheduled activities? Free time? Specific projects ? Journaling?
24. What resources did you find most helpful for homeschooling?
25. What is your biggest take away from this experience?
For kIds
1.Has homeschooling helped you in your interactions with people?
ie… Patience? Tolerance? noncompetitive attitude? Talking to different age groups?
Confidence? Learning? Work? Abilities? Relationships? Organizational skills?
2.What skills have you learned through homeschooling that has actually helped you in different areas of your daily life?
ie. either educational learning or examples from above ,such as patience and confidence.
3.Do you feel healthy on a daily basis?
ie. Stress, Diet, Happiness , Doctor’s visits, colds and flu?
4.In one word, describe your homeschooling experience. Then explain why….
5.What do you learn on a daily basis?
6.How do you learn it? Books, courses, white boards, verbal, visual, groups, scheduled hours or spontaneously?
7. are your hobbies? Interests? Talents? Passions?
8.What do you do to express these? Take courses? Teach? Blog? Share?
9. Do you take part in household chores? Budgeting? Cooking? Cleaning?
10.How is your relationship with your parents? Do you spend a lot of time with them?
11.How much time do you spend in front of the TV/computer? What do you watch?
12.How much of your day is up to you?
13.Would you recommend homeschooling ?
14. What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced because of homeschooling?
15. What are some of the biggest successes you’ve had because of homeschooling?
16. Who are your friends? (not names, but general information such as: ages, types ,
homeschoolers, non-homeschoolers, from different sections of society? ) How did you meet them?
17. What is your biggest take away from this experience?
18. Do you think you will homeschool your kids in the future?
19. If there was an option for some kind of homeschooled kind of school, would you want to go? What would be your vision for it?
ie. how it’s run, daily basis, hours, classes taught, teacher oriented? or run by the kids? , how might it look ? how would it be organized?
For those who were in school and are now homeschooling (parents and children)
1. Why did you chose to leave the system in order to homeschool?
2. Pros and cons about homeschooling and school?
What do you like better about homeschooling than school?
What do you like better about school than homeschooling?
What do you not like about either one?
3. Has homeschooling helped you in your interactions with people since moving to homeschooling ? Do you notice a difference?
ie… Patience? Tolerance? noncompetitive attitude? Talking to different age groups?
Confidence? Learning? Work ethic? Abilities? Relationships? Health?
4. What skills have you learned through homeschooling that has actually helped you in different areas of your daily life? Did you learn similar things in school?
ie. either things you’ve learned or examples from above ,such as patience and confidence.
5. Do you feel that homeschooling has affected your health since homeschooling?
ie. stress, diet, happiness , doctor’s visits, colds and flu?
6. Has the relationship between parent and child changed since beginning homeschooling?
7. How have you rearranged your daily schedule to include homeschooling ?
8. How has the transition been?
9. What have you had to learn in order to make the switch to homeschooling?
10. What resources did you find helpful to make the move to homeschool?
11. What were your expectations of homeschooling before starting? Has the experience met those expectations?
12. Are you children still in contact with their school friends? Has their relationship changed?
13. Which do you find more expensive , homeschooling or school? Why?
14. you been freed in ways from avoiding the school system? How?
15. Has making the switch changed you, your opinions about education or children, your attitudes, etc ?
16. What is your biggest take away from this experience ?
For Fun
1. Favorite activity as a family?
2. Favorite movie as a family?
3. Favorite part of homeschooling?
4. How organized is your house? How do you keep it organized?
5. If you were to debate homeschooling, what would be your argument?
Pros vs Cons
6. What are some nicknames for homeschoolers that you’ve heard or made up yourself?
7. When someone tells you your kids can’t be social unless they’re in school, what do you say?
8. What do you do when you’re bored?
9. In one word, describe your homeschooling experience. Then explain why.
10. How do you tell your non-homeschooling friends and relations what it’s like to be homeschooled?
11. What are some inside information, phrases or jokes only homeschoolers would get?
