Q: Is learning at home right for my family?

A: Taking the first steps towards home education can seem daunting and you may be feeling quite lost, unsure and even alone. Yet, parents throughout BC are taking their children home to school for various reasons. Some of the benefits are:

• Flexible Schedule – The hours of academic learning can be adjusted to suit dietary and health restrictions, travel plans, music, dance, sports and other skills, and allow spontaneity for field trips and expanded learning opportunities.
• A Customized Learning Plan – One of the primary goals of homeschooling is that parents can see their children improve progressively in academics, skills, and attitude to learning all at their own pace and using materials that are suitable for them.
• Individualized Teaching – Homeschooling accommodates the child's age of readiness and has the advantage of teaching when the child's window of learning is open. The child benefits from one on one time with the parent.

When parents cannot bear to see the lights of learning go out in their child's eyes or refuse to tolerate unacceptable behaviours acquired from the school environment, they begin to ask if there is a better way to learn.

If teaching your own child at home is a serious consideration, take comfort in knowing that thousands of parents in BC are successfully doing just that! Homeschooling is recognized in provincial legislation as a legitimate option for families choosing to educate their own children.

Q: What is the difference between homeschool registration and enrolling in a DL program?

A: The Ministry of Education in BC allows for two kinds of learning at home. Families have to option to register in a “traditional homeschooling” program where they are free to choose their curriculum and the program is not monitored by a teacher. There a small stipend to cover the costs of learning materials. Alternatively families can enrol in a Distributed Learning (DL) program that is directed an supervised by a BC certified teacher who ensures students are meeting the provincial learning outcomes for each grade.

A detailed and clear description of the differences between homeschooling and doing school at home is available here on the BC Ministry of Education's public website.

Q: What are my legal obligations?

A - part 1: Your child must be must registered or enrolled:

All children in British Columbia ages 6 to 16 years of age must, before September 30, be either...

1. registered as a homeschooler,
2. enrolled in a DL program, or
3. enrolled in and physically attend a local bricks and mortar school (public or independent).

1 and 2 can be with a local public school or an independent school or anywhere in BC.

Students in Grades 10-12 may enrol in a local brick and mortar public or independent school and any number of DL schools (independent or public) for courses. They are known as cross-enrolled students.

Funding is allocated to the school where the student is registered or enrolled. According to the School Act, for registered students the school of registration has no obligation to provide any services to the registered student apart from testing upon request. Enrolled students must be provided with a full educational program as defined in the School Act.

Parents may choose to take their children out of a school program at any time of the year to register as a homeschooler or enrol in a DL program. Services however, may be restricted due to the fact that the school will not receive any or limited funding mid-year making the parent responsible for the cost of the resources and services.

To register or enrol with TLA you must complete a registration form or an enrolment form available on this website.

A - part 2: Your child must be provided with an educational program:

For registered homeschoolers it is each parent's individual responsibility to assure that an "educational program" is being provided. Parents have the freedom to teach their child in an atmosphere conducive to learning and in the manner they choose.

Note that the student will not receive any recognition from the Ministry of Education for academic work. There will be no one marking, grading or checking on your "learning program". Traditional Learning Academy has always been very supportive of parents choosing their own programs and can assist families with an Individual Education Plan if they would like help.

For students enrolled in a DL program it is the teacher’s responsibility to provide a learning plan. This is done in consultation with the parents. The teachers are also responsible to assess student progress and parents are provided with report cards on a regular basis.

Q: Am I qualified?

“But I'm not a certified teacher!
Will I teach all that they are supposed to learn?
What if I don't teach it all?”

A: Concerned, loving parents often can do more for their child than anyone else. A parent does not need to be a certified teacher to teach at home and there is no correlation between the educational performance of the student and the teacher's educational background. What is needed is a firm conviction that staying home to school is the very best choice for the child. Whatever the obstacles, doubts and opposition that you may encounter, being convinced that your child's best interest will be served should give you the confidence and courage to follow through with your choice.

Q: What about socialization?

A: Sending a child to school does not ensure proper social development. Many parents are justifiably concerned about the types of socialization occurring in our schools today. A loving home environment is the best socialization a young child could possibly have. Children learn good sociability primarily by watching and mirroring.

Q: How do I choose a program?

A: There are several approaches to homeschooling. The key objective of all home school parents is to provide an "educational program" that will ensure their children are learning to their full potential.

We are often asked what the "curriculum" is right for certain grade levels or certain students. This will depend on many factors such as your reason for homeschooling, your personal approaches to learning, what you know about how your children learn best and innumerable other considerations. We are available to be a listening ear, to offer advice, and to help parents in any way we can to make homeschooling work for them. Feel free to pick up the phone, drop by or e-mail us your questions.