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Homeschooling your kids doesn’t mean they will miss out on fun, essential lessons. It simply means you are the one who gets to plan them. Instead of feeling intimidated when it’s time to create STEM lessons, try these tricks to make sure your kids learn all they can.
Check Out the Library
Public libraries are a resource that you shouldn’t underestimate. Most homeschool parents rely on the library because they can use free materials when planning out their lesson plans.
When it comes to STEM lessons, some libraries even have kits that are already designed to teach particular skills. These kits often come with books and materials to actually try certain STEM experiments. Examples can include robotics, molecular studies, or coding kits.
Using library resources to plan STEM lessons means you aren’t out a ton of cash. Kits that are already put together with all the right materials also make it easier for you to teach the lesson. You can follow an already arranged guide instead of trying to figure out everything from scratch.
Find a Community
You don’t have to homeschool your kids in isolation. In fact, it’s important to find a community that can offer support and socialization for your kids. Many homeschool communities revolve around a particular theme, and this can be a great way to find other people to help you expose your kids to STEM.
A community where parents take turns teaching STEM lessons will give your kids access to a variety of teaching styles. It will also lessen your planning load and reduce the amount of money you will spend since you won’t be buying every STEM tool on your own. Homeschool communities share their supplies and their knowledge, and this makes learning easier for everyone.
It’s also nice to have a community because you can find people to offer support in STEM topics you don’t feel as confident teaching. Your child will have more than one person to approach with questions, and she will also learn to work with other kids when performing experiments.
Introduce Examples
It can be hard for kids to imagine what jobs are out there for people interested in STEM. Give them great examples in the form of people who are doing work in these fields.
All kids need to be exposed to a variety of different people who work in STEM, especially women. Reshma Saujani, the girls who code founder, is a great example. She has written books on women in STEM. Offer your kids interviews, books, and exposure to people who work in STEM fields so they can actually imagine all the possibilities in the future.
Seek out museums or exhibits that feature people who have helped steer the course of STEM over the last century. Part of your lesson plans can include having your kids research important people in the STEM community so they can see the path they took to success.
Make Room in Your Home
Helping kids explore STEM often just means giving them opportunities to tinker. Place Legos, woodblocks, and anything else your kids can use to build in an area of your home. Your kids will probably gravitate towards these tools, and this can help you figure out what areas of STEM they are most interested in pursuing.
You can expose your kids to a variety of STEM lessons, but homeschooling also means you can help your kids focus on areas they really want to pursue. Creating a tinker space can help you recognize the talent for engineering. You can also introduce apps that expose your kids to coding, and then you can build on that if they are interested.
Don’t be intimidated when it comes to teaching STEM. Your homeschool child can thrive with the lessons you offer.