SCREENING IS ESSENTIAL
The freedom to choose instructors places a certain burden on homeschool parents. To make good decisions we have to be proactive. We must research and then develop screening criteria.
After nine years of using and observing private instructors in a co-op setting, I have learned a thing or two about the twists of private instruction. I have had some wonderful experiences as well as some confounding ones. The following are stories and wisdom gleaned from the field to help you avoid pitfalls.
The first part of this post discusses seven categories of problems that I encountered. The second part features lists of questions inspired by these problems to help you customize your own screening criteria.
PROBLEM # 1: LESSONS CUT SHORT
Some instructors cut education short by starting class late regularly or missing many days. My friend who was new to homeschooling was thrown into substitute teacher role for an instructor who failed to show up over fifty percent of the time. The responsibility of “teaching” consequently fell upon my friend even though she had limited experience and interest in the subject. Those students did not receive the education they signed up for. When class meets only once a week, every minute counts.
I witnessed teachers cutting education short by not covering the material well. While attending a particular class as a room-parent, I heard the instructor discuss contentious social matters and conspiracy theories more often than the subject matter. That same year an instructor crammed a one-year science course into one semester so she could teach something she preferred in the second semester – something the parents had no say in.
PROBLEM # 2: NARRATIVE PUSHING
Some instructors have a penchant for straying from the subject matter and pushing unsubstantiated, fear-mongering opinions on students. The topics that seem to bubble up frequently are environmental toxins, healthcare, medicine, and nutrition. The twists on these topics tend to have negative leanings with no foreseeable solutions which can leave kids with a sense of hopelessness about the environment and their futures. Not only do instructors take advantage of their position in this way, but room-parents do too. For a deep discussion of this matter read Unwanted Narratives in the Classroom.
PROBLEM # 3: UNCLEAR DIRECTIVES
During our first year at a co-op my child had a science instructor who failed to publish weekly assignments. We had no idea what labs to prepare for or what reading to do. My daughter did not understand the labs. I had no idea if we were going to complete the book that year. The parents resorted to begging the instructor for assignments. Her haphazard and disorganized ways created a very frustrating experience for all of us.
PROBLEM #4: UNPREPAREDNESS
Inquiring about an instructor’s state of preparedness is something to consider. Recurring unpreparedness is a problem. The instructor mentioned in Problem #3, was never prepared for class. She failed to bring necessary lab supplies and didn’t know the labs. Another instructor I observed was prepared less than half the time. When she actually showed up, she killed time with off-topic conversations, namely personal narratives. One day she brought donuts and drinks to occupy the time she came unprepared for. Are kids going to complain about missed lessons and donuts? Probably not, but parents might. This highlights the need to develop screening criteria and to quiz our kids about their instructors. More on that below.
PROBLEM #5: NO PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES
Labs and exercises put learning into practice. They ramp up the learning experience. Teachers may skip labs for the sake of convenience. Sometimes teachers demonstrate labs, and the students watch. Demo labs are necessary for exercises that take hours to complete, are not safe for students, or require expensive equipment. Most labs however can be done by the students. It’s the best way to learn skills. Unfortunately, not all instructors allow students to do the hands-on stuff. Before you choose a science instructor find out how many lab exercises are in the curriculum and ask the prospective instructor how many of these labs she plans to do in class. Then ask what portion of these labs will be completed by the students themselves in the classroom. If the instructor is unable to answer these questions, be wary.
These questions not only apply to science classes but to classes that require practical application. Our co-op hired a debate instructor, but the students never got to practice debate skills in class. If my student were in that class, I would want a refund.
PROBLEM # 6: POOR CURRICULUM CHOICE
When you sign up for private teachers in the community or at a co-op, the curriculum will already be determined. Familiarize yourself with the curriculum beforehand by visiting a homeschool bookstore or borrowing it from a friend. Another way to see the textbook is to attend a meet-and-greet; hopefully the instructor will have a copy of the textbook.
There are two main things to consider when evaluating a curriculum. First, determine if the material complements your worldview. The biggest divide in curricula worldview comes from secular vs. nonsecular worldviews. Ask the instructor how worldview will be approached in the class.
Second, the quality of the curriculum should be evaluated. I unfortunately did not prescreen a textbook for a particular class and found the book to be poorly written and completely exasperating to decipher.
PROBLEM # 7: UNQUALIFIED INSTRUCTOR
Being an expert in the subject is not always essential because most homeschool curricula is designed for parent- or student-direction. So, when a parent volunteers to teach a co-op class, qualification may not be a big deal depending on the subject and grade level. Some parents are great at learning new material and demonstrate a lot of enthusiasm for their voluntary role. A college student volunteer had my first grader producing better art pieces than an art teacher the co-op hired.
High school instructors need to be screened especially closely. There’s simply no time for do-overs in high school. Having an instructor make teaching mistakes and mispronouncing terms is not a confidence booster for homeschooled students who are prone to second-guess their educational pathway. I recommend setting aside funds to pay for quality high school courses in the skill-based subjects of math and writing. I broke the bank for my daughter to take a writing course at a private college in the twelfth grade. Writing is her passion, so we justified that one abundance.
I think it’s worth investing in courses that support your child’s talents and passions. If your student is STEM oriented, then invest in quality STEM courses. If you can’t find qualified instructors in the community, check out the community college. Our community college offers free courses to high school students.
CONSEQUENCES OF CHOOSING POORLY
If a parent pulls her child out early or the instructor quits, it’s impossible to find a new instructor mid-year. Retaking the course the following year is not a practical option. My friend had to push chemistry out to another year when her son’s chemistry teacher quit mid-year.
WHOM TO ASK
You can ask a variety of people about an instructor. Obviously, you will want to talk to the prospective instructor. Take advantage of meet-and-greets. Talk to parents of previous students and maybe even previous students. If the teacher is in a co-op setting, you can ask the co-op administrator some basic questions. Be aware, however, that a co-op administrator may not have attended the instructor’s class. Another resource is room-parents. Co-ops usually assign parents to sit in classes for liability reasons. Find out from the co-op administrator who may have been a room-parent in that instructor’s class. Room-parents may be able to supply objective facts, but don’t assume this, though, as there are politics involved in any organization.
WHAT TO ASK
After sitting in classrooms for years, I figured out a lot of questions to ask. To spare you and your student from a negative experience, cue up the following questions for an interview.
QUESTIONS TO ASK PREVIOUS STUDENTS, THEIR PARENTS, AND ROOM-PARENTS
- Does the instructor show up on time and regularly?
- Did class start on time even if the teacher showed up on time?
- Was the instructor prepared for class?
- Were the assignments clear?
- Was the curriculum completed in the recommended period of time?
- Were you happy with the work your student produced?
- Did your student learn what you expected?
- Do the students actively participate in labs or did the teacher demo them?
- Do the students participate in activities? (Example: debate class should include debate)
- Did the instructor discuss off-topic subjects? If so, how often?
- Did the instructor seem knowledgeable about the subject?
- Did the instructor manage student behavior well?
- Were room-parents managed appropriately?
- Did the instructor push opinions about healthcare, politics, environment, social issues, or nutrition?
- Did the instructor discuss conspiracy theory?
- What problems did you encounter with this instructor?
- Would you recommend this instructor?
QUESTIONS TO ASK A PROSPECTIVE INSTRUCTOR
- How many times have you taught this course?
- What is your background experience in this subject?
- What degree do you hold?
- What curriculum are you using?
- Do you follow the curriculum closely?
- What portion of the curriculum are you covering?
- How many credits is this course (if high school)? Transcripts: How to Determine Credits.
- Is there homework?
- How many hours of homework will this course take each week? (important for high school)
- Do you grade material? If so, which materials?
- Do you publish a syllabus and weekly assignments?
- Do you assign projects?
- How many experiments will be performed during the course?
- What portion of the experiments do the students perform themselves?
- Do you present evolution and global warming as theory or as proven fact?
- Do you rely on the scientific method to analyze experimental data?
- Do your students actively participate in relevant activities?
- Do you discuss conspiracy theory, politics, healthcare, nutrition, social issues, or environmental dangers?
A LIVE-SCREENING PROCESS IS NECESSARY TOO
Once an instructor has been selected, the questions should not stop. To monitor what’s going on in a classroom, parents should arm their students with clear guidelines on what’s okay and what’s not okay in the classroom. Teach your children to become critical thinkers and informed consumers. Ask them for feedback during the year using the same criteria you screened the teacher with. If you sense a problem, consider asking the parents of other students in the class for feedback. The more people involved, the more accurate the information.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Homeschooling families are in a terrific position to choose instructors for their children. This responsibility requires parent effort and planning. The questions listed above can get you started. Develop personalized criteria to structure conversation with the instructor as well as with room-parents, co-op administrators, and parents of previous students. Investigate the curriculum being used beforehand. Empower your student to become aware of appropriate classroom practices and encourage him to share his findings regularly. Touch base with other parents for additional feedback. The sooner you discover a problem, the sooner you can salvage important course credit.