Parents are making tough decisions as the start of a new school year approaches. Some are even considering homeschooling for their children to limit coronavirus exposure.
Even though some districts say they will reopen the classroom this fall with lots of precautions, it’s still making some parents uneasy.
For 8-year-old Miles, having school at home is nothing new. He’s been doing it for years - with the help of his mom, tutors and a small co-op group of homeschoolers.
They take their lessons beyond the classroom to learn skills like entrepreneurship and even horticulture.
"Homeschooling can look any way you choose it to be and you have to find what works best for you and your family," said Anjanette Kean-Dawes, Miles' mom.
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She said the key is keeping it simple and be organized by using a family calendar. With COVID-19 numbers still on the rise, more families are considering home school when school restarts.
In Clayton County, Dexter Cameron is leaning toward the same option for his niece and nephew if the school district decides to reopen their classrooms. The two live with their grandmother, who would be at high risk of catching COVID-19
"There were concerns about them going back into a physical environment right and not really knowing what that social distancing piece is going to look like as well as not really understanding fully how administrators are going to police that," said Cameron.
But, before you go all in, experts said take some time to consider the challenges of homeschool.
"To do it well, it’s extraordinary demanding. It’s comparable to how demanding to be a teacher. So if you’re a really good teacher it’s extremely demanding," said Kevin Welner, National Education Policy Center director.
He also has experience as a home school parent. His daughter, Leah has split her education between home school and formal school since she started school.
Welner said parents considering homeschool should think about the time it takes. While schedules can be flexible, it still requires a lot more time than formal schooling unless a tutor helps out.
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