August 12, 2021
Homeschool to Charter School: Helping Your Student Make the Change
Paradigm was founded in 2006 by a group of homeschool families. We believe in education rather than schooling. We work with homeschooled scholars that want to come to Paradigm for sports, classes, or social reasons. However, we do see scholars that want to make the switch from homeschool to our charter school. To help with their transition, here are some tips to make it a little easier.
Tips for Transitioning from Homeschool to Charter School
Keep Detailed Records
All homeschooled students should have detailed records of the education they’ve received. You’ll want to maintain or put together records of their attendance, the curriculum used for each year of school, their grades, and any exam scores. This will make transferring much easier for both you and your scholar. This helps us determine what your scholar’s grade level is and where they should be placed after transitioning.
Paradigm also offers a homeschool portfolio to help determine which courses your scholar has done or still needs. This option is available to our homeschool families as well as those wanting to make the switch.
Prepare for a Charter School Setting
One of the best ways to help your scholar prepare for charter school is to get them used to the setting. Some of the school skills you’ll want to prepare your scholar for are:
ClassroomNote Taking: Typically, homeschool students don’t take a lot of notes, but it is a valuable skill to have. They can practice with movies and books they read!
Exams: While it isn’t uncommon for homeschooled scholars to take exams, they may be different from the ones given in class. Be sure they understand the difference before they start so they are better set up for success.
Teacher and Peer Communication: One of the biggest differences between homeschool and charter schools is the number of scholars there will be. Meaning the transition isn’t easy, so encourage them to ask for help when needed and talk to their peers. By helping them prepare for the classroom, your scholar will have a better understanding of what to expect when making the switch. To better help them understand Paradigm and give them an idea of what they’ll be experiencing every day, we suggest touring our school or shadowing a friend. If that is something you’re interested in, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 801-676-1018.
Set up a Routine
You may already be implementing a routine for your student, but homeschooling is different for everyone. When your scholars are making the transition to a charter school, their routine will most likely become different. Between new class schedules and lunchtimes, you’ll want to get your scholars adjusted to this new change of pace. You’ll want to make sure that you set a sleep schedule, make sure they are eating a healthy breakfast, and prepare their things the night before.
This adjustment can be tough for kids of all ages, so we suggest starting your new routine a week before transferring to a charter school. This is to help both you and your scholar get used to the new routine and avoid any first-day hiccups. When it comes to a new routine, it’s important to remember that consistency is key when making it the new norm.
Our Transferring Process
For our families and scholars looking to transfer to Paradigm full-time, we do have a transferring process. Before their first day, we’ll have them meet with a counselor to help determine where they’re at, look at the requirements, and determine their schedule. We also do placement for math and reading to determine which classes are best suited for them. We believe in individualized learning for all our scholars, homeschooled or not. Everyone learns differently and we’ll place your scholar where they need to be to get the most out of their education.
Other Homeschooling Options
Here at Paradigm, we are very homeschool-friendly as well as flexible. We’ll try to accommodate any idea our families may have. If your scholar isn’t ready to start full-time classes with us, they can start part-time, we cater to the experience. Some of our scholars are diploma-seeking and others are there for a school experience. Whatever you have in mind, we’ll do our best to work with you. Paradigm was created by homeschool families, for homeschool families. We are here to support you and your scholar.
Ready to Enroll?
If you believe that your scholar could benefit from a Paradigm education, contact us and we’ll get you more information about transferring. For more information about what a Paradigm education entails, check out our podcast and see what our scholars have to say!
