Several readers have asked about hybrid homeschooling, so in this post, I will explain it as well as I can!

The dictionary definition of hybrid (as an adjective) is this: “composed of mixed parts” or “composite; formed or composed of heterogeneous elements.”

So hybrid homeschooling is an education composed of elements of homeschooling and elements of a private Christian school; ideally, it combines the best aspects of both. 

But what does this mean in real life application?

The academy Lindsey attends was started about twelve years ago by three Christian homeschooling families who wanted a little something more for their children than they felt they could do at home. It is a two-day program that covers the primary subjects including history, math, language arts, science, and foreign language. On those two days, Lindsey is in school from 8:45AM until 3:30PM. Each class is taught by certified teachers. The state of Georgia does not consider the academy a school, so we are still required to file a “Declaration of Intent to Homeschool” each year — but the academy is accredited, which means that they maintain the records, testing, and transcripts for students. Legally, I am still the homeschool teacher, and the teachers at the academy are considered tutors since each one only teaches Lindsey for about two hours each week.

On the other days, Lindsey does school at home. The teachers from the academy assign work for at-home days, and parents are expected to check all homework. We also do most of the testing at home (under specific guidelines so the academy can maintain their accreditation) so that class time can be used for actual teaching of new concepts. I like the fact that I am still the one with her most and she is still at home a good deal of the time. Sometimes she works in her room, and sometimes she works at the table with Kathryn and me. If she attended a standard public or private school, plus had homework and any sort of extra activities, we’d almost never see her!

I add in some assignments in other subjects. (See my curriculum page for more details.) Lindsey also participates in color guard as part of the drum corp at this same academy, but I love that all the sports and extra-curricular activities are open to all homeschoolers in the area, regardless of whether or not they attend the academy.

The other question I’m often asked is whether I’ll do this with Kathryn when she reaches high school. The answer: probably not, but I take things one year at a time. I feel called to homeschool all the way through high school, but I can’t predict what that will look like. Lindsey and Kathryn have very different personalities, and their school histories are very different, which is why we think this type of homeschooling is ideal for Lindsey, but probably not for Kathryn. Lindsey is very extroverted and thrives on going and doing. I’ve also realized that Lindsey needs structure; she might not necessarily like it, but she does better with it. This type of education provides both the activity level and the structure Lindsey needs, but still allows us to have what we feel are the most important parts of homeschooling: time and influence in her life, especially since we missed the first fourteen years.

I’ll be blogging more about our experience with hybrid homeschooling as we continue through the year(s), but feel free to ask any other questions you have!

Jamie

Wife, mom, J-ma. Introvert who enjoys good books, sunshine, and authentic conversation. Often seen with a steaming mug of tea in hand – unless it’s lost yet again in the microwave. Read more »