Homeschooling
Homeschooling is an increasingly popular educational choice in Quebec.
Thinking of homeschooling? It is normal to have questions! You will find more information about homeschooling below, including the legal aspects, the pedagogical approaches and the steps you need to get started.
What is Homeschooling?
Homeschooling is a lifestyle where parents take full responsibility for their child’s education by choosing to opt-out of full-time school attendance. Every family’s motive and educational approach differs; no two families homeschool in exactly the same way or for exactly the same reason.
It is up to each family to choose their educational activities, teaching materials, language of instruction and their schedule.
The Legal Aspects of Homeschooling
In Quebec, homeschooling is a right. You can teach your child at home in English or French (regardless of English eligibility status). Parents who choose not to send their children to school must, however, ensure that they provide a quality education and comply with the legal obligations governing homeschooling.
Pedagogical Approaches
Homeschoolers in Quebec are free to choose the educational approach that best suits them. No matter the approach—traditional, Montessori, unschooling, Freinet, classical education, eclectic—there’s no wrong way to educate your child! By teaching at home, parent-educators can experiment with different approaches to meet their child’s needs.
A Path Adapted to the Needs of Each Child
Did you know that most home-schooled children follow a different academic path?
Where the school system struggles to meet your child’s needs, homeschooling allows you to go at your child’s pace. Whether your child is neurodiverse (autistic, gifted, anxious, has ADHD, DYS, etc.), disabled or chronically ill, homeschooling is a path that is particularly adaptable.
When homeschooling, you can adjust your child’s academic level to their abilities and needs.
Homeschooling: Motivations and Advantages
Public schools were set up to provide high-quality, standardized education for children from all social classes. For some families, however, homeschooling may be a logical next step in their parenting style. Sometimes homeschooling is a choice that better suits the family’s lifestyle; other times, it is chosen to respond to specific needs of the children.
Our community is made up of a wide range of homeschoolers. Some want more flexibility. Others want to better meet the needs of their neurodiverse children. Most feel that this choice better reflects their values. There are many motivations.
High School at Home: A Whole Range of Possibilities!
Whether high school is your first experience with homeschooling or whether you have been homeschooling for a while, navigating this phase can be overwhelming.
When homeschooling at the secondary level, one can take many paths: working at your own pace while carrying out an entrepreneurial project, taking the traditional route leading to a high school diploma, or entering university directly without a diploma. You can also learn through mentorship, finish your studies through adult education courses, enter a vocational program—the pathways are limitless.
It is important to be aware of your options—that is where we come in! AQED can help set you up for success.
Get Support and Resources for a Positive Homeschooling Experience
Would you like to offer your children a personalized education?
Join AQED right from the start of your homeschooling project so that you’re well prepared to take charge of your children’s education.
You’ll get a membership card, exclusive discounts, access to advice and a private group to meet other families who are experiencing the same reality as you are.