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Benefits of Homeschool Pods + How They Work
Benefits of Homeschool Pods + How They Work

How homeschool pods work, and their key benefits.

Emily Jones avatar
Written by Emily Jones
Updated over a week ago

I am sure you have heard the buzz EVERYWHERE about homeschool pods. Homeschool pods are all the rage, and for good reason!

Let's dive into exactly what a homeschool pod is, how they work, and their key benefits.

The Definition of a Homeschool Pod

A homeschool pod is a small group of students of similar age and grade who group together and plan to study in one specific home, or a designated shared space.

How Homeschool Pods Work

The Learning Space

Parents and educators decide on a central location that works for the group. This can be a home, a community space, or a rented space that the group pays for. The space should be a dedicated area for learning so that each student can experience learning without distraction.

Pod Age Range

It is beneficial for parents, educators, and children when kids are similar ages in a pod. Kids who are a 1-2 years younger will learn from their older peers, and older peers will benefit from the responsibility of helping their younger fellow students. However, a huge age gap can deter the group from a cohesive group learning experience. Curriculum can also become an issue when the group is learning together if the curriculum is not age appropriate for each student.

Size of Homeschool Pod

2-3 families collaborating in a small pod work most efficiently. As you add families, the dynamic changes, and the learning space size may become an issue.

Curriculum and Learning Styles

The beautiful part about homeschool is that parents get to choose what each child learns, and how they learn it. It helps to find families that have adopted the same learning style and use the same curriculum.

Pricing

The fee structure of a homeschool pod can range from free, all the way up to a premium monthly fee. This depends on a few factors:

  • Will all parents chip in for one educator salary?

  • Will all parents share teaching responsibility and materials without payment?

  • Will all parents share teaching responsibility with shared payment, materials, and responsibility?

The Benefits of Homeschool Pods

Socialization

Pods are beneficial for children who thrive in group experiences. In small groups, each child is encouraged to participate, create, and use his/her voice. Small groups aid in creating bonding amongst peers and support friendships.

Shared Responsibility

Parents can benefit from utilizing each other for shared teaching responsibility, materials, learning spaces, and community. Pods can be vital for parents who work and want to provide a robust learning experience for their children.

Excelled Learning and Enrichment Opportunities

Homeschool pods can be tailored to include unique opportunities for students who want to learn specialty skills and techniques. Educators who specialize in certain industries can be hired for workshops, and students can access learning opportunities that wouldn't be offered in a traditional school setting.

In conclusion, homeschool pods are here to stay, and they are trending! We cannot WAIT to hear success stories from our families here at Home Tribe!

The Home Tribe Team

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