Although different states require parents to cover different subjects according to their specific homeschool laws, in Washington State where I live there are eleven required subjects, and the one that seems to consistently stump people is ‘occupational education’. So many people have asked me what this term means! I read a thread about this topic recently on a homeschool forum, and it was actually quite funny to see what some people thought occupational education meant.
Occupational education includes anything your student does that will help them to get a job later on. This could include job-shadowing, baby-sitting, dog-walking, yard work, teaching seniors to use computers, learning about careers through some career class, and just about anything that gives your student some kind of work skills.
Occupational education is actually by far the easiest class that you will ever teach. All you have to do is to wait until your teenager is motivated by money and gets a job. Then you just count the number of hours they spend on their job; it’s really that easy!
Homeschooling is NOT the same as doing schoolwork at home. There is LOTS of freedom! My Gold Care Club will give you all the help you need to succeed!
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J W says:
Hey, y’all in the “audience” out there – what have you counted as “occupational education?”
Here’s some of ours for a future veterinarian:
Volunteering at an animal hospital
Writing a resume
Assisting a racetrack veterinarian with recordkeeping
Various tasks associated with elder care, including providing critical information to medics and ER staff, comforting people after a loss, and basic minor surgical wound care. My great grandfather jokes about being treated by a “horse doctor.”
June 21st, 2012 at 9:12 pm
J W says:
Woops – that’s my child’s great grandfather, not mine, LOL!
June 21st, 2012 at 9:13 pm