Because the classroom in a home school doubles as your child's domestic space, distinguish clearly between appropriate behavior for "school time" and "home time." Having these rules laid out and agreed upon is the best way to communicate expectations with your child. Design rules that as much as possible mimic a regular day in a conventional school. Establish a starting time of 9 a.m., for example, with consequences for your child not being ready for school on time. Is eating appropriate in the "classroom"? If not, write it in the rules. How should your child address you during school hours? Post these rules on the wall.
Being parent and teacher might encourage your child to question the reasons for his lessons. Be proactive and give reasons behind lessons in advance, opening lines of communication before your child has a chance to shut them down. If you assign a particular novel, for instance, tell your child why you chose this text. It may be because its topic is particularly relevant in his life or it may be something that you know will challenge his abilities.
An advantage of homeschooling is the individual attention you can give to your child. Students, especially younger ones, often ignore written feedback on corrected work. Communicate your constructive comments verbally to your child. If she failed a math test, show her what she did wrong and what she can do to improve. If her history paper is lacking in research, point her to a book that she might consult to redo the assignment.
Making learning a two-way street is a key aspect of communication in the home school. Unlike the conventional classroom in which answering individual questions can take up too much time, the home school should always encourage questions. Pause every few minutes during a lesson to see if you child has questions for you. If he doesn't, it may mean that he doesn't know the right question to ask. Lead him with questions such as "Do you understand what I just said?" or "What do you think this means?"