Starting To Homeschool

Visit Home School Legal Defense Association to find links to your state's homeschool group and the specific requirements of your state.

Find a homeschool support group and attend the meetings! Connect with other families that are homeschooling.

Attend homeschool workshops and conventions. (Hint: look for ways to volunteer - often they will let you in for free!)

Evaluate your child's needs.

What things is he or she interested in? Use these as the basis for choosing curriculum. For more information on lighting a fire in your children's interest in learning , visit Terri Camp's site where she goes into detail about the Fire method of Homeschooling.

Scope and Sequence is fancy terminology for what your child needs to know when. These are good places to start investigating when is it appropriate to introduce Algebra to your child, or when is a good time to start cursive writing. Don't consider these things set in stone, but you can use them as a compass to guide you and your child to a lifetime of learning. Some places to start looking for Scope and Sequences are:

Typical Course of Study
Comprehensive Scope and Sequence
"What your ___ Grader Needs to Know," edited by E.D. Hirsch. Comes in several different editions from Kindergarten to 6th Grade. Borrow one from your library or check used book sales.

Do you have a need for a lot of structure and support? Consider curricula that has pre-planned lessons and a well defined course of study, or perhaps enrolling in a satellite program. Some current places that offer satellite classes are:

ABeka
Bob Jones
Christian Liberty Academy
Covenant Home
Eagle Christian School (grades 7-12 only)
Heritage Institute
The Sycamore Tree
Alpha Omega
School of Tomorrow

Families that desire less structure might like unit studies or develop their own curriculum from books and resources at hand, on the internet, library, etc. Again, look over Terri Camp's site for excellent ideas.

Set goals for completing school work. Which books, chapters, and pages? What special projects or field trips might be incorporated into the lessons?

Establish a general schedule. When does your school year start and stop? Which months and weeks are included? What days during the school week and hours during the days are you schooling? Remember this is your school, you don't have to make it look like the public school.

What records do you need to keep? Check with your state homeschooling organization just to be sure. Types of records some use are:
Grade Book
Portfolio of Student Work
Student Journals
Standardized Test Scores
Attendance Records
Logbook of Hours and Subjects Taught
and Medical/Dental Records.

Create lesson plans that fit into your goals for the school year. It can be as simple as a calendar noting "Language Arts, p. 64" or it can be as elaborate as you'd like. For online resources to help you get organized:

Homeschool Forms On The Web
Incentive Charts
Managers Of Their Homes

Gather your supplies together and keep them in one place - papers, pencils, pens, notebooks, art supplies, etc. It can be as simple as a milk-type crate or a cardboard box or even a shelf in a bookcase. You can hint to friends and family that a file cabinet might be a nice gift along with the hanging folders and dividers. For ideas on color co-ordinating your home and school files, visit File Solutions. I can recommend this product because I use it in my home. The time and frustration saving features of this product is well worth the small investment!

Allocate chores and other family responsibilities so it all doesn't fall on one person (usually the parent). This helps prevent burnout.

Use your answer machine and turn off the TV to reduce distractions.

Reassess your families priorities. To be successful, homeschooling must come first.

Enroll with Home School Legal Defense Association. While they can't assist you in custody disputes, they are pre-eminent in defending homeschoolers against the state or local powers that would like to subject you to their will. If your local state organization is an affiliate of HSLDA, and you are a member of it, you will get a discount on your membership.

Does your state require you to register or file paperwork? Then comply with your state laws. If you are not required to notify or file anything, don't. Why give some official that doesn't have authority over you, information that might be used to harass you?

If your children are currently enrolled in public school, formally withdraw them by letter, phone or in person. Don't just disappear.

If you have to fill out forms from officials, secure a copy from your local homeschool organization. Sometimes the "official" form they want you to fill out asks for information you are not required to give. Let the officials go fishing in some other pond. You have the right to only give them what the law requires, no more, no less.

Keep copies of whatever papers you have to file.

Be flexible. Your family is unique, so your homeschool will be unique. Don't think that your homeschool has to look like public school.

Homeschooling, especially for single parents, is a sacrifice. Extra-curricular activities can get in the way of your homeschool and work obligations, so be prepared to fulfill your homeschool and work duties before adding other activities.

Homeschooling is not an easy out. You will not be able to escape or avoid family problems, but you will have the best opportunity for family members to spend quality time together and work towards building a strong family.