How to Begin Homeschooling

How to Begin Homeschooling

You’ve heard about homeschooling, and are thinking of teaching your own children but just don’t know where to start, then this article is for you.

Be Legal

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but some states have requirements on homeschoolers. Some homeschoolers have to register as a homeschooler, some have to take tests. The first thing you need to do is to find out the requirements for your state.

I live in California and the best place to find out the laws regarding homeschooling in California is http://californiahomeschool.net/

Choosing Curriculum

In the early days of homeschooling parents used the same books with their children that were used in schools, but in recent years more and more curriculum has been written specifically for homeschoolers.

When you teach one on one, or in small groups you can use different methods than used in schools with larger numbers of people, so it’s a good idea to use curriculum that is designed for small groups and individual tuition.

The problem with curriculum is that there is so much choice. Every homeschooler has a favorite and their favorites are all different. The best way to hear about curriculum is to talk to other people who are already homeschooling. Also during the summer there are a number of homeschool conferences, usually they have curriculum vendors where you can see the curriculum before you buy.

The “S” Word - Socialization

As homeschooling is becoming more popular there are becoming other homeschoolers to socialize with. There are a number of homeschool groups that have started in recent years. One way of finding your local group is to go to yahoogroups, type in the name of your city and the word homeschool. Or do a Google search with the name of your city and the work homeschool.

What about the subjects I can’t teach?

For the elementary child it’s all about fostering a love and learning and making learning fun. You need to teach your child to read and love books and they will be a learner the rest of their life.

For the older child there are local tutors or classes you can use, but also there are an increasing number of online classes and classes on DVDs and videos.

Charter Schools

Some areas have charter schools linked to a local public school where you can use their resources (including an educational advisor). The advantage is that you have someone familiar with educational standards advising you, the disadvantage for some is that you are more restricted in what you teach.

Advantages

There are many advantages to homeschooling, a big one is flexibility with your school day and also your school year. There is no reason to stop teaching in the summer and you can take your vacation whenever you like during the school year.

Many people believe that homeschoolers do better socially and academically than their peers in school. My personal favorite reason to homeschool is that I have a better relationship with my own children.