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Where Do I Begin If I Want To Homeschool My Child?
For many parents the thought of homeschooling is completely overwhelming because they don't know where to start. Their minds are bombarded with questions like "
- what curriculum do I buy?
- what do I tell their old district?
- how do I teach math when I am bad at math?
- how long should our school day be?
How To Communicate Your Plans To Homeschool?
Today I want to suggest a simple plan to get you started on the right path to your family's homeschool journey.
The first issue to address is how to communicate your family's plans to homeschool your children. Breaking this news to grandparents, relatives and friends is important since their encouragement and support can be a big part of your homeschool journey. You may experience a little push back from your extended family due to their geniune concern for your children's well being, but reassuring them that your decision was made carefully and with lots of prayer and thought can help ease their fears.
Communicating your plans to homeschool your children to your local school district will be different for everyone based on the state you live in. I highly recommend visiting the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) website to consult with them regarding the proper and legal way to communicate with the school district. Each State has different laws with regards to homeschooling and you will want to make sure your homeschool is operating within your State's guidelines.
What Subjects To Teach In Your Homeschool?
The next step in your homeschooling journey is to start figuring out what your children will learn this year. Again, you should check your State's laws to make sure your homeschool is in compliance with your State's guidelines and laws. For example, in that State I reside instruction for children ages 6 - 18 must include math, reading, English, science, and social studies. In a student's high school years instruction must also include a study of the Constitution of the United States and our State and the
history and present form of civil government of the United States and our State.
HSLDA.org is a great source and place to start to find the answers to the question about required subjects to teach to your homeschool student. Their site has links to State requirements, laws and other useful links to help you get started.
When I first started homeschooling I remember wondering what topics should a child learn in each grade. I knew for example, that I had to teach grammar/language arts every year but I wasn't quite sure what sequence I should teach it in. Maybe you have the same question? I found out that every school district decides the sequence of when material is taught therefore there will be some differences as to the timing of when kids learn certain things. For example, some schools might teach kids about world history in 3rd grade but in a different state students might be taught American history in 3rd grade.
The face that there is flexibility in deciding what topics to teach for each subject was a great relief to me. This allowed me to pick and choose what we were going to study based on my kids interests and passions which made homeschooling so much fun.
Some quick searches online can help you get a broad sense of what kids typically learn in each grade. Remember this is a rough guideline - you don't have to follow it to a T.
What Curriculum Do I Use For Homeschooling?
Once you know what subjects you have to teach your children it is time to decide what materials you want to use. A big factor to consider when looking for the right curriculum is your budget! Many veteran homeschoolers will tell you that for elementary age children, kindergarten through 4th/5th grade all you need is a library card and a good math book. This might sound a little strange but in reality the library is a wonderful source for reading, science, socials studies, art and much more!
During my children's elementary school years we spent countless hours in the library. They learned so much from the books we checked out from the library that there is no way I could ever put a price on it. Our local library has been invaluable to our homeschooling journey - and not to mention my wallet!
For young children (pre school - 5th grade) the need for a full curriculum is not even necessary! Young children learn best though play, games, field trips and being read to. Reading aloud to your children is the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do for them in your homeschool. Keep seat work and worksheets to a minimum so they have a ton of time to explore their world using all of their senses.
The options available for homeschool curriculum are endless and overwhelming! To try and simplify this a little bit for you I thought I would present some ideas to get you started on your search for what to use!
1 - All In One Curriculum Package:
Several homeschool curriculum companies like Sonlight or Abeka provide you with the option to buy a fully packaged product. What this means is that your main subjects like history, Bible, reading, read alouds, grammar, science and math are all packaged together so when you buy it you get everything you need in one shot.
Pros -
- less work for you in picking books and putting together a full curriculum
- subjects are all at the same grade level
- usually the publisher has a daily guide to help you plan your school days and year
Cons -
- can be very expensive
- student may be ahead/behind for the level of subjects included
2 - Online Curriculum:
Many companies publish hard copy printed curriculum also have an online option using their curriculum taught by a certified teacher.
Pros -
- all the curriculum in one place
- parents involvement is reduced
- students gain experience with online classes and have connection to a teacher and other students
Cons -
- expensive option
- too much screen time
- lacks flexibility to make changes to classes/curriculum if student or parents don't like it
3 - Piecing Together a Variety of Curriculum:
Homeschoolers who use this style of curriculum piece together subjects from a variety of publishing companies. For example in our homeschool we use Sonlight for reading, history and Bible; Math U See for math; Apologia for Science and Abeka for grammar, spelling and language arts.
Pros -
- allows parents to customize subjects to students interests and grade level
- flexibility to change from one curriculum publisher to another easily
- more cost effective due to ability to buy used or borrow from friends
Cons -
- can be a lot of work for parents to gather / order materials
At this point you might be wondering where to even find homeschool curriculum. Fortunately homeschooling has really grown in popularity over the years and so finding the right curriculum is not too hard. Here are some of the places I use to find new or used homeschool curriculum and books:
3. Abeka.com
4. Sonlight.com
5. Amazon
6. Ebay
8. Apologia.com
9. Facebook Marketplace Buy/Sell
Where In My Home Do I Homeschool?
This might sound like a strange topic but if you are new to homeschooling it is a very real question. Actually I get this question all the time from people who have never homeschooled before. They are just curious what homeschooling looks like. For most, their schooling took place in a public or private school so that is all they have to draw upon.
I've learned over the years that trying to create a formal public school environment in my homeschool is a recipe for disaster. It just doesn't work. Do you know anyone who loves to sit in a desk
What I can tell you is that every homeschool looks different! Again, this is just another beautiful thing about homeschooling. Honestly, homeschooling looks different for each of my kids too. Since they are all unique individuals, their homeschooling can be unique to fit their needs. Here is what our homeschool looks like for each of my kids:
11th grader - My oldest is a morning person through and through. Her school days typically start around 7 am. She chooses to spend most of her days either at the kitchen table or at the desk in our office for a majority of her subjects. When she is reading however she likes to snuggle up on her bed where it is quiet and peaceful. Some of her classes are online so of course these classes are done on the computer.
9th grader - This child loves to sleep so her days usually start around 8:30/9:00. Most days she wakes up, grabs one of her books (probably off the floor!) and reads for a little while. After she gets ready for the day she spends half of her school day studying in her bedroom and half in the living room on the couch. Art class is done at the kitchen table though!
6th grader - As a middle schooler my son loves to do his school work while on the couch. If he is distracted and having a hard time focusing I find a little more formal environment like the kitchen table helps him stay on task. If he is reading a chapter book his favorite place is either in his bed or a small reading nook in his bedroom. He loves reading and can get lost in it so I do have to give him a time limit so he can make sure to complete other work that needs to get done that day.
2nd grader - My youngest loves to snuggle with me or any of his older siblings. He loves to practice reading on one of our large recliners where he sits right next to me so I can help point out where he is reading in the book. He prefers to do any writing assignment or math at the kitchen table though. I think this makes him feel like one of the "big kids".
I read aloud to all of my kids every day. They all love good stories and so do I. We have a few guidelines for the kids when I am reading to them so that distractions are kept to a minimum. The kids are allowed to do a quiet activity like pearler beading, rainbow looming, eating breakfast/lunch, doodling or coloring while I read aloud. They are not allowed on any electronic devices or allowed to play any games though since that can be very disruptive. Most of the time I sit on the couch and they sit next to me listening to the story. It is a very precious time for all!
If you aren't sure where in your home to do your homeschooling time here are some questions you might want to ask yourself:
- What type of environment does your child do well in?
- Where do they like to go when you read to them or they read to themselves?
- How long is your child's attention span?
Take a look around your house to look for the answers to these questions. Don't worry about not having an official homeschool classroom. Your whole house, inside and outside is your homeschooling classroom. Take advantage of the variety of spaces and see what your child likes best.
I hope this information has been helpful to you as you begin this exciting new homeschool journey. What questions to you have about starting to homeschool your child? I'd love to share more of our journey and hopefully provide useful tips! Leave me a comment if you have any questions or concerns.
Don't Forget to Check This Out Too!
Check out this post to see an example of a Homeschool Daily Schedule including tips to help you with one too. Remember there is always flexibility in our daily schedule so no need to stress over it!
Having a hard time finding good read aloud books for your elementary age children? I've put together a list of the top 10 books you should consider reading to your children. Take the work out of digging and read this post today.
