What do I have to do to begin homeschooling my daughter?

Question

Also, what are your opinions on home schooling?

Answer 1

There is a lot of good advice listed, so here is the $0.02 from a Homeschool Mom.
State requirements need to be addressed (Alabama requires you to join an Umbrella School), so check into it.
Now you need to know what your State requires for your child's grade level..just go to your local School Board website. In Fl. (where I am) they are called Sunshine Standards. This will help you keep your child current in all the main subjects (you teach it the way you want).
Now take a trip to your local School Board and ask them for the Homeschool Packet (this has the paperwork you need to get started---Notice of Intent, Evaluation, etc.).
There the hard part is over :)

Here are the other things you need to do:
1. Get a plastic file box and some file folders (both Legal size).This is your portfolio (where you keep the work your child has done.)
2. Get a calender for attendance (law requires 180 attended school days).
3. Decide what you are going to teach other than the basics (reading, writing,arithmetic), and where the learning is going to take place and set that up.
4. Decide on curriculum. (do you want to create your own or buy prepackaged?)
5. How does your child learn---Visual, Tactile, Adutory.

School does not have to take place solely in the home. A trip to the store can help with Math, Reading, problem solving.
Also, Field Trips (Zoo, Aquarium,park, Museum,Science Center) count as school time---take a camera for documentation and have the child write about things they saw or did.
Surf the web for Homeschool sites and Homeschool groups to connect with. There are a lot of FREE curriculums out there, you just have to be patient while searching.

My little girl loves Homeschooling because I put things in a way she can grasp (if one way doesn't work we try a different approach). She does Scouts (social), Ballet(gym), Flute(music).
I use Ray's Arithmetic for math (you can get the books on Amazon...CHEAP) and McGuffey's for reading (she reads other things too).

Hope this helps. Good Luck to the both of you.

Answer 2

Well, to me it depends on her age and the state you live in. For example, if she is 2 or 3 you are probably already doing it. Teaching colors, letters, body parts, animals and animal sounds, etc, reading together, sorting... To go on to kindergarten you continue that and begin adding a phonics based reading program and start teaching counting, number order, ordinal words like first, second, last. Start talking more and more about the things you are reading, ask comprehension and opinion questions, ask what a word means if you don't think they know.

Once a child reaches 1st grade there is some sort of law that homeschoolers have to follow. Check here and see what your state says is mandatory http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/default.asp

If your child is in school these are the laws you have to follow regarding notification of the school and any restrictions the state has about when you can pull a child once the school year has begun.

From there choose a curriculum, find a homeschool group, decide what she needs to learn and how you want her to learn it. Think about how long you plan to homeschool and have an idea how you will get her prepared for life after homeschool be it college or returning to public school. Have ideas like lessons, sports leagues, church, homeschool froup activities, co-op classes, museum classes and volunteer opourtunities that would be interesting to you and your daughter and would fit ya'll schedule. Do your best, be willing to change things around if it does not work. You can do it, it isn't that hard.


My opinion about homeschooling. With a younger child, it is challenging, but we are getting it done. For us it has been a tremendous benefit. Am I doing a great job as teacher? No, not always,I am pretty good and my son is doing well compared to public school kids, but there is a lot of balancing and time management, and sometimes things just don't go as smoothly as you hope or aren't as creative or fun. So I am working on it, always looking for a way that is a little better. And once my 2 year old is a little older, it will be easier.

Social can be hard sometimes. We are VERY lucky. We have a lot of homeschoolers here in Houston, and Texas is very supportive of homeschool so we are free to do a lot. We also have an amazing church that has tons of programs for the kids. Chior, AWANAs, VBS, sports like basketball and t-ball, parents night out, strong Sunday school program and the most loving and incredible staff and members you could imagine. But church cannot do it all, and by nature homeschoolers like to go their own way. They have a lot going on, and have a hard time making firm plans too far in advance, so get togethers can be challenging. If your child is shy, this might be an issue. For me, my son will talk to anyone, and makes new "best friends" every where we go, so it is ok, but still they need some time away from us.

I love that Texas is so homeschool friendly, and I would hate to have to deal with some states that are uber regulated, but I think some parents drop the ball and their kids are not where they need to be. So, you have to realize you can take the month of October off if people are sick or you are moving or take a vacation, it is ok. But you have to have the discipline to get back to it.

For us it really is the only choice. My son is very bright, school would bore him. He is 8 and should be in 2nd grade. He is finishing a 3rd grade curriculum that has prepared him next year to go into 5th grade Saxon Math. He can read anything, he is at least a 6th grade level. His only shortfall is writing. He hates to write anything. But we are getting there. And I love that I am the major influene and moral authority in his life. I love that I see him all the time. He is funny and has a great heart, and if he went to daycare and public school while I worked, we would have more money and be able to have nice things, but I would have missed so much. I would know so much less about what makes my son so amazing. I cannot imagine/

Good luck. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

You first need to know about the laws where you live. Every place is different. So check out http://www.hslda.org and also find a state-based as well as more local homeschool support group. They will help you understand how the laws actually work where you live. Do NOT go through your local school district unless that is how it works where you live. You also do not have to sign up under any type of distance-learning program.

I think homeschooling can be great. I don't think it's for everybody, though. I love homeschooling as do my children. I love that the academics are tailored to them and they can go as slowly as they need to or they can jump ahead if they're ready. I love that we can spend more time on their interests than we could do if they were in school. I love that they get so much time to play and be creative. I love that they aren't picking up the attitudes, behaviours, desires that are present at school. I love knowing what's going on and being able to deal with it, if necessary, instead of things being forgotten--sometimes important things--and kind of swept under the rug. I love that they easily play with new kids they've met and don't even think about how old or what grade the other kids are in. I love that my kids even feel comfortable talking to the teens and adults at homeschooling activities. You wouldn't have caught me easily talking to and laughing with some high school kid I didn't know when I was 8!

Answer 4

You begin by reading: The Well-Trained Mind, Patchwork of Days, anything by John Holt. Home Education Magazine is another good source of information and inspiration.

You follow up by researching - you check out the Home Ed Mag site or HSLDA for state laws, you look online for a local homeschool group and you go and talk to REAL homeschoolers.

This is a do-it-yourself project. If you want everything handed to you without YOU putting any effort into it, put her on the bus! There are many activities and groups out there for homeschoolers, but not all of them may be right for you. None of them may suit, so you may have to do your own. Start your own group (I did, and it is thriving), plan your own field trips and invited friends (they'll come).

Read, ask questions and listen to the answers.

Homeschooling is a wonderful thing for many families. I agree with the poster above who said they'd have more money and nicer things if she worked full time and the kid was in school, but she wouldn't give up the time with her child for any nice car etc. Me too!

Good luck

Answer 5

A very helpful site for you would be www.clonlara.org . This is the homeschooling organization that I was educated under. Dr. Mongomery is a very intelligent person with a wonderful program. She stands behind home education and will help you fight any problems you encounter. Feel free to call the school with questions on homeschooling in general. I suggest calling and getting an info packet. Even if you dont enroll there, it will give you more ideas.

Answer 6

I understand your desire to homeschool your child. I cannot give you advice on how to begin, but I will give you my brief opinion and some things to consider. Also, believe me that I know that some of the things I am about to say are generalizations and there are always exceptions to the rule...but I am speaking from 7 years of public school teaching experience.

1. There is still a negative social stigma associated with those whom homeschool.

2. There are sometimes socialization issues with children whom are homeschooled.

3. Most public schools are required to provide services for homeschooled children (i.e. special area classes like PE, Art, Music, or Special Ed. and Gifted programs if required) and I would suggest taking advantage of them if needed.

4. Homeschooled children are sometime behind their traditionally schooled counterparts.

5. If you decide to go the homeschool route, when the material gets more difficult, seek out outside assistance. I taught for an online school district that basically served homeschooled children in mathematics because their parents where not equipped to teach the higher levels of math themselves.

Everyone here is giving you the mushy gooshy....homeschooling is great speech. But teaching is difficult. Know the laws...there are some states that still require your child to take the state standardized tests and pass other exams in order to stay in a homeschool environment. I just wanted you to have another perspective.

Just my 2 cents...take it for what it's worth.

Answer 7

Everyone talks about home-schooled children are not socialized. I thing my children get real work socialization, in schools your child see his or her teacher and then a bunch of children that is his or her own age. In a home-school environment you can socialize your child with many different ages, creed, race, religion. My four children are comfortable with everyone one for newborn to 100 yrs old. How? We attend home-school group events, weekly trips to the library, visit nursing homes to visit with people that don't get vistors, we will visit the senior center and help serve lunch, we help out at or local homeless shelter.

For the last two yrs we have done an vitural public school, when we started my daughter tested a year ahead of what the school thought she would be for her age. (she entered 3rd grade instead of 2en) My son is doing first grade math and he is in kingergarten.

I feel that there is so many more chances and choices for homeschoolers and those that are schooled at home. My children are not missing out on anything.

To begin homeschooling I asked at the local library and they put me in contact with the local homeschool group, that and I read lots of books and lots of websites.

Connections Academy is a free vitural on-line public school, that is what we are doing now. www.connectionsacademy.com

Answer 8

Go to a local homeschool group, their next meeting. There you will meet veterans who will help you out. You can look at the state laws for homeschooling in your state.

Answer 9

When we began homeschooling, I had spent 3 months making ready for that first day. I had curriculum. I had the day all deliberate out. I had institution provides and so forth. I additionally had a enormous lump of fear in my chest.

Answer 10

You're local school district should have a homeschooling department. Go visit them in person. They will be able to tell you the legal aspects, the educational requirements, and how to begin. Since they are the entity that governs whether or not homeschool laws and guidelines are being followed, I would never begin without first learning about their expectations.