How to start homeschooling today!
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Why I want to help you start homeschooling
I have written some posts in the past about choosing a curriculum and our story to begin homeschooling. However, I feel like any parent who is making the choice to switch from public school to homeschooling is usually doing it for a specific reason or is being faced with a choice.
So, I put together this “How to start homeschooling today” guide.
There is no charge. I did this to help the scared moms and frustrated dads make solid choices with a plan of action and provide some piece of mind.
My branding and contact information are included in the guide to provide credibility and allow anyone to contact me with additional questions.
Each step of the guide will have the choice you need to make to start homeschooling, any links that can help you make that choice, and a place to write your answer. Please don’t feel overwhelmed with your choices. You CAN positively homeschool your kids, and if it isn’t something that works for you, that is the right choice for your family as well.
What are the laws to start homeschooling in your state?
Check the HSLDA (Homeschool Legal Defense Association). You should be able to find out what requirements, if any, there are for your state. With that, you may need a record keeping plan or find a charter program to school your child through. This does not limit your ability to homeschool and for first timers, it may be beneficial having some guidance.
Do you have childcare during that day that will replace the supervision your child received in public school?
Guess what? School doesn’t have to happen from 8AM-3PM every day. School can happen whenever it fits best for your family.
Stay-at-home parent? Work from home? Shift change? Can you look into passive income? Grandparent? Extended family? Daycare? Another homeschooling parent you can trade with on childcare (and teaching)? Older child in the home that can help? An older homeschooled child who is looking for spending money?
Think outside the box and ask around for ideas with your family, friends, community, church, and social media.
What type of homeschooling should you choose?
Often, information about homeschooling suggests choosing a homeschool style. Then the information goes into an overwhelming list of styles. With the new move towards homeschooling in our country, there are tons of resources that work with many styles when it comes to your choice.
Distance education – This is where the child has a set number of assignments that credentialed teachers put together. There are programs that are both online, bookwork, or a hybrid version of the two. Sometimes, there are online classes that the child must log into; most of the course materials are provided, and they can even have their costs covered by the school district. For this option, consider reaching out to your school district or programs like K-12. These can potentially be great for working parents or where a family member or care provider will be attending to the child during the day.
School at home – Many people are going to tell you not to do this. There is merit in it when the family is only considering having the child home for a short amount of time and wants them to blend back into a public school program seamlessly. The model for this would include choosing a curriculum with more rigorous standards or a set program. There are many amazing ones out there that provide everything a child and parent needs. One that comes to mind is programs like Alpha Omega Publishing (Christian-based).
Traditional(ish) homeschooling – This is more what many imagine when they consider homeschooling, and this is where the styles of homeschooling come into play. Styles include classical, Montessori, Waldorf, Moore Formula, Charlotte Mason, and relaxed. There are numerous sources online for reviewing each of these styles. There is no right or wrong style; take a little time, review them, and see what makes the most sense for your family. Honestly, after homeschooling for eight years, our family has not chosen a set style and changed it up a little based on which curriculum seems the best fit for each subject and the child’s age.
Unschooling – This is more freestyle rather than structured. Many see it as not teaching a child at all, and that is not the case. It is a child-led structure where you consider that they would like to learn and follow their lead. Some families still require the core subjects that they see fit and let the child lead for other subjects.
What curriculum should you choose?
That is a question that no one can answer for your family. The place where I chose to start is Cathy Duffy Reviews. This is a site that reviews and categorizes hundreds of curriculums for all styles, ages, and subjects. The site is reasonably up to date; however, there is an influx of brilliant people writing homeschool curriculums, which you can find through Pinterest, Etsy, and a printable site called Teachers Pay Teachers. Try not to discredit these sites, especially if your state allows it. These are resources written by homeschool parents and teachers, so they are set up to work well in homeschools. I have a post on my site on How to Choose Curriculum and a podcast episode that tells about how our homeschool is set up, both might help on these topics.
Most curriculums give a suggested schedule and tips for parents on how to teach the program. When you receive or download a curriculum, take some time to figure out how you want to integrate it into your homeschool day.
How to afford curriculum?
Sometimes, curriculum can be really pricey. Do not make yourself feel bad if you can’t afford the top of the lime everything. There are many low-cost and free options that can be considered. Easy Peasy Homeschool offers a completely free online homeschool curriculum for all ages and subjects. It is an amazing resource! There are tons of printables out there that can be downloaded and printed for low-price tags and for multiple children. Even higher-cost curriculums sometimes have a download option or e-book that is a fraction of the printed cost. If you would prefer a printed copy, you can often get the textbook (or whole kit) used online or at local homeschool sales or swaps and then just order missing workbooks if they aren’t already included.
When should I start homeschooling?
My answer? TODAY! That may not be a possibility for everyone. Your biggest concern should be your child’s supervision and safety. If you don’t feel safe sending them to school, don’t. You’ll figure everything else out. If you have to wait until you acquire alternate childcare, that is great, too. Of course, it makes the most sense to have all your ducks in a row before pulling your child from school, but honestly, I also don’t suggest pulling them on a Friday and starting to homeschool on Monday. Consider deschooling first. Deschooling is an opportunity for your child to decompress from the structure of public school before beginning a new routine.
It is okay to unenroll your child from school at any point during the school year. If you are near the end of a school year, you may want to wait and start homeschooling in the fall. That is unless there is a safety concern. Some states do require that a letter is sent to the district informing them of your intent to homeschool. Make sure that you are following any of those requirements to avoid a truancy charge.
If the question you have isn’t answered above.
Please reach out!
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