Homeschooling can seem overwhelming at first, especially if you are pulling kids from the traditional school setting. Take a deep breath, grab a cup of tea, and start your homeschooling journey with the knowledge that 14 of 46 presidents were homeschooled as well as MANY other well-known figures: Benjamin Franklin, Condeleeza Rice, Justin Beiber, Alexander Graham Bell, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Jonas Brothers, Frank Lloyd Wright, Tim Tebow, Venus and Serena WIlliams, and Emma Watson, just to name a few. Past and present, homeschooling has served as an amazing way to educate children and allow them time to pursue passions. You can do this (if you want to)!
6 simple steps to get you started:
Do you know anyone who homeschools? If not, reach out to homeschooling groups in your area to ask questions and get some tips. You can search here for groups and co-ops in the area. Many moms love to help a new homeschooler.
While it is legal in every state to homeschool, every state has their own laws to follow. Go to HSLDA to learn about what is expected of you as a homeschooler in your state. Some states basically require their curriculum at home, some allow you the freedom to choose what is taught in your home.
There are eleventy-million methods of homeschooling out there; you don’t need to pick one. However, learning about some of them may help you look at school in a new light….beyond the traditional school model. It may also help you narrow down those curriculum decisions. HERE is a great list of methods with pros and cons for some education methods. Remember to take your child’s learning style into account when choosing; if your child loves the structure of traditional school, unschooling may not be a good fit.
If you are pulling your kids from the traditional school setting, sometimes de-schooling can help with the transition. This period gives children a moment to breath if they were pulled from a stressful situation and it provides time to rediscover what your children’s interest. Use this time to enjoy the museums and zoo in your area, listen to audio books together, ask them what they are interested in, watch how they spend their time. If you notice an interest in animals, get some age appropriate books about animals and start there. Lego maniac in your house? STEM projects may be a place to begin. Don’t try to do it all at first. Take a moment. It’s ok to enjoy life for a moment and treat it like a stay-cation.
Choose curriculum (if any), write down goals, make lists of materials to order from the library. Decide when and where school will happen. Which days will be field trip days? Will you learn with friends? Will you try to stay on track with your school district for possible re-enrollment? This is the time to create a general map for yourself.
Don’t be surprised if the kids don’t share your enthusiasm. Make changes where needed. A bad day isn’t a bad homeschool. If a curriculum just isn’t working, set it aside and try something else. Maybe your child needs many breaks in their day. Maybe they need to get it all done in the morning and have free time the rest of the day; celebrate the wins and tweak the things that didn’t work.
I hope that helps you to get started on this amazing journey. Just remember: there is no perfect way to do this and your decisions are NOT permanent. Kids can go back to school, curriculum can be trashed or resold, and you can throw a break in whenever you need it.