INDEX:

First, learn all you can about homeschooling (Homeschool books, magazines, newsletters, and support groups.)

Plan your school year.

Supplies Needed

Organize your homeschool for success.

Assessment/Testing

Removing Your Child From School

When Should I Homeschool and How long should I teach each day?

How do I know my child is learning everything he needs to know?

Choosing Curriculum

“Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.” -- John Cotton Dana

First, learn all you can about homeschooling.

Read books about homeschooling.

FREE! How to Get Started in Homeschooling e-book by Cindy Downes. A condensation of what is presented here on this website.

Read the homeschool laws for your state on the Home School Legal Defense Association website. Be sure to read the "Legal Analysis."

Homeschooling for Dummies by Jennifer Kaufeld. ISBN 0764508881. This is one of my personal favorites. Focuses on the basics, especially on multi-level teaching and unit studies.

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling by Debra Bell. ISBN 0849975751. My other personal favorite. Focuses on the basics and college preparation. Very balanced.

Home Schooling: The Right Choice! by Christopher J. Klicka. ISBN 1929125070. Excellent for those who are not sure whether to homeschool.

Things We Wish We'd Known by Bill & Diana Waring. ISBN 1883002427. Short articles written by homeschool moms with a lot of good advice. A must read for all homeschool parents.

Home Grown Kids: A Practical Handbook for Teaching Your Children at Home by Raymond & Dorothy Moore. ISBN 0849930073. Do you have a struggling learner? You must read this book. This is the book that led to my son's education success.

Learning in Spite of Labels by Joyce Herzog. ISBN 1882514130. Excellent resource for parents of children with learning disabilities.

100 Top Picks For Homeschool Curriculum: Choosing The Right Curriculum And Approach For Your Child's Learning Style by Cathy Duffy. ISBN: 0805431381.

An Education Philosophy You MUST read... Marva Collins founded the Westside Preparatory School in 1975 in the inner city of Chicago. During the first year, Marva took in learning disabled, problem children and even one child who had been labeled by Chicago public school authorities as borderline retarded. At the end of the first year, every child scored at least five grades higher proving that the previous labels placed on these children were misguided. The CBS program, 60 Minutes, visited her school for the second time in 1996. That little girl who had been labeled as border line retarded, graduated in 1976 from college Summa Cum Laude. It was documented on the 60 Minutes programs in 1996. Marva’s graduates have entered some of the nation’s finest colleges and universities, such as Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, to mention just a few. And, they have become physicians, lawyers, engineers, educators, and entered other professions. I strongly recommend that you read her educational philosophy. It WILL change your thinking about school. Marva Collins' Biography. Marva Collins' Philosophy of Education. More info. To read more about her techniques, get her book, Marva Collins' Way.

Sign up for the Cindy's Email Newsletter (monthly August-May)

Read Cindy's Blog at: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/EmptyNestMom/ (general information, resources, and tips related to homeschooling).

Join a Support Group:

Finding Homeschool Support on the Internet: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8259/index.html

Join homeschool bloggers at: The Homeschool Lounge and Homeschool Blogger

Read Homeschool Magazines:

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Christian based, wonderful articles and info, and they have a great website and blog!

Practical Homeschooling Christian homeschool magazine by Mary Pride.

Home Education Magazine. Homeschool magazine for the general reader.

Listen to The Homeschool Talk Radio: http://www.homeschooltalkradio.com/

Read about home schooling in the news: at: http://www.homeschoolbuzz.com/ 

(top of page)

Use your goals for year, Sample Curriculum Plan, and these free planning forms to plan your school year. (Acrobat Reader needed to view pdf documents.):

Curriculum Planning Form

Primary School Planning Form

High School Planning Form

Purchase your curriculum after you have determined their needs and planned your school for the year. (See Curriculum)

(top of page)

Supplies Needed

You don’t need a schoolroom! Schoolrooms are designed to manage a classroom of students. Many new homeschoolers think they have to go out and purchase a desk, blackboard, and all the other equipment that goes in a traditional classroom because that is how they were taught. Homeschooling is different - that’s why it works. You can homeschool in your living room, in the kitchen, in your backyard, at the supermarket, and in your neighborhood park. (Thomas Edison's schoolroom was in a tree house, in his basement lab, in the kitchen, by the river, and on a train!) All you really need is some very simple supplies:

Textbooks (See Curriculum)

Paper (type depends on age of child)

Notebooks, pencils, pens, scotch tape, stapler, glue sticks, etc.

Art supplies (crayons, markers, paints, brushes, etc.)

A kitchen table is great for doing written work.

A computer is a necessity especially after about 8 years old

A library card - lots of good stuff in the library and it’s free!

VCR to play educational videos that you buy or borrow from the library

TV to watch educational shows

CD or cassette player for listening to good music

A nice, comfy sofa to snuggle up with your kids while you read together

Older kids usually want privacy. A well-lit desk in their room would be good for them.

Lots of bookshelves for all those great books you are going to collect for your library!

If you think this is a lot of work, check out the Rules for Teachers Circa 1872!: http://www.chamberlaincommunications.com/history/teacher.html

(top of page)

When should I homeschool and how long should I teach each day?

Most states require that you homeschool 180 days per year. Check your state rules. These are general guidelines. I recommend that you keep track of days in a log book. ISBN 1576900932.

Some homeschoolers teach year around taking longer or more frequent breaks during the year. Others teach from August to May like the schools.

Public schools meet for five hours a day to allow time for students to earn the required number of Carnegie Units for graduation. This amounts to 900 hours per year. It has been estimated by some educational professionals that out of that 900 hours, approximately 200 hours are spent on one-on-one or on-task teaching. The remainder is spent on all the other things that happen in schools such as correcting papers, recess, lunch breaks, managing classrooms, etc. That is the equivalent of 66 minutes per day! Considering that the average homeschool family teaches one on one approximately 1-1/2 to 3 hours per day, it's no wonder they are scoring better on standardized testing! See Sample Homeschool Schedule.

A Carnegie Unit is the amount of credit given for successful completion of a course which meets 40 minutes per day, five days per week, for at least 36 weeks or the equivalent amount of time within the school year.

North Central Association (Accrediting agency for public schools) makes the following statement in Provisions for Granting Credit on their website ( http://www.ncacasi.org/standard/emsu):

Independent Study Programs: “The school may provide planned programs of independent learning in which the student need not attend a specific amount of time during a semester. In such instances, credit may be granted for satisfactory performance on proficiency examinations or for successful completion of curricular units, steps, or phases established by the school as comprising the equivalency of a unit of work.

The average amount of time spent on one-on-one instruction in a homeschool varies from 30 minutes/day in preschool to 3 hours/day or more in high school.

The remainder of the day is spent in character training, spiritual training, chores, creative play, field trips, educational projects, family reading, volunteer work, extracurricular activities, and homework (child working on own).

Limit television and computer use as entertainment, especially during traditional school hours. Encourage them to find other ways to entertain themselves such as reading on their own, working on art or science projects, etc. I kept a special “school-time activity box” stocked with special art supplies, educational games, etc. that the children could play with during school hours only. This box was off limits at other times which made it a special. Activities like this will help to increase your child´s creativity and ability for self-government.

(Back to top)

How do I know my child is learning everything he needs to know?

The answers most given by “experts” are: follow the guidelines from your State Standards, follow a scope and sequence published by textbook companies or Worldbook, or pick up the book, What Your 1st (2nd, 3rd, etc) Grader Needs to Know. All of the above are good resources but they are not necessarily the final word on what your child should be taught. (Check your state laws for any specifics. These are general guidelines.)

Following is a basic teaching timeline:

Kindergarten through 6th grade: Teach basic reading, writing, and arithmetic (See 3Rs); introduce your child to history, science, art, music, etc. You can do most of this with library books, hands-on activities, and simple workbooks. Only a few textbooks are needed at these grade levels.

Continue working on phonics and reading practice until your child reads fluently. (See Reading)

Continue penmanship until your child writes in both manuscript and cursive. (See Teaching Handwriting)

Keep in mind the real question is not "What grade is my child in?" but "What basic skills is he lacking." Once you discover what he is lacking, select your curriculum accordingly. For instance, if he is struggling with fractions, work on more problems with fractions. If he has mastered fractions, only require enough practice to review. You do not have to do every problem or even every page.

Keep your child in the grade level that is appropriate for his age, but use textbooks on, above, or below grade level as needed. This may mean using a 5th grade math book and a 3rd grade reading book for your 4th grade child.

6th -12th: After all basics are mastered, it's time to prepare your child for college, trade school, to own his own business, or go into the ministry.

Work on improving composition, explore subjects in more depth to help your child discover his interests and skills, and given him specific courses that will help him meet his specific career goals.

This is also the time to teach him home management skills, family life skills, and to help him to grow spiritually so that he is ready to do what God has called him to do for his family, his community, and his church.

If he is finishing up high school, make sure he has the courses he needs for graduation and for the college and/or career in which he is interested. (See Teaching High School.)

Make it a priority to spend time praying about, researching, and exploring potential career goals during his middle and high school years. (See Career Training for more info.

An excellent scope and sequence for homeschoolers who use a mix and match curriculum is The Checklist.

Go to Choosing Curriculum.

(Back to top)

.