Considering HomeSchooling: Where to Begin? (colleges, degree, public schools, grade)

[maja]

Not sure we're there yet. But I would like to know how I would begin HomeSchooling. We have a second grader and fifth grader in public schools now. I know there's a lot of information out there. But could someone give me some ideas of some good places to begin researching what is involved. I'm intrigued by the idea of it, not sure its for us, and feel a bit overwhelmed by the amount of information out there. Where is a good place to start? TIA

[TouchOfWhimsy]

Hello! I've been homeschooling my children from the beginning, in two states. They are currently in third and first grade.

The best place to start is locally... try to find a local support group in your state. The moms in the group will likely be very friendly and helpful, and will help you to understand the laws in your state. Try going to groups.yahoo.com and typing in "homeschool group ___________" (inserting your state in the blank). You could also go to hslda.com to find the laws in your state.

In the spring, try to attend a homeschooling convention, if there is one local to you. This will put you in contact with local homeschoolers, and also will enable you to look at a wide range of curriculums and talk to the curriculum vendors. There are usually speakers who have a ton of great information.

There are a ton of books on the subject of homeschooling... start with what your local library has, and go from there. At this point, while you're in the information-seeking phase, read about all the different types of homeschooling. You don't need to pick one, per se, but it helps to be familiar with the terminology that is bantered around in the homeschooling community. It can also help you to be aware of the vast spectrum that is homeschooling.

Good luck! Feel free to pm me with any specific questions that I might be able to answer for you!

[Ivorytickler]

Originally Posted by maja

Not sure we're there yet. But I would like to know how I would begin HomeSchooling. We have a second grader and fifth grader in public schools now. I know there's a lot of information out there. But could someone give me some ideas of some good places to begin researching what is involved. I'm intrigued by the idea of it, not sure its for us, and feel a bit overwhelmed by the amount of information out there. Where is a good place to start? TIA

Start by finding people who have successfully homeschooled and decide if what they call success is what you'd call success. Shop from the group you think have kids who are successful. Ask what colleges they got into and how well they did in college. IMO, people who stick with it until graduation are probably the most successful of the bunch. Those who quit and send their kids back to public school you'll want to be wary of.

[flik_becky]

I would be wary of some of what Ivory says. She has an odd perception of failure when it comes to homeschoolers, disregarding that homeschooling can be very successful, even for families who only choose to do it for a smaller amount of time.

hslda.org is a good place to start. It covers laws from various states as well as providing information on how to obtain support in your local area.

[Aconite]

Start by figuring out why you want to homeschool.
Then determine whether you're suited for it, temperamentally, educationally (and by that I don't mean "do you have a degree in k-8 education, which is of extremely limited value to a homeschooling family, but are you you well enough educated to know your own strengths and weaknesses, as well as your child's, and how to overcome or compensate for them), emotionally, physically.
Then search your state's homeschooling laws, and determine if you can work within that framework. States vary widely-- some require little to nothing, some require incorporation as a private school, some have a number of other hoops to jump through.
Find other homeschoolers in your area. You can function well enough as the only homeschooler in a crowd of schooled kids, but it will take a different effort than if you have access to a number of friends at co-op, play group, or other HS-friendly venues. Likewise, if all the other homeschoolers in your area are crunchy earthy granola folks with kids named Cypress and Willow, and you're a Pentecostal Christian who thinks the Duggars are scary liberals (or vice versa), you'll probably get irritated by being painted with that stereotyped brush on a regular basis. But at any rate, check out what's out there.
Also, consider your audience. Don't ask people who are dead set against public school (be they teachers, in-laws, or casual subway acquaintances) about homeschooling. It wastes your time, and just provokes the idiots into being...well, idiotic.
Figure out your budget, and whether you can accomplish what you want on that amount of money. If you think Broadway plays are a must, and your budget is a couple hundred dollars a year...well, good luck with that. OTOH, you don't need thousand-dollar curriculum sets to homeschool, either.
Check out a lot of websites. HSLDA can be of use, but I wouldn't use them as a primary source (sorry, Becky, but I still think half of them wear tinfoil hats on a regular basis). Personally, I like Jon's Homeschool Resource better: http://www.midnightbeach.com/hs/ I think they're far more balanced.

Anyway, if you still want to homeschool after that...welcome to the community!

[littlefamily]

There are so many good resources that are out there. Head to your library or bookstore and grab a book or two about homeschooling. One of my favorites is "The Well-Trained Mind". Although this book focuses on classical education, which you may or may not use as a philosophy, I find it to be well-organized into topics/subjects I should cover. I also like the welltrainedmind.com for its message board. The folks that post are all very helpful and use all sorts of philosophies/curriculum.

Remember that homeschooling is a journey. I learn right along with my children. Part of the beauty of homeschooling is that if you pick the "wrong" curriculum, you will know quickly. Then you just find something else and give it a try. It is not always easy, but it is rewarding!

[Ceece]

Check with the school district where your kids are currently enrolled, they may have some good information for you and may even have a curriculum.