Knowledge Homestead

Before you begin your exhaustive all-out search for curriculum, materials and resources, you first need to decide whether homeschooling will be a good option for your family.

It's not a decision to be taken lightly - after all, your child's future is at stake. There is no rush - you can begin homeschooling whenever you wish! Understanding the committments and legal requirements will help you in making your decision. Do you and your spouse both work full time jobs? If so, finding the time to properly homeschool your children may be difficult. I believe that where there's a will, there's a way, and if you're really dedicated to making homeschooling work for your family, you can do it no matter the circumstances.

Here are a few things to consider before you jump into the great unknown:

1. Consider why you want to homeschool.
There are so many reasons parents choose to homeschool their children. Some teach at home for religious reasons - the desire to include (or exclude) certain values in their child's education. Others teach at home because they want to advance their child's education beyond what the public and private school system can offer, without having to pay for regular tutoring in only select subjects. Some homeschool their special needs child, because they feel the individual attention and self-paced learning is in the best interests of their child. And others prefer to take an 'unschooling' approach, allowing their children to learn more naturally from life's experiences instead of focusing on book work, worksheets and drill. Whatever your reason, consider what's most important to you in your decision to teach your child at home - once you know WHY you want to homeschool, you'll have a better idea of HOW you want to homeschool, or (at an early stage) you can determine whether other options might be best for you.

2. Consider the legal requirements.
Laws governing education vary from state to state. Assumptions can't be made, but (thankfully!) it's not difficult to find out what the educational requirements in your state are! Simply pay a visit to the Home School Legal Defense Association's website and choose your state from the map or list. From there, you will be able to view your state's requirements for compulsory attendance, required days of instruction, required subjects, 'teacher' qualifications, testing information, recordkeepig requirements, evaluations, and more! Some states have minimal regulations while others can be quite difficult to 'qualify' and meet annual requirements. Some states have very few regulations (Idaho, Texas, Alaska, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Connecticut and New Jersey, as well as Guam and Puerto Rico), while others have many (North Dakota, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Rhode Island and Massachusetts) - all other states and territories fall somewhere in the middle, with varying levels of regulation and, possibly, intervention. Knowing what the laws are in your state will be a valuable resource to you throughout your homeschooling journey, and especially when trying to decide if homeschooling might be right for your family. If you decide to proceed, joining the HSLDA will give you the legal support you need should any issues arise, and you will be notified of any legal changes that may affect your decision or ability to educate your children from home. Memberships costs currently run about $115 per year for a standard membership, with long-term memberships available at a discounted cost.

3. Locate support groups & information.
There's a huge network of support available to homeschooling families. These resources are especially valuable to those new to the world of homeschooling, when it's common to feel overwhelmed. Support groups can be found both online and off, and will give you a place to turn to for information, encouragement, ideas, support and more. Yahoo, MSN, and MySpace (just to name a few!) all have groups available to join, free of cost. Connecting with other homeschooling families is important, and finding 'old pros' to bring your many questions and concerns to will help you make this important decision. To find support groups in your area, click here and select your state from the list or map.

4. But what about social needs?
When discussing your homeschooling options with others, you may come under attack from those who aren't open-minded to the idea. Family members, who feel they have your best interests at heart, may try to talk you out of deciding to homeschool your child. One of the most commonly asked questions is "How do they make friends or learn to be social?" Chances are, your child already has many social ventures - sports, scouts, dance classes, 4-H, Karate/Tae Kwon Do/etc, volunteer opportunities, ministry, church and Bible clubs, co-ops or outside classes, music instruction, sunday school, field trips, neighborhood friends, etc. There is absolutely no reason to believe your child will be 'sheltered' when it comes socialization. Joining a local support group can give you even more options for get-togethers, and your new 'friends' will probably be more than happy to share their success stories in this area as well!

5. Is it right for you? Is it right for your children?
Once you've gathered a little information regarding the legal requirements, considered the time committments, and pondered the many options you may have for curriculum in your studies, you'll need to decide whether homeschooling is right for you. Of equal, if not greater importance, is whether it's right for your child(ren). Is (s)he doing well and happy in school? Do you have very limited time at home due to job requirements or medical conditions? If so, homeschooling may not be the best option for you or your child. On the other hand, if you have a gifted or special needs child that requires a faster or slower pace than the traditional school setting can offer, you may have a winning ticket with educating your child from home.

OK, so you've decided to go for it. Now what?

TIP#1
First and foremost, you should join a support group or find a network of other homeschooling families from which you can draw information, support and valuable resources. These groups can be found on a local or state level, and there are many groups that are method-based (unschooling, lapbooking, etc), faith-based (Christian, Catholic, etc) or generic homeschooling support groups that welcome families from all walks of life. To locate an organization near you, click here to see a list assembled by the HSLDA - you can view national organizations or select your state from the list to locate state and local organizations.

TIP#2
Participating in local homeschool events or conventions (even curriculum fairs - to get an in-person glimpse of some of the options available to your family!) is another great way to start out. Not only will you get some fantastic ideas, you will likely meet some wonderful people with whom you can share your new homeschooling journey. Curriculum fairs will allow you the opportunity to look through a publishing company's materials and ask questions of the attending representative from that company.

TIP#3
Before choosing curriculum for your child, you can potentially save lots of time (and money!) by first understanding his/her learning style. There are many guides to help with this - here are a few of the better-known tools for determining which style of learning is best suited to your child:

* 100 Top picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy
* Mary Pride's Complete Guide to Getting Started in Homeschooling by Mary Pride
* The Way They Learn by Cythia Ulrich Tobias
* Discover Your Child's Learning Style by Mariaemma Ms Willis and Victoria Ma Kindle Hodson
* Help! My Child Isn't Learning by Dr. Grant Martin

I highly recommend the aforementioned book by Cathy Duffy (100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum) - she explains the different learning styles in a quick and easy to understand format, and pinpoints key curriculum for each learning style. She even covers the different homeschooling methods and helps you determine which one may be best for your family. You can probably find this book at your local library, but you may want to consider purchasing it, as it's one you'll likely find yourself going back to again and again!

TIP#4
Choosing a homeschooling method is based primarily on your child's learning style, while incorporating your own educational philosophies. You may cling to one method of homeschooling exclusively, or you may find that a blend of several different styles (known as "Eclectic Homeschooling") works best for you. Homeschooling methods include:
* Traditional (textbooks, worksheets, drill, practice - very similar to standard schooling, except at home!)
* Classical (known as the 'trivium', this form of education teaches in 3 main parts - the grammar stage, the dialectic stage and the rhetoric stage - with focus on Western literature)
* Unit Studies (this enables a child to learn multiple disciplines throughout a particular theme)
* Unschooling (also known as delight-directed or child-directed, this techniqe uses exploration to encourage learning through a child's own interests instead of focusing on what a list says he/she 'must learn')
* Charlotte Mason (a form of classical education that teaches through "living books," nature and art)
* Independent Study (these are generally considered self-paced study programs that mimick standard institutional school curriculum)
* Umbrella Program (also known as a cover program, this program issues report cards, maintains attendance records, hosts field trips, academic clubs, reading clubs, provides student ID's and provides legal legitimacy to your homeschooling program should your state require it)
* Waldorf (this method follows the belief that learning in young children is primarily experiential, imitative, sensory-based, artistic and imaginative - learning through practical activities is encouraged)
* Montessori (emphasis is placed on self-directed activity on the part of the child with a 'director' (teacher) available for observation - the learning environment is adapted to the child's developmental level)
* Lapbooking/Notebooking (using notebooks or file folders to contain a variety of activities, crafts or projects all related to the same theme)

TIP#5
Once you've chosen a homeschooling method and have determined which curriculum is best suited to your child's learning style, you can begin to research individual programs of interest. If you ask 10 different homeschooling families which programs they prefer, you'll likely get 10 different answers, and many of them will tell you they had to try several different programs before they found one that really 'worked' for them. This is very common, so don't panic if your first year (especially) is hit and miss with the curriculum you choose to try.

Remember that support group you joined? ;) Hit them up with questions about specific programs of interest - perhaps they have used curriculum you can borrow to actually see the books or materials first-hand? And remember that curriculum fair you scheduled to attend? That's a great place to try-before-you-buy... flip through the materials - is it primarily concepts your child has already mastered, or does it seem way above their head? Is it written in a language you and your child can understand? Are there teaching guides available to help you present the material to your child, or does the material teach itself? Will there be lots of 'extra' materials required beyond what is included in any purchased curriculum package? What about time committments - can the material be covered in an hour or two, or will it take several hours to complete all the required work?

eBay is a fantastic way to locate curriculum at a discounted price. You can find entire programs of study, or even individual pieces (which are great for reviewing material before you commit to purchasing the entire program). You can also re-list curriculum once you have finished with it. Amazon is a great place to find books for reading programs especially. And, with a quick web search, you'll find lots of curriculum exchange programs as well - these are a great way to save money when stocking up on the materials you will need!

Finding a place to 'do school' may be difficult, depending on the size of your home and family. Some prefer to do their schooling the kitchen or living room (or even in the car!), while others have a designated room for their homeschool. There is no 'right way' to do this - it's entirely up to your space limitations and personal preference. Regardless of where you choose to do the bulk of your learning, you'll find that organization is key.

Some homeschoolers prefer to set up an entire 'classroom' in their home - with a desk, bulletin board, bookshelves.... all the standard equipment you'd find in a regular school classroom! As exciting as that sounds, it's not very practical for most families, who do not have a room in there house available to dedicate to such a purpose. In instances such as these, it's even more important to stay well-organized, as materials and supplies can be misplaced easier than if they had a designated room of their own. And, perhaps most importantly, children should be able to study in an area free of distractions such as televisions, computers (unless being used for education purposes at the time), loud music, clutter or other distractions.

Whether you need to organize your entire life, your home, or even just your bathroom, things will run much smoother without the chaos and disorder. In regards to homeschooling specifically, you will (at the very least) need an organized space to keep any materials you choose to use as well as any documentation you are required to maintain. You won't want your homeschooling materials to end up lost or damaged, right? For inspiration or guidance, check out the following handy helpers:

* Clutter's Last Stand: It's Time To De-junk Your Life! by Don Aslett
* Organizing from the Inside Out: The Foolproof System For Organizing Your Home, Your Office, and Your Life by Julie Morgenstern
* Organizing For Dummies by Miles Roth
* Creative Ideas For Organizing Your Home by Lowe's Creative Ideas
* How to Organize (Just About) Everything: More Than 500 Step-by-Step Instructions for Everything from Organizing Your Closets to Planning a Wedding to Creating a Flawless Filing System by Peter Walsh

So, what will you need? Not very much, really. Here's a list of likely essentials you will probably find useful regardless of your curriculum choice:

* Student/teacher desks. This doesn't have to be a school- or office-style desk, if you don't have the space or money to splurge on something so 'fancy.' You only need a place for children to do their work, so a kitchen or coffee table would work just fine. Consistency in your 'learning location' will probably help your children stay on task from day to day and will enable you to eliminate known distractions before they become a problem.
* Chalkboard/whiteboard. This doesn't have to be very large - remember you're only teaching to (at most) a few children, not an entire class! You'll want something small enough to move around easily (unless you're ok with the idea of hanging it on the wall in a more permanent location), yet large enough for your child(ren) to see as you write or draw on the board. You may find that dry-erase boards are a bit cleaner overall - no chalk dust to contend with!
* Large Calendar. This is handy for keeping track of assignments and daily activities/subjects, both for you and for the children. Knowing what to expect each day will be advantageous for them and will help you stay on task as their teacher, too!
* Bookcase. The size of the bookcase will depend on your available space and needs. You may find a small 3-shelf bookcase is sufficient, or you may need something substantially larger. You can store your lesson plans, gradebook, curriculum materials, manipulatives and hands-on tools, craft or project supplies, paper, extra printer ink, writing tools, workbooks and more stored here. Plastic containers or small plastic multi-drawer storage cabinets do a fantastic job keeping your materials and supplies neat, tidy, and easy to find (containers, of course, can be labeled).
* Computer and printer. This is optional, but most find a computer to be incredibly useful. Whether it's used strictly by you for gathering online resources and printables, maintaing records, etc or by your children as a means of research and educational programs/games, you'll likely have lots of use for a computer in your homeschool. Don't forget to stock up on extra paper and (especially!) printer ink! You may also find a high speed internet connection to be essential to your homeschool.
* Writing utensils. Pens, pencils, colored pencils, markers, crayons... anything that is appropriate for your chosen curriculum and age group should be kept on hand so projects and assignments don't have to be put off until materials can be purchased at a later date. You may be able to save with discounts on items purchased in bulk. Don't forget the erasers and pencil sharpeners!
* Paper. Lined loose-leaf notebook paper (college- or wide-ruled, depending on your needs), spiral notebooks, plain printer paper (either for your computer printer or for drawing/art projects), penmanship paper, construction paper, etc - Some of these you will use more than others, so stock up when you find a good deal!
* Notebooks. You will probably find lots of uses for small (standard 1") 3-ring binders and pocket portfolios. These are great for reports, small unit studies, lesson plans, and so much more!
* Craft & Project Supplies. Glue or glue sticks, colored paper, popsicle sticks... keeping anything that you use frequently on hand will prevent projects from being delayed due to lack of supplies.
* Filing Cabinet. A well-organized filing cabinet can serve as a means of organizing lesson plans, curriculum, printables, paper supplies, and portfolios created for documentation (or scrapbooking!) purposes. You'll also need to keep hanging and tabbed file folders on hand for your filing system.
* Clock or watch. This is only necessary if you plan to stick to a schedule each day. Choose one with an alarm feature if you find you lose track of time easily.
* Quick & easy snacks. You can't learn on an empty stomach! Besides 3 healthy meals each day, your child (and you!) should try to squeeze in a couple of healthy snacks. Look for things that can be prepared in advance, and foods that don't need any preparation (carrot sticks, pretzels, etc) are even better! Having these healthy snacks readily available will keep you from having to 'stop' the learning process entirely, and will keep growling tummies satisfied!

A Classroom of One's Own
By Sun and Candlelight
Cheeky Monkey Preschool
Eclectic Education
Guilt-Free Homeschooling
Heart of Wisdom
Home For Heaven's Sake
Homeschooling and Loving It
Keep The Way
Kerugma
Less of Me~ More of Him
Love's School
Mustard Seeds
My Life and Homeschooling
On Our Journey Westward
Only By God's Grace
Our Homeschool and Other Such Happenings
Our Homeschool Creations
The Shades of Pink
Ship Full O' Pirates
The Simcox Family Homeschool
Tami's Blog
The Eclectic Homeschooler
The Eco Chic Family Blog
The Homeschool Way
Unionvale Homeschool
Why Homeschool

I have a love/hate relationship with money. I love it. It hates me.

I have debt from years ago that hasn't been paid off yet. And, unfortunately, I'm adding on to that debt total at an astonishing rate of speed. When money out is greater than (but not equal to!) money in, it's a setup for disaster. I'm constantly budgeting, reworking the budget, looking for ways to save money on regular expenses, down-sizing, etc. Unfortunately, we've put ourselves in a bad financial position over the years and it will take a great deal of time, effort and dedication to get things all fixed up and looking pretty again.

I'm a huge fan of Dave Ramsey. It's funny, the people I admire most are the ones that say what we all already know, in a dummied-down way that makes it a real 'duh' moment. He has several books that are recommended reading whether you have money woes or not. And only when using his 'envelope system' has our family not had to live paycheck-to-paycheck. Dave also has his own television & radio show, so be sure to check for broadcasts in your area!

I'm absolutely determined to raise my children with a sound financial outlook. I want them to learn how to manage their money in a responsible way - saving for a rainy day and making sound investments for their future. I was delighted to find that Dave offers curriculum resources for children and young adults! And thanks to the Homeschool Buyer's Co-Op, this material can be purchased at a steeply discounted rate (up to 67% off) through December 2!

The Foundations in Personal Finance Homeschool Pack contains material appropriate for your high-school aged children, while younger children (ages 3 and up) would benefit from his Super Red Racer series & materials and Financial Peace Jr. set.

Teaching your child how to spend, save and give their money is very important. No parent wants to see their child struggle in life, and giving them the skills they need to succeed early in life will make such tasks more 'natural' to them later on. And because the best way to teach is by example, consider purchasing his "Starter Special - Family Edition", which contains the Financial Peace Jr. Kit, The Total Money Makeover book, the Deluxe Envelope System, the Cash Flow Planning Video and the Dumping Debt video. The kit and individual resources are available here at the Homeschool Buyers Co-Op until December 2nd, or anytime after that at his website (along with other pre-assembled kits and single products)!

Your child's financial skills can be grouped right in with his/her regular math or reading assignments, and the skills they learn from this (or any!) finance education will serve them for many years to come.