Homeschool Spirit. Create Your Own Identity

A common question for every child is, "Where do you go to school?" It gives more credibility when a child says _______________ Homeschool instead of, "I am homeschooled."

You can choose any name you wish. It can be as simple as your last name or you can attach another name on the end of your last name, such as _________________ Homeschool Academy. Another option is to select a name that is unique to where you live. We have a meadow connecting to our backyard. Therefore, we chose the name Hickory Meadows Homeschool.

Naming a homeschool not only contributes to identity; it is beneficial when filling out papers that require a school name. Again, it represents credibility.

Your school name is also a nice touch on a school diploma. If you do name your school, it is wise not to use cutesy names. Those kinds of names are a bit embarrassing for a teenager.

Photo credit: Angel De La Noche

School colors add a nice touch when personalizing items. We use green to go along with the hickory tree. Bright colors are great when you go on field trips with lots of other children.

A school emblem can be just about anything. Consider using one that corresponds with your school name (like a hickory tree.) I have seen halos for ___________ Angel Academy, Bibles for religious school names, lighthouses, and others.

Personalized items are fun. You can even add your child's name to a few of the items. Instead of buying personalized spiral notebooks, save some money and make a similar one yourself. Take a presentation binder and have your child make a cover to slip into the front of the binder. The cover can have your school name, emblem, colors, and whatever else you choose.

Letterheads are valuable when requesting free products. A number of companies cater to public schools. Usually the companies require stationary with a letterhead as proof the individual placing the order is a school representative. One such company offered a free $400 software program. To receive the offer, the school representative needed to send the request using the school letterhead. I designed stationary using Microsoft Word and sent the company a letter. In a matter of days, I received the software ready for download. Unfortunately, I cannot send you the information so you can receive this great offer as well. It was a limited time offer and I have not seen it available since.

Business cards function in two ways. They work well when making school ID cards and for when you go to homeschool conventions. Often times a vendor offers a free drawing for a product or service in return for your name and address. Business cards save you considerable time filling out drawing slips from numerous vendors.

Looking at scrapbooks is always enjoyable for the whole family. It is amazing how quickly our children change over the years. It too is a good reminder of all the school accomplishments they have made. In addition, scrapbooks make great art projects.

Homeschool clothing and accessories represent a child's school pride. Several companies specialize in homeschool apparel. A few of them sell their products at homeschool conventions. You can also design your own by purchasing a shirt, bag and transfer paper (specially designed for clothing.) Print your design on the transfer paper using a computer. Then iron the paper onto the clothing. We did this when my son was in Kindergarten. We placed our logo and school name on the back of a sweatshirt. He then painted a dinosaur on the front along with his name.

Photo credit: Free Digital Photos http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=587

I recommend homeschool ID cards. An ID card is similar to a driver's license. It includes the child's name, address, phone number, parent's names, and a photo. Regular lanyards or ones with a zippered pocket are an option over carry the ID in a pants pocket. These cards are not required. However, they are handy.

Truancy issues are a concern in various regions. If questions arise as to why a homeschooled child is out during regular public-school hours, an ID card provides an official with proof of the child's educational status. The public schools in our area frequently use ID cards. My daughter rode her bike into town and carried her ID on a lanyard. A woman went by and was about to report my child to the authorities until she saw my daughter's ID card.

Students can receive discounts at movie theaters, sports activities, zoos, museums, etcetera when they present an ID card.

With a homeschool-teacher ID card, you can receive discounts at office supply stores, bookstores, software companies, Wal-Mart, and any other place that offers educational discounts. My teacher ID was beneficial when I checked out at Barnes and Noble Bookstore. The cashier requested proof I homeschooled before granting me at discount.

To save even more money, you can either use a free service such as the Homeschool Buyer's Co-op or make your own ID cards. Type the essential information on a business card, add a photo and laminate it for durability.

Photo Credit: Homeschool ID from http://www.homeschoolid.com/

The Crash Course contains 40 lessons and 382 pages of information with 50 pages of forms and templates!

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