How to Homeschool

Are public schools failing your children? Are private schools too costly? If your answers are yes, then consider homeschooling.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• High School Diploma
• Patience
• Discipline
• Workspace
• Curriculum (optional)
• State Requirements

1. Review your state's and/or county's Board of Education requirements for homeschooling. For Fulton County, Georgia, 1. the parent or teacher must have a high school diploma, 2. a letter of intent must be mailed by a certain deadline, 3. a monthly attendance sheet must be mailed to the Homeschool Department.

2. Buy a curriculum or create your own using the grade level standards for your state or other states, if you are not satisfied with your state's academic rating and standards. This information can be found on the Board of Education website for most states.

3. Develop your weekly class schedule, including pledge of allegiance, lunch, physical education and homework. Set a time and day you teach the various subjects and don't make it mundane. Kids will get bored.

4. Buy any additional or necessary materials and equipment. Register or subscribe to educational websites that provide worksheets for free or a nominal yearly subscription fee.

5. Designate a particular area in your home where you will homeschool. I turned a room in my house into a classroom. It has designated spaces, Teacher's Corner, Library Reference Center, Media and Audio Center, Computer Lab, and Art Studio.

Tips & Warnings

• Find homeschool groups for your children to be able to interact with other children.
• Plan educational field trips throughout the year.
• Google to find your State's Board of Education Website.
• Google to find homeschool curriculums.
• Visit Schoolbox.com to find materials and equipment.
• Google to find "free worksheets", e.g., www.starfall.com, www.themathworksheetsite.com.
• Subscribe to an educational website. There are many sites, e.g. , www.schoolexpress.com, , www.teach-nology.com
• Buy a white board, desks, timer, globe, math manipulatives, bathroom pass ant etc.
• Incorporate Internet-related learning exercises.
• Do not stress!
• Develop a schedule that works for you. I teach 4 hours a day, the state requirement. School is from 8am to 12pm. Lunch is served at 12 and then PE. I assign homework Monday thru Thursday. Tests and quizzes are usually on Fridays.
• Alternate subjects like Science and History, don't teach every day.
• Add your own classes, like Religion, Art, Music and Health.
• If this is intimidating visit ww.k12.com and enroll your child in a "Virtual Academy".
• If you do not have patience, homeschooling is not for you.
• If you do not have the discipline to provide the routine consistency of teaching your children from the comfort of your own home, then reconsider homeschooling.
• It can be very challenging with more than one child, at different grade levels.

Resources

• K-12 Tuition-Free Virtual Academy
• Calvert Homeschool Curriculum
• Homeschool Resources
• Free K-12 School at Home

[YvonneRobert]

on 8/20/2009 This could be good information for some mothers at my church. I think it's good that you pointed out in the tips that there are environments where home-schooled kids can actually interact with other kids. Good article. 5*