Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
Step1
Define your lesson plans (or at least your subject areas, if you lean toward unschooling). Once you know what you want your child to learn, you can start to identify learning materials.
Step2
Consider using some of the prepackaged curricula offered online and through mail-order catalogs. These can be lifesavers for first-time homeschoolers, as well as a starting point for more experienced parent-teachers.
Step3
Shop book fairs and school supply outlets for thematic units and mini-lesson plan kits. Once you've got the basic curricula, you can incorporate your child's particular interests and learning needs.
Step4
Consult with the public school in your district. School reading specialists, librarians and other key personnel can be invaluable resources to guide your curricula selection. They may even provide your child with appropriate grade-level textbooks to use at home, if you choose.
Step5
Check with your local homeschool organizations for opportunities to swap books, language tapes, software and other curriculum materials with other parent-teachers.
Comments
arwen1964 said
on 7/10/2008 I applaud the reference to unschooling and refraining from recommending that the homeschool family used the district's textbooks. I am very pleased to see some changes in the homeschooling articles lately, as I had gotten very disillusioned with the "school at home" bias many articles here had.
arwen1964 said
on 7/10/2008 I applaud the reference to unschooling and refraining from recommending that the homeschool family used the district's textbooks. I am very pleased to see some changes in the homeschooling articles lately, as I had gotten very disillusioned with the "school at home" bias many articles here had.
arwen1964 said
on 7/10/2008 I applaud the reference to unschooling and refraining from recommending that the homeschool family used the district's textbooks. I am very pleased to see some changes in the homeschooling articles lately, as I had gotten very disillusioned with the "school at home" bias many articles here had.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 To keep your home schooled children in the social school scene, take advantage of the free afterschool programs and local teen centers. These turned out to be a life saver for my children as they are able to play and interact with children their own age that they choose themselves (without some one else's idea of education being forced on them). It is also a great way to compare what you are teaching your children to what is being given at school.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 You can teach what you know. And, when your knowledge of a subject isn't quite what you think it should be, you can read-aloud and learn together, or your children can learn to teach themselves.