Are you thinking about homeschooling your child? What should you do first?
Research. Research. Research.
The first thing you want to do is look into the homeschool laws of your state or province. Homeschool regulations vary by state/province. A good site to take a look at would be the Home school legal defense association in the U.S. and Canadian home based learning.You can also check with your local district school board.
The next step is to read, read, and read. Read everything you can homeschooling. There are tons of books on homeschooling as well as forums, and yahoo groups. Local homeschool coops or groups are also a wealth of information. I would also recommend checking out a homeschool conference, there’s nothing more exciting then being surrounded by homeschooling parents and books. They have various lectures/talks given by homeschooling parents or experts. Various vendors have their material on display for you to peruse as well.
Talk to other homeschooling parents or families and ask them any questions you have, they will be more than happy to share with you. Just remember that every homeschool is different, just like every family is different. Just because one family does something a certain way don’t let that turn you off of homeschooling, the beauty of homeschooling your own child, is that you get to choose what your family studies and what you get to concentrate on.
Favorite beginning homeschooling books:
- The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start
- Homeschooling For Dummies
- The Homeschooling Handbook, 2nd Edition
- Homeschooling: The Early Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 3- to 8- Year-Old Child
It can be overwhelming at first, however, just remember that you hold your child’s future in your hands and if they fail, society will blame you entirely…no I’m just kidding. A classroom teacher has 25 students in her classroom and able to devote little one on one attention to your child. You will, imagine what you can accomplish in that time. You will be more efficient and you will be able to cater to their needs.
This post is a part of my 31 day series – Ultimate List of Homeschooling Questions.
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