Posted on 04/27/2014 2:34:24 AM PDT by newb2012
Planning to homeschool some children in the family who are into middle and high school grades. I don’t have anybody around who are doing this. I’d appreciate any information about the initiation of the process, thoughts and experiences shared.
Where do you live?
Try the Seton Home Study program.
My daughter was home schooled, but that was 20 years ago when we lived in the country, east of Memphis.
Look online, or ask around for current home school organizations and groups in your area. They are great for materials, ideas, and support, including field trips and other group activities.
20 years ago when I homeschooled here in TN you had to have a 4 year college degree..
I had a friend who was an RN who had completed a 3 year program and was disqualified from teaching her children because of that rule..
I remember I had to fill in forms each year giving a schedule and list of all subjects I was going to teach ...
other states had different rules...
some states did not allow homeschooling at all in those days..
You will need to check with your own state school system..
Get (my appologies, I don’t know how to insert italics) The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. It is a fantastic guide. They have all the info that you will need. If I remember correctly they are young Earth creationists, so their history and science program reflects that, but I think they do offer more realistic alternatives. I haven’t read the book in a few years.
Home School Legal Defense Association
http://www.hslda.org/
Look up your state here:
http://www.hslda.org/hs/default.asp
Go HERE.
There are over versions over the years, too, with other tips and tricks. FR Search - HTML or HTML Sandbox.
Unless you are very isolated, there will be home schoolers in your area. Immense information is on the internet.
Do not fail to join HSLDA.
Most important: Trust yourself and do this for your children. You will never regret it.
Try the link: www.hslda.org. This will link you to State laws & organizations, http://www.k12.com/
In FL, we also have www.flvs.net
Let me know if I can help you further
P.S. ebay has GREAT discounts on used homeschool stuff :D
https://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Tennessee.pdf
TN HOPE SCHOLARSHIP info & etc: https://www.hslda.org/hs/state/TN/
Metmom, please pick up the courtesy phone.
Incoming........
Thanks for tipping me off.
Or so you may think.
Once you start, you will be amazed at how many people around you are home-schooling.
Do a web-search on "home-school co-ops" or "home-school groups" - Christian or secular, many of both.
Ditto that.
Find good curriculum. We use Seton. It will provide the structure you and they will need to succeed.
A lot depends on the state you’re in as far as what to do to begin so you don’t raise any red flags with social services.
The above advice of joining HSLDA before notifying the school of your intent is very good. Do not fail to do it.
Look for homeschool support groups in your area. You will probably be surprised at the number of homeschoolers who live around you that you were unaware of. Check with the local library.
The biggest thing I had to grapple with was choosing the curriculum. I was so afraid of getting the *wrong* stuff. There is no wrong. When you send your children to public school, they get what the school is given, and these days, it’s Common Core. ANYTHING is better than that garbage.
Saxon Math is the best Math curriculum around.
I’ve heard the later soft cover editions are not as good as the older hard cover editions. Try to find them used somewhere.
My kids cut their teeth on Saxon Math and all three of them entered their respective universities in the honors programs and qualified to take calculus in their freshman year without the remedial math courses virtually every other student ended up needing.
Forget Abeka history. It’s ridiculously hard. Their science is pretty good although there is newer stuff that I’ve heard is excellent. My daughter liked Alpha Omega for history.
Also, if you’re near a community college, look into having them take a couple classes there.
Goodwithagun—actually Bauer and Wise are not young earth creationists at all and have taken a lot of fire from the young-earthers in the home school movement, like Ken Ham, because of it. Bauer teaches at the College of William & Mary in VA, btw.
http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/
Ron Paul is working with various homeschooling leaders and providing an excellent homeschooling program which teaches students to learn on their own. Put aside whatever feelings you have for Ron Paul as a politician; in lending his name to this program, his curriculum staff are organizing a great, inexpensive course of study which a strong emphasis on liberty. And yes, Gary North is involved, too. However, while North misjudged about the year 2000 - he does know how to educate children, especially at high school and college level. We didn’t agree with his other activities, but I have always benefited from his suggestions in education.
BTW, I homeschooled three children - all went to private colleges with scholarships.
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