How do I get started?

[rebecca100]

I know that you have to turn in a homeschooling intent paper and sign a waver. But I don't know how/where to get their books and how to keep track of what they have done. I looked at several homeschooling sites, but there is so much out there it is confusing. I also read and was told that you can request their books from the school. How do you guys do it?

 

[journey11]

We're getting ready to start Pre-K next year. I'm gonna join up with my county homeschool association and let them point me in the right direction. Do you know if you have one for your county or state?

 

[Mattemma]

When I hsed I was able to get a lot of books from the library,and even more material online. A printer is a must with extra ink on hand!

I also picked up books and supplies as they cropped up at the resale stores. If you join local homeschool groups you might be able to get free/low cost curriculum materials from other families.

I never kept a log of things.We just worked through the material I found.I know some states want detailed records,and if you have a teacher look over things at the years end then you need to create a portfolio.

I always just did iowa testing at home through Piedmont services in NC.They mail the test and then the test results.Then I mailed a copy of the test result with my next years letter of intent.

 

[rebecca100]

I was thinking of using Time4Learning to start out with. I think I will keep a portfolio just in case.

 

[mrscoyote]

Hi, homeschooling is a wonderful adventure. Just take a breath and take it a step at a time. Check out Home school legal defense dot com they can help you with the laws and requirements for your location. The school district is usually who you need to contact for giving notification. They should be in the phone book. Then Google home school support groups for your area to hook up with locals that can give you information specific to you.
Good luck and enjoy the journey. I have 2 daughters that went on to college and am now teaching our son who is finishing kindergarten.

 

[Wannabefree]

We went through Lighthouse Christian Academy which is the School of Tomorrow/A.C.E. homeschool. They retain records as did we. They are also one of the less expensive accredited schools. Plus we liked the curriculum and they have a team of advisors for the harder subjects DD17 was taking that I just COULD NOT wrap my pea brain around...like Geometry. I didn't study that in school It took me 3 weeks to catch up with her Advisor was a lifesaver! He was a college professor

 

[Shiloh Acres]

If you can get books from the school board (and you want to) I'd check with the school board themselves, or a local homeschooling group. Ours had a special program for homeschoolers with TONS of stuff you could check out ... games, books, other resources. I didn't care for their books but I did make good use of the games.

As far as a log book, we were required to keep one. I found it indispensable. I also never found one that was set up like I wanted it. I made pages on my computer and printed out extra copies, and revised it MANY times as we changed our schedules and curricula.

You can just list the subjects down one side, the days across the top, and make a brief note of what pages you did, what test was taken, etc. You probably need to keep a list of textbooks either on the log or, if you use the same textbook long-term, it's easier to make a note once somewhere in the log. You may also want or need to keep a list of books read (stories, etc.). I used to keep separate lists for books my child read vs. books I read to them.

I liked to keep a lot of info on my log, so I made big squares and a 2-page spread for week, so I could list spelling words missed, typing speed achieved, test grades, and anything else I wanted to keep up with. I used it partially to plan, and partially to record what we did. It made things SOOOOO easy having it all with all my notes in one book. I could flip three pages ahead and note something I needed to review in 3 weeks, or look back and see all the spelling words missed in the past 3 months and retest them, etc.

It's a very personal thing though. You'll probably change it up several times. Just do what you think will work and be flexible. You can always buy a pre-made teacher's log, but they usually have stuff you don't need (places to record test scores for dozens of children) and probably won't have stuff you DO want. I had rather save the money and make my own, and just 3-hole punch them and put them in a binder.

As far as curricula, I would always recommend anyone not spend too much on anything at first. I went through several math curricula finding a good fit in the first year. I also changed Grammar curricula several times during elementary school.

If you don't want to put together your own curricula (especially at first) there are places that offer whole-school options, online or boxed. But it's easier than you might think to put your own together. You're starting out not behind, so no rush. You can afford to change your mind later. To me, that's one of the great advantages of homeschooling: being able to tailor the program to YOUR child.

Have fun and enjoy your children with it.

Oh, I'd definitely second LOTS of online sites are available. As a teacher, I still use a lot of them when I find "holes" in the curricula I am using at school. If you have an inkjet printer, buy the refills and refill your own black ink if you haven't already. It saves a TON of money.

 

[yourbadd]

I started out by using an online charter school (please no bashing me, I DO realize it is a form of public school). I personally liked it as a tool to get organized and form a game plan for the years to come. Plus as a first year homeschooler we were not fully prepared for the outrageous cost of some of the materials. We received a loaner computer and a HUGE box of books/materials. It allowed us to see which aspects of the curriculum we wanted to spend big bucks on and which we would just supplement and "wing-it".

We have since bought pre-packaged curriculum suck as Saxon Math, First Language Lessons, Story of the World, A Beka, Compass Learning Odyssey (online program), and Calvert (which I love!!).

We also got books from the library about specific subjects the kids wanted to know more about.

Here in Ohio, you have to send a letter to the school district notifying them your intent to homeschool with a brief outline as to curriculum. At the end of each year you either have to complete a standardized test or have a portfolio review which consists of a brief interview of the child by a certified teacher (one you pick) and they go over samples of the work completed throughout the year. Both options cost about $30. Tests can be ordered online and took no time at all to complete with results back in 3 weeks.

The bottom line is do what you feel is right for your child. Figure out how he/she learns and go with it!!

 

[lorihadams]

We had to do a Notice of Intent with the school board. Here is my tip....don't tell them any more than you absolutely have to. Fill it in with the bare bones minimum.

Check to see if your state has a homeschool association and contact someone in it to see what they did. Also see if you can find local homeschool groups, sometimes you can find lots of parents in local churches that homeschool for religious reasons and start a group if necessary. You can find lots of good resources to swap that way.

Oh, and my son is 5 and my DD is 3. They are about to turn 6 and 4 next month and we don't really "do school" everyday. We don't do a lot of paperwork at this stage. We read everyday, watch certain shows on PBS in the mornings after breakfast, go to storytime at the library at least once a week and get new books--I require them to check out at least 1 nonfiction in addtion to the fiction titles they choose. We use manipulatives for math at this point....popsicle sticks are great for addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, and fractions. I have them in different colors too. I try to make a list of words for my kids to "read" every week and sometimes I can get my 5 yr old to practice writing them but I don't push at this point. When he draws a picture I help him write a word or two on the picture to help describe it and he has learned lots of vocabulary that way. I teach him basic sounds and we make a game out of trying to come up with different words that begin or end with the same sound....also teaches rhyming. My son loves dot-to-dot so that is how I have taught him his numbers and how to count by 2s, 5s, and 10s.

We go outside a lot when the weather permits and walk in the woods often. We have a bird feeder in clear view of the kitchen window and they have learned all about birds this year just by watching that feeder every day.

We also talk a lot. I don't talk down to them but have always spoken to them clearly and properly and correct their grammar when they say something incorrectly and then have them repeat it to me the correct way. I constantly get comments on how articulate my children are.

We also play I spy to learn colors, shapes, textures...etc.

Make it fun for them to learn and pay attention to what works best with each child and create curricula to fit that model.

Unit studies work well for some children as well.

There are lots of free websites for homeschoolers too...there's a thread here for that....just don't stress yourself out too badly and if you feel yourself or your children getting burnt out....change things up for a day....take a field trip, go to the park, a museum...whatever. Sometimes that's all that's needed to get out of a funk.

I just found out that Bank of America has a program now nationwide that if you bank with them and present a check card or credit card at certain museums in each state the first weekend of the month, you get free admission. Go to BankofAmerica's website to see a list of participating museums.

 

[lorihadams]

Just wanted to share this...Countryside magazine has about 20 pages of essays on homeschooling in the Jan/Feb edition. It was really helpful and encouraging, especially for beginners like me!