Learning is fun! Especially if it's at home!

  Every family has their own reasons for homeschooling. If you are considering homeschooling
or have already made the decision to do so I encourage you to keep reading.
Below are some useful tips that I have felt useful on my homeschooling journey.
Homeschooling is rewarding,but it is hard work too! Below I have listed some ideas to get your started on your homeschool journey. I hope this page will be helpful to you.

Below I have listed the steps that I feel are crucial to have a successful experience in homeschooling.

1. If you have already made the decision to homeschool the first step is to sit down with your husband or wife
and share with them your feelings about why you think you should homeschool your chidlren.
It is very important to have the support of your spouse.
Once the two of you come in agreement to homeschool, you are ready to begin!

2. Your very next step is that you need to check your state laws for homeschooling.
Every state has their own sets of options to choose from.
After you discover which option works best for you and your family.

3. Your next step is to use the procedure they suggest to go down to your children's public or private school and tell them
of your decision to homeschool. Once you have spoken with your child's school you are ready to start.
If your child or children have never been in public school you need to check your states law on how to start homeschooling.
You may need to sign up with the school or you may have to join an assoication.
Again each state has their own laws and you must check your states requirements.
You can check this site to determine your states laws nowYour States Homeschooling Laws

The next step is to choose the right curriculum. Don’t worry about making a “huge mistake.”
You can give your children a good education with practically any curriculum you choose,
and you will learn what works for your family by experience.
Do not become overwhelmed by the many choices that are available to home educators. Instead, choose what looks good to meet the goals of your family and rely on the Lord’s promised wisdom and strength.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach,and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5-6a)
“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace,so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”(Hebrews 4:16) Once you have chosen a curriculum whether it be all from one publisher or program
or you mix and match you are ready to start school.

A great advantage is being a part of a homeschool support group.
I encourage you to get plugged in to a local or state support group, participate in local homeschool events
and talk with veterans who can show you the ropes.
My best resource has been homeschool blog groups. Parents share a lot of ideas,
their experiences and ask questions here.

There are different ways to homeschool. Some choose textbooks
and teach like "school" some chose other methods which I will explain now.

It is very important to discover what your child's learning style is.
Homeschooling enables you to tailor to your child's unique style of learning. Some are visual,
some are auditory some are both and some are the hands on type.
My college professor is an expert at learning styles.
She has a wonderful site and will send you free emails with tons of information. You can find out more about learning styles here:

The next step is to find the type of curriculum and method of homeschooling that fits you and your child.

I use the TRADITIONAL approach:Textbook/workbook approach, emphasizing reading , writing, grammar and spelling through drill and practice WITH UNIT STUDIES.

CLASSICAL

UNIT STUDIES

UNSCHOOLING/CHILD-DIRECTED

I found that it is a great idea to set goals for the school year.
What you wish to accomplish that year. I found these goals on the "teaching home" newsletters and have pretty much stuck by them for my goal setting. Spiritual Goals
• Knowledge of God and His Word
• Salvation
• Love and obedience to the Lord, spiritual growth
• Love for others resulting in evangelism and service
• Character development and discipline

Academic Goals
• A Christian world view
• A solid foundation in the basics
• An excellent, well-rounded education
• Confidence and independent thinking

Social Goals
• Family unity
• Social skills, good manners
• Life skills: practical preparation for adult life

Remember to do the following to make your school year a success!
• Know your state’s law.
• Contact your state home-school organization to learn how to comply with your state’s law.
• Consider joining Home School Legal Defense Association.

What does God say about Education? Homeschooling is the most Biblical form of education.
God addresses parents, not government employees as the educators of their own children:

"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way , when you lie down and when you rise up. Deuteronomy 6:6-7

"All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children." Isaiah 54:13

Jesus said: "can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." Like 6:39, 40

Learn not the way of the heathen." Jeremiah 10:2

He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." Proverbs 13:20

Will your children believe in Jesus when they graduate from high school?

homeschooled 98%
Public Schooled 11%
Dr. Robert Simonds, Center for Excellence in Education.mace-cee.org

The most important reason for a christian parent to homeschool is for the sake of a child's soul.
I think its time to get our kids out.
Dr. James Dobson, Focus on the Family March 28,2002

To know God and be ready for heaven,
follow these steps:
A. Admit you are a sinner.
"There is no one righteous, not even one ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:10,23. (See Romans 5:8; 6:23.)

Ask God's forgiveness.
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13
B. Believe in Jesus

(put your trust in Him) as your only hope of salvation.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 (See John 14:6.)

Become a child of God by receiving Christ.

"To all who receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 (See Revelation 3:20.)

C. Confess that Jesus is your Lord.
"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 (See verse 10.)

The question that is fast becoming my favorite is
"Why do you Homeschool?"
The people I really like to share our reasoning with are
the ones that truly want to understand why someone would make this decision.
But others will look at us like we have grown a third head and have gone completely crazy.
And still others do not realize that home schooling has been around lot longer than the public school system.
We always knew we were going to homeschool our children before we even said "I do"
it was something we discussed and believed it was what the Lord
wants us to do as parents. When Michael was a baby, we were
responsible for teaching him to eat, drink, walk, talk, potty train, we were to teach him to grow up.
No one told us to send him to school to learn these. We were responsible.
But at the age of five everyone thinks they have to SEND their child to school to learn.
Why? The only thing that changed is WHAT he was learning.
We were still his parents and we believe our son is a gift from God
and that we as parents are to train him up in the Lord...not give him up to be trained in the world.

I read this story online and wanted to post it as I hear this from so many of my friends when I share that they can homeschool.

"Someone once asked me how I could think I can teach my son better than a person who has gone to college
and holds a degree in education. Well, I guess I feel I can't do any worse than that person.
I can read books on the latest teaching methods, research for age appropriate reading material;
I can even download a Scope and Sequence from the smartest state in the country.
I can read about the latest and best books available on a subject or read reviews on different curriculum
and decide which will work best for Kristopher.
But more importantly, I also went to school
and learned reading, writing, math, science and history too.
But the one thing most teachers will tell you they want,
is a smaller class so that they can have more time for the kids.
I am one teacher with one student and my singular goal for Kristopher
isn't just to teach him, but to help him learn and understand
what he is studying. My husband, Greg and I,
talk to Kristopher, asking him what he would like to learn about,
how he would best learn it, and other things as they apply to him.
For Kristopher, lots of hands on learning is best and currently
he loves completing thematic units and literature based across the curriculum units.
When something doesn't work for him, we change it.
When he doesn't understand it, we keep working on it,
rather than moving on and leaving him confused. When he enjoys a topic,
such as the Titanic, we study it until I cannot stand it,
but we preserve on until he is ready to move forward.
When he causes trouble, I can discipline him so that he learns not to do it again.
"This mom had shared her story on the following site:
http://www.homeschoolfreestuff.com/issues/soup04/soup04.html

Homeschooling: A Way of Life
Educating our children in the required academics is only a small part of their
overall education. We must prepare them to be citizens of the Kingdom of God,
active members of their local community, and godly parents of our grandchildren.
Homeschooling provides us the awesome opportunity to apprentice our children
in a way of life that will ultimately please our Creator