Homeschooling......where To Start?

Hi A.,

I have been homeschooling 9 years. I remember the early years, being unsure what to do. The best thing you could do for yourself is go to an online supprt group. Register and then find a seasoned homeschooler who will help mentor you to get you started. Send a post and tell them you are new and just ask if someone could show you their attendance record (and give you a blank copy) and help you know where to start.
go here for groups:

http://www.home-school.com/groups/IN.html

Your state requires you to keep an attendance record. I think that is it! Just keep it in a binder on your shelf and keep it updated. The public school also wants you to register some kind of form, but it is not required by law.
You need to have your kids in school for 180 days. Choose a standard of study that the indiana schools go by. For example, if the public school requires, science, math, english, PE, language arts, etc, just do the same thing.
Heres the law for indiana hs: http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Indiana.pdf

Here is another site to get you started:
http://www.youcanhomeschool.org/starthere/info.asp?state=IN

It will take you some time to get your curriculum together for three kids and get yourself in order. To be most successful (and the least stressful for all involved) , you should wait until the start of the school year in Aug/Sept to switch over.

There is so much curriculum out there it will boggle your mind. Don't assume that just because it has been published , that is is "good". I have come across what I consider substandard curriculum. A couple that come to mind have the word "easy" somewhere in the title...Easy Grammar , Teach Your Kids to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, and Handwriting Without Tears. At least two of these curriculums were written with the challenged child in mind who has learning issues or disabilities. Is is baffling that they have gone mainstream for normal kids. Many choose them only because they have heard that other moms used them -without doing the research on their background or the author's background.

With that said, I will give you a list of curriculum that I have found that I personally liked:

Spell To Write and Read by Wanda Sanseri- can be daunting for some because the parent has to learn it before teaching it however, if you can find a mentor, someone who uses it, and watch her in action with her child, it is much easier to start. Secular. Phonogram /spelling rules driven teaching, not blends or sight words like the public schools.

Rod and Staff English Series- fabulous classical English education. Advanced level. Might want to start by choosing a grade or two lower than the child now is in the public schools. This curriculum starts diagramming in 3rd grade. If the child has not done any diagramming, you will probably want to either start with the 3rd grade text or some other way to teach diagramming. Christian based. Buy the teachers manual with it. You will need it. Rod and staff also has an english handbook that we have loved.

History: Story of the World - take all kids through it at the same time. Activity guides bring it to life and make it more interesting. Bring in books from the library to add interest as well.(there is a book suggestion list with each chapter.) Secular.

Science: Apologia series- Again I take all my kids through the same text at the same time. Creation based curriculum. Mostly reading (you read it outloud to them), and the kids keep a notebook where they do drawings, and write a synopsis of the lesson. Small experiments and things to do are included in each lesson. The notebooks are wonderful keepsakes.

I am not crazy about Abeka although many people choose their entire curriculum though them. I think that is boring. In addition, their reading program teaches blends, and I beleive teaching phonograms is a better way to go. I do use their HEALTH books. Abeka math is usually one grade level advanced than other curriculum.

Math: I have used math u see, Saxon, (and Chalkdust for 6th-junior high).

Art: I bought the Artelier series and I am not crazy about it. DRAW WRITE NOW is a fun series for younger kids.

Curriculum can be very expensive if you always buy new, or always switch, or always have to have the lastest new stuff. There are homeschool conventions that come around to the major cities, and they are full of vendors selling new homeschool supplies and books. Going to these will make you want to spend more. If you do go, go with a list in your hand of what you need, and try to stick to it!

I try to get ALL my curriculum used. Every spring there is trypically a local used book sale-the homeschool e-loops that you join will let you know where and when. If I don't find what I need there, I will look online at Alabris,
half.com, Educational accents, etc. or I will post to the homeschool eloop what it is that I am looking for and ask if anyone has a copy for sale.
Dont forget craigslist also!

To keep your costs down, buy curriculum that is non-consumable. Example, Rod and Staff is hard bound text and you write the lessons on binder paper. The text can be reused with all up comming children. I can buy a used Rod and Staff English set (student and teacher books) for around 15- 20 bucks, and use it will all three kids when they get to that grade, and then- resell it for practically what I bought it for if I keep it nice.

And if I can give you one piece of advice: Dont look ahead in the curriculums to the end of the book and get scared that you can't do it. Take each day-one day at a time- and you CAN do it!! I promise.

Good luck,

Gail

You can start anytime, and each state has different requirements for how to report. You can request this information from the dept. of education in your state, just look them up online. In Minnesota (where I live), for example, you have to supply your intended curriculum and tentative calendar, as well as a quarterly report card. Students also have to take the same performance based tests that public school students have to take, which are different for each state, but generally have to be administered at a testing site.

I don't think anyone can tell you what curriculum to use...that's something you need to research and decide on your own, as far as what will work for your children and your family. It can be very expensive or (relatively) less expensive, depending on what curriculum you use, what you can share between students, what you can find at the library and online, etc.

Structuring your day works differently for everyone, as well. With a young infant (at the beginning of this school year, my youngest was also three months old) it's really a matter of scheduling around them...but a lot of teaching can happen from the couch with a baby at your breast! :)

www.k12.com/ha Check it out!! This has been a total Godsend for me. We are currently homeschooling through an online program that uses the K12 curriculum (a WONDERFUL curriculum, the best I've personally every tried) and they have one in your state. It is such a GREAT way to homeschool! It's tuition free, they provide all the supplies including textbooks, workbooks, literature books for reading, science and lab equipment, math manipulatives, etc...the only things you have to buy are what you'd be buying anyways for public school. Ours in MN even provides loaner computers to use (and they are fabulous computers), and they also pay to return everything at the end of the year (some stuff you get to keep, which is also great.)

I can't tell you enough how much I love this program, because as a busy mother (which you are) it will be very, very difficult to create a curriculum for three (and someday, four) children that really covers everything they need to learn in a complete way. The curriculum is all laid out for you on a very user friendly "online school" (I love the way it's set up) so each day, you know what books you need, what lessons to do, what supplemental material you need, and what you need to plan ahead for. Some of the lessons are online (more as children approach high school) but most of the lessons are done from a book. For example, language arts and phonics/reading/spelling are all offline (so, at the table, the couch, wherever!), math is mostly offline but they do have some online "fun" activities to reinforce concepts, and history IS online (as far as the lessons go) with things for them to read and watch, but worksheets are still done, etc.

Before I ramble any more about this and bore everyone, I'll just say, mail me if you want more info or check out the k12.com website...however, the link I gave above is the one (I think) that is specific for your state. I can't tell you how much I love this...but if you mail me, I will try!

I think it'd be a great place for you to start!

And congrats...you will love homeschooling. It's so rewarding for both you and your children!

Check out HSLDA.org

I use Sonlight Curriculum. Get a catalog first. I always order the instructor guides first. If you order more than $150, you get free shipping. I get as many books they recommend from the library that I can. I order the rest from the company. I have my kids do things on their own while I'm schooling the other kids. Even the four year old and color, do a journal where she draws a picture and then "writes" about what she drew. You can also get very cheap and easy workbooks for her to "do school" with while your schooling the other kids. You can also do somethings together. I do school with my children separately but you don't have to. There are a lot of books you can read also to help you get started. Good luck!

Go to hslda.org and look up INdiana. It gives the legalities by state. Start there, all states have their own criteria.

Math programs have downloadable placement tests. I use Singapore Math. Many use Saxon, I have heard good things about Math U See. ALEKS math is $20 online and pretty fun for the kids

There are a myriad of Grammar programs. I use Shurley Grammar with my 4th grader. After one year of it they can skip the next year. I moved my daughter into Rod and Staff 7th grade. It is a lot of work but it is very throrough.
Spelling Workout. We are in book D. My 7h grader doesn't do spelling.

I have heard great things about IEW-INstitute for the Excellence in Writing.

I use Bob Jones Science 4th grade. It is really fun actually, lots of experiments and easy to understand text. Some use Apologia, I have heard good things with that too.

Story or the World and Mystery of History are two History programs. They're OK. I really like the History pockets by Evan More from the teacher stores. I use history pockets to supplement.

I use The Latin Road to English Grammar. We also have some LAtin and Greek Roots workbooks. Latin for Children is a good program too.

They read appropriate books at their level. My son is now reading Crispin by Avi, he is in 4th. My daughter is reading the Illiad she is in 7th.

For music and art they take piano, and are in a homeschool band. They also take an art class through the park district geared for homeschoolers.
They also take fencing for homeschoolers.

They are involved in church youth group and scouts.

Some use curriculums that are built for you
Veritas Press
ABEKA
My Father's World
Bob Jones
There are some Christian ones that I have heard are pretty good, Lighthouse, maybe.

I got the book The Well-Trained MInd by Susan Wise Boauer. Very helpful. She also has a website with a forum for homeschooling families.

Cost can be very little if you do the online free programs or a fortune if you buy everything new and everything is piecemeal. We spend about $3000-$3500 a year, that is band, piano, art, fencing, scouts, books, fieldtrips to museums. It is throughout the year so you arent' dropping it all at once. $500 is tax deductible, if you have receipts.

Start after this school year, get organized this summer.
Get the legal documents you will need, high school/college transcripts. Notify the state if you have to.
Get a school calendar, planner. I got mine for the local teacher store.

Plan on not getting everything you want to get done the first year.

Get a good printer, we use an HP All in one, printer/copier/fax/scanner. Copy everything this summer and then you have it.

OUr day starts at 9ish, we go to about 3 or 3:30. We take an hour for lunch.
Latin, Science, History, Geography is all done together. Math and Grammar are separate.

Good luck, you can do it.

i actually go to an online home school. depending on your state google online home schools. they provide a computer printer/scanner and depending on the school textbooks or the books are online and it is state approved and funded normally

Hi A.,
Indiana is an easy state to home school. All states have basic regulations and it is important to know about them before you start. As other moms suggested H., check HSLDA.org since you will find there the basic and important information to start. Depend on each state you may just need to let the school where your kids are attending that you will be home schooling your children (when you decide to pull them out). It can be anytime during the school year. Do it by a written note. Remember every state has its own rules and requirements including class hours to be D. over the year.
Curricula: there are many different styles and approaches that you will need to read about so it fit on your children styles or characters. While there are expensive ones there are other free which depend on what you will be using according to your goals (I want my kids to know more than the basic, I want my kids just learn the basics-reading, math, English grammar- I want them to have a christian foundation, I want them to have a very flexible curriculum and lots of field trips, I want them to have a balanced curriculum with some kind of schedule and also field trips with other children...etc...These are some of your goals as mom-teacher, may be more....
Supplies :You can get supplies either from the internet, private schools if you are working with one (like us), library, support groups, bookstores like Borders or Barnes &Nobles, etc if you mean the textbooks. Even you can get some things from Wal-Mart and Target.
Home schooling will be expensive or not depending on what you choose. if you will be teaching by using library or second hand material, borrowed material, etc it may be very convenient. On other hand if you work with Beka, Kolbe or other schools/organizations, the cost will be higher. There are plenty of options for the budget you have.
A Home School Day: It varies a lot depending on mom and children's style, on what you want to accomplish. Some moms start the day very early and others start later during the morning; some others study 4 hours and others less than that. You will find little by little what works best for you and your children, just keep records of subjects and hours you are working with the children, keep a log, a book and a planner to record what you are doing with the children, just in case. Be organized, that is my best advice. Sports and activities are ALWAYS there for home school children everywhere you just have to search and ask (even right H. in Mamapedia!!!)
I started to home school my children in the middle of the third grade of my oldest. So you can start anytime, but it is better to do it when a quarter has ended or when a period has ended so the child doesn't feel odd about it. (my kid was thrilled and so enthusiastic!, though).
Take your time to take the right decision. Plan and be organized, believe me it is very important....I have learned that homeschooling is an interesting and beautiful journey but it is a lot of work, demanding and challenging. Take one day at time, and remember you will have great days and not so great days, but the kids ALWAYS will learn something. make it fun! As parent, I have made many decisions but one I do not regret is home schooling.
Good luck!!!

I have been homeschooling for 6+years. You need to check with your state to see what their regulations are. In Texas we have a website called Texas Homeschool Coalition which keeps up with the laws/regulations for the state of Texas.

I love homeschooling. You have freedom to teach and really experience education with your children. You might check with a local homeschool support group for more ideas.

As far as when is a good time to start, that's up to you. In Texas if you have children in public school you do have to write a letter stating your intention to homeschool so the child will not be truant. Again, you'll need to check with your state laws to see what they require.

Once you find out the information that is pertinent to you, if you'd like to email me personally, feel free and I will help you as much as I can.

Blessings to you as you start this new adventure!

L.

I would start with this: http://www.k12.com/curriculum_and_products/participating-...
There are public options that are free - they provide all the curriculum.

you need to write a letter of intent and let the BOE know that you're going to homeschool. there is no need to wait til the end of the school year. very soon 'school years' will have very little meaning for you. jump in!
while i personally don't advocate using a boxed curriculum (how will the makers know what your child's strengths, weaknesses and needs are?) it is helpful to have one to use as a template when you begin. don't feel compelled to follow it rigidly, and do expect to modify, tweak and eventually toss it.
K12 is one option and i'm all for more options. it's very popular. but bear in mind that it's extremely structured and there's not a lot of room for individuality and creativity in it, in my mind two of the most important gifts homeschooling can bestow. it's very schooly.
most of the suggestions you have received thus far have been christian curricula which is fine if you plan to be a christianity-based homeschooler. there are many wonderful secular options out there if you don't want to be locked into religion-based education. check out the waldorf programs. oak meadow is a good one. pricey but wonderful. i was too cheap to opt for it, but stole from it liberally<G>.
really, just jump in. i promise you that your homeschooling will change radically as you go along and tailor it to fit your life, schedule and parenting philosophy. the best thing you can do first is to ferret out homeschool groups in your area and get hooked into 'em. and if you don't like 'em, keep looking. it took me 6 months to find the one we ended up with, and that i'm still associated with even now that the boys are in college.
keep asking questions!
:) khairete
S.

I don't home school (yet?) but my mom homeschooled my 2 youngest sisters. She started with Calvert Schools - they provide a complete curriculum & teachers guide, and you have two options, one is to have it graded through them and you get an official transcript (I think my mom did this, and it costs more), the other you simply get the books and curriculum. This one provided all the materials, even the rulers and pencils, as I recall.
Later, as my mom became more aware of others who homeschool (there are lots, even back then!) the options changed. One stayed with Calvert and another sister (who is now homeschooling her own 4 kids) switched to a local homeschool group (still studied and worked at home but there was a "principal" and they had field trip outings and such?)

Now, there are online computer homeschools, you'll just have to figure out what you want, what works for you and the kids. It's okay to do a program for 2 of yoru kids and another for another if that's what suits them better. (Although you may want to start out with just one program so you get used to the homeschooling process itself with one curriculum/style.