Jan 13

Jan 13 You're Homeschooling?

Eleslie Patterson

Homeschooling

So, you’ve decided to homeschool your children?

Now what?

Deuteronomy 6:7 ESV

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

I know, by now you have probably prayed, and worried, and stressed, and prayed some more. I have no clue why you decided to remove your children from their current school system, there are so many reasonable reasons to bring your children home to educate. Here you are, you’ve made the decision to homeschool your children. Now what?

First off, I want you to know that I am very proud of you.

The homeschool movement is growing, but it is still somewhat countercultural. While largely accepted it is still nowhere near mainstream. I applaud you for your bravery to go against the grain and take your child's education into your own hands.

I won’t lie and say it’s always easy, it’s not, but in Christ you are capable. Put the Lord first, and He will bless your efforts. Now that you have settled in your heart that this is the path God is leading you down, it's time for you to do a little leg work. You do have to make a few informed decisions.

Here are the first things I recommend you think about after you have decided to remove your children from public or private school to bring them home to educate.

1. LAW

Check your state homeschooling laws. https://hslda.org/legal/

Checking into this will help you be more confident during the onset of this journey. Knowing exactly how you can legally homeschool where you are located will keep you out of any trouble with “Johnny Law” in the future.

Most state laws on homeschooling are very easy to understand, you will likely be surprised how simple it can be. Don’t let the legal jargon intimidate you.

2.Next thing you have to do is remove your children from their current school.

How this is done will vary from state to state as well as from school to school. Some may require you to sign some paperwork releasing them from the responsibility of educating your child and assuming that responsibility for yourself. While others require a “letter of intent” some don’t. Other requirements could be that you have to join an accountability association or periodic standardized testing.

Simply call or go to your child’s school and request that they be officially removed to homeschool. Again this is why knowing your state's law is the first step.

3. De-School

After your Children have been formally removed from their previous school I highly recommend doing some “de-schooling”. It’s generally recommended to give each student a week “off” for every year they have spent in their previous schooling system. T

his gives their young minds some time to reset and get ready for new way of life. That’s what homeschooling is, it’s a way of life. It’s a whole new way of doing things.

However, I would only give a middle or high schooler 1 month to reset not 6-12 weeks. In this phase it's helpful to have discussions with your children about the journey you guys are about to begin. They will grow in excitement more so if included in some of the decision making.

4. Approach

Now, you need to ask yourself a few questions. What type of homeschool educator will I be? What style will benefit my children most? Will I have a formal start time for your school? Will we say the pledge and have a rigid schedule? Or will I allow my children to wake naturally and do school in their pajamas?

What do you imagine the ideal learning experience to be based on your child's individual needs and your own capabilities? Be realistic with yourself.

If you google “homeschool approaches” you will find that there are several approaches one can identify with for their homeschool. Below are the 3 types I have found most common.

There is a longer list of other approaches that can fall under these 4 categories but, at this point looking at them all could be more overwhelming than helpful. Which is the last thing you need right now, you JUST decided to homeschool. (Just wait till you start looking at curriculum)

Common Approaches

Classical

In this approach academics are usually more rigorous. Some teachers even like to have a classroom set up similar to the model you would find in a public or private school. Also referred to as traditional homeschooling.

Eclectic

This approach is usually a little more laid back, finding elements of several approaches and melding them together to benefit their family’s particular needs. Also referred to as relaxed homeschooling (this is my personal approach)

Unschool

This approach is very laid back, finding the educational experiences in every aspect of life. This approach actually takes a great deal of thinking outside the box.

I didn’t dive into the various subcategories that could fall under the 3 approaches mentioned above. If you want more details you can research them to see if any of them fit your children. What works for one may not work for others. here are a few to look into if interested.

Charlotte Mason Method

Unit Studies

Montessori

Waldorf

5. Curriculum

Once you’ve looked at your state laws, removed your children from their previous school, and determined the approach you feel comfortable with it’s time to plan. While they are “de-schooling” it’s a good opportunity to look at the various curriculum options.

I do want you to know, that curriculum is one of the most overwhelming things about homeschooling. Choosing what curriculum to use can seem like an impossible task but it's not.

Yes, there are a lot of options out there, I mean A LOT!

You will find things that don’t work. You might even feel like you've wasted money at time. But, good news, if kept in good condition you can resell used curriculum resources on eBay, or FaceBook marketplace.

Again you have some questions to ask yourself. Will my child do well with a lot of workbooks? Will they do well with a lot of independent reading? Would they do better with an online curriculum? Would I rather have an all in one box curriculum? Or would I rather choose a hodge podge from different resources?

There are curriculum companies that specialize in one subject. Where there are other companies that have all of the subjects in one package deal. The box all in one curriculums are usually more expensive. There are also online curriculums. Some online curriculum companies are a la carte. Some are free and some are paid.

6. Enjoy

Soak in every part of the process and know that it is a process. Homeschooling is a journey, and it will be an ever evolving one. Trust me, as a mother that has graduated a child, it flies by, slow down and enjoy the time you have been given.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

My prayer for you is that you seek to glorify God in your homeschool. Teaching your children in the way of the Lord, blessing them with the love and wisdom only God can bring forth. Amen