How We Started Homeschooling

I have been talking with a friend of mine about our decision to homeschool. She seemed very interested and wanted to know why we started and what we do. So here is some of my thoughts on homeschooling for our family.
I love homeschooling. I love that we can move at our child's pace. It makes me so sad to think that her learning could be stunted because the class she would be in can only move as fast as the slowest student. That's one of the great things about homeschooling. Isabella is 3 and doing kindergarten work. We love it and she seems to be really progressing. But the important thing is it's at her speed. I am not waiting another 2 years to teach her things just because it's been decided that children not enter formal education until the age of at least 5.

 

 

 

Now you many not think about it but just being a mom is starting homeschooling. Taking time to explain things to your child, finding those teachable moments and running with it. We do that kind of thing all the time. For example, we were walking to the DR's office on a rainy day and saw a worm on the sidewalk. Isabella nelt down to take a look and asked me what it was. That simple question turned into a 3 day unit about bugs. When they are little you can just go with whatever they want to learn about and dive a little deeper. If they show intrest in something and you as a parent get excited about it then they will naturally want to know more. That's a great tool to use to kind of bend their intrests to what you want to teach. We started out just having a daily routine. Get up get dressed have breakfast, then turn on some music and lay out a blanket. we would have some rug time. We sang songs, read books, did finger plays and played with toys. As she got a bit older, around 18 months or so, I would have a little theme with our play time. Like sunshine. All the toys would be yellow, the story would be about the sun. we would color a sunshine. sing "Mr.Sun" We would talk about the sun being a circle and circles are round and the sun yellow. The sun is in the sky and it makes us warm. That kind of thing. The next step I took was getting some coloring type books at the dollar tree ( that store is a great place for teaching supplies) and using them. It kind of naturally evolved from there. as she was ready to move up we would. If she was enjoying whatever topic we were learning about we would slow down a bit.

 

 

 

Now I don't know about where you live but I would suggest finding a homeschool association for your state. They would help you figure out what legally you would need to do. Here in Washington state enrollment in school is not required until the age of 8 so I don't even have to let the schools know she exsists until then. At that point I have to give them her name and birthdate,and my name on an intent to homeschool form, and fulfill one of three requirements. I have to have a 4 year degree, have someone personally check on her who works for a district in the state (like a friend in the ward who is a teacher) or take a course on how to homeschool. She then needs to be assesed(sp) once a year by me and I need to keep a record just in case she ever needs to be enrolled in public school. I have a kindergarten reddiness list I found online to kind of help me keep on track as far as what she needs to learn.

 

 

 

When it comes the middle and high school, I figured whatever I don't know I could learn along with them, or get a tutor. One thing that is great about this state is we have duel enrollment rights. Since we pay taxes and taxes fund the school, we have the right to send our kids to school for as long or short of time as we want. So let's say Isabella wants to learn a higher math. I could send her to school for 1 peroid a day. Or she could be on a school sports team or in the band. I don't think every state has that. That would be another thing to look into.

 

I am really looking forward to teaching my girls to read, do math and everything else. I get to see them learn. I get to be there when the light bulb goes on and the understand concepts. I hope you find as much joy in homeschooling as I do.

 

 

 

a few of the top of my head pointers

 

 

 

• -if there is a homeschool conferance in your area... GO!! The have curriculum vendors there and a lot of other great rescorces.

 

 

 

• -Become friends with the library.. They might have a teacher section with books and other information

 

 

 

• -Get a community calender... field trip ideas

 

 

 

• -use the internet. there are some companies that have free online videos that help re-enforce concepts. there are also a ton of blogging homeschool mommies

 

 

 

• -get a barnes and nobles teacher's card. They are a 10 percent discount card and the give them to homeschool moms.

 

• find out what your friends are good at. bardering talents is an awesome ie. I'll teach your kid math if you teach them piano

 

 

 

• -don't stress if your lesson is not perfect.

 

 

 

• -l LOVE LOVE LOVE that I can use the Gospel in every part of teaching my girls. When I was a preschool teacher that was the one thing that was off limits. but with my girls I can teach about Jesus to my hearts content!