Tutoring Center
How to Begin Homeschooling
Discuss With Your Spouse: Educating your child at home is a huge decision and should be one that is made with your spouse. Do not begin unless
you are in agreement about this decision. You will need the support of
your spouse not only at the beginning, but also throughout the year.
Philosophies,
Styles, & Methods
Research Your State’s Homeschool Laws: Be fully aware of your state’s
requirements before you begin and especially before you take a child out
of public school. Each state’s legal requirements can be found on the
www.HomeschoolLegal.com website.
Research Styles of Home Education: There is no one right way to
educate your child at home; however, there are many differing philosophies you may want to consider. The sidebar details a few of the most
common styles and their very simplified definitions.
Find Support: After finding your style of choice (or a mix of more than
one choice), you may want to choose a support group that reflects that
specific style or just a general homeschool support group in your area.
Meeting with other home educators offers encouragement as well as
knowledge and assistance with your homeschool questions. Often, organized classes or activities for your children are offered through support
groups as well. For information about homeschool support groups in your
area, check these listings: www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com/Home
school_Nations/ State_Listings.php and www.HomeschoolLegal.com.
Gather Resources: Some families start with a complete curriculum
package, while others start with a notebook and a library card. Choosing
your resources depends on your style or method of education and your own
interests. If you are financially burdened, there are free homeschooling
resources on the web, as well as discounted, used books in abundance.
You Can Do This! Parents around the world are taking back their God-given responsibility to educate their children, and you can too. We have
developed two downloads to help you get started:
“Homeschool With Confidence” http://www.TheHomeschool
Magazine.com/Homeschool WithConfidence.pdf
“Simple Recipes for Successful Homeschooling” www.The
HomeschoolMagazine.com/How_To_Homeschool/
tosbrochure.pdf
The Schoolhouse Store ( www.TheOldSchoolhouseStore.com) has more than 3,000 products,
and shipping is ALWAYS FREE--NO MINIMUM PURCHASE REQUIRED!
Disclaimer: The above information is not intended as legal advice and should
not be construed as such. Please check your state’s legal requirements.
Charlotte Mason: Based on a
method introduced by nineteenth-century educator Charlotte Mason,
this approach includes nature
studies/ journaling, narration, and
living books.
Classical: Based on Dorothy
Sayers’ The Lost Tools of Learning,
in which child development is broken
up into three “stages” of learning
commonly called “the Trivium.”
Delight Directed: This puts the
learning in the hands of the child,
based on his or her interests.
Parents help facilitate this type of
learning with appropriate instructional materials.
Eclectic: A mix of philosophies
and curriculum to accommodate
each child’s abilities and interests.
Parents choose only those components, from any method or style, that
fit their specific needs.
The Principle Approach: An
approach based on the principles
of our Founding Fathers and an
emphasis on God’s Word as the
basis for every subject.
Traditional Textbook: Normally
uses a full-range, packaged, textbook type curriculum that also may
include a scope and sequence,
testing, and recordkeeping.
Unit Studies: All or most core
subjects are covered while
studying any one topic or unit of
study, using a variety of resources
and supplemental activities.
Unschooling: A relaxed setting
where learning is directed by the
child. Parts of this philosophy are
based on research by John Taylor
Gatto and John Holt.
