What does it mean to homeschool?
Homeschooling means different things to different people. For some families, homeschooling means duplicating school at home, complete with textbooks, report cards and regularly scheduled field trips. For others, homeschooling is simply a way of life – every situation is a learning experience. Some families practice child led learning or unschooling, where the kids lead the way to their learning. Homeschooling becomes what you and your child want it to be.
Is Homeschooling legal?
Yes it is. Check out our legal section.
What are some of the benefits of homeschooling?
There are many benefits, some different for each family. The benefits may even change throughout your homeschooling experience. One of the benefits that homeschooling families tend to agree upon is that they spend incredible amounts of time together living, learning and playing. They have the opportunity to develop a depth of understanding and a commitment to the family that is difficult to attain when family members spend their days going in separate directions. Many families like the flexibility homeschooling provides both parents and children. Children can learn about things they are interested in and at a time in their lives when they are ready to learn. No preconceived schedule forces them ahead or holds them back. Vacations and outings can be planned for times when the family is ready – and often when the crowds are smaller or the costs are lower. Children can receive a superior education custom fit to their own needs, learning styles, personalities, and interests. No other schooling situation would be able to provide these important points.
How do I gain the confidence to begin?
Hands down, the best way to gain confidence is by talking to people who are already homeschooling. The first thing you’ll learn is that we all felt the same way. It is a big step, but you are not alone. Plug into a support group. Reading books, internet articles and magazines about the subject will also calm your nerves. (See our Resources page for list of homeschool resources)
Can I begin homeschooling mid-year?
Absolutely. You can pull your kid out of school at any time, just make sure you have all your paperwork in order. Check out our legal section for all you need to know.
What about socialization?
This is probably the number one question you will get. The answer can be informative or witty. It depends on your personality. The informative answer would be something like: We are involved with several homeschooling groups and my kids have many friends that we meet at park days once a week and in-between at museums, the zoo or at play dates. (For local park day, check out the calendar section). Or you can be “witty” with something like: I teach my kids everything they need to know about socialization. Once a week I lock them in the bathroom, beat them up and take their lunch money. Seriously, it is up to you to set up situations where your kids are with other kids. It’s not that hard if you are with other homeschoolers, so find a homeschooling group in your area and get involved (see “Support Groups” under the Resources page).
How does homeschooling work?
It is different for everyone. Homeschooling children learn through reading, conversation, play, outside classes, volunteer work, apprenticeships and anything else that is educational. What is educational depends on what you and they want to learn. If you have an interest in gardening, you can teach them a lot by working with them in your own backyard. Typically children will have some time on their own at home to read, play, build, draw, write, do a science experiment and work on math. Some time will be spent with their parents to get help, talk, do some kind of focused project together, and laugh and cuddle. Some time can be spent with others outside the home, like in a music class, Scouts, a homeschoolers’ book group or a volunteer job at a museum. Some families set aside a part of the day for focused academic work, others do not. Often this varies for each child and the family usually adapts its schedule as the children grow.
Is homeschooling expensive?
Homeschooling can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you make it. It depends on many factors, including what kinds of materials and resources you choose to use, how many children you will be homeschooling, and whether or not you will be giving up paid employment in order to homeschool your children. Parents can easily spend a small fortune on all the wonderful learning materials and books available. On the other hand, a superior education can also be accomplished using free resources found through the public library, interlibrary loan, and learning opportunities found in your community, such as museums and trips to interesting places. If you have only one child and decide to use real life experiences, the public library, garage sales and thrift stores for your resources, you may be talking about a couple hundred dollars or less for an entire year. If you decide to purchase a curriculum for five children you could be looking at several thousand dollars over that same year.
How do I know which materials and resources to use?
This depends on you and your child. How do you best teach, how does your child best learn. You may even find that what works one year doesn’t the next. There are several methodologies to pick from, if you want to pick a methodology. Some families find that the discipline of a curriculum based system works best for them to stay on track. If that fits you and your child then there are many places you can find these. Talking to other families that use curriculum can save you a lot of time and money. Some families like to go day by day and see what life brings them. Finding materials can be as easy as going to your local museum and reading the signs to your child. Going to the discovery centers in most museums gives hands on experience. Or maybe a walk through the zoo. Learning opportunities are all around you. As homeschoolers, you will be in charge of your learning – take advantage of all the adventure has to offer!
Where can I get materials and resources?
Many families find their most treasured learning resources at garage sales and thrift shops. Think of building and needlework materials, cooking tools, books, magazines, motors, gears, etc… Other families frequent the bookstores and educational supply stores in their communities. Some find videos from the video rental store valuable. Other homeschooling families can be a huge resource, both in materials and ideas. Most think the public library is the best possible resource. The internet is filled with ideas, materials, products and support groups that will be able to answer most questions about materials and resources you may come up with. Homeschooling conferences and learning fairs are another place for looking at materials and getting ideas. (See our Resources page)
How do I know if my children are learning?
Children are always learning – they just can’t help it! You’ll know they are learning because you are with them all the time. Just like you knew when your child first started singing the ABC song. You have been teaching your child from the day they were born. Homeschooling is just an extention of what you have always been doing. By watching and being around your child you know what they have learned. You know if they can read if you read with them. You know they can do math if you sit with them and see them work. You’ll be amazed at how much they learn by just being. Standardized test show how well your child takes tests. You will know more about what your child has learned as a homeschooler because you know if they “got it” or not.
What if my child wants to learn something that I don’t know?
One of the reasons that many parents love homeschooling is that they get to learn along with their kids! For those things we “learned” in school — but maybe don’t remember — homeschooling is a time for everyone to learn together. If you and your child want to know about ground squirrels, for example, you can check the encyclopedia, go to the libabry and look for books, call your county extension agent or game warden or veternarian, visit a natural history museum, take a walk in the woods. For more specialized subjects such as foreign languages, advanced science or a particular art form, it may work best to hook your child up with another adult that is more “fluent” in the subject. Many homeschooled kids take outside classes, become apprentices or are individually tutored by such an expert. For the older child, they can take community classes sponsored by a recreation department, wellness center or community college. Check out our Resources page for resources around our community and our Articles section for articles on topics relevant to homeschoolers.
If you have a question that you would like to see in the FAQs, please submit it to via our Contact Us page.
