Preparing to homeschool....suggestions/advice welcome

[Guest hmillerl]

Hi! I am planning to homeschool my 3 children (13, 11, 11) next year. My oldest son (17) will be going to college. This has always been a dream of mine, but until now was not an option because I had to work. I could make a list a mile long of the reasons I want to hs, but bottom line is what we are doing now is not working. I feel like we are in a whirlwind. I want to enjoy them and for them to enjoy me. My husband is not convinced that this is best, and my family thinks I have lost my mind. I am reading everything I can get my hands on. Advice on curriculum......and dealing with objectionable family members are welcome.

[mumto2]

First in order for us to help you we need to know if you plan to use Christian curriculum or secular only. Personally I think the next thing to think about since your children are so close in age is your vision for your school day. Do you see all three learning and working together covering the same topics (Sonlight might be good for you) or more individual, workbook style learning.

 

I would learn the laws in your state and what is required. Check into homeschool groups--find out if they have openings to join. Decide what outside activities they would participate in -- Scouts, sports, 4H, church groups.

 

Spring is convention season. They can be so helpful. The speakers are informaive and actually looking at and comparing the curriculum can save you lots of money.

 

I would read The Well Trained Mind. It really is the best homeschool book out there. ;) Seriously it has helped many people decide that home ed is possible.

 

As for people not agreeing some never will. Some will come around over time. After you start to have your plan in place hopefully your husband will see that it can be done well.

 

As you do your research post questions here. The people here are very helpful. They just need a more specific question to answer. Good luck!

[brookspr]

I am in the same boat, we will be homeschooling our two kids starting next year. They are 10 (boy) and 12 (girl) now and in 5th and 7th grade. I wish I had started sooner, but it is what it is. I found that reading any book I could find at the library on the subject of homeschooling was a good place to start. You get a feel for what kind of homeschooler you want to be, as you will find yourself agreeing or disagreeing with what is written. There are many books with stories of how different people homeschool and they are very enlightening.

 

We have decided that an eclectic approach to homeschooling will be best for us, at least in the beginning. I want to be flexible about what they study and how they study it before I decide what works best. I know the public school system has worked OK for us thru elementary school, but middle school for my daughter has been a real disappointment. So I will not be doing "school at home" where you treat the home like a mini school, but I want the kids to be relaxed and able to work in a manner that caters to their learning styles.

 

As mentioned above, check your state requirements before you begin planning. We are lucky that here in IL there is very little required in terms of paperwork and such. Some states require registration, portfolios, testing, etc... All of the information and more can be found on the HSDLA website (Homeschool Legal Defense Association).

 

I also purchased the kindle version of Cathy Duffy's 101 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum. There are many good resources listed there and solid reviews of some of the most popular curricula. Also check out Old Schoolhouse Magazine online, it is also a great place to read reviews and articles on homeschooling.

 

I troll the boards here for lots of good advice, tips on curriculum and general education information.

 

I would also suggest having your husband read some of them, too. My hubby didn't take me seriously at first and then we started reading things together. He has been helping my daughter with her math and she is getting A's now. He also worked on a project with my son's boy scout troop where each boy made a solar charger for an iPhone/iTouch in an Altoids tin and he said "That is what learning about science and technology should be like, not just reading from a book". So he has come around slowly but is now in full support and has agreed to take on the math/technology responsibilities next year.

 

Depending on the area you live in, many museums have programs for homeschoolers. Our local forest preserves also offer homeschooling programs on nature and animals. There are tons of free/cheap resources out there if you know where to look. I think there is even a book on how to homeschool for free.

 

Ask the kids what they are interested in as well, that is where we are going to start next year. I talked to both kids when I was curriculum shopping on what they thought would work best for them and what they wanted to learn. Both of my kids love reading, so we will rely heavily on real books and not textbooks wherever possible. Also check out what your library has for reference materials, I was amazed at how many different encyclopedias and world books our library had in the youth section. We will spend many days there researching and taking notes whenever possible.

 

I could go on forever, and we haven't even started homeschooling yet! I've been doing research since the school year started and I feel like I'm finally at a place where I am comfortable with the decision and what we will try next year.

[freeindeed]

Hello and welcome. You've gotten some good advice. I just want to add that you also need to decide what type of learners your children are. Would they prefer a textbook approach, a unit study, or a literature-based style of learning? Do you want to teach each child separately for each subject, or are you thinking of teaching some things to the entire group? This will help us get a better idea of what might work for your family. Once again, welcome!

[Nscribe]

I feel like we are in a whirlwind. I want to enjoy them and for them to enjoy me. My husband is not convinced that this is best, and my family thinks I have lost my mind. ... Advice on curriculum......and dealing with objectionable family members are welcome.

 

 

School schedules and demands can make it feel like a whirlwind and leave you wanting to hold on to your kids/family. Homeschooling also is impactful on the family. Whether it is tripping over the books you told them to put away (tangible impact) or husband wondering why there is a functional volcano on the kitchen counter but dinner is out of a can (tangible/intangible impacts). We had extended family assume that since we homeschool we were suddenly available to be anywhere/anytime on their whim (intangible but impactful). The bottom line, it is a family change.

 

Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, inlaws will have opinions/thoughts/suggestions. Unless there is a real reason to need to otherwise (ex:you live in inlaws house and they don't want kids around all day), these are all not something you can be occupied with changing. You will just have to hope it works out that they see and eventually support your family's decision.

 

What is critical is how your spouse and kids feel about it and what their vision is. Many husbands that have doubts, but are not adamantly against it, do come to have fewer doubts once they enter the community of homeschoolers and see it work and generally come to know more. But, it is really important to know what those doubts are and communicate because the spouse needs to be part of it. It is also important to really have a grasp on what vision and concerns the kids have. At 11 and 13 most kids I meet have opinions and a need to have them recognized.

 

Homeschool is a team effort and especially with teens it can make all the difference in the world about whether it works if they are on board with a shared vision.

[SailorMom]

My DH was on the reluctant side. We originally decided to try HS-ing on a trial basis for one school year. After he saw how well it went - he was out trying to convert everyone else, lol :)

As for other relatives.... eh. No worries. If they never agree, well - the proof is always in the pudding, right? ;)

You've already had some great suggestions, but let me add some I can think of.

As for books - Home Learning Year By Year came in very handy the first few years I hs-ed.

Rainbow Resources is not a secular company (if it matters) but they do have great prices and many secular products.

Do not feel like you have to do everything everyone else is doing :) The problem with some of the curriculum books and catalogs is that you can get overwhelmed and think you aren't doing enough!

Start with the basics and then add on. Don't go stir crazy buying every neat science kit and "fail-proof" grammar book.

Expect the first six months to be a rough transition. It's ok - you'll get through it. It helps to plan a lot of "fun" days the first year or two - like museum trips.

Have very clear expectations set with your kids about the quality of work, due dates, school hours (if you decide to have them), computer or TV use during the day, etc.

Have an "orientation day". Go over the rules, give them a printed copy to keep.

Have them start using student planners for their assignments now, so that they'll be completely used to it before 7th and 8th grade.

Get full sized white boards, and USE THEM :) You can get the panels at Lowe's for about $12.

If it looks at all appealing, buy IEW WSS (an expensive writing program) right now :) Trust me.... you'll regret not buying it sooner, and all the other options become more expensive because you have to buy them every year.

Get a really good printer/photocopier combo, and a really good dictionary and thesaurus.

Give yourself and your kids permission to have really bad days.

Make sure there is chocolate hidden somewhere in the house for your own use :)

[brookspr]

Forgot one thing! The one area I am a little overwhelmed with is how am I going to organize everything once we get started. I found a great website with every kind of organizational chart you can think of. There are printable calendars, task charts, reading lists, weekly schedules, etc...all for free.

 

www.donnayoung.org

 

There is a tab specifically for homeschool planning.

 

I agree with SailorMom about the IEW program. I purchased it used from the classifieds on this website and it is an amazing program. I will be using Trisms next year with my daughter and they incorporate IEW lessons into their curriculum. I've begun watching the DVD's and the information is so well presented that I know we all will become better writers!

 

SailorMom, I see you use Trisms with your son, I am excited to start with it next year. Any advice or tips you have would be appreciated. You can PM me if you want so we don't hijack this thread.

[Nscribe]

The one area I am a little overwhelmed with is how am I going to organize everything once we get started. I found a great website with every kind of organizational chart you can think of. There are printable calendars, task charts, reading lists, weekly schedules, etc...all for free.

 

www.donnayoung.org

 

 

 

You may well find you organize yourself one way and each of your kids another. While I like checklists and forms, Dd prefers to keep a journal and set reminders on her phone. How do your kids schedule now? Do they use a planner at school that you sign off on? One of the first things Dd wanted to do was burn the planner. I let her, we toasted with sparkling cider, catharsis can be good. Years later she chose a planner, but in the interim she just wanted a daily list and a wall calendar. It helped to let her own what she was doing.

 

Plan more weeks, plan breaks, and be ready to adjust, adapt and improvise. Dogs die, bathrooms flood, the flu hits....shucks aliens may land...things happen. Homeschool offers flexibility and our experience is it gets used.

[brookspr]

Yes, those damn planners are going to be the end of me! I have to sign my son's every day to verify that he did his reading and writing. Not sure what they will use once we start homeschooling, but I'm sure it will be different than whatever I use. I like to plan ahead and write everything out. The kids, not so much. This will be a lesson in flexibility, something I need to improve upon!

[Guest hmillerl]

WOW, you are all amazing! The house is quiet and I'm reading again, so I thought I would come back here and see if anyone posted! Thank you, Thank you! So, someone asked for more info on us. I work in healthcare and my educational background is biochemistry. I currently work 4 days per week, but I am scaling back and planning to work 3 evenings per week(mostly weekends). My husband has a flexible schedule and is always around. We are active in the Lutheran Church, and having a God-centered education is important to me. I have read Cathy Duffy's 101 and I'm currently reading The Well Trained Mind. I have already filed the necessary paperwork with my state and met their requirements. My 3 children are all very different. Both my girls are "teacher pleasers". My older daughter is scared of math and only preforms well in Math if she is allowed to move at her pace. My younger daughter is a wiz at everything she does. My son has very deep thoughts and is wise beyond his years, but doesn't know he's smart because he "hates" school (I think he's bored). I think my husband is scared of the unknown. He realizes there are serious problems with the quality of education the kids are receiving now. We are having lots of family discussions to prepare for next fall. My biggest fear right now is doing too much or not doing enough! I really like the idea of the classical style of learning, and of course unit study seems to be a good idea with the ages of my kids. I do worry about keeping my son's attention. I'm glad I have 6 months to prepare.....I think it will take everyday from now til then.

 

Thanks again for the advice and well wishes. Good luck to you, brookspr

[mumto2]

Since math seems to be an area where your children differ may I suggest Life of Fred. They are very different. Both gifted and struggling students seem to do well with them. A friends struggling 10 year old is finally grasping math thanks to these books. My somewhat gifted but lazy son reads them for fun. We do still use other math curriculum too but they can stand alone if you need them to. Some libraries apparently carry them so you may be able to try them there.

 

The Rainbow Resource catalog is an incredible resource. It is three inches thick and probably contains with reviews 90% of the curriculum out there for good prices. I would order one.

 

Another thing we really enjoyed are Ellen McHenry science materials. I know that is your strong area but these are fun. People also love her geography materials.