Quick Start Guide to Homeschooling

Check out my friend's podcast!

https://www.podpage.com/site/transparent-homeschooling/?fbclid=IwAR0e59-Q13pOALOWQk3MqMM_jAGSccTq624oa8YUTwwPn1ugEp9SloL7qMo

Transparent Homeschooling Let's talk about the raw, real, and transparent moments of homeschooling that also make it so very beautiful!

“There will be times in life when your days do not go as planned. The constant barrage of interruptions have the ability to upend a day. Sometimes you can make a recovery. Sometimes you need to spread a task out through the week to get back on track. And sometimes it’s one thing after the other, and life spirals into chaos. You “lose”. Or at least it appears that you lose but in reality God gives many lessons and trials. The key thing is attitude. Keep in mind that you should focus on doing something that you can do some thing about, and let the rest be.” The world will not end because you’re tasks weren’t completed. -Kim Brenneman (Large Family Logistics)

Those of you who are kicking off your homeschool journey for the first time...or maybe this isn’t the first year for your family...

I want to encourage you to do YOUR thing! So often, we try to put on someone else’s armor and tackle our giants in a way that’s hindering us. (David slipped on Saul’s armor and realized it wasn’t fitting for the battle he was going to fight so he took it off and left to face Goliath, trusting God.)

Get off Pinterest! Stop comparing your family to other families. Your family is unique, your children are wired differently, your schedule isn’t like mine...or hers...or his...

This is the beauty of homeschooling. Do what works for YOU, reach out if you need help/advice, and remember to allow yourself AND your children grace (and lots of it).

You can do this! I promise...if I can do it, anyone can do it! If you don’t believe me, ask my family. 😂

And remember...your children will learn far greater things through this “process” than they will ever learn from a textbook!

You, as the parent/teacher, well learn the importance of aligning your heart with the Father’s heart. It will be hard. It will be fun. It will be all consuming at times. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. But, you will forever be impacting and shaping the hearts of your children....through the laughter AND tears. 

You’ve got dis’! Now, go do YOUR thing!

I’ve read through multiple Bible plans by Robin Meadows. She’s incredibly talented and full of wisdom!

I would encourage you to read this five day Bible plan.


Unexpected Homeschooler: https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/20860

Unexpected Homeschooler You probably never dreamed you’d be in this place of having to make such hard decisions about the education of your children. But here you are in this unprecedented time, considering home education. This plan from veteran homeschool mom, Robin Meadows, is written to answer some of your questions, ...

Schooling multiples at once.

Every family is wired differently. But, these are a few things I’ve done to help while schooling multiple children at once.

For starters, I make sure and balance my schedule, set boundaries, minimize running errands, limit phone calls, etc. Allowing margin in your day will allow you and your child to take breathers, work through difficult moments and fully embrace the bonuses that come with homeschooling.

I’ve implemented a few different things to help...

1) I usually school the younger ones first. When they go down for naps, I’ll do the older kids.

2) I’ve taught my little bitty kids to respect our school time. They know to be quiet when entering the schoolroom. They are taught not to interrupt.

3) I have “busy boxes” that have hands on activities for little kids. They are allowed to get those out during our school time but they have to sit in a specific area.

4) I pull out devices and tv shows during this time...when desperate...which happens often.

5) While I’m helping one child, I sometimes have another child to go watch over and play with the little kids. They usually enjoy this because it gives them a break from schoolwork. I’ll do this in short time slots...usually 30 minutes. This is helpful when teaching new skills or testing.

6) If you have older children, allow them to help and assist when needed. You’re family is a team!

Looking for Christian Curriculum?

Here are some different options...(remember that your teaching style will play a huge role in which of these would best fit your family - refer to post with teaching style quizzes)
-Abeka
-Bob Jones University
-Lifepac
-Classical Conversations
-Sonlight
-Swithced on Schoolhouse (computer based)

Looking for free online resources?

- www.khanacademy.org - Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. We tackle math, science, computing, history, art history, economics, and more, including K-14 and test preparation (SAT, Praxis, LSAT) content. We focus on skill mastery to help learners establish strong foundations, so there's no limit to what they can learn next!

- https://www.funbrain.com/ (ages 1-13) The games have great graphics, and simple but effective gameplay. The videos are really high-quality production. And there are entire books available you can read straight from the website. Funbrain.com provides fantastic educational content, that’s highly interactive, which means your kids won’t get bored! The website is totally free to use, and there’s no signing up and logging in, which we love.

- http://www.starfall.com/ (preschool-lower elementary)- teaches through play, with hundreds of games in categories like reading, writing, maths, etc. The screenplay is straightforward, with simple, colourful graphics. The emphasis here is on the learning, rather than the gaming. You can download the app, and sign up to access even more of the website.

- https://www.natgeokids.com/ (10 and up) National Geo for Kids is big on education, and the site is full of information about the world around us, from China, to dinosaurs, to space missions, and everything in between! It’s like an online magazine for kids, full of articles, and competitions, and educational videos. One of the best things about Nat Geo for Kids is that they regularly update it with new information, which is great.

- https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html -the go-to website for all those space-enthusiasts out there. If your kids are into spaceships, mars rovers and comets then this is the website to check out.

- http://www.youngoceanexplorers.com/ -an amazing website made by a Father and Daughter team from New Zealand. If your kids are into the deep blue sea, rather than the skies above, this is your new go-to website.

NASA Kids' Club NASA.gov brings you the latest images, videos and news from America's space agency. Get the latest updates on NASA missions, watch NASA TV live, and learn about our quest to reveal the unknown and benefit all humankind.

“How much does it cost to homeschool?”

I think I could safely say, “If you’re willing to be creative and spend a little time searching, then the less expensive it will be.”

For me, I’d rather pay a little more and have the curriculum shipped to my door. But, I probably average between $200 and $400 per student this way. This does not include extra activities, field trips, Co-op/tutorials.

There are so many free resources, printable worksheets and lesson plans online. But, it takes time.

With that said, homeschooling on a budget is very doable.

If you’ve chosen to homeschool, you will need to make it official in the state of TN. There are 3 ways to legally homeschool in Tennessee (you’ll need to research if in another part of the country).

1) Independent Homeschool: registering with your local school district
2) Church-related homeschool umbrella (my #1 choice): They will handle the record keeping, etc. They also provide you with another level of advice, direction and “community”.
3) Accredited Online School: some colleges and universities will offer online “accredited” classes for your student to take.

Before you begin researching the 6,587 different curriculum options, take a few online tests to figure out what your teaching style is. I’ve added the link to one but would encourage you to find another one to take as well. This will help you narrow down your search...which will lessen the anxiety of filtering through so many different options. This will help you find the best curriculum for your family and budget.

WHAT’S YOU’RE STYLE?

https://www.homeschool.com/articles/homeschool-styles-quiz/

https://homeschoolon.com/the-homeschool-style-quiz/

The Homeschool Style Quiz Do you know your homeschool style? Come take the free quiz and find out! Learn about the 6 styles and how your unique approach impacts your homeschool

You will find great tips, podcasts, and information here!

https://www.facebook.com/Homeschoolers-Association-102615408145123/

Homeschoolers Association �Online community for homeschool families!

�Weekly livestream Q/A’s: Mondays at 2pm.

� One-on-one

https://courageousparenting.com/episodes/11-reasons-why-we-homeschool-despite-initial-doubts/

11 Reasons Why We Homeschool Despite Initial Doubts - Courageous Parenting We aren't to fear the world but we are to raise kids to stand strong and lead in an increasingly fallen world. Make sure your choices align with your vision. Tune and hear the 11 reasons Isaac and Angie have homeschooled their kids for the last 15 years.

http://courageousmom.com/socialization-and-homeschooling/

Will Homeschooling Make My Kids Socially Awkward? Let's talk about the socialization argument surrounding home education. Will your kids be awkward? Will they be unprepared for the real world?

Https://courageousparenting.com/homeschooling-blueprint

The Homeschooling Blueprint - Courageous Parenting This content is restricted to subscribers

“Where do I even begin?”

That’s probably the question that’s scrambling through your mind as you desperately search for the “best” educational route for your child. We all want to do our best in making sure our child/ren are taken care of and properly educated. No shame here! So, whether you’re just checking things out or you’ve already made up your mind, I pray this page provides some information and insight to help you make the best decision for your family.

I’ve set up this page in hopes of bringing encouragement, resources, and tips to begin your homeschool journey.

You could spend days, weeks, months or even years studying all the different methods of homeschooling, curriculum choices, etc...and still feel confused and unsure as to what route is best for your family.

This page is designed to help you BEGIN your journey! My family and I will begin our 14th year of homeschooling and we are always adjusting/changing things up. So, allow yourself a lot of grace and know that there’s not one way to homeschool.

Feel free to reach out or comment with questions. I’ve got a lot of friends who are experienced in this subject and willing to share what’s worked for them...and even what hasn’t worked (🙋🏼‍♀️)

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