HOMESCHOOLING 101

WHY HOME SCHOOL?  
Lots of second generation homeschoolers are making this choice. They were homeschooled and they are choosing this educational option for their young families. Or young parents are looking at the modern landscape and are realizing that parent led education is the preferred method for their home. These families make the choice when (or before) their children are born. 

Many families are running into problems with their current educational choice. Their student is not learning at grade level; he is not responding to the teaching method employed by his teacher; she cannot process the information being presented; he isn’t comprehending what he is reading or being told. She is advanced beyond her peers and is bored with school; or his behavior becomes a problem due to his giftedness and subsequent lack of interest.

Then there are those students who are exhibiting anxiety, worry, tears, apathy, withdrawal. Maybe they are being bullied or marginalized. Children internalize their feelings and often are unable to express themselves. Parents want solutions and often choose home education as a means to restore their students’ mental health

CAN I HOMESCHOOL?
Yes, you can. Homeschooling is becoming mainstream. An estimated 2.3 million students are homeschooled in the United States. 

Successful homeschooling requires parents to make a commitment to stick to it. By God’s grace, parents can give a good education to their children, but it requires hard work and sacrifice on the part of the parents.

WHAT IS THE FIRST STEP IF I HOMESCHOOL MY CHILDREN?
Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states in the US. But the laws that govern homeschooling differ from state to state. Make sure you understand the legal basis for home education in your state. Click HERE for current Alabama law

ESTABLISH YOUR OWN PHILOSOPHY OF HOME EDUCATION

What do you think your children should be learning?

When your children graduate, what do you want them to be able to do?

How do you want this learning to happen?

How do you want to run your school?

Are there any deficits in your child’s education?

Is your child academically accelerated in any way?

Does your child exhibit any learning differences?

Are there any behavior or character issues that need to be addressed with your child?

What priorities are important for your family (academic success, life skills, community involvement)? 

GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO PREPARE

Ideally, homeschooling is a thoughtful, well considered choice on the part of parents. Seek out friends or family who homeschool. Ask for recommendations about groups in your area; read books; check out websites; attend seminars and conferences.

However, life isn’t always ideal. So if you find yourself in an urgent or emergency situation, please contact the Homeschool Alabama office for personal assistance.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

  • You Can Teach Your Child Successfully by Ruth Beechick (gr. 4-8)

  • The Three R’s by Ruth Beechick (gr. K-3)

  • The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling by Debra Bell

  • Home Learning Year by Year by Rebecca Rupp

  • Educating the Wholehearted Child by Sally Clarkson

  • 102 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy  

www.homeschoolalabama.org  www.hslda.org  

LEARNING STYLES

How does your child learn? The younger your child, it is important that you use all these methods to present information. Young children tend to mostly tactile. As they mature, you will become aware of their predominant style. Everyone has a mix of learning styles; everyone uses all methods, but will tend to display a dominant style, with less use of the other styles. And people use different styles in different situations; there is no right or wrong way. Another consideration is that parents will tend to pick curriculum based on their personal learning style, so be aware of that tendency as you choose curriculum.  

Visual learners like to see and observe things, including pictures, diagrams, written directions; they understand information better when it is presented visually. 

Auditory learners prefer that information be reinforced by sound. They would rather listen to a lecture than read a textbook or notes. They like to hear themselves verbalize new concepts and ideas. They may read out loud to themselves, speak up in class, and verbally explain things. 

Kinesthetic, or tactile, learners need to experience or do things. They need to touch and handle in order to understand. They may struggle to sit still and need frequent breaks while studying.

Reading/writing learners prefer to learn through written words. This style is closely tied to visual learning, but prefers writing and journaling, and searching the internet for information. 

METHODS OF HOMESCHOOLING 

Traditional, or School at Home:  Unless you were homeschooled yourself, everyone is familiar with the traditional method. This approach uses traditional textbooks, workbooks, and tests. Publishers will sell you a complete set of their material, divided by grade and subject; you can also use recorded or streaming versions of these traditional curricula, with support from professionals supplied by the publisher.

You can also use the traditional approach to your homeschooling and use textbooks and materials from different publishers; you do not have to purchase everything from one publisher. 

If you’re uncertain about what needs to be taught at what grade level, and you’re just starting out, it is helpful to be able to follow what someone else has decided is important.

Unit Studies usually use a hands-on approach for effective learning. Parents pick a theme and devise their homeschooling around that theme. Students study a topic as a whole, instead of several different subjects. Students learn by experiencing or discovering through different methods and activities, rather than just reading a chapter from a textbook. Unit studies are very attractive if you are teaching more than one child. Each child studies the topic at his own level. Assignments will be on the same topic, but will be on different levels for different students. Unit studies work well for children with different learning styles, because you can give several options to learn about a topic.

The Classical method is based on a 3-part process called the Trivium that uses the way children’s brains learn and process at different stages of their development. The Grammar phase uses memorization and repetition to learn concrete facts which form the base for the next stage. In the Logic phase children question why things are the way they are, with the goal of understanding how everything they’ve learned fits together and relates. Finally, the student reaches the Rhetoric phase where communication, both written and spoken, is the primary focus. The student uses the knowledge and logic they’ve learned to express themselves with original thought.

The Charlotte Mason method was begun by a 19th century English educator who believed that a child is a person and the whole person should be educated, not just the mind. They should be given time to play, create, and be involved with nature. Charlotte Mason proponents use “living books” instead of textbooks. Students also show what they know by narration and discussion. 

Unschooling is also known as natural, interest-led, and child-led learning. Unschoolers do not use school schedules or formal lessons. In theory, unschooled children follow their interests and learn by pursuing an interest or curiosity. In the same way that they learn to walk and talk, unschooled children learn their math, science, reading, and history. John Holt is the founder of the unschooling movement. 

Eclectic homeschoolers use a variety of methods and materials to accomplish the work of home education. They can choose to use textbooks or workbooks for math, grammar, and spelling; read real books for science, literature, and history; absorb nature by spending time outside; and appreciate art and music in their own way. They may use an unschooling approach for certain things. They may utilize traditional textbooks in a Charlotte Mason approach.

CURRICULUM

So many choices. So much to consider. You can find yourself paralyzed by indecision. But there ARE many choices, and there IS so much to consider. We’ve talked about learning styles and teaching methods. Now, what do you do?

First of all, pray! (Disclaimer: Homeschool Alabama is founded upon Christian principles, and there is no more solid Christian principle than prayer. If you are not a praying person, you can skip this step and go on to #2.) James 1:5 encourages us to ask God for wisdom, and believe that He will give it to you.

Second, do some more research on learning styles and homeschooling methods, to see if anything appeals to you, one way or the other. If you can’t figure out your student’s learning style yet, don’t worry. You can pick any curricula you want and, once you’ve used it for a while and have a better idea of your child’s learning style, should be able to adapt it to any learning style, with a little work! Curricula and textbooks are all tools that you, the teacher, use. There is no need to be a slave to your curricula. And there is no magic method of homeschooling. One is not better than the other. There are advantages and disadvantages to each one that is mentioned. 

Third, finances, how much can you afford for curricula? There are some free online materials, but they generally require more work on the part of the teacher. If you want something “easy” on the teacher, you usually have to pay more for it. There’s a lot of used curricula out there, but you need to possess some knowledge about what you’re looking for before you start buying. If you’ve got time to do research, then do it. But if it’s late August and you’re picking curricula, find an experienced homeschooler and follow her advice. Realize that you can adapt whatever you’re using to accomplish your educational goals.

Fourth, if you’re choosing an eclectic approach to homeschooling, then you can use a variety of resources: library DVD courses, public television, educational websites. But be discerning in terms of quality and content. 

CO-OPERATIVE LEARNING

When pioneer homeschoolers started the movement 30+ years ago, students were taught at home by their parents. In the early days even Christian publishers would not sell to homeschoolers, so books and materials were difficult to find. Parents got creative in locating textbooks and workbooks. By the late 1980s we had a few publishers who were marketing to homeschoolers. By and large, homeschooling parents taught their own children, in their own homes.

However, as homeschooling has developed parents have banded together and started group classes, large and small co-ops, organized informally or formally. Franchise organizations like Classical Conversations meet the need for curricula and community. Hybrid schools which combine the Christian/private school model with homeschooling flourish. 

Co-ops are good but certainly not necessary. If, for any reason (finances, location, chronic illness, etc.)  you cannot participate in a co-op, don’t fret. There are many advantages to staying at home, teaching all the subjects to your children, and leaving behind the stress and frustrations of co-ops. 

PUBLIC SCHOOL AT HOME

Virtual public school is available to Alabama students regardless of the school district in which they live. Even though the student is at home, this is not considered homeschooling. This is public school at home. You must use their curriculum, meet their deadlines and requirements. Privately funded, parent led home education leaves the choices for curricula and hours of instruction up to the parent. 

ORGANIZATION

Household Organization 

  • Set up a file system. Keep sample copies, child’s best work.

  • Set up a master calendar – school, church, family

  • Clean out your closets and shelves. You’ll need more room for books (unless you go digital)!

Recordkeeping

  • Daily lesson plans are the legal document that education has occurred. 

  • Quarterly or semester evaluation

  • End of year summary report

  • Transcript

Schedule

  • How many days? Year round?

  • 3 hours a day for elementary (suggested)

  • 5 hours a day for junior and senior high (suggested)