Beginners Home School Page - HSTreasures.com

Beginners Home School Page
Where do I begin? How do I start? Can anyone homeschool? How expensive is it?

Home Schooling is very easy and should be stress free. We've all had to deal with the traditional mind set of "this is how to home school or teach". The learning and education process should be exciting, fun and pleasurable for you and your child. If your child already hates to read and thinks all school as a task or burden, then more than likely it is the methods being used. The force-feeding, (as it's often called) of a bunch of facts to be memorized by the child just for the test at hand to get to the next set of facts for the next test will accomplish very little learning or retention. This method also stifles the child's natural, God-given curiosity and joy of learning and reading.

The first choice to make is whose course of study will you follow. A problem that faces most new home schoolers is the vast amount of such curriculums to choose from. There are far more materials, many of which are quite costly and include student test books, text book, teacher manual, etc.. Some up to 5 or 6 needed items for only one subject for one grade. It's overwhelming and unnecessary. It is not necessary to spend the estimated average cost of 500-$ 600 per year, per child. We, as home schoolers, have the freedom to pick and choose what our child needs and use it in the way we choose. Following your own "course of study" is always best. You can be led by the Lord and have peace and direction for each of your children as they are all individually created with different bents, strengths, weaknesses, personalities, and learning styles. For who knows these things best about our child or who is better able to address their needs but their own parents. A learning style is simply the way in which your child learns best. It is my opinion that there's a lot of hype regarding learning styles as well.. to simply "sell" their products. I do feel that regardless .. every child needs to either read or be read to and that the majority of their education should fall on the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. A good start is to take a field trip to your local library and with your child, select a huge basket full. Let them bring home their finds and read, read, read. This will give you time to think about how you'd like to proceed, while noticing what their interests are and stimulate that natural desire to learn.

In creating your own course of study, we can pick and choose which parts we like from each method or curriculum. Seeing what works best with each of your children. Our oldest is a natural independent, self-study type person. Our youngest, even in his high-school years, wanted direct teaching and involvement. He loves for me to read to him, or that he read aloud to me. The easiest way is usually the best way. Question them after a lesson and have them explain what has been covered. For example, if they can "teach" someone else, or explain to their father when he comes home what they've learned... this is evidence that they are learning! It is also an example of narration, a practice used by those who like to include the methods of Charlotte Mason.(a turn-of-the-century educator, author)

Don't feel pressured into covering all the material included in your purchases. I like certain things or aspects in various curriculums, but one must weight the amount of material in an item to the cost factor involved. How much will you actually use? A certain History book from a well-known curriculum in 3rd grade I loved.. however, in this same curriculum's 7th grade book, I noticed far to much quantity with very little quality. Too much to cover. Unless my child's plans in the future is to become a Baptist Missionary or he is writing a thesis on Baptist Missionaries, then what is the need for him to learn or know every little detail and fact about every missionary that lived? Many curriculums do reflect the author's or creator's belief system and that's another thing to look at. The above was not an anti-Baptist statement, so please don't email me about this. I have many Baptist influenced materials and this was only a good example. Pick and choose what reflects your own convictions. Beware of using "Christian" material that is no more than a public school method with God or Bible material added. If those methods do not work for your child, bringing those same methods to repeat at home, many times, does not help or rather produce the desired results.

Curriculum Fairs used to be a good place to see all that's out there before purchasing. These days curriculum fairs are mostly full of the big name, overly expensive companies. Check which vendors are attending before you waste time and money. Search the internet, join yahoo support groups and when listening to the opinions of others, pick and choose and decide what you like best. Beware of the sellers influence and commerical websites that offer everything under the sun. Many sound very professional and they are. There is helpful information on some. However, it all boils down to the same point, it's their opinion, just like the statements on this website are our own opinions. Do not think just because they are a well-known somebody that they cannot be wrong when it comes to the needs of your children and what works best for you.

Please do check into the value of using antique books. Older text books from the 1920's- 1940's are simple, basic and they worked extremely well. Today's curriculum texts are full of filler material that is not necessary for a good education. Keep in mind the failing standardized test scores in our country. The materials and books are getting larger and the students are learning less. More is not better and quality versus quantity is always best.

Our Free & Unique Resource List 1 and 2 and 2 contain a free course of study and many free resources that will be a great help. You will also find free placement tests to help you determine what level your child is at and where you should begin if you are pulling them out of the public school system. We want to encourage you that pulling your children out of the public schools is one of the best decisions you will ever make in your life. We are here to encourage you and support you. Feel free to contact us. There should also be a local home school group that offers activities; field trips, events, curriculum fairs, resources and other helpful information.

The first step is to find out what the laws for homeschooling are in your state. Just below is a link to HSLDA which provides the US & territory maps that will list the laws in your area and also provide any updates or recent changes, congress activity and other valuable information about homeschooling. www.hslda.org/hs/state/default.asp

The next step is to contact your local Public School's Board of Education and ask them what is the necessary procedure and/or mail you the required forms that you would need to submit. It would be quite beneficial for you to know the home schooling laws in your state before you speak with the local authorities. Most do not encourage home schooling and had rather not encourage you to remove your child from the system. For each child removed from the public schools they lose thousands of tax dollars per year per child, they would otherwise gain if your child is in the system. Many school systems also think they have more authority and rule over Your homeschooling choices than they do!

As parents we have an enormous wealth of materials and methods to choose from. Our focus should be that our child retains what they have learned. If this country would go back to the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic, (the famous 3-R's), our children would be far better off. Sometimes it is also better to introduce certain skills or facts to a child later in life when they are more mature and quickly grasp the concept, instead of too early when they may struggle to understand. Reading is the first and most important task. If they cannot read fluently, then they will struggle with directions in math and other subjects.

Be confident and know that we as parents do know our children better than anyone else and we care about their education more than anyone else. Pick and choose what works best for your child and in your home. Find what "fits" for each of your children, instead of making them "fit" into a curriculum mold. Be encouraged! You have made a wise choice to homeschool your child and the possibilities are endless. You will be blessed beyond measure and will wonder why you hadn't done this sooner! Don't let anyone tell you that you are not qualified. God gave those children to you, not to the government. Welcome aboard! You can do it!

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Don't forget Part 2 of our Beginner's Home Schooling article.