Where Do I start? How Do I Begin?
With all the information that is available to us today it can be overwhelming and even confusing. If you are reading this article most likely you have been thinking about removing your child from the public school system. You do not have to wait until the end of the year. You can start immediately and without having to make a decision on which program or curriculum that you will use. Do not feel pushed or rushed into buying anything right away.
It is our opinion that a good plan would be to take a couple of days off and overcome any stress or pressure
you may be experiencing.
Be Confident and Know
1. Your children's level of education does NOT have to be limited to your own.
2. Socialization is a good reason alone to home school your children.
3. Homeschooling is easy. It does not have to be complicated or very expensive as some publishers would have you believe.
You can do this! We congratulate you for delivering your children from the welfare system of the public school and their failing systems. It's all about money with public schools and like welfare, more money and having our children in school longer or more years is making things worse, not better!
When you first withdraw your children from school it is wise to have them take assessment tests. This will help you to see not only their strengths, but also identify their weaknesses and what areas you will want to target with each child. Assessment tests help encourage us of our children's progress, especially on days where those nagging thoughts may haunt us .. "are we doing enough, is my child learning, etc. " It is not uncommon for a child to progress two grade levels within a year of removing them from the public school system. Those free assessments tests that are available online should help give you a good idea about where your children are. Reading and Math are the most important. Especially reading since all other subjects are built upon their reading and comprehension. For students 15 years old and younger, the links provided on our resource page may suffice. You can add to their assessment a one or two page essay on the topic of their choice. Since the public schools require very little writing and home schoolers require much more, you will see an almost immediate improvement and will have their first (public school) essay to compare and it be of great encouragement to see their progress.
Resources that should be in every home include:
~ A healthly home library (bookshelves)
~ A set of Encyclopedias (for Manual research, not to always click, click or google)
~ A globe or world map
~ A Dictionary
~ A patron card to your local library
Money spent on any of the above is money well spent and always a good investment in your child's education.
Beware of bringing home the public school's methods or of those curriculums which model the public school and may sound good because they are Christian and have added God in here and there. Below are treasured keys that even veteran homeschoolers have to remind themselves.
KEY #1
Quality verses Quantity (More is NOT better)
KEY #2
The 3-R's (Reading, Writing, & Arithmetic) Beware of replacing requirements with unnecessaries and "busy work". (Example: worksheets, fill-in-the-blanks)
KEY #3
Retention and Comprehension is our goal
KEY #4
Relax, Have Fun. Remember that most new things are successful if done gradually. Make your homeschooling enjoyable, not taxing, but also properly balancing discipline with a schedule
or routine.
You know your children better than anyone else. It is not to much to expect a child at a young age to read at least TWO (2) hours per day and write at least two full pages. Of course this is done much easier for younger ones by making shorter sessions or lessons and dividing it throughout the day.
FOUNDATIONS
In most cases these foundations below are weak at best. Your child may be struggling because they are building on sand and need to fortify their foundation.
A firm phonics foundation is a must! Make sure your children have mastered ALL the phonics, blends, dipthongs, etc. These too can be found free online, at a link on our resource page, or you can buy them at school supply stores and even Walmart carries them. If necessary have them read aloud lower reading level books often to help build their confidence and fluency.
Math Facts must be mastered before adding new concepts. Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division of whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages and negative numbers. Mental math and understanding the concepts behind these foundational math facts will keep them from having trouble later.
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THANK YOU. Your donation will remain anonymous unless you let us know. We will be thankful and greatful for as little as a $1.00 donation. Thank you again for your support and encouragement!
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