After the “Why do you homeschool” question, the next question I get on a regular basis is “How do you start homeschooling?” While this is not an in-depth, step-by-step list, I share six suggestions to get ready to homeschool in this podcast.
*Find out your state’s homeschool laws at the HSLDA website (find your state on the map and click it). You’ll be able to download information for your specific state.
*Approaches to homeschooling:
- Traditional: This is the typical textbook and worksheet-driven approach. It systematically leads children through a prescribed scope and sequence. If you like structure, this may work for you. It might be a little more difficult to do when you are teaching several children of different ages.
- Classical: This approach is based on the educational philosophy of the Greeks and Romans. It focuses on the Trivium — three stages of learning. The first part the child passes through is the grammar stage. They move onto the logic stage during middle childhood. The final passage is into the rhetoric stage.
Find out more:
The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise
- Unit Study: This form of education seeks to combine all subject areas into one theme. For instance, your child may be fascinated with butterflies, so your math, reading, art, science, P.E., etc. all come back to butterflies. I use units (or themes) quite a bit with my younger girls. It’s easy to find something they are interested in and build activities around it.
- Unschooling: This approach believes children are stifled in a school-type environment. Instead, this method relies on a much more natural and relaxed approach to learning. While implementation of this approach varies from family to family, you can find out more about this by reading the works of John Holt.
- Charlotte Mason: An educational pioneer in Great Britain, Charlotte Mason’s key ideas were “living” books, short lessons, narration, and nature studies.
- Eclectic: This approach combines aspects of various approaches. This is my own personal approach! I take a few thoughts from Charlotte Mason, throw in Unit Studies, use some flashcards for basic facts, and do some unschooling (a less intimidating term might be “delight-directed”) in the afternoon. Each day looks different — although I do use My Father’s World (which combines various philosophies, too) as a basic guide for each day.
*My fave homeschool books:
Educating the WholeHearted Child — Third Edition: This is my absolute favorite book on homeschooling.
Teaching from Rest: This book is so wonderful and helps you realize others struggle, too. It also has so many great ideas and wise words to help you along on this journey.
*My favorite homeschool convention: