Homeschool? What’s that? (And who would want to?)

A basic definition might be: Homeschooling is when parents teach their children in educational subjects, such as English, Math, etc.

Reasons for homeschooling range from; seeking academic excellence, my child is gifted, my child has special needs, I want to share my beliefs with my child, I want to provide a safe environment for my child to learn at his own pace, better interpersonal relationships, positive socialization, time to pursue special interests, and more.

If you have decided to teach your own children, the good news is; normal people really do this! There are a variety of reasons to do it, and a variety of styles used to get it done, but “real” people are successfully educating at home, and you can too!

Wait! Before you start buying books…
There are endless numbers of books and materials out there to choose from. You will want to think about your reasons for this decision. Write out your goals to help you prioritize what you purchase.

Think about the style of education you and your child will be comfortable with using. Traditional textbooks, unit studies, and literature-based curriculum are all among the readily available options. Any of your goals can be accomplished by any of these curriculum choices, but you may find some easier than others. Your school does not have to look like what we were used to when we were in school.

Remember you don’t have to do it all right away. This is a learning process for you and your child. There will be an adjustment period, as there is with anything that is new and different for your family.
Once you have determined your priorities and decided what you would like learning to look like at your homeschool, you are ready to research specific curriculum options.