5 Simple Steps Towards Your Homeschool Journey
Adventuring together at Max Patch Loop in North Carolina. Walking a sliver of the Appalachian Trail.
So you decided to homeschool. Good for you! That’s the most difficult part. Making a decision and venturing into the unknown can be scary, but with a little faith - everything is going to be alright.
Here are 5 simple steps to get your schoolhouse rolling:
Register your schoolhouse
Pick a curriculum
Buy school supplies
Create a daily schedule
Create a space
Step 1: Register your schoolhouse:
Check your state laws. Every state is different, so you must be sure you are within the law for your state.
A great place to start is the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). Their website is https://hslda.org
On the upper right hand corner is a menu. If you click on Legal there are a few choices.
Click on State Homeschool Laws.
That will take you to a search tool where you can find your state.
Another suggestion is a simple online search. You can also look for a local homeschool support group in your area. Social media sites, such as Facebook are helpful in this regard. For example, if you live in Charlotte, NC search Facebook for “Charlotte, NC homeschool group”. You will most likely discover a variety of support groups near you and sweet mamas that will be willing to share their knowledge. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be embarrassed. Homeschool moms love to help!
Step 2: Pick a curriculum:
What’s your style?
Traditional?
Classical?
Unschooling?
Charlotte Mason?
Eclectic?
Homeschooling allows you the freedom to choose the right learning style for your child and you. But where do you begin?
First, find out your child’s learning preference. Is he or she a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner? If you’re unsure of what kind of learner your kiddo is, then here is a good article that can help you determine:
https://www.noodle.com/articles/how-to-identify-your-childs-learning-style
Once you know the best way your child learns, then look for a curriculum that will fit. I’m a bit eclectic and over the course of 20+ years I’ve tried different curriculums.
Here are some of my top choices:
Sonlight Curriculum
Sing, Spell Read & Write
Shurley English
Apologia Science
Abeka
Saxon Math
Mammoth Math
Singapore Math
Handwriting Without Tears
A Reason for Handwriting
My all time favorite curriculum is Sonlight Curriculum https://www.sonlight.com
Although not specifically a “Charlotte Mason curriculum” it can definitely be used as such. Sonlight is also a one stop shop and it’s all scheduled out for you, making life all the more sweeter. Be sure to check it out and see if it might be a good fit for you.
Step 3: Buy School Supplies
Homeschooling doesn’t mean you have to give up that once a year fun back-to-school shopathon. That is, if you think it’s fun. You may hate it! But I always enjoy going to Target or Office Depot, with the kiddos, and picking out new notebooks and other supplies for the new year. Make it personal and make it fun.
Step 4: Create a Daily Schedule
I admit I’m not much of a scheduler. I also do not write lesson plans. That’s why I love Sonlight - they do it for you! I tend to have a rhythm to our days. I do write up a sort-of-daily schedule, to give us some direction, but I am not militant. We change things up as we go sometimes, because I hate to tell you… life happens! So learn to go with the flow.
Step 5: Create a space
Last on the list is to create a space. Thanks to COVID and forced online virtual learning, I have seen so many well intentioned mamas posting amazing “schoolrooms”. Moms, that’s beautiful and if you have the space and budget (and time) to do that, then God bless you! Go for it! I have never had a designated schoolroom. For us, lessons have taken place around the same cracked, wooden dining room table for over 20 years. It’s full of paint, pen and pencil marks, and scratches. A lovely tablecloth makes it a dining table at the end of the day. The couch has also been a place to snuggle up on and do read alouds. When it’s a beautiful day, the kids will sometimes take their books or laptops, and work outside.
I hope these 5 simple steps are helpful and will give you some direction to start your journey.