With all the crazy things that have been thrown at us in 2020 there are many people looking into homeschooling this fall.
Many school districts are doing distance learning or some kind of hybrid which is causing parents to consider other options.
Today I want to share a few things to know before you start homeschooling during this pandemic.
This post is based on my personal experience and opinions as a homeschooled student and now as a homeschool mom.
Everyone is different and what works for one family won’t for another. Don’t feel like you have to homeschool because friends are and don’t feel like you can’t homeschool because “no one” else is.
Things to Know Before You Start Homeschooling
This post can’t cover everything you possibly want to know about homeschooling but it’s a good place to start.
My goal in writing this is to give you a good overview of things you need to think about and do before starting homeschooling your kids.
Consider Your Reasons
There are a lot of reasons to consider homeschooling, everything from wanting to be more involved in your child’s education to worries about health problems are valid reasons to consider homeschooling.
While you’re considering homeschooling here are just a couple of things to think about.
Homeschooling means that you will be with your kids A LOT! For some that is a great thing and for others that might be a struggle.
While this isn’t a make or break factor to homeschooling just be prepared and think about how you will handle having your kids around ALL THE TIME.
Know the Law in Your Area
Each State and sometimes even each school district can have homeschool requirements.
In Maryland all the counties follow the state law, some counties try to ask for more information but legally you don’t have to share it.
A great resource for finding out about the homeschool laws in your state and county is HSLDA.
On HSLDA you can search by state to see what the law is, you will find an overview of what the state requires as well as a link to the specific law so you can read it for yourself.
Decide How You Will Meet State/Local Requirements
Depending on the area you live in there will be different requirements you need to meet.
Some states only require that you file an intent to homeschool. Other states require things like state testing, portfolio reviews, and attendance records to name just a few.
To get information and ideas on how the different options for meeting these requirements I have found that local homeschool groups on facebook can be a great resource.
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Figure Out How You Want to Homeschool
There are so many different ways to homeschool and figuring out what you want out of your homeschool experience will go a long way in helping you have a successful experience.
To figure out how you want to homeschool here are a few things to consider.
Co-Op, Umbrella or Traditional Homeschooling
When you let the school district know that you are homeschooling they will most likely ask if you will be part of an Umbrella School or not. In several states that will determine how much interaction you have with the school district.
Co-op
A Co-op is a group of homeschool families that meet together. Some co-op groups meet for field trips and other social activities. Other co-ops do some academic classes together that are parent-led.
Most co-op students do most of their learning outside the co-op group on their own.
Umbrella
Umbrella schools vary from state to state but overall an umbrella school works as an alternative school that will oversee and makes sure homeschool families are meeting government education requirements.
Some Umbrella schools are very structured with curriculum, sports teams, and more while others are not and allow a lot of freedom.
If your state has a lot of legal requirements to homeschool an umbrella school might be something good to look into.
Traditional
Traditional homeschooling is where you as the parent pick the curriculum and make sure you are meeting the state requirements for homeschooling.
There is no middle person working with the state for you. Traditional homeschooling gives you more freedom in how you homeschool but it might require a little more paper work on your part.
Homeschool Style
Just as there are different ways to register as a homeschooling family with your county, there are different homeschool styles.
This homeschool style quiz is a great way to see what style of homeschooling fits you. Then you can go from there to researching more about the different styles of homeschooling.
Secular or Religious
Another thing to consider when figuring out how you want to homeschool is if you want to have a secular or religious homeschool. Many umbrella schools, co-ops and even curriculum can be found to support secular homeschooling and religious homeschooling.
Decide on Curriculum
Wow I know that’s a lot of information, but now we get on to the fun part (in my opinion!) choosing the curriculum.
There are countless curriculum options out there some are free and inexpensive others are more expensive.
Some curriculum is open and go while other options require prep for each lesson.
When choosing curriculum you can choose to do a one and done approach by getting all of your curriculum from the same company or you can piece it together from several different companies. You can even put together your own curriculum if you want.
I personally like to piece together my curriculum using several different companies and focus the topics and units we study to my kid’s interests.
Send a Letter of Intent
If you’re new to homeschooling you might be wondering what a Letter of Intent is and why it’s important.
A letter of intent can also be called a homeschool notification or notification letter. It’s simply the form you fill out letting the school district know that you will be homeschooling.
From my experience, you can find a form for most counties on the school district website. If your county doesn’t have a form here is a sample letter of intent with a printable you can use.
Not all states require a letter of intent but most do.
Also keep in mind that if your child has already attended public school than you may need to withdraw them from the school as well as sending a letter of intent. It all depends on your school district what is required to withdraw a child.
Teach Your Child
Now that you have done all the prep and let the school know you’re homeschooling it’s time to actually teach your child.
While it’s important to teach your child, it’s also important to realize that not every day is going to be perfect.
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It takes time and practice to figure out how your homeschool days will go and what will work best for your family.
Also, remember to have fun. Learning doesn’t just have to be worksheets and book work. Have fun going exploring, doing experiments, and getting hands-on with learning when you can.
Report if Required
If your state requires reporting throughout the year or at the end of the year don’t forget to track what you need to and get your reporting done.
While all of this information about homeschooling might seem overwhelming once you decide what you’re doing and what curriculum you’re using it takes a lot of the stress off. Then you can focus on the fun part of learning.
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