How to Start Homeschooling
March 16, 2020Greetings! I’m Jamie Gaddy, spokesperson for Homeschool.com and homeschool mom to six. Whether you are new to homeschooling or you are still considering the idea, we have a lot to talk about for how to start homeschooling!
For inspiration, information and opportunities to connect with homeschoolers in your area, explore our links below. Don’t let the amount of information in this homeschooling guide overwhelm you. Relax. Pour a cup of tea and read slowly. A great place to start is with our two helpful homeschool quizzes. You can take the Learning Styles quiz and the Homeschool Methods quiz quickly and easily online!
I wish you and your children much joy and peace on whatever educational path you choose to travel. If, after exploring this site, you still have questions about how to homeschool, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
With grace and joy,
Jamie
How to Get Started Homeschooling
When you are looking into how to start homeschooling, the suggestions can seem overwhelming. Thankfully, homeschooling is easier now than when I began teaching my children fifteen years ago. Thanks to the internet, students can connect with peers and educators from around the world. Online resources, many of which are free, enable students to delve deep into any subject they desire. Homeschooling co-ops and alternative learning centers are providing a community for our kids. When parents research how to homeschool now, the multitude of resources show that homeschooling has become such a mainstream, affordable, and accepted option! The home-learning landscape is now an increasingly diverse and exciting alternative. For parents new to homeschooling requirements, an all-in-one, online curriculum like Time4Learning.com is a good place to start. This online education covers all grades and offers parent tools like grading and reporting.
How to Choose a Curriculum
Not sure where to start with buying a curriculum this year? I get it! Buying a homeschool curriculum can cause even the bravest parents to shiver in their boots!
As I looked into how to start homeschooling, the first few times I had to purchase a curriculum I felt so lost! I eventually figured out that I needed to set up some guidelines for myself. Once those were in place, buying a curriculum each year got a little easier! But of course, I have to have some willpower to stick to those guidelines….
So, one of the first things that I tell my homeschooling friends, is that you need to revisit your purpose and mission for homeschooling. Why are you homeschooling and how do you plan on accomplishing your mission? This then leads you to think about the best way to accomplish that mission- which is often your best-fit homeschooling method. I encourage you to ask yourself the hard questions if you haven’t already, and write it all down. This is the beginning of your “process” – get to know yourself!
Identifying a curriculum that “fits” our children is as important as providing them with the right-sized shoes and clothing. First, determine your child’s learning style and educational goals, and then have some fun looking over all of the resources we write about here. Selecting a curriculum that “fits” makes all the difference in ensuring a successful homeschooling experience for your family. For this purpose, we’ve created this user-friendly Resource Guide to help you search by grade level, format, method, and subject.
Unsure about how to get started homeschooling? For more tips and information for selecting a homeschool curriculum, listen to this podcast episode!
Where Can I Find Support?
If you decide to embark on your own homeschooling adventure, you’ll have your share of beautiful days bursting with spontaneous craft projects, hands-on science experiments, field trips, and family read-alongs. But I’ll be honest with you; there will be hard days too. As a homeschooling mom, I didn’t always feel confident that we were doing things “correctly.” I often yearned for a road map for how to start homeschooling—a homeschooling guide to reassure me when things got tough. This longing inspired me to share my story online, where I aim to support dear friends just like you.
The challenging days are exactly why it’s vital to connect with a homeschooling support group. Homeschool support groups are great places to connect and engage with other homeschoolers. When you research how to homeschool, finding a connection that gives you the opportunity to share experiences, get advice, and find friends is often a lifeline. Discovering your support community in local homeschool programs near you is a key to homeschooling success!
Find local support groups here.
How Do I Choose the Right Method?
Although every homeschool is unique, certain homeschooling styles and approaches have become very popular. Most homeschoolers do not follow one style or method exactly especially since there are so many different types of homeschooling styles. Instead, they select the ideas and suggestions that fit their family and eventually end up with a method all their own.
It may take some time to develop your own routine and you may discover that you start out more structured in the beginning and become more flexible and relaxed as time goes on. Every family is unique, so find the type of homeschooling that works best for you and your children. Not sure how to find out your unique homeschooling method? Take this easy homeschool styles quiz to get an idea of what homeschool method works for you. Remember, if you take the types of homeschooling quiz a few times and get different answers, you may be an eclectic homeschooler! See the explanation below for more information on eclectic homeschooling!
Read more about the top 8 homeschooling methods here.
FAQs About Homeschooling
Even on a page like this for how to homeschool, sometimes your specific questions are still unanswered. We completely understand that! It’s important to have FAQs for parents new to homeschooling. Whether you are just looking for more information or you need comprehensive answers, our Frequently Asked Questions page is here for you. Give it a read-through and if you still have questions, feel free to send us a message on our Facebook page!
Tips and Advice from Experienced Parents
Homeschool.com has all of the information for how to get started homeschooling. The links below will help get you to get started homeschooling. Visit and linger for a while. Share what you learn there with your children. Imagine the wonderful possibilities awaiting you and your family.
Discover:
|
Jamie Gaddy
Jamie Gaddy, B.S., M.Ed., Ed.D. has been a college education professor for over 17 years. Education has been a part of her life in both the classroom and as a principal. Six children later found her dissatisfied with traditional school and homeschool became the better fit. She is also a pastor’s wife, editor, and entrepreneur who now homeschools four of her six children in Georgia. Jamie loves to share about her homeschool experience to help other homeschoolers find success. Connect with her at [email protected].
Latest Posts
Can you believe May is here and summer is just around the corner?! Whether you're winding down your homeschool year or preparing to continue forging ahead with your learning, hopefully, these…
Read more >
It’s been known for millennia that children love stories. As human beings, our brains are wired to receive information in this form. Stories help the reader form the emotional connection…
Read more >
While nearly every college and university today is eager to accept homeschooled students into their institutions, homeschooling families need to understand that their student’s application…
Read more >