How to Homeschool: Homeschool Basics
Are you thinking about homeschooling but don't know where to start? We are here to answer your questions and help you along on this exciting journey! You are going to be amazed at what God can teach everyone in your family through this blessing of homeschooling. It’s wonderful, life-changing, and probably a little scary, right?
On this page, you will find a collection of resources and tools to encourage and motivate you as you seek to discover more about your educational options and how homeschooling can benefit your family and give you freedom!
AM I SMART ENOUGH TO HOMESCHOOL
The first step in the process of preparing for your homeschool journey might be to answer questions about the skills and qualifications necessary to teach your children.
Next, I'll show you 4 simple steps to get started homeschooling that will help you begin on the right path and prepare you to embark on your journey.
CULTIVATE A LIFESTYLE OF LEARNING
Learning is authentic. It’s FUN. It’s what you do when you are interested in knowing something that has an impact on your life. We have to find ways to weave everyday life into the things we are learning.
A SIMPLE HOMESCHOOL SCHEDULE FOR WORKING MOMS
One of the next steps will be planning a daily schedule that works for your family. Our simple homeschool schedule for working moms shows you how to set this plan in place.
FINDING THE COURAGE TO HOMESCHOOL OUTSIDE THE BOX
Children are different. They have different learning styles. Parents have different teaching styles. Choosing curriculum to meet your child's individual needs can make a difference in being successful!
HOW TO GET YOUR CHILD TO LOVE LEARNING
Don’t you want your children to actually LIKE school? Do you want them to graduate with a love of learning? Let’s dig into some truths about school and how we can help our children actually WANT to learn each day.
Once you get started you may feel like some things are working and some aren’t. Know this: You’re not alone. This is a normal part of the process. Experimenting with what works for your kiddos is a part of the process. And, no, it’s NOT HARMING THEM.
For a great perspective on where to start, read my advice for new homeschoolers. Find out what Chick-Fil-A has taught me and how their philosophies are great standards that homeschoolers can use as well!
WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD BE LEARNING?
There are many differing views on what should be taught and when it should be taught. I’m sharing what has worked well for our homeschool after combining my experience in the classroom with teaching at home. Remember, that’s your job too. Seek out what works best for your family and don’t worry about what everyone else says!
From early elementary, your child can start taking on responsibility. If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend that you make responsibility your focus in younger grade levels because later the focus needs to be the academic content.
By the end of elementary, they should be able to take an assignment and complete it on their own. Most of the time, they’ve gained enough reading skills to do so. They can often “teach” themselves several subjects, such as math and science. If you don’t know where to start, this post will give you 5 easy steps to teaching responsibility.
HOW MANY HOURS A DAY SHOULD WE HOMESCHOOL?
I know you are wondering about this because everyone does. It typically takes from 1-2 hours for elementary grades, to 4-5 hours for high school level homeschool curriculum. Isn’t that wonderful? In the classroom setting, kids are expected to focus and pay attention for much of the day, but at home, you don’t have to do that. There’s no need to stand in line, sharpen 28 pencils, or participate in that fire drill one more time.
Of course, this doesn’t mean your child is finished learning in a few hours a day and will waste the rest of the day vegging in the land of no knowledge. If you encourage enriching activities (and limit screen time), your child will literally NEVER stop learning. The rest of the day is filled with activities to help them create, gain wisdom, and explore in-depth their own specific interests.
What curriculum should I use?
Choosing a Christian homeschool curriculum you can trust isn’t an easy job. Trust me, I get it. You want curriculum that your kids will love, curriculum that meets their needs, and, most importantly, curriculum that helps them GROW in Christ!
After more than 16 years homeschooling, I can safely say one thing: There are a lot of choices! Whether you are just starting out or still looking for a perfect fit, I don’t want you to get stuck in the weeds!
Using my expertise as a certified educator and 15+ years of homeschooling, we’ve created a comprehensive list of the BEST Christian homeschool curriculum for each grade level. You’ll find each of them linked below.
Whether you're brand new or you've been homeschooling for a decade, we all have one thing in common: WE NEED A HOMESCHOOL PLAN!
Often, the idea of planning for your homeschool year can be overwhelming. There are so many pieces to put together: scheduling, curriculum, grading, independent work. BUT! Using our FREE homeschool planning boot camp, in 5 days we will plan your whole year step-by-step!
This course will answer many of the questions above, including scheduling, curriculum choices, organizing your students and space, and much more!
