Homeschool: A Guide to Getting Started On the Right Track.

Whether you're new to homeschooling or just curious about it, the idea of teaching your children at home probably seems overwhelming. There are so many questions to be answered, decisions to be made, and new ideas to grasp. My advice is to relax -- every homeschooling parent was once in your shoes and soon discovered that homeschooling is not as hard as it looks. If you can read a book, you can teach your child. You will soon see, homeschooling is a way of life and not a list of things to cover.

The most recent Federal Government study concluded that about 2.2% of the K-12 students or 1.1 million students were being homeschooled in the United States as of spring 2003. In the last few years, these trends have all accelerated. Private schools of quality have gotten really expensive. The shootings at schools, the 911 and the government emphasis on the constant threat of terrorism, and the huge impact of the No Child Left Behind testing have all vastly contributed to accelerating the homeschool movement. You are not alone. Many families around the US are packing up and heading home. If they can do it, so can you.

The first step to successful homeschooling is the”why”. Why do you want to homeschool? Knowing this will take all of the confusion out of it for you. Don’t think about the pragmatic elements right now, think of the” why” and you will be on the right track. Take a weekend and dream about the type of education you want for your child and the write it down in detail.

Long term vision will keep you on track with the day to day aspect of home schooling. Keep this vision handy and refer to it often. It will help you see the forest for the trees on the hard days. Once you have this step clearly defined take time to educate yourself on all of the different avenues available to you in the homeschooling community. Read or research online just enough to have some knowledge but not too much that leaves you feeling overwhelmed.

This is where having your “why” and the dream of the type of overall education you want for your child is important. It will guide you through the mounds of homeschooling information out there. It could be paralyzing if you haven’t thought these steps through first. Then with everything you read or research, ask yourself, “Does this line up with what I want for my children’s education?” Homeschooling is a deeply personal choice and reflects the family it is serving. What works for our family may not line up with what is important for your family. Keep that in mind as you move forward. Homeschooling is a tool that will serve your family in meeting your overall goals and not the other way around.

The next step is to know the homeschool laws in your state. While homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, reporting, testing, and evaluation requirements vary widely. A thorough knowledge and understanding of your state laws before you begin will prevent difficulties down the road. Do not contact your local school, board of education, or elected officials concerning homeschooling laws. The information obtained from these sources is rarely correct. A good resource for state laws and reporting requirements is the Homeschool Legal Defense Association.

Regardless of the estimated total homeschool population, most experts agree that homeschooling is increasing in popularity at an extremely high rate; many estimates place the growth rate between 7% and 15% per year. Although the exact number of homeschoolers isn't clear, what is clear is that the number of homeschoolers is significant and continues to grow at a brisk pace. As more people discover its benefits, we can expect this trend to continue. So relax. Realize you are not alone. As you move forward, you will find tons of homeschooling communities out there that are dedicated to helping you find success in your family’s homeschool journey. The key is to know what you want and then doing the research to find them.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Amber Bishop is the co-founder of www.smartmoms-smartbusiness.com and www.smartmoms.freeforums.com ;online resources for work at home moms. She is also the owner of www.homeschool-diva.com She stays home and home schools her three children while building a successful home based business.

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