Good Websites for Homeschooling

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fitone247

Cathlete
Hi! I need your advice on a non-fitness topic. I hope its ok that I posted here on this. Can anyone recommend a good website for Homeschooling? Given all the severe budget cuts to education in my town, my daughter's school will probably close and we will have many teacher layoffs and program cuts in addition to large numbers in the classrooms and possible non-accreditation of some schools.

I am looking at homeschooling as a viable option but I really need to get my facts together before my family makes this decision.

Anyone else out there do homeschooling? Any advice, suggestions or tips would be well appreciated by this very tired, disillusioned mom who just wants her daughter to get a good education! Thank goodness for my Cathe and Firm workouts - they have been keeping me grounded during this very stressful time.


Thanks!
Deb
 
Here's a link to the Homeschooling Legal Defense Association, it will provide information about the laws in your state:
http://www.hslda.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1

I homeschooled my youngest son for 1-1/2 years, while he recovered from surgery. It was a wonderful experience and we grew closer than ever, even though he was a 16 years old teen. :)

I would check out the public library, and read all you can on homeschooling. There are some great books on Amazon too. Support groups are all over the internet, search for your state and homeschooling and you may even find one near you.

Good luck, and don't be afraid to do this. It was the best decision I ever made for my son.
 
Hi I homeschool my 3 boys and have from the start, are you looking for curricullum ideas or sites on how to homeschool/getting started?

I use Christain Liberty Press for my curricullum they the are cheapest around yet give you everything you need for teaching a particular grade in their Curricullum Kits. http://ebiz.netopia.com/clpress this is their website.

http://www.ilovethatteachingidea.com/ this site has reproducible worksheets that are helpful.

The site the other lady gave you will give you specifics for your particular state.

What grade are we talking about? You will need to keep some outside activities ie sports,or music or art lessons so that the school board doesn't scream about socialization skills.

Homeschooling is great in that you don't have to answer to the teachers, you can take a vacation whenever you like, especially during off season when rates are down, you control the day, the hours, the field trips and what she learns and how she learns it.

There are alot of homeschooling boards out there too that can help and offer assistance.

I frequent http://teachingmom.com it has helpful stuff and a message board also. It is a Christian site.

HTH some

Ask more questions as they arise and I will try and answer them.
 
Thanks so much for the info KeliJean and Annette! My daughter is in 3rd grade and I don't see the budget situation changing much over the next few years. I am looking for anything on homeschooling at this point - if its for me, how to get started, resources and support groups. She is very involved in sports, dance and girl scouts so the socialization issue should not be a problem.

My only concern is my headstrong little girl who is very bright but does better when someone else is teaching her. I do good at filling in the gaps, helping with homework, and during school vacations I always give her challenges to keep her fresh for going back to school, but I am still "Mom" and I don't know if she could see me as "teacher".

I have also considered choicing her out to other schools, but all the communities are suffering so that would not solve the problem.

Is it possible to homeschool for awhile and then transition back to public school if the situation changes in our community and my daughter wants to go back at some point or are you pretty much "locked in" once you start?

Thanks - I might take advantage of you both in the future for your knowledge!

Deb
 
No, alot of people pull their kids out of public school homeschool for awhile and then put them back in. You are not locked into it by any means. As far as you as a teacher, you were her first teacher, as in the fact that you taught her to tie her shoes, say her alphabet, and numbers, to recognize shapes, colors, and the alphabet and numbers so you really are her teacher. I have a 3rd grader myself and the one good thing about 3rd grade or rather 4th since she will be moving up is that they can read so you are not spending all your time reading instuctions to them and the like. She can almost teach herself if the textbooks are good. I really only do minimal checking on my 5th grade son and my 3rd grade son is becoming self motivating which is a great help, because my 1st grade son still needs me to read directions for him and to help him with the work.:)

Alot of kids benefit from having been homeschooled and in the public schools it gives them the taste of both worlds.:9 I have a strongwilled son who at first I butted heads with but you just have to set the ground rules and punishments that will incur should a problem arise. I did that for about 2 years and haven't had to since. He got the message that I meant business. We still have out moments but they are fewer and farther between now.

Check out some books about homeschooling from your library... at the moment I can't come up with any titles that jump right out at me for you to look at but the librarian should be able to help you!!

Keep asking the questions and I will keep trying to answer.
 
Annette, thank you so much for this great information. I am beginning to feel that there is hope for her education after all!

I am sure I will have more questions in the future!

Deb
 
Hi, Deb! Right now I homeschool my 3rd grader. I also use Christian Liberty Press. I've used Bob Jones University in the past -- great stuff, big $$$$. My 6th grader right now is in a public middle school.

There is a book I have, but I can't seem to find it at the moment. I think it's called, Homeschool Helper. I'm trying to think of the name of the other one.

Here are some links you can peruse:

http://www.sonlight.com/

http://www.home-school.com/

http://www.rainbowresource.com/

http://www.timberdoodle.com/

http://www.homeschoolingheadquarters.com/

http://www.bjup.com/textbooks/

Sorry if there are any duplicate sites already posted. You can get catalogs for most of these sites. Rainbow Resources is great! You can get almost any curriculum much cheaper through them.

Oh, also Vegsource has a great homeschool community.
http://www.vegsource.com/homeschool/

You are always welcome to email or PM me if you have any questions.
:)

Hollie
 
You've already had some good advise here and great sites that they listed. There must be 100+ organizations that can supply you with curriculum. I can only add....check out some homeschool groups in your area, I'm sure you'll be able to find some. Talk to the families and see what they are doing. Many can offer lots of advise and ideas that you can take or leave. It's helpful to get to know other's who are homeschooling in your area. Even if you are from a small town (we are in the sticks and there are many homeschool families) chances are you will find many families that homeschool and would love to share their experience.

Briee
 
Hi Deb,

You might want to go to your local library and check out the books by Mary Pride, Cathy Duffy, and Debra Bell. They all contain good info. on the different styles of homeschooling, as well as a nice compare and contrast to the different types of curriculum available. Fortunately for us, there is so much out there for homeschoolers to choose from these days. Also, this is the time of year when most homeschool organizations are holding curriculum fairs. There you can usually look at the various types of curriculum available before purchasing, as well as attend very informative seminars. I've been homeschooling for 5 years now. I can honestly say (contrary to what my kids think) it certainly wasn't my life's ambition to "grow up and homeschool" my children, but I have been thoroughly blessed by it and wouldn't trade the experience in for the world. And I only have 8 years to go.;-)

Denise
 
Here's a vote for Sonlight curriculum! It's like a big smorgasboard: you pick and choose what you need to fit your schedule. We've been homeschooling for 6 years; the first 3 I flopped around with all sorts of curricula. Sonlight was the first curriculum we stuck with for a whole year, and now it's been three!

They have a super forum, too. It's a Christian curriculum, but there are many non-religious families using it because it is so adaptable.
 
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