I was thinking when I have kids I want to home school them?

Question

So I wanted to know how I would find out exactly what they need to learn and where to get the homework and in class sheets. like all the papers they need to complete to go on to the next grade. I was just wondering.

Do I have to go to the public school and talk with someone??

Answer 1

So you´re asking this on a theoretical level, as you don´t have kids yet... right?

It´s way too early to start worrying about how to possibly school your kids when they´re not even conceived, let alone born - even though I appreciate the idea that you think about your future kids´ education.

Why would you want to homeschool your kids? Have you been homeschooled and liked it? Did you attend a public school and have a bad time there? Interacting with other kids in a learning environment is important to kids and should be valued high. I don´t want to get you to cancel your homeschooling plans, but I really think it´s too early to make such a decision. I´d always wait until your kids are old enough to at least have an opinion - and yes, 6 year olds who are presented with two options presented in reasonable ways (that is, without you trying to push them into one of two possible directions) are very much able to at least voice their opinion.

Answer 2

Please go to my web site and have a look at it. I have information there about home school laws, guidelines for setting up a home school, and several different links which you can click on to find home school products. Yes, you will need to inform the school system at that time of your intentions to home school. If, you have any further question you may contact me through my web site listed below. Have a nice day.  

Answer 3

I would suggest reading- So you're thinking about homeschooling. It's a great overview and your public library probably has it to loan out.

Best of Luck to You!

Jana

http://www.purehomeschooling.com

http://www.summerhouseliving.com

Answer 4

MG is exactly wrong, you can NEVER start too early in contemplating and researching homeschool. There are a wide spectrum of philosophies and approaches and the sooner you start the more complete will be the body of knowledge on which you base your choices, the more prepared you will be with the scope and sequence of your curriculum.

Read John Holt, John Taylor Gatto, Linda Dobson and Grace Llewellyn.  

do NOT go through your local school district for advice, they have been known to misrepresent and overstate requirements to discourage homeschooling.  

you can get state requirement info here:

http://www.nhen.org/leginfo/state_list.a...

google homeschool, unschooling, unit studies, Charlotte Mason, Classical Education, Montessori, and Waldorf schools, pre-math skills, pre-reading skills, curriculum scope and sequence, and Core Knowledge, and do more research on the new concepts that you come across as you read those.  

Answer 5

DON'T go to the local public school authorities. Very rarely will you find someone who actually knows the legal situation where you live, and they often parrot the most amazing myths! Please follow some of the above suggestions, starting with the Homeschool Legal Defense Fund, and attending a homeschool convention near you. You might be surprised at what you find!

Answer 6

Gosh, I sure hope *MG* doesn't plan on having kids.  I feel sorry for them already.  

First off, I wouldn't contact the local public school system as they probably won't know what they are talking about.  

The beauty of homeschooling is that you can go whatever pace your child needs to.  If they are reading when they are four, great!  Keep going!  If they are not reading till age six, great!  Keep going!  You see, it doesn't matter what they are learning as long as they are learning.  Every child learns differently which is why homeschooling usually produces children that excel.  Homeschoolers are not forced to learn at the pace of the teacher/school system. They can move ahead/stay back as needed.  

Many homeschoolers use curriculums that come with books, tests, quizzes, and teachers answer keys.  That is one way to know what to teach your child.  Another way is to simply let them learn!  You will know what to teach them just like you will know how to teach them to talk, walk, socialize, and eat!  Also, you can always talk to other homeschool parents and students by finding local homeschool groups.  

Even if you don't end up homeschooling, I commend you for checking into other educational possibilities for your future children!  I don't have kids yet but I am already excited about homeschooling them!

Answer 7

I would suggest you start reading books from the library about homeschooling to get a good understanding of what it's all about. It's hard to tell if you have a mistaken notion about homeschooling or if you're hoping to have a distance learning-type program. So read up on homeschooling as much as you can.

I can share how it works where I live. We are homeschoolers under the laws of our province. Nobody gives us "homework" or class sheets because *I* am their teacher. We don't follow the same curriculum as the schools here; they simply move onto the next "grade" according to their age. We have to register here so we only talk with the schools that accept homeschooling registration.

Typically in the US, though, you are somewhat like a private school where you do as you wish, albeit sometimes with certain restrictions (for example, you might have to log 180 school days or a certain number of hours or make sure you cover certain subject areas). Homeschooling under homeschooling laws is NEVER something where somebody gives you all the work for the kids to do. That would be a home-bound or distance learning program.

ADDED: I completely disagree with MG. Plenty of parents start thinking about how they are going to raise their kids or what kind of schooling they want for them before they have even had kids. "Interacting with other kids in a learning environment is important to kids and should be valued high." Why is it important to kids? We spent thousands upon thousands of years without kids spending 7 hours 180 days out of the year in a classroom with 20-30 other kids the same age. Do kids need interaction? Of course. But sitting in a desk most of the time and having your interaction limited to mainly just people your age is actually stifling to growth. And allow a 6yo to decide where he's going to be schooled? That's not an appropriate choice to give to someone so young. Would you present a bunch of different private schools to a 6yo and have him decide? A 6yo doesn't have nearly enough understanding of the world nor the knowledge required to truly have an opinion on such a matter. It's better to leave their opinions to something they do know about, like what colour of shirt they want to wear or which vegetable to serve for dinner.

Answer 8

You probably should not contact your local public school.  I did that at the beginning of our journey-I already knew the laws, etc. but their personnel gave me conflicting, and downright incorrect, information.  

First, start at http://www.HSLDA.org and find out the laws in your state.  

Second, start researching now-there is so much information available regarding homeschooling and the various issues-which type of homeschooling, what curriculum, etc.-that it can be overwhelming.  We decided to homeschool long before they were school age, and I had time to process all of the information.  I really think that it helped us!

Check out Rainbow Resource, they have a catalog as thick as a phone book with different materials they offer (from various sources), and writeups about them.

Visit various homeschool suppliers websites, and ask for free catalogs and any other free resources.  Our family uses A Beka, and they offer a free catalog as well as a free Scope and Sequence (overview of the curriculum, grade by grade).  They also have meetings across the country, where you can view the materials in person.  

Check with your local homeschool organizations for information about homeschool showcases, where often a variety of suppliers will be present with free materials.

Homeschoolers do not have "homework" and "in class sheets".  Homebound students-public school students that are doing their work at home for medical, behavior, or other reasons-do.  Homeschooling is where the parent is completely in charge of the students education, and you can use whatever curriculum you want-and with all of the choices, you are not limited at all.  Another option is virtual schooling, where the student is a public school student but does their work from home, online.  The school supplies the curriculum, and often the computer, to these students but again, it is not the same as homeschooling.

Hang out here at Yahoo! Answers homeschooling category, browse other homeschool forums and sites-I keep a notebook handy so I can jot down information, links, book titles, etc.

I hope this helps, and wish you and your future children the best!  Homeschooling is an amazing journey, one we do not regret at all.

Answer 9

It really depends on what state you live in at the time your children are of school age.  Homeschooling is legal in all states, but the laws differ greatly.  In some states, you need to contact the district or state Board of Ed; in others, you don't need to do a thing - you just start homeschooling your kids.

There are curricula for every age, viewpoint, learning style, educational philosophy, budget, and interest.  When you get ready to homeschool, I really recommend that you get in touch with a homeschool support group in your area.  They will have veteran homeschoolers who can guide you through every step.  As far as curriculum, I would say to attend a homeschool convention in your area - there, you will be able to talk with reps and really look through many of the choices, comparing them side by side to see what you need.

Hope that helps - and have fun!  Honestly, it's been the most beneficial thing we ever could have done for our son, and he's thriving because of it.