What if you can't afford homeschool and you really want it and need it what do you do?

Question

What if you can't afford homeschool and you really want it and need it what do you do?

Answer 1

Are there no public libraries?  Used book stores?  There are lots of free things on line to help you learn algebra, geometry, trig even Organic Chemistry.

There is HOW THINGS WORK a great site to learn about anything.

I must have collected the LARGEST array of books on programming in Basic (I once had about 40 volumes) from the used thrift store for 50 cents each.

I had a huge colletion of Psychology books both new and used from 50 cents to $8.95 each.

I still have my Barns and Nobel College Math book I think it cost me $15.

Answer 2

Cant' afford because of the cost of books, and supplies, or can't afford due to having to work outside the home?

Work schedules can be adjusted, jobs can be changed from day shifts to evening, so the parents can split the child care arrangements, as well as trying to find work you can do from  your own home.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

That being said, the cost of home schooling is very minute.

You can make it as expensive as you'd like.

Often home schooling for the first few years can be done for less than $100.00 per year.

Buy basic school supplies, use the library extensively, as well as your inter-library loan program.

Borrow books from other home school families in your local group.

Go to a public school book give away; most hold them once a year on the end of each school year; they give away curriculum, library books, and many supplemental items as well.

Do a web search for free home school supplies, you will have more to choose from than you may ever need, and there are many websites that give free worksheets as well.

Here are a few for all ages:

This site does require a $20.00 yearly fee to have full use of all their printable materials, but it is well worth it.

You can check them out for free, but it is a lot of curriculum in one place.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/

Free computer software; just pay a nominal fee for shipping.

http://www.planetcdrom.com/free-homescho...

Educational games.

http://www.educationallearninggames.com/...

Weather/Meteorology (the weather dude).

http://www.wxdude.com

Astronomy

http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/star...

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/

Mr. Donn's history sire - unit studies.

http://www.members.aol.com/don.........

Free weekly tips, worksheets,lesson plans, resources , and curriculum.

http://www.homeschoolfreestuff...

http://about.com/education/

http://www.freeworksheets.com/

http://teacher.scholastic.com/

http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/ets/Wwwsites....

http://www.lethsd.ab.ca/mmh/games/top100...

Math:

http://www.tlsbooks.com/mathworksheets.h...

http://www.mathsisfun.com/worksheets/ind...

http://www.algebra.com

http://www.coolmath.com/

http://www.coolmathalgebra.com/......

http://www.coolmath4kids.com/

http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/creekvalley/s...

http://www.rainforestmaths.com/

Geography

http://www.dltk-kids.com/world

http://www.dltk-kids.com

http://www.dltk-kids.com/color.........

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Geograph...

http://members.aol.com/bowermanb/games.h...

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/g...

http://www.weeklyreader.com/kids/games/g...

Typing-keyboarding

http://www.auntlee.com/easytyp.........

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/



Other:

http://www.funbrain.com/

http://www.brainpopjr.com/

http://www.iknowthat.com/

http://www.kidzone.ws/

http://kidsites.com/

http://www.spellingtime.com/

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/...

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/month...

http://www.extremescience.com/

or try:

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/month...

This link brings you to the Kindergarten page but the site is for K-8 and up.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Homeschooling can cost anywhere from nothing to thousands, it is what you decide you want to do that determines the cost.  Unfortunately, there isn't even enough information in your question to discern if you are a young person wanting to homeschool or a parent thinking they are strapped financially and can't afford it.  

Some basics you will need:

Find out your local regs so you can comply: http://www.hslda.org

Then look for a local homeschool support group so you can ask people who homeschool in your state exactly what they do to comply.  This site will help you find one: http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/webl...

Use your local library as a free resource.  Some areas have used curriculum stores and free book giveaways for homeschoolers who need help.  Your local group will have great info about resources.  

Good luck to you.

Answer 4

Find a job that you can do at home or arrange a night job that way you can be with the kids during the day and still do a thing on the side to get a few bucks.

Answer 5

What's to afford? Use the public library, use a curriculum swap, go to garage sales or book sales. We checked out my son's algebra book from the library and renewed until he finished. We swapped some old literary books for a science experiments book. Look for free days at the zoo, museums, science centers. Ask about scholarships to classes at the above. Join a local homeschoolers group and ask for help.

Answer 6

Homeschooling can cost as much or little as you want it to.  Sounds like homeschooling may not be the problem to me, but below I'll list some resources to free or low cost curricula.  Between the free stuff you can get online and the library you'll be set.

  

http://www.materamabilis.org/

Free Curriculum based on the Charlotte Mason Method.  For Catholic families up to 8th grade with more grades added each year.

http://www.nongnu.org/fcp/

Free Curriculum Project

http://amblesideonline.org/HELP.shtml

Free Curriculum based on the Charlotte Mason Method

http://k12.bellsouth.net/newsite/curricu...

Free Lesson Plans

http://www.everythinghomeschooling.com/s...

Free Lesson Plans with an option to purchase access to more

Low Cost Curriculum

http://www.accelerated-achievement.com/i...

http://www.robinsoncurriculum.com/

Check out this link to see the different types of homeschooling:

http://www.chasesc.com/types.html

(Scroll down)

Are you the parent or the child?

If you're the parent and it's a case of needing to work (and your kids are too young to stay alone) you may need to ask for help.  Trading babysitting or teaching time and/or finding a job that you can take your kids with you are things I'd strongly consider.  One of the single mom's that I know was a nanny for many years so she could keep her kids with her.

If your children are old enough to be alone for a while (and you have to work), I'd assign some things to do independently while you're at work and work on the other stuff when you're together.

I know several single mom's that have made homeschooling work for them.  It wasn't easy but they worked around their limitations and emphasized the positive aspects to make it work.  For the record, I think they have nice well rounded kids.

If you're the student, you need to take responsibility for your education.  Check out The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn at the library and read it.

IMO, if you did nothing else but go to the library and/or online to research different topics of interest to you and write reports on those topics you'd be fine.  Add some math to that, you'd be doing better than many other kids.

Sometimes you have to think outside the box to make it work but the extra effort and sacrifice is almost always worth it.

Good Luck to you and your family!

Seana

Answer 7

There are free curriculum available online. There are inexpensive websites you can use, most of which have a free level, but you don't get full access with that.

Iknowthat.com is free and very interesting. Edhelper.com is $20 a year. You use your library for everything you can, some have the hooked on phonics cds or tapes as well as foreign language courses and other things you might want.. You hit thrift stores and used bookstores and amazon for the stuff you DO buy.  You hit the back to school sales at your local stores for the stuff you will  need, like crayons, markers, paper, etc so it's cheaper.

Home education doesn't have to be expensive.

And pink princess is wrong about K12 being available in ever state at no cost. It's spreading, but it is absolutely not available in every state unless you want to pay for it, and it's not cheap. It's also technically not homeschooling. It's a virtual PUBLIC SCHOOL academy and you are still teaching what they teach in the schools, have to test every year, and a bunch of other things. You have to answer to the public school teacher that is assigned to you. We looked at this in depth and decided it was NOT what was best for our kids at this point in time for many reasons.

Answer 8

I know for a fact that every state has a k-12 free homeschooling program. It goes through the state but, it's free and there isn't any yearly costs. Depening on where you live(what state your in) I can help you find something.