Page 19 - Tracy Anderson Magazine - Fall 2021

performance by independent agencies, state departments school system superintendent. That’s it. In both California qualifications (your high school diploma), criminal records 2. Don’t choose a curriculum just because a friend is
of education, and local school districts. In all of them, the and Ohio, homeschool students are not required to take the summaries (background check), immunization records or using it.
excellence of a home education is consistently confirmed high-pressure public school standardized assessment tests. waivers, and a health exam or waiver for children entering Your friend may have had success with a particular
when compared to the public system. 8 the first grade. curriculum, but that doesn’t mean your children will
Organizational skills also come into play when it’s time to respond to it the same way. Her children aren’t your
Before You Decide set up the learning environment in your home. Some par- Each state is different and requirements may change, so it’s children; her goals aren’t your goals.
ents like to dedicate a specific area to separate home and best to revisit the education department’s site or belong to a
As rewarding as homeschooling can be for parent and school life, while others prefer a more free-flowing style homeschool support group for any updates. It’s also import- 3. Don’t be afraid to discard expert advice.
child, it’s a big commitment. Before jumping in, it’s very because a child might like to do his reading comprehension ant to know that a college degree or teaching credential is Lots of people—especially salespeople—will tell you the
important to understand why you want to homeschool. Par- in his bedroom and his science on the back patio. not required to teach homeschool: In many cases, there are experts say a particular program is best for children in
ents choose homeschooling for many reasons. Sometimes no requirements for a parent’s educational background; in this or that grade, but only you are the expert on your
they’re unhappy with the public school curriculum or envi- It’s also important to understand the financial side of things. others, a high school diploma or GED will suffice. children and their needs and abilities. Don’t buy any-
ronment; others want more direct involvement in what and Homeschool parents are responsible for all their child’s thing just because the “experts” have endorsed it.
how their children learn. Some feel that their children ar- books and supplies as well as their own teaching materials. Curriculum Counts
en’t getting enough attention and their grades reflect that. Costs can add up, but there are lots of tips and videos online 4. Don’t buy products that you haven’t looked
Many parents prefer a religious education for their children, about how to homeschool on a budget, as many parents do. After deciding to homeschool, the second-biggest deci- through.
and homeschooling is much cheaper than parochial school. sion you’ll make is choosing your child’s curriculum. This Be sure to look at products physically so you can peruse
Military parents and those who relocate frequently for their The one thing that shouldn’t be stopping you is self-doubt: is where a local homeschool support group becomes ab- them. Curriculum fairs, homeschool retail locations,
jobs may opt for homeschooling to maintain consistency for the idea that somehow educating a child is too complicated, solutely essential. You will be deciding what you’ll teach and teacher supply stores are great places to do this.
their children. In California, West Virginia, Mississippi, and you’re not smart enough to do it, or that the public system your child but also the style in which it’s taught. Profes- Borrow materials from friends, and always read parent
Washington, D.C., state legislation mandates vaccinations offers a better education than you could provide. It’s no co- sional educational publishers create many different cur- product reviews.
for all students entering public and private school, eliminat- incidence that the men of the enlightenment era and the riculums that cater to the different ways children learn.
ing the previous exemptions for religious reasons or con- geniuses of the industrial revolution received much or all of Does your child learn better through conversation or con- 5. Don’t overspend.
scientious objection. In this situation, homeschooling is the their education at home. templation? Is he tactile and project-oriented or more in- Often there’s no need to buy everything in a kit that a
only option left for parents holding to their convictions. ternal? Some curriculums, like Charlotte Mason, incorpo- publisher is trying to sell you. Your homeschool sup-
Understanding Requirements rate many different lessons into one activity. The Waldorf port group can connect you with discount dealers and
Another issue to consider is time. Homeschool runs on any style focuses on experiential learning in the early years used-book vendors.
schedule that works for you and your children. There is no The first step in homeschooling is to understand your and introduces textbooks later. The Textbook style is sim-
mandate to mimic the public system, and in many cases, state’s requirements. You can find these on your state board ilar to what most of us experienced in public school and Connecting with Co-Ops
you’ll find that’s not what’s best for your child. You determine of education’s website. In Ohio, a parent agrees to 900 hours is the method most new homeschool parents choose, at
when school is in session, how long it lasts, how many days of instruction per year. A letter must be sent to the local least for the first year or two. As you become more aware Separate from a homeschool support group is the home-
off there are, and the length of holiday breaks and even your school superintendent saying your children will not attend of how your children learn best and what they respond to, school co-op, which is a group of families that get together
school year. However, you’ll still have to cover all the appro- public school and will be homeschooled. Ask for copies of you’ll be able to tailor their learning experience to their to achieve a common goal. That could be something as sim-
priate lessons, allot time for lesson planning, record-keeping, their records at that time. A similar letter must be sent to the needs. And you don’t need to teach every subject in one ple as a planned field trip. Others may meet regularly for
buying supplies, and attending homeschool support groups, superintendent each September confirming that the chil- style—perhaps a textbook approach is best for math but several days each week to cover difficult material or a par-
co-ops, and curriculum fairs, which aren’t mandatory but are dren will again be homeschooled for the current academic your child really likes the Waldorf approach to science. ticular subject—one of the parents may serve as the teacher
highly recommended. (We’ll touch on those later.) While year. As mentioned above, an additional letter is sent to the It’s all up to you. Most new homeschool parents, however, for the group or the parents might collectively pay an expert
many homeschool teachers are stay-at-home moms, lots of superintendent at the end of each academic year from an choose a full system where all subjects are taught in one or tutor to teach the subject. Whether you join for academic
parents manage it while still working part-time. agreed-upon party who has reviewed the child’s year-end style with specific directions on which lessons to teach or strictly social reasons, a homeschool co-op is also an im-
work portfolio, which is compiled by the parent. when and what assignments and tests to give. Once their portant way to get additional support, find answers to your
Because of these demands, it’s very important that home- confidence builds, lots of parents move away from these questions, and make things easier.
schooling parents are skilled at time management, self- In California, a private school affidavit must be filed yearly highly structured systems to create a more personalized
direction, and organization. Most states provide little to no to notify the state department of education that you intend approach for their child. Handling High School
oversight of homeschooling parents, and that’s by design. to conduct school in your home. While this establishes you
Parents have taken education into their own hands, and as a “private school,” it has no business or tax ramifications. Avoiding these five common mistakes will go a long After the first year or two, most parents become much more
all states now respect that legal right. For example, once A letter must be sent to the local school district saying that way toward choosing the right curriculum, according to confident in their new role as teacher. When it’s time for the
you’ve filed the necessary startup paperwork in Califor- your children will be attending another school. Parents are SuccessfulHomeschooling.com. transition to high school, however, some parents begin to
nia, the state plays no part in any oversight. In a state like under no obligation to say their children are being home- 8. Home School Legal Defense Association panic, mostly about teaching advanced math and science.
Ohio, homeschooling is equally free—however, at the end schooled; they can say their children are attending a private 1. Understand your needs and goals. They feel that what their child needs is now beyond their
of the school year, a portfolio of the child’s work must be re- school (which is true) or give them the name of the school Don’t purchase curriculum materials until you’ve knowledge, and some parents put their children back in
viewed by either a current teacher, a retired teacher, a tutor, they’ve declared on their affidavit. Specific records must thought through what you want your child to learn, public high school. Not only is this a jarring experience for
or someone else agreed upon between the parent and the also be kept on file at home, including the public school af- how you’d like them to progress, and year-end achieve- the children, it’s really not necessary.
local school district. They send a signed letter to the local fidavit, attendance records, courses of study offered, faculty ment goals. A year before your child’s transition to high school, get your

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