The word “homeschool” generates strange feelings inside of me. There is the fear of not being able to do it. Maybe there is a little of “not being smart” enough. If I give homeschooling more thought, I know, I COULD and I know I WOULD do it. There have been instances where I seriously contemplated  taking at least one of my kids out of school. Somehow, things worked out and with great relief, I was able to leave the kids in school.

Then, there is my admiration for moms that homeschool. Jessica is a mom like that. Recently, she had commented on a blogpost where military moms recommended their favorite schools. Jessica pointed out, that she takes ‘her’ school to any duty station they are sent to. This led me to email her and ask her if she would give the ‘rest of us’ a brief how-to and some tips. Interestingly enough, she is stationed in Germany right now and describes her adventures in holding down the homefront in her blog A Mother of Action. She is also featured at The HomeSchool village. If you are curious you can also take a look at her sample curriculum. – and for more information /resources there are her homeschool blog nominations.

I will now pass the baton to Jessica’s wonderful suggestions for homeschooling. If you have any questions and comments feel free to leave a comment below (name, email [not published], url – if applicable).

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I have been homeschooling for two years now.  This post will not be about why you should or should not homeschool, nor is it a homeschool vs. government school debate.  This post will be about what you do after you decide to homeschool.

 

First of all, if you have decided to homeschool-Congratulations!  I have found in my personal family life that homeschooling is to be the most rewarding, exciting, challenging, and a fundamental right here of Earth as a parent.  With that being said, I love the flexibility, and less stress to our family life. I have a 7^th grader (12), a 4^th grader (9), and a Pre-K4, and a Tag along (2 years old).   Yes, we have a Christian worldview focus in our homeschool, but you’ll decide that for your family-Christian, or Secular.

 

One of the interesting parts to our story is that we’ve started homeschooling overseas. With many transitions, like 3 schools in one year, overcrowded schools, 30-45 minute bus rides, and plenty of other factors gave way to our decision to homeschool.  As you can imagine the support over here was little to none. I found everything I needed via Internet though; information, support, and guidance.

 

I am lucky to have such a great School Liaison Officer in this area; she has a great outlook on all types of education and supports the PARENTS in that decision. Here in Germany, homeschooling is outlawed, but as an American citizen married to a Soldier and having command sponsorship: American laws out weigh the anti-homeschooling laws that Germany applies to its citizens.

 

I have also found several other families in my area who homeschool as well, and we have started a homeschool co-op that we attend once a month for fellowship, field trips, and co-op classes.  It’s been exciting to participate in.

 

As far as advice to start homeschooling, here are some tips:

 

Pray or meditate about it, then research. Go to the HSLDA website!!! What is HSLDA? Homeschool Legal Defense Association. I have found everything there is know or inquire about homeschooling listed there…State laws, Where to start advice, Advice per grade level/ school level, information galore.

1. Research State Laws and Requirements –where you live or will be PCSing to, proceed to follow.

2. Pray and Research your children’s learning styles, and your homeschool philosophy.  (Yes, not ever child learns the same way or is beneficial to them.  No cookie-cutter style here.)

3. Create a Budget.  (Yes, I pay out of pocket for our curriculum—or more accurate, my Husband does.)   –from free to several thousand dollars I have seen.  For our family of 4 children about $500.00 this year total. Schools offer up to thousands of dollars PER CHILD, and with little to no improvement over the years and yet the cost keeps going up-go figure. It goes to show it’s not the amount of money, but the education itself that matters.)

4. Look for scopes/sequences per age group/per grade (as a guideline not contract—you can find anywhere online or books, etc.)

5. List your goals per child, per year (Helps you determine the direction you want to go in.)

6. Find other HOMESCHOOL moms!! Via homeschool groups, co-ops, internet forums, church, etc– for advice and knowledge, wisdom (Encouragement is a MUST!)

7. Find your curriculum, via eBay, Amazon, Rainbow Resources, Christianbook.com, web-sites, book stores, curriculum sales/conferences, garage sales, and of course the LIBRARY!!!!

8. Pray daily, have fun and enjoy your children!   (The thing I find refreshing as a military family homeschooling is the flexibility.  If my husband has a four-day, or block leave –then we are able to schedule for that.  Take a holiday in April instead of high-priced, booked out July time-frame; we took the whole month off of December to reflect what is important to our family.)  * Also, as my husband is currently deployed, the boys have greater opportunity to chat on Skype with their Dad —if the opportunity presents itself.

 

That is my advice in a nutshell, of course, for me our homeschool philosophy was the most daunting for me to apply and comprehend.  The first year we did Abeka, Program 1 (with DVDs -teachers/subject on DVD, workbooks galore)—however, this is more like having school-at-home. It was getting too intense and boring for my boys and we all were getting burned out quickly.  But after the first year, and changing our philosophy after much research, to go along the lines with Charlotte Mason, and everything has fallen to place and with more ease for our daily lessons.  I physically and emotionally contribute to our homeschool and that is the way I perceived homeschooling to be.

 

Research, research, research is key to start homeschooling.  There are many books about the subject of homeschooling, philosophies, and how to start it.

 

I will leave off with two quotes that I hold dear to my heart…from Charlotte Mason, Volume 1, and page 2:

 

Free to say, “I may do as I will with mine own.” The children are, in truth, to be regarded less as personal property than as public trusts, put into the hands of parents that they may make the very most of them for the good of society. And this responsibility is not equally divided between the parents: it is upon the mothers of the present that the future of the world depends, in even a greater degree than upon the fathers, because it is the mothers who have the sole direction of the children’s early, most impressible years. This is why we hear so frequently of great men who have had good mothers––that is, mothers who brought up their children themselves, and did not make over their gravest duty to indifferent persons.

Mothers owe a ‘thinking love’ to their Children.––”The mother is qualified,” says Pestalozzi, “and qualified by the Creator Himself, to become the principal agent in the development of her child; … and what is demanded of her is––a thinking love … God has given to the child all the faculties of our nature, but the grand point remains undecided––how shall this heart, this head, these hands be employed? To whose service shall they be dedicated? A question the answer to which involves a futurity of happiness or misery to a life so dear to thee. Maternal love is the first agent in education.” ~Reference for quote: http://amblesideonline.org/CM/vol1complete.html

 

Nowhere an expert, only an enthusiast.

Jessica Stemmerding