We live in the golden age of homeschooling when it comes to readily available information and resources. There’s books, conferences, videos, websites, ebooks, free curriculum, apps, Facebook groups, magazines…anything you can think of you can find on the topic of homeschooling. This can be both a good and a bad thing, especially for a newbie. On one hand, the access to an exhaustive amount of information can help you to gain confidence quickly and prepare for homeschool. On the other hand, too much information can leave you feeling overwhelmed. It can make you want to pull your hair out and scream, “Where do I start?”
If you’re wondering where to start with research, here are some tips to help you get started:
The Homeschool Legal Defense Association is an important place to start when trying to learn about your legal rights as it concerns homeschooling in your state. In recent years, there has been increased scrutiny and pressure by school districts for homeschooling families. If you live in certain states with especially strict homeschool requirements, it might even be prudent to join HSLDA. Not only does HSLDA have good information regarding homeschool laws from state to state, they also have the latest news and updates that occur with homeschoolers across the nation.
I highly recommend this groundbreaking documentary to every parent I speak with about homeschooling. It was given to my husband and I when we were considering whether or not to homeschool. Let’s just say it really opened our eyes. Indoctrination chronicles the history of public education in America. It exposes the fallacy of Christians who justify sending their children into the public school system in order to be salt and light. It also sheds light on the pioneers of the public school system, their intentions when they founded public education, and the ultimate result of their intentions.
This book by Debra Bell is one you will find yourself referring to for direction and encouragement. It is exhaustive in its scope, detailed, and indispensable for Christian homeschooling parents.
Overcome Your Fear of Homeschooling with Insider Information by Sandra Cook
Every homeschooling parent needs one or two comprehensive books on homeschooling as a reference. It provides a foundation or guide for many of the basic homeschool issues from the question of socializing your kids to affording curriculum and materials. Overcoming Your Fear of Homeschooling expertly addresses one of the most pressing issues parents at the beginning of their homeschooling journey encounters—dealing with negative, opinionated, family members, neighbors, and friends. Nearly everyone has an opinion on education whether they have children or not, but you can expect opinions on steroids when it comes to your decision to homeschool. Sandra provides wise answers to navigating the opinions of those who may be well-intentioned, yet uninformed. She gives great advice on how to not allow the concerns of others to shake your resolve.
Family-Driven Faith
I love this book so much I wrote a book review on it! This book is a must-read for understanding the absolute necessity of making Christ the center of your household. Check out my full review here.
Cathy Duffy's Homeschool Curriculum Reviews
One of the most challenging, overwhelming aspects of getting started with homeschooling is hands-down choosing the right curriculum. Curriculum is important for a number of reasons. We want something engaging, rigorous, and thorough. We may want curriculum that is heavily teacher-driven or something that allows your child to work independently. Where do you go to get a decent, unbiased review of various curricula and whether it will fit your family’s needs? Look no further Cathy Duffy.
This website is organized well by core curricula subjects and includes reviews on everything from handwriting to unit studies and all-in-one programs. There are years where you may need to switch curricula. My first stop is always Cathy Duffy Reviews. It has saved me time, money, and headache!
Pinterest and Facebook Groups
Pinterest has an endless amount blog posts, information, and resources. The great thing about Pinterest is that you can save the valuable information you find to topic-specific boards to be read at your convenience. There is information on everything to homeschooling kids with special needs to how to develop unit lessons.
Facebook also has a long list of homeschool groups that can provide encouragement, ideas, and advice from other parents. The online Facebook community can be especially beneficial if you don’t belong to a local homeschool group or if you desire to connect with area homeschoolers.
In this digital age, no one has to go into homeschooling blindly. I would definitely advise prospective homeschool parents to do their research, but understand that no matter how much research you do, everyone’s experience will be different. Use the information and resources to begin to formulate your path forward and how homeschool will work best for you.
