Many people associate politicians and other influential people with prestigious private schools. In some cases that’s true. But many of the most powerful and significant figures in the United States didn’t attend private or public schools — they were homeschooled. Continue reading »
Homeschooling
Middle School Mania: How We’re Transitioning to Homeschooling Middle School
Last month, I innocently walked into Target. There is was. The Target Dollar Spot section. Filled to the brim with all kinds of back-to-school supplies, gadgets, posters, pens, pencils, books, and more. So much stuff for such great prices. My eyes lit up (which is not unusual for me when I walk in to Target—just being honest). I slowly meandered through the entire section—taking in all the primary colors. An ABC felt banner? Darling. Montessori-ish toys? Yes, please! Adorable flashcards with states and presidents! Get in my cart! A wooden clock and matching workbook? Adorable AND functional! Continue reading »
What Is Accreditation? Should My Homeschool Be Accredited?
With the slow but steady growth of homeschooling across the United States comes a parallel growth in online, distance learning programs and schools. While many parents continue to provide independent, customized instruction to their children, others seek “enrolled homeschooling”—that which provides teacher-guided instruction, report cards/transcripts/credits, and other familiar elements of traditional education. Choosing a provider for this type of schooling naturally leads to an increase in questions about accreditation: what is it exactly, and how does it pertain to homeschooling? Continue reading »
Homeschool to College: Outside Evidence
Homeschooling parents whose kids will likely seek admission to college usually realize their homeschool graduates will need parent-made homeschool transcripts. They will probably also need “outside evidence.” That’s because a homeschool transcript full of parent-graded courses and independent learning done at home may not by itself convince university admissions counselors of a teen’s preparation for college-level work. Continue reading »
Quickstart Guide to Homeschooling
Jump into homeschooling with TheHomeSchoolMom’s “Quickstart Guide to Homeschooling.” Whether you are brand new to homeschooling or have been homeschooling for awhile, the guide’s simple action steps give you a solid framework to get a quick start with homeschooling. Continue reading »
Back to School Preparations
Preparing for a new school year is challenging, even for veteran homeschoolers. There are many things that you may want to do now during the summer, such as reviewing the past year, evaluating your curriculum needs, preparing a game plan, creating a budget, and developing a schedule. As you are aware, being a parent and teacher is tough enough, so to eliminate the extra work and stress, start planning ahead. Both you and your children will benefit from your forethought. Continue reading »
Homeschool Conventions: Best Tips from Homeschool Moms
We recently asked moms on our Facebook page what some of the best tips are that have helped them avoid being overwhelmed at homeschool conventions. With hundreds of vendors and dozens of workshops, large conventions can quickly disarm the best intentions of even experienced homeschool moms. These ideas will help you stick to your budget, give new resources a chance, and get the best bargains at any homeschool convention. Continue reading »
Pros and Cons of Homeschooling: Hard Education Choices
The yellow legal pad had a line down the middle: the pros and cons of homeschooling were written on opposite sides of the blue-inked vertical line. Not content with that, I flipped to the next page and drew another line down the middle: pros of public school to the left and cons of school to the right. Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: Can a 20-Year-Old Earn a Homeschool Diploma?
As a parent of a high school homeschooler, I was approached by a neighbor who asked if I knew what the age limit was to begin homeschool. Her 20-year-old son never finished school, sadly. It seemed almost impossible for him to get his GED, having been enrolled on and off since he was 16. Knowing the need for a diploma, she’s considering homeschool, believing with one-on-one teaching, he will obtain his diploma, and his future will much brighter. Unable to find information on the North Carolina Homeschool help website about age restrictions, I’m hoping you can help us. Continue reading »
Keep Your Child’s Brain Busy This Summer
The last thing many children want over the summer is school work. It’s natural, they’ve just finished up a whole school year and feel tired. Keeping them busy learning falls on your shoulders — but you’re certainly not alone. New and veteran homeschooling parents have been creating different ways to keep their children motivated for years. Continue reading »
Summer Learning: Creative Activities for Logging Extra Days
It’s almost summertime! Is a long summer vacation looming hot and bothersome in your mind? Why not transform that long and ordinary vacation into extraordinary summer learning? Many homeschoolers choose to continue schooling during the summer. Whether or not you homeschool year round, learning during the summer months is a great way to log in extra days, to spend quality time together as a family, or to just have fun—the more educational, the better. Continue reading »
Homeschooling: How Do I Know If I’m Doing Enough?
At some point, every homeschooler has probably asked, “How do I know if I’m doing enough?” The short answer: “It’s always enough, and conversely, it’s never enough.” Helpful, right? The long answer: According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about one-third of college freshmen take remedial courses. There are no statistics for how that breaks down into public, private, and homeschool graduates, but homeschool students only account for 3-4% of the K-12 student population. Odds are pretty low that those in remedial college courses are all homeschoolers. Continue reading »
Naming Your Homeschool
Does your homeschool have a name? Does it need one? What makes a good name for a homeschool? Whether you name your homeschool has to do with law, custom, and personal preference. You will want to consider benefits and disadvantages to naming your homeschool, as well as naming ideas, things to avoid, and how you can use a homeschool name to your (and your children’s) advantage. Continue reading »
May Writing Prompts Calendar
The May writing prompts calendar focuses on picnics, moms, and Memorial Day. Each month we are offering writing prompts (you will be able to find them all on the main Homeschool Writing Prompts page), and you can download our May-themed prompts below. Continue reading »
“I Can’t Homeschool – I Have to Work!”
Recently, a visitor commented on a post on TheHomeSchoolMom about educating at home. This visitor expressed sentiments that homeschoolers often hear, including the idea that homeschooling is only for privileged families that can afford for at least one parent to stay home. This Ask Jeanne column is a response to the general notion that homeschooling is out of reach for many families because of finances. Continue reading »
April Writing Prompts Calendar
The April writing prompts calendar focuses on food – lots and lots of fun food. Since April is also National Poetry Month, you may want to have your student answer some of the prompts in the form of poetry. Each month we are offering writing prompts (you will be able to find them all on the main Homeschool Writing Prompts page), and you can download our April-themed prompts below. Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: Homeschooling and Immunization Law
I have a 4-year-old little girl. We have always wanted to homeschool her. The main reason for this decision is we don’t agree with vaccinations. My fiancé is older than I am. He grew up in the ’70s, so in his mind, this was going to be easy. Well, times have changed. I have been doing research, and it seems so much harder than I was thinking. I’m so overwhelmed with information that I don’t know where to start. My little girl is so smart, and she’s easy to teach, so we’ve got that down, but as far as the law goes we, of course, want to make sure we follow the guidelines so it doesn’t backfire on us. If there is any way of simplifying all of this, I would greatly appreciate any advice. Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: Homeschool a Prospective Dropout?
I am seriously looking into whether homeschooling would be an appropriate option for my high school student who is failing in the public school system. She’s extremely bright, and excels in honors and higher courses, but is failing everything else. I believe homeschooling might be helpful, but I also know it could backfire too. We desperately need some expert advice! ~ Concerned in Colorado Continue reading »
Ask Jeanne: Homeschooling and Social Anxiety
Our reader Sue asked a question about homeschooling and social anxiety in response to our piece, “What About Socialization?” We thought it was such an important question, we decided to feature it as part of our Ask Jeanne column. Continue reading »
The Online Curriculum Advantage
What’s the capital of Montana? How many teaspoons are in a quarter cup? How long do rhinoceroses live? If your homeschool student asked you one of these questions, you’d most likely answer, “look it up.” Your student would probably sit down at their computer or pull out their tablet or phone to do so. In today’s day and age, the thirst for knowledge is almost unquenchable and going online to learn is as natural as breathing. That’s why it’s a wonder that families balk at the idea of using online curriculum in their homeschool. Continue reading »
