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 If you hang out with homeschoolers long enough, you'll notice that there are certain questions that keep popping up over and over again... Here are some of the classics, along with my answers: Questions: Q: How do I know that I'm covering everything my child will need? Q: Do I have to fill out all of these forms? Q: How can I afford to homeschool? Answers: Q: How do I know that I'm covering everything my child will need? A: This is the number one homeschool question that I get, and my best answer is: Pray. The reality is that a human can't learn every bit of phonics, history, geography, world languages, mathematics, science, politics, public speaking, fine arts, etc... not even over the course of a lifetime--much less over the course of 12 or 13 years! Your job as a parent is to prepare your child with basic life skills and the ability to learn. Bring each child prayerfully before God and teach them as you believe He would have them go. In New Hampshire subject requirements are simple; over the course of your child's academic career, they should be taught science, mathematics, language, government, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, U.S. and New Hampshire constitutional history, and art and music appreciation. You don't need to teach everything all at once, and your student doesn't need to go over every subject each year. If you are interested in what New Hampshire schools try to teach, check out the state's frameworks... but keep in mind that this is not the final word on the subject and I don't know any homeschoolers who even try to match these very theoretical goals. There are some great "anti-gap" resources out there: Tammy Duby of Tobin's Lab has a great audio presentation entitled "Are You Leaving (Gasp!) Gaps?" where she talks about choosing your gaps rather than letting them choose you. If you are putting together your own curriculum, consider using Luke's School List or the What Your Child Needs to Know series to help you cover your bases. A commercial scope and sequence such as A Beka or World Book, or an online program of studies might give you a helpful planning framework. But remember -- these are all suggestions. What your child graduates leaves home with is ultimately between you, your spouse, your child, and God. A final word: Please don't ask your child to complete two Language Arts programs or three history programs so that you won't "leave anything out"... It'll just frustrate everyone. Q: Do I have to fill out all of these forms? A: Some school districts like to send out packets of forms for homeschoolers to fill out each year. However, the law doesn't require any of them. My yearly letter of notification simply includes the required information, with none of the extras. I try to keep things professional, without either giving away my rights or slipping into "lecture mode". Of course, this is not official legal advice... Talk to your own lawyer or contact HSLDA for specific guidance. Q: How can I afford to homeschool? A: This is definitely one of those questions that I can't answer! I can, however, suggest some great area resources. Most local bookstores, including Toadstool and Borders, offer teacher discounts for items used in the classroom. AC Moore also has a teacher discount program, and Staples has a great Teacher appreciation day each year... with cookies! Donation Networks, in Manchester, has a variety of free office-type supplies. I have friends who do much of their curriculum shopping on EBay or Veg Source. Several friends have recommended Homeschooling on a Shoestring which is filled with low-cost educational ideas. However, the best resources that I've found locally are simply other homeschoolers! A quick email to a local homeschool group or two will often net me two or three resources that save me a ton of money. |
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