In a traditional brick and mortar school, it has become established that there is a summer break. Now with homeschooling, it becomes your choice whether to have a summer break or not. Many homeschoolers view every day as a learning experience – this does not necessarily include curriculum. With the great weather we have been enjoying swimming lessons, hiking, biking and many other warm weather learning opportunities. Our kids read and write every day because they enjoy it. And we take advantage of our non-travel times to do our curriculum program with Progress Academy. We have the flexibility to look at the whole year and plan our studies accordingly. Some people do take a summer break in their homeschooling families. It really just depends on your lifestyle, goals and individual family choices. I talked with a mom the other day who said it’s only July and her daughters getting bored – so she was starting into her curriculum right now. Of course it is perfectly legal to homeschool all year round – even though your particular state may require notifications, assessments, and such on a traditional school schedule. So, enjoy your ability to choose and enjoy your summer however works best for your whole family!

I remember when I was an elementary student and our class got to go on field trips. All of the students in our class looked forward to each of the few field trips we were allowed to have each year. The trips took us out of the classroom and into factories, ice cream manufacturers and more. Now as a homeschooling mom, I have the liberty of taking my own children on field trips. We have enjoyed a variety of trips including a candy factory, a horse farm, the Dayton Air Museum, Montpelier, Willliamsburg, Jamestown, Niagara Falls, Monticello, apple picking and the Ohio Historical Society.

Here are five of our favorites:

1. Williamsburg, Virginia – My husband and I have always enjoyed US history, but sometimes this can be a challenging subject for our children. It is hard to get them to be interested in the past when they are more interested in right now! We had contemplated visiting Colonial Williamsburg as a family and then we discovered they have homeschool days. The per person cost is very reasonable and really enticed us to give this field trip a try. We were pleasantly surprised by the “Welcome Homeschoolers” signs posted and the large number of other homeschooling families attending the event. There were special activities just for us, including a tour and craft project in the art museum. Our entire family had a wonderful time touring the Governor’s house, eating in a tavern and watching the revolutionary era re-enactments. This is a must do field trip!

   http://www.history.org/History/teaching/groupTours/SchoolandYouth/homeschools.cfm

2. Apple Picking - In Ohio we enjoy a wonderful period in the fall when we can visit a local orchard and go apple picking. Your state may have a similar seasonal fruit that you can pick. Do a little research, find a local farm that allows picking and gather your family for this wonderful educational adventure. You may want to ask if there is a tour or attendant to educate you on the process. Fun for all ages! We always go to Lynds Fruit Farm in Pataskala, Ohio.

   http://www.lyndfruitfarm.com/main/

3. Monticello – Outside of Charlottesville, Virginia is the home of President Thomas Jefferson. We thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful drive through the lovely hills of Virginia to find Monticello and were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the welcome center and were offered a homeschool discount on our tickets! The tour was amazing and intriguing. We had to tackle the tough subject of slavery in America, which was handled very well by our tour guide. This was an important and educational field trip.

   http://www.monticello.org/visit/group_tours.html

4. Candy Factory – We are lucky to have the Anthony Thomas Candy Factory here in Columbus, Ohio. Who doesn’t want to tour a candy factory? Our homeschool group got together and attended one of the tours. Our kids had so much fun watching them make candy while we parents reminisced about the famous I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel try to work at a candy factory. Of course we all enjoyed the free sample at the end of the tour! If Ohio is not in your neighborhood, look up a local candy factory and set up a tour! Anthony Thomas offers FREE tours every Tuesday and Thursday.

   http://www.anthony-thomas.com/tour.html

5. NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas – My husband and I have always been fascinated by space and space travel. Little did we know our kids were also big fans! We were driving to Houston and my husband said under his breath, “I would really like to visit NASA while we are here, but I am sure the kids won’t want to go”. So, I said out loud, “Hey kids, who wants to go to NASA?”, and they all cheered “ME!!!”. It is a great place to visit for the whole family. There is a large variety of things to do so that everyone is “edutained”! There are movies, tours, a trapeze, a climbing apparatus and more! If you get a chance to visit Houston, plan a trip to NASA.

   http://www.spacecenter.org/

I would like to start by saying “Welcome to Homeschooling!” This is your official greeting and pat on the back for making such an important choice in educating your child. Is it the road less traveled? Yes, but it is a road worth traveling! Now take a deep breath and realize that today around two million other children are currently being homeschooled in the US alone!

So what do you do now, after weighing the pros and cons and deciding that homeschooling is the right choice? It is important to realize that this first year will be about discovery. Do you have to pick a curriculum? People can debate this point – so yes and no. Do you have to develop a rigid routine? Depends on you and your comfort level. Do you have to comply with the laws in your state? Yes, but this isn’t difficult and there are many helpful resources out there. But do you need to have it all figured out? Definitely not.

This first year you will be learning about your child and the process of homeschooling. For example:

1. How do they learn best?
2. What are they interested in?
3. What time of day do they learn best?
4. Do they need structure?
5. What do you want your child to learn?
6. How can you improve your child’s learning experience?
7. What will you keep the same? What will you change?
8. Are they more productive with or without breaks?

Take this opportunity to discover what style of learning will work best. Find out if your child needs to start their studies in the morning or afternoon. All of this will become clear as you begin to homeschool and spend the time with your child and their studies. Pay attention to any cues or clues to what works best and find a good pace for your child.

Keep in mind that you have made a very big change and it will take time to adapt. It will not be comfortable at first but you will fall into a good routine. Take it easy on yourself too, as the administrator of your child’s education you need room to make mistakes. Making mistakes is how we all learn. Homeschooling is not a search for perfection but a choice in educating differently. It will feel different until you become accustomed to it.

Always remember why you chose to homeschool, whatever the reason may be, and keep this in mind to help you get through rough days. It beats the alternative – that is why you chose to do it! Smile, have fun with it! Keep things light, creative and enjoyable. Your child naturally wants to learn, don’t get in their way.

One of the best things you can do as a newcomer to homeschooling is to befriend other homeschooling families. They will be a lasting resource for support and encouragement. Homeschooling together as a community can be a very successful approach. So get on the internet – you will find homeschoolers everywhere!

You have decided to homeschool, now what do you do? The first thing to do is figure out how to comply with the laws in your state. If you live in AK, CT, ID, IL, IN, NJ, MI, MO, OK or TX you are lucky, because there are NO notification requirements for homeschooling! If you live in MA, ND, NY, PA, RI or VT, get ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work, your requirements are a bit more involved. And for all of you in states not mentioned, it will be pretty easy to comply. Trust me, complying with the laws is much easier than hiding and wondering if you will get caught! To get started, you should read the homeschooling laws for your state. You can find these at www.hslda.org, along with summaries to help explain the laws. I always suggest that you print off the laws to have them on hand if anyone questions you (I have been homeschooling for ten years and not had to show the laws to anyone yet).

The next thing to do is find support groups, associations and resources in your state. You will want to talk with local veteran homeschoolers who can explain how to comply with the laws in your state. Also, it is best to have others who support your decision to homeschool and you will find that locally in groups. For many of us, our extended families are not that supportive. You can find the support you need at www.homeschool.com.

And finally, determine what homeschooling style best fits your family. For my blog post on styles, click here. Deciding what style best suits you will help you discover what kind of curriculum, method or path you would like to take in educating your child at home. There are only three styles to choose from which will make your job easy. Keep in mind that you may change your style over the years, so pick a style that will be best to start with for your family.

Here is a recap on how to get started:

1. Read the laws in your state, www.hslda.org
2. Locate local support groups, www.homeschool.com
3. Determine your homeschooling style

Let’s keep it simple! Encourage more people to join the homeschool community with an uncomplicated approach. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. If you search for homeschooling styles, you will find a huge list. I have been homeschooling for ten years, and have tried many different ways of homeschooling. I have come to know and believe that there really are only three styles, and anything else is a method or philosophy. Here are the three styles:

1. School at Home

If you have ever attended a brick and mortar school, or your child has; you will understand the School at Home style very well. You will be conducting your child’s education at home just as they would have in school. You may start with the Pledge of Allegiance, move on to home room to review the schedule of classes for the day and get started on a traditional curriculum. School at home is a scheduled, traditional type of educational choice for your homeschool. Most likely you will use a packaged curriculum, have the same schedule everyday, five days a week. School at home students will take the nationally normed courses for college preparation, such as English, Math, Science and Social Studies; paying attention to the specific courses that may be required in the local schools such as US Government, Biology, and a Foreign Language. This style is very popular among new homeschoolers and people who are taking their child out of a traditional school setting. School at Home also appeals to the orderly, schedule oriented, and structured family.

If this appeals to you, here are a few steps to get you started homeschooling:

1. decide on a schedule that will work for your student’s education time
2. search for a complete curriculum online ( you will not find this in a book store, mall, or educator’s store )
3. Prepare supplies to start your homeschool!

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