You have decided to homeschool, you notified, you chose which style of homeschooling you want to do, you even decided if you are going to have a homeschooling room or just wing it. So now the monster is rearing its ugly head……. SOCIALIZATION!!!! How are you going to socialize your kid? The answer could be as simple as throwing them into sports and letting the socialization commence or you can take it a step further and join a homeschool group or homeschool co-op. Homeschooling Group A homeschooling group is a group of like-minded individuals, in this case homeschoolers, that either get together in person or online and offer general support for each other, plan outings, and offer a place to get questions about homeschooling answered. Homeschool groups are great, but they can be intimidating at first, especially for introverted people, like myself. Even though everyone has “homeschooling” in common, not everyone in the group is going to homeschool the same way or have the same opinions about different topics and ideas. This can be a problem if you are not confident in your abilities and decisions about homeschooling. Once you come to terms with, not everyone is going to agree with your decisions about your homeschool, being part of a group is very beneficial for both you and your child(ren). In a homeschool group everyone has the ability to plan outings and events to bring everyone together. This is in my opinion is a win for the kids. Because unfortunately, homeschooling is still a taboo word and when other kids hear that your child is homeschooled they may make fun of them or decide they are weird and don’t want to play or hang out with them. So having your child interact with other homeschoolers at first lets them see that there are other people just like them who homeschool and that will help them grow in confidence about being a homeschooler and they will be able to deal with non-homeschooled kids backlash. If you are interested in finding a group, the best place to start is probably Facebook. You can search for groups in your area, or you can do a Google search looking for groups in your area. Homeschool Co-op A homeschool co-op is like a homeschooling group, it is a place either offline, online or both. It is a place where parents can seek support or have questions answered by fellow homeschoolers. The main difference is that co-ops usually charges a fee. Here’s why. Co-ops are usually a “school” set up. Parents in the co-op agree to pay a monthly membership fee or however the pay structure is set up and offer to teach a subject to a group of students or offer to put on some other activity. This is a great option if you are not confident in teaching all the subjects or are having trouble finding outside resources to teach those subjects. So how it works is that a place is chosen to hold these sessions and they are usually once or twice a week and an all-day thing. Some examples of classes that would be offered would be an art class, music class and even some of the core subjects like english, math or science. The possibilities are endless. Don’t worry if you are feeling overwhelmed or you not sure how the process works, these types of groups have clear instructions and are always happy to answer questions (well at least the ones I have contacted throughout the years). If you are interested in a homeschool co-op you can do a Facebook or Google search for co-ops in your area. Conclusion You are not alone in your homeschooling journey. There are a lot of opportunities out there to connect with like minded people and form lasting relationships for yourself and your child(ren). Two examples would be a homeschooling group and a homeschooling co-op. Both are similar in the sense where you can socialize with others through activities and seek support when needed. The only difference is one costs money, and one doesn’t. First time homeschoolers always ask themselves, “Do I need a homeschool room?” I asked myself that very question and the answer is not always going to be the same for everyone. I started out with a room dedicated to school and I eventually ended up in my living room/dining room. (my living room and dining room are one room.) Here is a picture of what my current homeschool space looks like. Dedicated Homeschool Room
As I mention in the introduction, when I first started homeschooling, well, actually e-schooling, homeschooling came a few years later, I had a dedicated room. I was so excited, I even got school desks for my two daughters. I had a chalkboard and everything. It was going to be great! Having a dedicated homeschool room gives you the option to go all out and really turn that room into a classroom. You can add those fun bulletin boards on the walls, put up some maps, add an alphabet border (wow I think my age is showing there, I wonder if elementary school classrooms still have those), decorate for the current season or holiday, the possibilities are endless. If you are thinking right now that a dedicated homeschool room is what you want, you can check out this blog post from the Homeschool Super Freak on how to set up your space and how to organize it. Pros and Cons Like with all things, there are pros and cons about having a dedicated homescool room. It’s important to weigh these and research more before deciding if a dedicated homeschool room is right for you. Here are some that stand out to me:
Conclusion Homeschool room or no homeschool room, that is the question! In deciding if you need a dedicated schooling space is a decision that is best made when you figure out what type of homeschooling you want to do. Having a dedicated homeschool room is not a bad idea but knowing the pros and cons to having one will help in determining if one is needed. What type of homeschooler are you? That is a loaded question and a confusing question for new homeschoolers. When it comes to homeschooling, there is no one way of doing it. Each family is different, and the learning needs of the child(ren) are different. That’s why we homeschool, right? So here are a few methods of homeschooling to help you decide which one fits your needs. Traditional
This style of homeschooling is usually what new homeschoolers start out with. This method pretty much follows the public school system. There is a set schedule, each class is mirrored to what is being taught in public school and you will have set grade levels. Your classroom will most likely look like a public-school classroom. I remember when I first started out, I had a separate room with actual school desks. That didn’t last long, lol. Lastly, your schooling dates will match your local public-school calendar. The teaching method used will look like it did when you went to public school, the teacher standing in front of the class teaching, assigning book work, giving quizzes, tests and homework. Time for learning has a great in-depth article on Traditional Homeschool if you want to learn more. Unschooling When people hear the word unschooling they think of kids running wild, playing video games all day and not having any education at all. This is far from the truth. In my opinion, I feel that this method of homeschooling is the hardest. Unschooling is where learning is interest lead. Your days are directed by your child and what they want to do and learn. Now with that said it is the parent’s job to make sure that boundaries are put into place. Even though the child is taking the lead in their education doesn’t mean that they can just decide they don’t want to learn anything. Setting up clear rules and boundaries are key to unschooling. An example would be if you were to tell your child that between the hours of 8am till lunchtime they can do whatever they want but it has to be something from this box or from these topics or these activities. This gives them the freedom to choose but the parents still have control of what choices their child has. Another example is to let the child tell you what they are interested in and run with it. So, if a child is interested in video games, find things to do that are educationally related to video games. It could be how to design a video game or how a video game is coded. Time for learning has a great in-depth article on Unschooling if you want to learn more. Eclectic After I was confident enough in myself that I was able to teach my child, I switched from the traditional style to the eclectic style. This method is where you basically are putting together your own curriculum from an existing curriculum or creating a whole new curriculum that is tailored to your child’s needs. Not all kids are going to be on the same level in every subject. What I mean by that is, your child may be at a 6th grade reading level and a 4th grade math level. So of course, if your child is in the “6th grade” he or she is not going to be doing 6th grade math. You will start at the 4th grade level and continue through. At this point if you are using the eclectic method of homeschooling, grade levels are irrelevant. It is not about what grade your child is in, it is about what your child needs are and how they learn. Are they a visual learner, auditory learning, or a combination of different styles? This method can accommodate all these learning styles. Because this method of homeschooling caters to the child’s needs you will most likely be using a mismatch curricula. An example of the mismatched curricula would be, using all about reading, using shorrman math, etc. All in one curricula are great, but again if your child is at different “grade” levels those types of curricula will not work. To learn more about the eclectic method of homeschooling, check out this article from Time for Learning. Charlotte Mason This method seems to be very popular. This method of homeschooling is literature and nature based and provides students with a variety of subjects they can choose from. This method also uses living books, which subjects are taught in story form. I do not know much about this method, with-it being literature based it wouldn’t work well in my homeschool, my son is a struggling reader. He dreads reading. If you are interested in the Charlotte Mason method check out this great article from Time for Learning. Conclusion….. There are so many different methods of homeschooling that it can seem overwhelming. Don’t let it discourage you from homeschooling. Learning about each style and trying them out is the best way to find out what works for you and your family. Homeschooling is not a race but a journey and sometimes on a journey you have to deviate from the “set” path to find out what awaits you ahead. Yes! Homeschool diplomas are a real thing. Don’t let anyone tell you they are not. A diploma is just a piece of paper that is printed on a printer that everyone probably has in their homes and the only difference between a homeschool diploma and a public-school diploma is the person who is signing it. You are in control of your school, so you sign it, the superintendent is the person in charge of public schools, so they sign it. One is not more valid than the other. But… will colleges accept homeschool diplomas? What is the Law?
Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states. With that said, keep in mind that each state has its own regulations. Like for an example I live in the state of Ohio. For the past 30 years or so the process to homeschool was to send in a notification form to the superintendent, stating that we are homeschooling, provide a list of curricula we will be using, agree to provide instruction on the “required” subjects and to have a review done by a license teacher or send in standardized test scores and few other requirements. The most important law in Ohio is that a diploma issued by the parent is just as valid as a diploma issued by a public school official. Well recently that law has changed, for the better, I think. Starting in October we only have to send in a form saying we are homeschooling, and we don’t have to do reviews or testing anymore, we don’t have to provide a list of curriculum and the “required” subjects are down to the basic subjects like English, Math, Science, History, Government and Social Studies. The diploma law has remained the same. College Acceptance A question that I have heard many times and one I have asked myself, “Will my child be able to get into college with a homeschool diploma?” The answer for most colleges is yes, but it is a good idea to contact colleges that your child is interested in and make sure they know the law for your state about homeschool diplomas. Another important thing you should do when calling colleges or doing online research is to see what credits are required for admission. This way you can tailor your homeschoolers highschool years according to what classes they will need for acceptance into their desired college. I have done some research and most colleges love homeschoolers! So, all you need for college is a transcript (which you will create for your highschooler) and a copy of the letter you get back from the superintendent on the last notifying year of high school. Remember, even if you don’t print out a diploma for your homeschooler they can still get into college! Homeschool Laws by State If you are looking for information about your states homeschooling laws, you can usually find them on your state board of education website or you can visit the HSLDA and find all the information you need and more! Conclusion “Your child won’t get a diploma if you homeschool”, does this statement sound familiar? Don’t get discouraged about this statement because guess what, it is not true. Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states. Just research your states requirements on the process to do it legally. It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to call around to a few colleges and see how accepting they are of homeschoolers and what process you need to do for your child to get in. Just keep in mind though, not every college or everyone knows the law about homeschooling, so make sure to check out the HSLDA and kindly inform any college or person about the law when it comes to homeschoolers. Did you know that according to the blog Brighterly, in 2022 it was reported that there were 4.3 million homeschoolers in the United States! That number is impressive, but did you know that there are many reasons why you shouldn’t homeschool? Here are few that I hear a lot: not qualified, no socialization, no opportunities, homeschooling is a cult! Not Qualified When someone is thinking about homeschooling and asks advice from family and friends, usually the response is DON’T DO IT!!! People will say that you are not qualified. The reason is if everyone could be a teacher then why do people have to go to college to become a teacher. I used to think this, and I will be the first to say that I don’t know everything, if my child wants to learn something that I don’t know I have to outsource that subject. Qualified is such a broad term. What measures to we put into place to determine if someone is qualified to do a job? Is it going to school for 4 years or having previous skills? I know how to read so does that make me qualified to teach my elementary aged children how to read? Being qualified is not a black and white issue, there are a lot of gray areas to consider. So as parents and/or educators we must decide if we are qualified to teach our children and if we are not then it is our job to find someone to teach them and sending them to public school is not always the answer. There are so many resources out there that can aid homeschoolers in their journey and the resources that are there are made by teachers. So qualified teachers are still part of the homeschooling process but in a different way. No Opportunities Homeschoolers don’t have the same opportunities as public schooled kids. This is false, in my opinion I think they have more. In some states, homeschoolers are allowed to participate in public school activities just as long as it is not being graded. So, they can join the sport teams or debate clubs and other activities. You just have to do some research in your state to see if this is allowed. Also, there are local sport teams that kids that are both public schooled and homeschooled can join. With the freedom of homeschooling, you can do as many opportunities that are available to you, go on trips, museums, take college classes, apprenticeships, get a part time job, it is all available, you just have to find it. No Socialization Your kids will never have friends unless they go to public school. FALSE!!! When it comes to socialization, people think we homeschoolers lock our kids in the basement and never see another living soul. This is not true. You don’t have to attend a public school to socialize. As an adult I socialize with all ages not just 43 year olds and those people are not the people I went to school with. I never see the people I went to school with. Public school socialization is easy, kids are forced together every day and eventually kids will become friends. So, what does that mean for homeschoolers? We have to work harder; we have to find opportunities to socialize our kids. This can look like a homeschooling group that does activities together, a co-op, or just plain getting out into the world and just live. Side note: If you hear that homeschoolers are weird or have no social skills, just remember I went to public school and I was the weird kid and I had horrible social skills. I didn’t really learn how to be “social” till after high school when I went into the workforce. So, believe me public school is not the answer for learning social skills, being in the real world doing real world things is the best teacher your child can have. Won’t Get a Job or Go to College Colleges won’t accept homeschoolers because homeschooling is not a real school and your child won’t get a good job because they have no piece of paper saying they graduated high school. Again FALSE!!! You will have to do research for your state, but in my state, Ohio, a parent issued diploma is just as authentic as the diploma from public schools and private schools. If your child wants to go to college, they can! Many colleges welcome homeschooled kids. Also, did you know that homeschoolers can participate in the college credit plus programs at your local college! Your homeschooler can graduate high school and earn an associate degree at the same time. If college is not in the cards for your child, No problem! In my opinion, today it is all about skills, it is not about that college piece of paper anymore. You don’t have to go to college to be successful, the internet has proven that. Youtubers and gamers are making thousands and thousands of dollars. You can get a part-time job at a retail store and become the manager at that very store. I don’t buy into the notion that a job isn’t a career or a retail or food service job isn’t a real job. Any job that you are making money at and supporting yourself is a career, it is about surviving not about how many degrees you have. One thing to remember is that whatever path your child wants to go down, college, trade schools or working right out of high school, you can tailor their education to fit with what path they chose. Homeschooling is not a one size fits all, it’s an opportunity to get a head start on what they want to do in the future. Homeschooling is a Cult! This is my favorite reason why you shouldn’t homeschool. Only religious fanatics and abusers homeschool their kids. Nope, try again! When I was in high school I thought homeschooling was a cult, because that’s all you heard on the news, never heard the success stories of homeschooling. Then I grew up and started homeschooling myself. I am not blind, I see how other people and religious organizations use homeschool as a means to control the kids lives, cover up abuse, etc. But you can’t group all homeschoolers into that category. People homeschool for many different reasons. Yes, some may be because they want religion to be part of their child’s schooling, but that doesn’t mean they are being oppressed or abused. Knowing Jesus is an important part of life and being able to incorporate that into a child’s education is amazing. There are many homeschoolers who are called secular homeschoolers. They don’t incorporate religion into their school routine. They may have other reasons, like previous bullying, or their child not getting the education they need. It is not the school’s fault that some children fall through the cracks. You can’t accommodate every child with their learning styles in a classroom of 30. So, to solve this dilemma they choose homeschooling. Conclusion I have given you a few reasons why you shouldn’t homeschool: Not Qualified, No Socialization, No Opportunities, Won’t Go to College, Won’t Get a Job, Homeschooling is a Cult! Don’t let these reasons be negative, turn them into positives. Here are reasons why you should homeschool: You are qualified to provide the best education for your children, There are plenty of opportunities for children to experience and to be social, Your child will go to college, Your child will get a job and last but not least, Homeschooling is NOT A CULT! Homeschooling is an education tailored to the child’s wants and needs. |
Hi! I'm Robin. I am a sister in Christ, a wife second, and a homeschooling mom third.
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