Should we homeschool?
Every summer a new wave of nervous parents enter the homeschooling debate. Maybe they had an unnerving year, or maybe it is the accumulation of several. For some the school year went by fine, but they wonder if it could ahve been better. Some parents don’t even have school aged children yet but are anxious about sending them off to outside schools. What ever their reasons they spend the summer biting their nails and trying to decide whether to take the leap or not.
Dana at Principled Discovery has a great post on advice for thsoe who are Flirting with homeschooling. She has a great set of questions that parents should ask themselves when they are thinking about homeschooling their children. I also recomend parnets thinking about homeschooling read Deciding to homeschool: Parent’s guide and Making the decision to home school: What you should consider. There are many more places to look at Beginning to Homeschool.
A few people have asked for a list of books that they should read before getting into homeschooling. A list like that can be difficult to make because homeschooling can look so different to everyone. Still, I’ve tried to put together a small list of some books that I think parents should read. keep in mind that I’m a bit biased towards relaxed homeschooling so these books will reflect that. Hopefully some of my great readers will comment and share some of their recomendations as well.
Reasons to/About homeschool:
*How Children Learn (Classics in Child Development)
*Have Fun. Learn Stuff. Grow.: Homeschooling And the Curriculum of Love
*Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense
*Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling
*Homeschooling for Excellence
*So - WHY Do You Homeschool?
How to get started homeschooling:
*The Homeschooling Book of Answers: The 101 Most Important Questions Answered by Homeschooling’s Most Respected Voices (Prima Home Learning Library)
*The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start
*Home Learning Year by Year: How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School
*The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas: 500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Ages 3-12
*The Complete Home Learning Source Book: The Essential Resource Guide for Homeschoolers, Parents, and Educators Covering Every Subject from Arithmetic to Zoology
*Homeschool Your Child for Free: More Than 1,200 Smart, Effective, and Practical Resources for Home Education on the Internet and Beyond
homeschool, homeschooling, books, homeschool books, homeschool help, homeschool beginnger
May 30th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Thanks for the recommendations. I’ve already read quite a few on the list, but am interested in some others as well.
And thanks for stopping by!
May 30th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Some of us just know we can’t, in my case its a lack of patience and a need for quiet. I thank god every day for the wonderful teachers my kids have because I know I can’t do what they do every day.
May 30th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
I have been homeschooling for almost 14 complete years, and would not have it any other way. When people ask me how I have the patience, I say one day at a time and one child at a time. I am also sensitive to the fact that not everyone who would like to is given the opportunity or the encouragement from loved ones to homeschool. I am blessed to have supporive people all around me.
Thank you for being here.