Homeschooling is not a new concept ? Thomas Edison, Agatha Christie, Benjamin Franklin, and our Founding Fathers were educated at home. Yet today it?s even better! With our computers and technically advanced equipment, homeschooling offers students a far more creative and stimulating way to learn.
Although studies prove that the benefits of homeschooling far outweigh those of our private and public schools, only after pulling together information that paints a complete picture can you decide if homeschooling is right for you.
My wife and I are the proud parents of two boys, ages 7 and 4. Like most parents, we?ve tried to do whatever possible to give our boys the best that life has to offer.
And just as most parents (after progressing from diapers to the potty) we were faced with an important decision about our boys? education.
We have always felt strongly about having a good education. We wanted to instill a passion for learning into our children, and encourage them to continually push for excellence.
So a few years ago, when our eldest son was close to schooling age, we decided to explore a variety of educational options.
And, the fact that homeschooled children were more advanced than public and privately schooled children, really impressed us.
But at the same time, finding the information and resources to accurately determine if homeschooling was the right option for us ? was like pulling teeth.
But nowhere could we find a complete resource or guide that explained all the ins and outs of homeschooling, which would help us decide if it was right for us.
We went to forums. We read articles. We spent hours upon hours searching through websites only finding tidbits of information.
And unfortunately it didn?t take long to realize that if any information was available, it must have been deeply buried in cyberspace.
To be honest, in the end, we decided to wait until our youngest was a little older, before we started our homeschool program.
But nonetheless, the point is? unless we had invested all that time doing the research our decision might have been quite different. We could have started homeschooling long before we were ready, and invested a lot of time and money into it, only to regret our decision.
In fact, we heard many stories from families that hadn?t found the right information, yet invested the time and money into homeschooling and ended up making (what they felt) was a big mistake.
Sadly, we found that the lack of help and knowledge available was stifling people?s passion for homeschooling. They were feeling tired and frustrated; and most people just gave up before they could make an educated decision.
So my wife and I decided that we should share what we had learned with others and help people find the homeschooling answers that they were looking for.
We shared our knowledge about homeschooling on forums and chat lines, and before we knew it we were receiving emails from people all over the country, asking us what information we had uncovered.
That?s why we wanted to put everything we had learned, into a single and comprehensive guide; a guide that would help other families to determine if homeschooling was right for them.
1. Are my kids going to get a better or equal education? This guide covers the four significant reasons why most parents opt for home study and covers the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling.
3. Will my children be socialized enough? You?ll learn how to incorporate social activities or extracurricular sports into your program. (Did you know that many states allow homeschooled children to participate on public school sports teams?)
4. What costs are involved in homeschooling? You?ll see how the cost of homeschooling compares to our public and private schools. How best to manage homeschooling costs? And discover the hidden traps that could eat up your money.
5. What can be done to homeschool on a budget? This guide will show you where to find inexpensive teaching materials (books, curriculums etc) as well as how to homeschool effectively, especially on a tight budget.
6. What type of state laws or state approval do I need to be aware of? You?ll learn about your state?s guidelines and what criteria have to be met? and if any special skills are required in order to homeschool in your state.
7. Must I let my state know I?m homeschooling? You?ll know all your state requirements and the rules you must follow when homeschooling.
8. How will I be treated by the state or school administrators? You?ll understand how the state really feels about homeschooling and what they are prepared to do to help you.
9. How can I determine my child?s learning style and the best way to teach them? This guide will help you identify your child?s learn style and give you pointers on the best way to teach him or her.
10. What kind of record keeping is required? You?ll find out how to grade your child?s schoolwork. You?ll learn how to submit evaluation scores and what type of records you must keep.
11. How will the state accredit my children?s grade level? You?ll understand the grading process and how the state will evaluate your child?s education level.
12. What options for college will be available? Will my children be eligible for grants and scholarships? You?ll discover why homeschooled children have a greater advantage when it comes to getting grants and scholarships.
13. What attitudes can I expect from other people? What can I tell my family and friends to support my decision to homeschool? You?ll hear the truths and myths about homeschooling (supported by statistics that prove ? if it?s done properly ? it?s a superior educational option.)
14. How do I get started? What start up costs can I expect? You?ll learn about preparing a plan for structured teaching. Know at what age your children can start homeschooling, and where to find the appropriate start-up materials? Read?more?
Source: http://hotreviews.com/home-schooling-guidebook-what-parents-need-to-know/
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