This page contains information that I have about home schooling. I’ve been at it for 12 years. My oldest graduated in 2010.
During this time, I have learned many things, some of what to do, a lot of what not to do. I’ve met great people, and made numerous home school connections. I thought I’d spend a little time sharing what I’ve learned in case you need some information.
First things first: Join HLSDA or the Homeschool Legal Defense Association www.hlsda.org
This is quoted from their site:
Home School Legal Defense Association is a nonprofit advocacy organization established to defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms. Through annual memberships, HSLDA is tens of thousands of families united in service together, providing a strong voice when and where needed.
Next, check out and possibly join MTEMC, or Middle Tennessee Home Education Association www.mthea.org
A quote from their site:
The Middle Tennessee Home Education Association (MTHEA) is a ministry dedicated to serving home educators in the Middle Tennessee area by providing a network of support. Our goal is to nurture, educate and motivate families that home school. We are committed to help protect the right of the parent to “train up a child in the way they should go.”
You will find a lot of information about home schooling in the Middle Tennessee area. They even have info on most of the counties and what is offered in that particular area.
Hopefully from the MTHEA site, you can find a local support group and an umbrella school.
A local support group or home school group is great for field trips, skate days, gym days, mom’s coffee, and other activities. It will offer great opportunities for you and your children socially. Our church group offers this for us.
An umbrella school is needed to maintain your school records. We use Heritage Christian Academy www.heritage-christian-academy.com This is also the tutorial that my children attend. We never used a co-op, but Heritage offers that as well. A co-op is where the parents of the children K-8 take turns teaching certain subjects throughout the year. By doing this, they all share the work and get the benefits of the gifts and talents of other parents. This is done 1 day a week. A tutorial is for 9-12 and is also 1 day a week, but you, as parents, pay for the teachers. They are usually educated and highly experienced in the area they offer to teach. This is helpful for foreign languages, higher maths and sciences, along with other subjects you may not feel confident in teaching. Most of the “required” tests are offered through the co-ops and tutorials. Socially speaking, your co-op or tutorial could be your “local support group” or “home school group.”
If you get in touch with any of the above groups, any further questions you have can be answered in detail by them.
I realized as time went on that certain curriculum worked for us and others didn’t. First I will give you the address of the places I order from:
www.rainbowresource.com The “bible” of home school curriculum.
www.timberdooldle.com Offers tested, true, and sometimes unique curriculum.
www.teachingtextbooks.com Awesome math curriculum!
www.christianbook.com Click on the word “Homeschool” on the left panel.
www.abeka.com Christian-based, excellent.
www.apologia.com Best science curriculum!
Math- Teaching Textbooks
Science- Apologia
History- LOVED “The Mystery of History” also used other curriculums, read books, then used Abeka for high school.
English- Abeka phonics, other curriculum, FAVORITE: www.excellenceinwriting.com I wish I would have known about this when my kids were younger.
Bible- read at home every morning. Our local church offers a scheduled scriptures that we follow each week. Sometimes we venture off to study a book here and there. We try to read Proverbs often.
Home schooling has been the best experience for us. It has changed the way I relate to my kids and the world around me. There are so many things you can instill in your child when you have them with you most of the time. You can decide what you don’t want them to know right away, and ease them into the knowledge of “evil” as you see they need to understand it, so they can choose to stay away from it. Filling their ears and minds with the Holy Scriptures every day will show them how to fear and obey God. Your family will avoid all kinds of “preteen and teenage” rebellion. If you love a certain subject, you can spend more time on it, passing down your love of math, or English, cooking, sewing, gardening, dancing, mechanics, etc. It’s up to you. Family vacations can be a great way to show them history or science, instead of just reading about it. If your child has a food allergy, eating at home will be so much easier for you and the child, it will also be cheaper. There are many benefits to home schooling. If I can do it, you can do it! I hope I have helped.
