The choice to homeschool should be a very well informed one. It is a big decision and moving into homeschooling without looking at all the aspects can be a decision that you might regret later.
The following four steps should now be considered.
Laws Regarding Homeschooling
Before you can decide how and what to teach you will need to have a look at the homeschooling laws of your particular state. The laws might prescribe a specific curriculum you need to follow or certain subjects might be compulsory.
Choose the Curriculum
If a specific curriculum or subjects are prescribed you will need to follow it. There are online curriculums available at a cost. The advantage of this is that all the planning is done and the lessons and worksheets are available. Parents not familiar with teaching might find this the easiest method. Text books are normally included in the fee. If you are allowed to and want to follow your own curriculum you will have to do some research on which subjects would benefit your child and also what his or her interests are.
Support Groups
Most communities have parents that are already busy with homeschooling. It would be valuable to contact some of these parents. They will have a lot of information they can share with you. Joining a support group will also give your child the opportunity to socialize with other children that are being homeschooled.
Designated space
It would be ideal if you can prepare a room in your house for the sole purpose of teaching. If the child is part of the planning and can help to decorate this room, it can create an excitement to start working. It is so much more fun to have a space you and the child created yourselves than to work in a study or lounge that is used by the rest of the family. It will also assist with creating a specific school routine. The child will know when entering this space, he or she is at school and needs to focus on school work.
Once the planning is done the work can begin.
