And some short answers to get you started.
Congratulations on considering this worthwhile educational choice and lifestyle for your family. The first thing to know about homeschooling is that you are not alone! A recent survey by the U.S. Department of Education estimates the number of homeschoolers in our country to be 850,000. And those are just the ones they could count. Some homeschooling organizations think its closer to two million. In any case, there are plenty of us right here in your own backyard.
1.
“Where can I meet other homeschoolers?”
Most homeschooling support groups have monthly park days. This is the best way to meet homeschoolers, find friends for your kids, and put all your questions out on the table.
· A great website that lists most of the LA support groups can be found at http://lahomeschool.50megs.com.
· Also, visit the Home Schooling
Association of California (HSC) website at www.HSC.org and download their free booklet, “From Chaos to
Confidence - Starting The Homeschooling Journey.” It
has support group listings, plus just everything else you need to know about homeschooling in
·
There are also new groups forming all the time. Once you find one near you, pack a lunch and go to their next park day. Then go back again. And again. It takes time to get to know people, and not every park day gets the same turn-out. If the group isn’t clicking for you, try another one. And if you don’t find one that fits your needs, start your own!
The good news is that in L.A, there’s a variety of support groups in almost every part of the city. Here are just a few:
Westside:
.
Southbay:
Southbay Homeschool Network. Park Day every Wednesday at a different park each week. For more information, see the following web pages. Calendar info: Homeschool info: http://home.earthlink.net/~mav1 Or email Tamah at tkushner@earthlink.net.
West Valley Homeschoolers based in Woodland Hills. Call Lisa Jackson at 818-880-6029. Or email her at siaria@earthlink.net.
Other areas:
Excellence
in Education in
2.
Are there different ways to homeschool?”
There are as many ways to homeschool as there are homeschooling families. What feels right to one may feel completely wrong for another. What works for a child one year may not work the next! There is no right or wrong way to homeschool. Explore all your options, and remember that just like life and love, homeschooling is a work in progress. Enjoy the journey, and be open to the changing needs of your child and your family.
Most of all, remember that homeschooling isn’t school. You don’t have to follow the classroom model, or be a “teacher” in the school sense of the word. You’ll be amazed at how much your children will learn simply by being involved in the world around them and sharing your life with you. And, in fact, all the objectives that schools wish they could achieve, you can actually accomplish at home. Individualized curriculum. Self-paced learning. Freedom to develop and pursue interests. Community involvement. And more. Homeschooling gives children the chance to discover who they are, what they love, and how they learn best. And it lets them do it with less undermining peer pressure, and without the emphasis on competition, conformity, and standardized outcome.
3.
“What are my legal options?”
For more
information about the legal requirements for homeschooling
in
1. You can establish yourself as a
private school by filing an R-4 affidavit with Department of Education. First,
go to hsc.org and read the section on filing an R-4. You can then file online by filling out the
R-4 form at http://www.cde.ca.gov/privateschools/affidavit.html. If you decide to call the State of
2. You can enroll in an independent study program through a public or charter school. There is no cost, and you are provided with curriculum materials, a teacher to meet with periodically, and state guidelines to follow. You can find out more about one of the charter schools online at www.Gormanlearning.org. There is no cost, but there is paperwork and state requirements.
3. You can enroll in a private independent study program, such as
4. You can hire a private tutor to teach your children. For more information, you can contact Professional Tutors of America, or check your local phone book.
4.
“Where can I get more information?
Go online, subscribe to homeschooling magazines, visit the library, browse the bookstores, and most of all, talk to homeschoolers. In addition to helping you form your homeschooling philosophy and style, all this information will give you something to fall back on when you hit those bumps in the road. (And don’t let the bumps scare you, we all hit them!)
Home Education Magazine, Mothering Magazine, The Link newspaper, and many other publications focus on or support homeschooling. As for books, read anything by John Holt. Read The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn. Read the books of John Taylor Gatto. Read The Unschooling Handbook by Mary Griffith. Read The Idiot’s Guide To Homeschooling. Read “Discover Your Child’s Learning Style” by Mariaemma Pelullo-Willus and Victoria Kindle-Hodson. Go to your local bookstore and see what they have in the educational section. The large bookstore chains have plenty of homeschooling books, and even magazines, too.
· Life Learning Magazine is a new publication (first issue 2002) dedicated to self-directed learning. For more info, visit www.lifelearningmagazine.com. Or call 1-800-215-9574.
· The Link is a local
·
(805) 492-1373 or
e-mail: the.link@verizon.net (or check out their website: www.homeschoolnewslink.com).
You can pick up a copy at Lakeshore School Supplies on
· Home Education Magazine is published bi-monthly by Mark and Helen Hegener. You can see sample issues at www.home-ed-magazine.com. Or call (509) 486-1351.
As you do all this research, remember that the person who will teach you the most about homeschooling will be your very own child. His or her interests and passions and talents will guide you more clearly than anything else.
DISCLAIMER: This information was compiled from various sources including Web sites, newsletters, magazines, homeschoolers, and personal experience. It is not a complete list of resources, programs, or contacts, and is not intended to be legal advice. You are responsible for making your own decisions.