Homeschooling 101

by The Varsity Tutors School@Home Team

If you’ve just made the life-changing decision to homeschool your children, we congratulate you. You’re joining a tight-knit network of over two million American parents and kids. And since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, this figure is estimated to have risen significantly.

One day, your children will thank you for educating them at home, as research has proven that homeschoolers perform better academically, develop stronger relationships with adults, and are overall happier.

Now, you and yours have probably done a whole lot of deliberating to get to this point. Some parents would even argue that reaching the initial decision to homeschool is one of the hardest parts of it all. However, you realize that you’re still not at the starting line. You may know that half of the research and decision-making still awaits you.

“How do I homeschool my child?” or “How do I enroll my student in homeschool?” you wonder. It’s normal to have tons of questions and even feel overwhelmed right now.

If that sounds like you, don’t worry: given all the information that’s now available to us in the Age of Technology, as well as the hundreds of homeschooling networks in existence, getting started with homeschooling is actually the easiest it’s ever been.

Your first order of business is to get familiar with the homeschooling laws in your state of residence. Homeschooling laws vary tremendously between states and tend to govern everything from teacher credentials to immunization requirements. In addition, there may be a minimum age in place for homeschooled students.

To find out the regulations where you live, use the HSLDA’s search tool. You can also verify legal requirements at your state’s official Board of Education webpage, which will always end in .gov.

Homeschooling can be done in a dozen different ways. Parents who are both willing and able to opt to homeschool their kids themselves. Others choose to outsource all or some of the work to homeschool professionals. Still, another portion prefers to team-teach or engage in co-ops with other homeschooling families. (Check out our previous article (link to finalized article) for more information on the diverse ways that homeschooling can look.)

Once you’re aware of all the possibilities, discuss them with your partner, if applicable, and potentially your kids--that is, if you think they’re mature enough to be involved in the conversation. From there, you may also wish to see what others in the homeschooling community are saying, perhaps by reading blogs from Simple Homeschool, The Homeschool Mom, etc.

The idea is to form a well-rounded perspective, so avoid sources that seem to have a slant or hidden agenda. Gather sufficient information to make a sound decision with your family. And remember: if the approach you settle on initially proves to be the wrong fit, you can always experiment with other methods later.

The next step is to select the learning materials you’ll use for instruction. For this step, you’ll need to bear in mind cognitive factors like your child’s learning style and achievement level, as well as practical factors like cost and product reputation.

But before committing to a certain curriculum, find out what others in the homeschool community are saying. Talk to people you know who have experience homeschooling and consult others online.

There are several websites you can browse to read curriculum reviews that will assist you in making a selection. One of the most thorough is Cathy Duffy Reviews, which allows you to perform advanced searches and view products by subject, publisher, and author.

To get a better understanding of a product, you can then cross-compare reviews on Amazon and YouTube. Finally, if you feel like you’re not finding the right answers, consider posing your question to homeschooling experts on Quora, Reddit, or Facebook.

4. Attend homeschooling conferences

Homeschooling conferences are a fantastic way to learn more about your curriculum options. At these events, publishers often set up “curriculum exhibit halls,” where interested parents can look through real copies of books and ask questions face-to-face. Find out about conferences taking place near you by using the Homeschool Buyers Co-Op search tool.

Another reason to attend conferences is that they give you a chance to start forming a support network with homeschooling parents and students in your area. Homeschooling parents and kids need to be especially proactive about staying socially engaged.

5. Build your contact network

Your homeschooling network will be your lifeline, as it constitutes the people you can engage in co-ops, team-teaching, social meet-ups, and sports activities with. It’s also the people you can ask questions and seek advice from when you’re having a hard time adjusting.

If you’re not sure how to start forming contacts, find a homeschool group near you by consulting this State Homeschool Organization Directory or trying out The Homeschool Mom’s search tool.

An equally practical course of action is searching for homeschooling groups on Facebook and other social media platforms. Whether your family is religious or secular, you’re bound to find a page that speaks to your needs.

6. Get your space ready

The last step is to get your learning space “homeschool-ready.” Once you decide which rooms or sections of the house you’ll be learning in, make sure they’re suitable for your lessons.

Factors to consider include room temperature, lighting, room size, and the comfort of the furniture. Of course, some of these factors can be changed, such as lighting, while others like room size cannot. Also make any purchases you deem necessary for homeschooling success.

In her blog post entitled “10 Items Absolutely Every Homeschooling Family Needs,” mother Michelle Cannon names a printer, a dry-erase board, art supplies, and more as homeschool essentials. Wendy Wisner of Very Well Family has created her own homeschool supply list that you can view here.

Follow these six steps and you'll be prepared to teach from home before you know it.

Varsity Tutors School @ Home offers something for every homeschooler, whether it's customizable complementary instruction in both academic and elective subjects or a digital app that makes daily homeschooling logistics easier for parents. Learn more here: https://www.varsitytutors.com/school-at-home.