The decision to homeschool is not one to be taken lightly – and I don’t know anyone who does. To be solely responsible for a child’s education is exciting, intimidating, and a bit scary too.
Let me begin by reassuring you, you got this mama!
A few short years ago I was in your shoes. I felt overwhelmed, uncertain where to begin as I debated with myself, can I really do this? And with so many paths to success, how do I choose the correct one?
Thankfully I received guidance from some women at church. They patiently answered my questions, sharing stories of their successes and failures. Rather than attempt to influence me toward one method or another they gave me resources to discover for myself how our family wished to proceed. It was a warm welcome into the homeschooling community.
Though we may never meet face-to-face, I’d like you to feel welcome here too. Feel free to ask questions or share your concerns, either in the comments or email them to me at admin@wildrose-media.com.
This is part one in a series for families new to home education. After this brief introduction, future posts will address learning styles, homeschool philosophies, educational methods, curriculum choice, budget concerns, and more.
Lord willing, I plan to release one blog per week. Once each weekly blog is live I will add it to the list below for easy access. My goal is to guide you and your family toward homeschooling success, while saving you time, frustration, and money in the process.
In these blogs I will feature several books about homeschooling (and parenting in general) which have been recommended to me or that I have found to be useful as I determined how our family’s education would take shape. In addition, several children’s books have been written on the topic and I will be showcasing these as well.
- Choosing Curriculum Part 1: An Overview
- Choosing Curriculum Part 2: The Four Main Approaches to Homeschooling
- Choosing Curriculum Part 3: The Parent as Educator
- Choosing Curriculum Part 4: Assessing the Needs of Your Child
- Choosing Curriculum Part 5: Learning Styles – The VARK Model
- Choosing Curriculum Part 6: An Overview of Homeschool Methods
- Choosing Curriculum Part 7: Mastery or Spiral?
- Choosing Curriculum Part 8: Accredited or Unaccredited?
Please feel free to share this with friends and family members who may benefit from this information as well. I pray it will bless you and assist you in your homeschooling journey.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN… RECOMMENDED READING
As an Amazon Associate I may be compensated for purchases made using these links.
HOW PUBLIC EDUCATION IS FAILING OUR KIDS
AN HONEST LOOK AT THE HOMESCHOOL LIFESTYLE
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CHARLOTTE MASON METHOD
HOW TO CHOOSE BOOKS FOR YOUR KIDS
Let’s begin.
Many newcomers place the emphasis on selecting a curriculum, then planning from there. I ask you to reconsider. While curriculum is important, the selection process should not begin until you have answered some important questions.
Homeschooling is much more than an educational method, it is a lifestyle choice. Knowledge of your family’s values, educational goals, your child’s interests and future aspirations, personal strengths and weaknesses, and so much more must be considered before deciding on a specific curriculum.
To learn more please read my next post, Choosing Curriculum Part 1: An Overview.
