Starting Your Homeschooling Journey

Starting your Homeschooling Journey

By Martha Artyomenko

Welcome to the road that is wrought with decisions and emotions! You are now your child’s teacher full time. This means, if you bring in outside teachers, you are responsible for that decision as well.  I wrote this post for our state, but much of this applies for any state.

 

Find the why for your family/child:

Why do you think you should homeschool?

Are you homeschooling because that is what best for your child or are you doing it because it is what you think you should do?

When you find the reason for you, it gives you something to come back to on the hard days. It can help you when you are evaluating and seeing if this is the place you should be for your child’s education.

Laws-

1. File a notice of intent to homeschool. 
2. Keep attendance and immunization records. 
3. Provide the required hours of instruction. 
4. Teach the required subjects. 
5. Follow health and safety regulations. 

https://www.hslda.org/hs101/MT.aspx

 

Graduation Requirements

http://www.mtrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?RN=10.55.905

 

 

Curriculum:

 

Choosing curriculum is a very personal decision. Be sure to not choose it because someone else did. There is a lot out there and it can be overwhelming. One thing to do when you are first starting out, is to keep it simple.

 

Math

Language Arts (English, spelling, vocabulary, reading)

Science

History

Art

Music

Literature

P.E.

Don’t get multiple things for the same subject. Trust that one will do the job. There are some that will cover more than one as well.

Work to discover things about your children. How do they learn? What makes their brain get excited? Remember, it is only as boring as you think it is. If you are excited, they can be.

 

 

http://rainbowresource.com

 

https://www.christianbook.com

 

http://www.timberdoodle.com

 

https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/

 

 

 

Organization

I love this planner as you can buy once and then print as you need. It is cheap and easy to use.

Life as a Mom Planners 

https://kristiclover.com

 

Checking out resources like Pinterest and googling your curriculum to see how others organize it.

 

Think outside the box beyond desks. Some children learn better with movement and need an exercise ball, wobble seats or even working on the floor to learn the best.

 

 

What does a normal day look like?

Everyone’s days will look different. This blog has a lot of “Day in the Life of” posts, which are really helpful when determining what you want your school days to look like.

 

http://simplehomeschool.net

 

 

Getting involved and finding support:

 

(Local Resources)

Support groups at Cornerstone

Local Facebook and Yahoo Groups

Curriculum based FB/yahoo groups

Field trips

Sports

Monthly Activities

Co-ops

 

 

Common Mistakes

What are some of the common mistakes you have seen?

Believing that you have to use a complete boxed curriculum

 

Doing way too much

Doing too little

Comparing yourself to blog posts, FB posts, other families etc. Comparison will always bring you up short. Remember the “Grass is always greener” saying.

 

Not taking advantage of your children’s learning style and gifts

Trying to recreate school at home straight across the board. If that is how they learn, that is great. Otherwise, you can miss out on the advantages of homeschooling.

Forgetting why you are homeschooling

Isolating yourself and not reaching out for help in the community

Remind yourself that what works for you may not be what works for someone else. You need to do what is best for you and your child, not someone else.  But in that, remember the caveat that this is about educating your child. Evaluate if you are doing that well and keep yourself accountable. If you are not able to do that, it might be time to look for an alternate way of educating.

 

Hard Days

 

There will be hard days. That does not mean you are a failure. It might mean you need to make it important to come to the support meetings. Get out there and share what you are struggling with. Someone else may have something that will help you or at least commiserate with you.

 

On hard days, realize you are not alone.

 

-Park Days

-Educational movies

-Field Trips

-Library Day

-Hands on activities

-Fresh Air

 

What are some ways you continue to educate through the hard days?

Read some good books

Here are some good titles of books that have helped me throughout the years. Everyone will have different ones they enjoy.

This is a new one that is excellent.

“Homeschool Basics” By Tricia Goyer and Kristi Clover 

“Easy Homeschooling Techniques” By Lorraine Curry (I did not like everything in this book, but some parts of it were very helpful).

 

Soul’s Cry by Cara Luecht

About the book:

Ione has everything she’d wanted with her busy shop filled to the brim with sumptuous fabrics, gossiping debutants, and a neatly increasing profit margin. Not to mention the unexpected attention of a man who doesn’t know her past.
And then the letter dropped from the mail slot onto to lush carpet. He was back. And the abuse, the shame, rushes in, reminding her of how unworthy she really is.
Miriam also has everything she’d wanted—and with a baby on the way, for the first time in her life, she has everything to lose. When she’d been alone, the future had held promise, but now with her life full, it also holds fear.
Unwilling to risk a vision of loss, Miriam stops painting what will be…right before Ione needs it most.

My Review:

I entered this series late. It did not ruin the series for me, but instead made me want to experience the rest of this author’s novels. I added all of them to my wish list.

I would have to say this book reminded of Pepper Basham’s novels in a way. The seamstress with past issues that she was dealing with, for some reason brought that to mind. But I loved the mystery as well that encompassed the story. White Fire Publishing has not disappointed me yet in one of their books that I have purchased. I am destined to purchase many more, based on my enjoyment of this novel and others. If you are looking for realistic fiction, pick this one up.

 

This book is available for purchase from Amazon and White Fire publishing.

“Soul’s Cry” 

This book was provided for review by the publisher. The opinions contained herein are my own.

 

These Healing Hills by Ann Gabhart

Description

Francine Howard has her life all mapped out until the soldier she planned to marry at WWII’s end writes to tell her he’s in love with a woman in England. Devastated, Francine seeks a fresh start in the Appalachian Mountains, training to be a nurse midwife for the Frontier Nursing Service.

Deeply affected by the horrors he witnessed at war, Ben Locke has never thought further ahead than making it home to Kentucky. His future shrouded in as much mist as his beloved mountains, he’s at a loss when it comes to envisioning what’s next for his life.

When Francine’s and Ben’s paths intersect, it’s immediately clear that they are from different worlds and value different things. But love has a way of healing old wounds . . . and revealing tantalizing new possibilities.

My Review:

Well, anything to do with birth or midwifery always fascinates me. This book is no exception. This book reminded me of Christy by Catherine Marshall of sorts, with instead of a teacher, we have a nurse midwife in training. Her pain from being abandoned  by the supposed love of her life in the beginning of the book sets the stage for us to learn some valuable lessons.

I loved the history that is woven throughout on the training, the hard births, the tough calls that they had to make as well as balancing the old wives tales while still utilizing some of the natural remedies that were good.

Ms. Gabhart did an amazing job telling us this story, while causing us to experience life there in the hills.

This book is available for purchase from Amazon and where books are sold for pre-order.

“These Healing Hills” 

Chasing Secrets by Lynette Eason

Description

Elite Guardians bodyguard Haley Callaghan may be in South Carolina, but when a photo leads investigators in West Ireland to open a twenty-five-year-old cold case, her life is suddenly in danger. Haley knows how to take care of herself; after all, she’s made a career out of taking care of others. But after an uncomfortably close call, Detective Steven Rothwell takes it upon himself to stay with her–and the young client she has taken under her wing. A protector at heart, he’s not about to let Haley fight this battle alone.

In a sweeping plot that takes them into long-buried memories–and the depths of the heart–Haley and Steven will have to solve the mystery of Haley’s past while dodging bullets, bombs, and bad guys who just won’t quit.

My Review:

As always, Lynette Eason delivers a fast moving suspense novel that will keep you holding your breath.

What is not to love, women that are bodyguards? Then a grandfather than owns a castle?  Death stalking you on every corner, gunshots, knife wounds? This book is full of them.

While probably not the most realistic, I loved how this story brought out about children that end up in bad situations because of how life has been for them. Haley and the street children story that was told in small bits and pieces throughout it really brought it home.

Book #4? I hope there are more to come in this series!

This book is available for purchase on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

Chasing Secrets 

A Dangerous Engagement by Melanie Dickerson

 

About the book:

Just as merchant’s daughter Felicity Mayson is spurned once again because of her meager dowry, she receives an unexpected invitation to Lady Blackstone’s country home. Being introduced to the wealthy Oliver Ratley is an admitted delight, as is his rather heedless yet inviting proposal of marriage. Only when another of Lady Blackstone’s handsome guests catches Felicity’s attention does she realize that nothing is what it seems at Doverton Hall.

Government agent Philip McDowell is infiltrating a group of cutthroat revolutionaries led by none other than Lady Blackstone and Ratley. Their devious plot is to overthrow the monarchy, and their unwitting pawn is Felicity. Now Philip needs Felicity’s help in discovering the rebels’ secrets—by asking her to maintain cover as Ratley’s innocent bride-to-be.

Philip is duty bound. Felicity is game. Together they’re risking their lives—and gambling their hearts—to undo a traitorous conspiracy before their dangerous masquerade is exposed.

My Review:

You ever want a light and happy regency mystery? Look no further. Here you have one. Following the theme of spies and regency romance, this light and happy tale leads you down paths of intrigue. And it might have you questioning why on earth parents of that time period thought that sending your child off to stay with a unknown relative was a good idea.

I loved the whole big family idea/them that was in this one as being one of 11, I totally related to it!
Melanie Dickerson triumphs again with a great read!

You can pre-order it now on Amazon!

A Dangerous Engagement 

Healing the Scars of childhood Abuse by Gregory Jantz

Description

The deep pain of childhood abuse–whether physical or emotional, whether a child was neglected or wished nothing more than to be left alone–doesn’t just go away. There’s simply no just getting over it. Even if no physical scars remain as evidence of the victim’s suffering, the deep wounds on their minds, hearts, and souls are still there. But it is possible to become whole and happy.

Author of the successful Healing the Scars of Emotional Abuse, Dr. Gregory Jantz now helps readers understand the effects of childhood abuse on their emotional, intellectual, physical, relational, and spiritual health. He then outlines the steps to lasting healing, including grieving what was lost, learning to balance emotions with intentionality, regaining a positive relationship with one’s own body and mind, and coming to an understanding of God not as a frightening authority figure like the abuser or an accusing judge, but as a loving creator, redeemer, and friend.

My Review:

I felt this was a fascinating book. It had some very good info in it, detailing what abuse was. It talked about how sometimes things we don’t even recognize as abuse can be that way, whether we mean them to be or not in our culture today. Lack of child restraints in a car for example, not getting medical care or help for children with learning disabilities, things that even 20-30 years ago was more commonplace, but now realizing that this is not an okay thing and is legally on a neglect scale.

The one key thing that I felt should been concentrated on a bit more, was delving into that even though you have been abused, you do not have to be an abuser. I felt that it instead highlighted some of the greatest fears that childhood abuse victims have of becoming their abuser. It was good to lay it out, but I felt this could have been a bit more key and clearly detailed.

The book was an easier read, despite it topic at hand, but clear and to the point.