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When You Don’t Know Where to Begin in Homeschooling The 3 R’s for New Homeschoolers Part 1

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When you begin to homeschool, you wouldn’t think of leaving out one of the 3 R’s which are essential to teaching your child.  Everything else is built on the foundation that you lay in those subjects.  The 3 R’s of beginning to homeschool are equally important and essential to you maintaining the course when times are tough.

Whether you begin to homeschool in the toddler years, middle school or high school, each season holds it own tests of your new conviction.

Today, I want to share one of the essential R’s to building a strong foundation when you begin to homeschool.

What are the reasons you want to homeschool?

Right now is the time to write down all the reasons when they are so vivid and new in your mind and heart.  It may sound way out there, but draw them, paint them, or add them to your newest techie device that you love because when your love for homeschooling wanes and it will happen, you will want to be reminded of why you made the best choice for your family.

Don’t be discouraged from your conviction so early on by avoiding the mind-set that is easy to get caught up in which is “I’ll give it a try for a year”.

3 Rs of Homeschooling Part 1-1Sometimes we have no control over how long we can homeschool and I too homeschooled each year with the question looming over my head if I had to return to work.  I never had to and I am ever so thankful, but I didn’t stop there.  Each year I worked hard to stay within our means and budgeted when I needed to because homeschooling was a lifestyle choice for us and I was determined to make it work for us by sacrificing.  Certainly it is not martyrdom, but motherhood that keeps me going.

From my experience, I can tell you that budget sometimes never really enters into why a new homeschool mom wants to return her child back to public school.   I am hoping you will address those fears now and avoid any setbacks.

When You Don’t Know Where to Begin in Homeschooling The 3 R’s for New Homeschoolers Part 1

Whether your reasons are strictly academic, faith based or a combination of both like me, they are the very thread of your journey.  Make them strong now by deciding not to waver when you may feel weak.

Painting them clearly like I mentioned whether you write them or journal them is the way to make them real.

Visualization is a powerful tool because your children will grow up, your homeschool journey will fly by and you want to visualize your end result.

Visualize what type of children you want your children to be when they are grown.   It means to ponder the possibilities of your choices.

Looking back now with my oldest son graduated I can truthfully say that I didn’t even come close to pondering the blessings that I have received.  When I held him in my arms at three years old wrapped up with a blanket as I helped him sound out words and helped him with his first pencil grip,  I fell way short of imagining my end result.  I should have imagined and dreamed with a lot more effort.  It is hard to picture something real with weak conviction.

Take time to list your reasons to homeschool and cherish them and renew your love for them each year.

When you have been sleep deprived by a precious newborn for many nights with no end in sight and your not sweet oldest child has hit raging hormone level and he can’t say one thing out of his mouth that is less than fighting words each day and your house looks like mini-bombs have gone off in it, know you are not alone.  It is part of the down side to the journey and it is not even realistic to say you can avoid the stresses of homeschooling.

However, more than anything your attitude and outlook at the lifestyle you have chosen affects the way you deal with it when it comes up.  Falling back on the reasons you homeschool strengthens your resolve.

Don’t give up something that is precious to the very core of your family without a fight anyway.  From those tests that you live through comes a conviction and dogged determination for homeschooling.

How many reasons do you have on your list? Want to share some of them with me?

Hugs and love ya,

2012Tinasignature Free

Look at some of mine on my list, though I do feel it might be time to update it too.

40 Reasons I Homeschool

 

Homeschooling Through the Summer with My Highschooler

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Homeschooling through the summer with my highschooler was always fun.

I have shared before how we enjoy schooling year round. Last year was the first year in a long time that I followed a more traditional public school schedule, i.e. beginning August and ending May-ish or so because I knew it was Mr. Senior 2013’s last year.

Homeschooling Through the Summer with My Highschooler

Now that its spring and will be summer soon, I have been waffling about what we want to cover in high school for Mr. Awesome.

Making the decision to homeschool year round here in Texas is not hard to do because you don’t want to be outside too much during the heat of the day.

It just makes sense to me to school during the hot summer days and enjoy more relaxed days in spring and fall and we do.

I have two things I know for sure I will tackle with my highschooler this summer.

  • We have signed up for an online writing class with Fortuigence. I really love the fact that Mr. Awesome will receive feedback from somebody else at the high school level.

When my kids were very young, I didn’t want the outside help because I wanted to form and develop their character and study habits. 

As they have grown older and especially when they enter the high school years, it is a nice bonus to receive positive feedback from others because it really mimics real life.

Your child receives feedback from others, whether in a college setting or a work environment and it helps them to learn now how to accept that feedback, positive or otherwise.

  • The second thing I know we are going to scoot along on and focus on is our study of North Star Geography.  Because we are going to work on this through the summer we are going to savor it and plod along on it.
Homeschooling Through the Summer with My Highschooler

Talking about North Star Geography, the planned release date is close.

I do have a few more snapshots though of what the highschool level hands-on geography program will look like.

Here is the front cover and

Homeschooling Through the Summer with My Highschooler

here is the back cover.  They are so smokin’ hot, I love them.

back cover homeschool higschool geography north star geography

For now, we are still using our notebooks and moving along on it.  I will be sharing more as the boys put the finishing touches on their DIY Atlas Covers.

I plan on starting our next unit study too so no rest for us though I will slow down a bit.

Finishing Strong Link Up Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus-1

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What about you? Have you started making plans for the summer yet?

Hugs and love ya,

Want to read some more.  Look at these posts for year round homeschooling.

What is a Lapbook? Video

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Lapbooking is a way to communicate ideas and learning through a hands-on visual tool.  I have seen many definitions of lapbooking because educators use them for a variety of reasons.

A most basic definition is that it is a group of small books or minibooks, mostly of different shapes and sizes that contain information about the topic the lapbook is on.

Lapbooking is Not Just for Young Children

And no I don’t feel lapbooking is just for young children. You can certainly make the process of creating lapbooks about the crafty part of it, but for us it has always been about enjoying the process of information gathering

.  But it doesn’t stop there because it becomes a way for my sons to use it as a tool to recall what we learned.

What is a Lapbook

Too, a visually appealing tool like a lapbook grabs the attention of any learner regardless of the age.

So the best way to explain how we use them in our homeschool is to show you.  I hope you enjoy the video of where I share some about how we use our lapbooks.

We won’t give them up in our journey, but adjust each one to suit our needs.

I hope you find some inspiration from the video!

Hugs and love ya,

2012Tinasignature The Ultimate Guide for New Homeschoolers
Check out some of these resources that make lapbooking easy


Want to read more? Look at

Beware of the 3 C’s of Lapbooking

The Ultimate Guide for New Homeschoolers – An Easy Beginning!

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

In preparing the ultimate guide for new homeschoolers a lot of things affected what I selected to include and not include.

My over 20+ years of homeschooling experience influenced this list, but my unique experiences in mentoring new homeschoolers in person for 10 years had an equal weight. You’re getting a two-pher.

Based on years of experience I have unique one of a kind resources for new homeschoolers.

I not only have a self-paced, instant access, online boot camp, but an awesome book. They stand alone in the homeschool world because like I mentioned earlier, they’re not just based on personal experience.

My experience alone may or may not be of value to you, but one-to-one coaching for newbees gives me a one-of-a-kind perspective.

Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp is a companion to the online, instant access, self-paced Boot Camp Course. You don’t need my book to do the boot camp. You’ll get tons of value from either product.

New Homeschoolers Who Want to Avoid Rookie Mistakes

I know you’re interested in purchasing curriculum right now. 

There is a time to purchase curriculum, but go through these resources first so that you make a well-informed choice. I’d like to save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

STEP 1. Homeschooling Begins with Education for the New Educator

It is important to get the help and education you need like just like any new teacher would. Avoid the rookie mistake of jumping in and purchasing curriculum.

What IS and What IS NOT Homeschooling

Deschooling is the MOST important beginning step. Look at Deschooling: Step One for the New Homeschooler (the Definitions, the Dangers, and the Delight)

Video: How to Deschool – Are You Doomed If You’ve Never Deschooled?

Homeschooling works well for ANY child because EVERY child deserves an individualized education, but that doesn’t mean everyone can do it. 

In addition, homeschooling looks different for each family.

Some families have both parents that work, have one full time working breadwinner, or one family could be a single mom. Homeschooling is flexible for ALL those families.

Arming yourself with pros and cons, you can decide how you will handle the naysayers.

Homeschool Stats & Facts NOW Equals Deep Roots

We’re going to talk heart to heart, but we need to go beyond the warm and fuzzy part of homeschooling.

Look at the success of the homeschool approach by reading the stats at NHERI (NATIONAL HOME EDUCATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE ).

What IS Homeschooling

  • biggest difference – parent controlled
  • you can choose all online curriculum, part physical books or mix and match
  • testing becomes the right of the parent who knows the child best and understands that a test is nothing more than a tool
  • conferences are not needed because as the tutor of your children you know what they’re learning. Even if you just begin to homeschool, it doesn’t take long for you to know exactly which subjects your child excels in and which subjects he will need support for.
  • your schedule is adopted based on your family’s needs and not based on an outdated school schedule, which was set up based on a society that was much more agricultural than our society is today. 
  • Being in control doesn’t mean you can’t use something laid out by another company, but then that is your choice.
  • accreditation is no longer a term which homeschoolers fear because they know it doesn’t have anything to do with the value of an education. Be sure to read my article, Accreditation – Removing the Shroud of Mystery.

What is NOT Homeschooling

Homeschooling is NOT school at home. If the public school system is not working now, why repeat it?

  • You don’t have to have a chalkboard, dry erase board or even a school room.
  • Some families prefer a schoolroom, others don’t and still others just don’t have the space for one.
  • A school room or lack of it does not make a true homeschooler.
  • Don’t confuse not doing public school at home with not being able to use an online school if you need one.

Look at my post The Great Homeschool Hoax – Public School At Home?

Choosing curriculum is NOT the first step.
(Veteran Tip: Look at Why Buying Curriculum Won’t Make You a Homeschooler – But What Will)

Step 2. Know Local Homeschool Law AND How-to Meet It

Determining what type of curriculum you will be using is affected by the laws of your land. Most homeschool state laws are relaxed meaning you have a good amount of control over the type of curriculum.

Why is that important?

If you have stringent records to keep, then for your first or second year get something boxed or laid out because it eases homeschool stress or record keeping in the beginning when you don’t what to keep and what to throw away.

Go to HSLDA {It’s short for Home School Legal Defense Association} to know the laws of where you live. It has a clickable Map. It’s that important to know BEFORE jumping into purchasing expensive curriculum.

I’m not a lawyer, but having helped new homeschoolers in many different states, I have a good handle on understanding quite a few laws in different states.

Tip: Of course, your local state group is the best resource, but I will help if you’re lost. I want you to get the help you need.

Look at my Big Ol’ List of All-In-One Homeschool Curriculum (a.k.a Boxed) .

Next, instead of choosing only curriculum that public school uses, you want to use curriculum which supports the way your children learn best.

Step 3. Veteran Tip: Curriculum is Organized by Homeschool Approach.

Learn the homeschool approaches first!

Look at the top 5 Homeschool Approaches.
(Veteran Tip: Expand your view of what is curriculum.) Look at 45 Ways to Define Homeschool Curriculum – Is Your Definition Holding You Back?

I am not going to overwhelm you with all of the approaches that have come and gone; the ones below are the most popular approaches in homeschooling. 

First, I have defined the approach and then I give you a link/s as homeschoolers share about the choices that fit their family or to help understand the approach better.

1.
Eclectic/Relaxed/Unschooling Approach
(Veteran Tip: This is really 3 different approaches, but they share some similarities. In the spirit of simplifying your start I grouped them together.)

Though I think that unschooling has received a bum rap in the past, it is more common for this approach to mean more of a relaxed approach and somewhat eclectic. But each family defines what unschooling means for them.

Unschoolers use a real life approach and child-led approach meaning they simply follow the interests of their children to decide what will be learned for the day.

They trust a child’s natural desire to learn and feed that from infancy. A lot of them do not use formal curriculum.

Although it is child-led, many unschoolers use some curriculum. I prefer to use Sandra Dodd’s definition found here at What’s the Difference between Relaxed Homeschooling and Unschooling?

Look at A day in the life of radical unschoolers

In recent years, eclectic homeschoolers have also emerged separate from unschoolers.

Eclectic homeschoolers are homeschoolers who mix and match the characteristics of the different approaches explained here and don’t really hail to one homeschool approach over the other.

Look at I’m an Eclectic Homeschooler. What Exactly Does That Mean?
Look at What is Delight-Directed Schooling.
Look at Relaxed Homeschooling and what it looks like years later.

2.
Charlotte Mason Approach

I prefer the definition at Simply Charlotte Mason: “The Charlotte Mason method is based on Charlotte‘s firm belief that the child is a person and we must educate that whole person, not just his mind. So a Charlotte Mason education is three-pronged: in her words, “Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life.”

Look at Our Journey Westward for a Charlotte Mason schedule.
Look at What Drew Me to a Charlotte Mason Education.

3.
Classical Approach

Susan Wise Bauer is the modern model of classical education and I prefer her definition: “Classical education depends on a three-part process of training the mind. The early years of school are spent in absorbing facts, systematically laying the foundations for advanced study. In the middle grades, students learn to think through arguments. In the high school years, they learn to express themselves. This classical pattern is called the trivium.”

Look at the introduction to classical education.

4.
Unit Studies

I also prefer Susan Wise Bauer’s definition of a unit study. “A unit study integrates disciplines together, rather than dividing them into separate “subjects” to be pursued at different times during the school day. Literature, history, science, mathematics, art, music, history, and so on are all studied through their relationship to a core organizing principle.”

Look at Homeschooling Styles: Unit Studies
Look at Unit Studies: Multi-Age, Multi-Subject Approach to Learning.

5.
Workbook, Textbook, also called Boxed and All-in-One in the homeschool world.
(Veteran Tip:This is the approach you’re probably most familiar with since it’s used in public schools.)

I like the definition at Education Today. “This traditional approach uses graded textbooks or workbooks that follow a scope and sequence. Each subject is covered in 180 daily increments per school year for a span of 12 years. Teacher’s manuals, tests and record keeping materials are usually available.”

Look at the Textbook Approach To Education.
Look at the Traditional Approach to Homeschooling.

Why You Should Start with Inexpensive or an All-in-One Curriculum

 During my many years of mentoring new homeschoolers, I’ve seen them spend thousands of dollars on a curriculum. That is so needless.

Choosing inexpensive curriculum in the beginning gives you financial room to understand what grade level each of your children are truly on and not just choosing the next grade level. Your money goes further because you made a more informed choice.

(Veteran Tip: Another HUGE rookie mistake is choosing the next grade level without truly understanding what your children know or don’t know on his or her grade level.)

Avoid the mind-set that if your children repeat a subject on a grade level or reviews it that they will be behind. Some children jump several grade levels in one year because they repeated material previously not mastered.

A well-defined goal in the beginning should be that your children become masters of their material which means slowing down or going down a grade level when he needs to and skipping a grade level when he has it.

And guess what? In homeschool, we don’t really keep up with grades. 

Oh we do pay attention to grade levels/grades (sometimes) as we move our children on their courses, but the point of it is that children do not develop evenly. They are ahead in some subjects and struggle with others.

Look at my 7 Budget-Friendly Language Arts Curriculum to Pair with Unit Studies (with printable). Look at BEST Curriculum by Homeschoolers for Homeschoolers, Digital Homeschool Curriculum – Big Ol’ List, and Is Homeschooling Expensive.

A boxed curriculum gives you a pattern to follow which a lot of new homeschoolers need. 

From using a boxed curriculum, you determine what you like and don’t like about one homeschool approache over another and that helps to save you money in the long run from too much trial and error.

Don’t make another huge rookie mistake while using boxed curriculum which is to do it ALL.

Do not be a slave to boxed curriculum meaning you need to avoid the thinking that you have to complete the whole thing. Use the parts that you need while you are reading all you can in your first or second year. 

No wow factor happens when you complete curriculum. Completing curriculum does not mean a child understood it. Understanding and completing curriculum are not synonymous.

The end goal during the first year or second year is to find the approach that fits your family best and it takes time.

Homeschool Curriculum Organized by Homeschool Approach – Ewww so Fantastic!

To give you a head start, I’ve taken a few curriculum providers and organized it below by approach so I help you conquer the curriculum conundrum.

Look at the candy store homeschool curriculum providers below that stand ready to help you succeed.

Textbook Approach/All-in-One
  • Easy Peasy All in One
  • A Beka Book
  • BookShark
Classical Approach
  • Classical Academic Press
  • Classical Conversations
  • Veritas Press
Charlotte Mason Approach
  • Queens Homeschooling
  • Ambleside On Line
  • The Good and the Beautiful
Unit Studies Approach
  • Konos Character Curriculum
  • Tapestry of Grace
  • Trail Guide to Learning

Step 4. Homeschool Schedule, Organization, and Lesson Planning

Awww, yes NOW the part that most new homeschoolers have the hardest time achieving and that is how to add in school to an already busy day.

I have had MANY schedules through the years and they were based on the needs and ages of my children and whether I had to work or not.

Look at these tips.

Video: How to Homeschool Lesson Plan EZ by Tina Robertson

I have one of the BEST organizing tools in the homeschool world and it is the 7 Step Homeschool Planner. You build it yourself using my beautiful forms.

Video: Scheduled & Lesson Plans A Bit Like Chemistry New Homeschooler Boot Camp by Tina Robertson

And yes, I am going there next and that is homeschool socialization.

Step 5. Homeschool Socialization

We do crawl out from under our rocks.

Okay, seriously the homeschooling world is brimming with activities. Albeit, they vary from area to area. The point is your children can be involved in as much or in as little you want them to be.

If you haven’t already heard from the homeschool critics, you will. Some new homeschoolers get hit pretty hard early on in their journey by well wishing family members with questions and then sometimes you will receive plain down right criticism. 

It can be hard if you have tender feelings on top of being antsy about succeeding. 

Look at these links to grab some gracious and quick replies!

How-to Extinguish Any Possible Spark for the Love of the Learning

I know you can’t wait to dig into curriculum because you may feel it is the very proof that you need that you are now an official homeschooler. 

I admit that I love the stuff myself too and curriculum buying can be pretty addicting.  It is something that I still look forward to each year as if it was my very first time.

How can you determine if the curriculum you choose will make a good fit for your family?  True, some of it is trial and error, but some of it is not. 

I have you covered with some tips on how to not extinguish the love of learning.

Keep in mind that if you use a text book approach now because you feel comfortable with it, it is okay. 

The Ultimate Guide for New Homeschoolers by Tina Robertson. A homeschool mom of 20 years experience AND who taught workshops for years to new homeschoolers. Don't Miss this!

However, if you have a child that is extremely burned out on this method used in public schools, you will want to implement some other approach from the beginning because you don’t want to turn your child off to homeschooling in the first few months.

So your teaching style and homeschool style will change as you meet the needs of your kids and utilize your strengths to be the best teacher for your children.

remember you’re not teaching curriculum, you’re teaching a child.

AND I have OH SO MUCH MORE for you!!! Here is my category on my site Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus with tons more tips for newbies.

Can I help you with something now?

Hugs and enjoy this plethora of information intended to set your feet firmly on the road of new homeschool beginnings.

This blog hop is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutual beneficial projects.

Homeschool Field Trips Free Field Trip Planning Page

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We have t-shirts that we used for our homeschool field trips that read “Home – An Important Piece of the Educational Puzzle” because part of learning at home is not learning at home. 

I know that sounds weird, but if you have taken any field trips at all, which I know you have, you know what I mean by it.

One year, we even had a cake made about our theme as we celebrated our time away from home.

Though I love to talk anytime about how our lack of socialization is a bunch of baloney, I am really focusing today on sharing how to plan a homeschool field trip and survive to enjoy it too.

Homeschool Field Trips An Important Piece of the Educational Puzzle

Some of my tips may save you sanity whether you are planning for a larger or smaller group.

Homeschool Field Trip Hurdles

There are some things you want to think about when planning field trips that will make them successful and help you to avoid making some rookie mistakes.

When we first started, our group was small and we had young children pretty close to the same age.  It was easy to plan field trips because any place basically enamored our younger kids.

Our problem came later as the group got bigger and we had a larger mix of ages.

Here are a few tips to think about when planning

  • Be sure you know the age range of your children before planning each trip.

If you do not separate your group by ages like we did, then you will want to balance how many field trips you have for younger kids and for older kids.  It simply is not fair to the group as a whole to do preschool things each month or to do something that only highschoolers can do.  It requires a bit of finesse and a little more work on the part of the planner to stay balanced.

More Homeschool Field Trip Resources

The moms in our groups chose to not separate our group because we had kids in both older and younger groups.

We wanted our kids to stay together so I balanced the places we go to each year, which included some for older and some for younger.

  • Determine the total number of people, not just students.

Another obstacle to look out for is asking your group for only the total number of children.  A lot of places assume you are bringing just students and you generally are not.

On our field trips, not only did we have moms, but sometimes dads came too and maybe even grandparents attended. 

The field trip place needs to be aware of the total number of bodies they are going to crowd into a room. 

Communication is vital and it is up to you to educate facilities on how we do field trips, which means that a whole family can come.

  • Set up a easy way for groups to communicate the number going and how to pay, otherwise you are receiving text and emails that you don’t have time to answer.

Sure, if your group is about 10, it’s not problem, but a small group didn’t last long for us and we needed real life workable solutions.

We normally set up a RSVP poll on our field trip group and we also have a date deadline for those to sign up. 

It is important in managing a group that you have deadlines because otherwise persons are always late and it puts more stress and hard work on the ones who are stepping up to lead.

Few Rules on Field Trips

Leaders do not generally get paid when planning homeschool field trips and so I find that by respecting deadlines, it keeps the work load light for those sweet volunteers.

  • Balance paid versus free field trips.

Another point of controversy in a group can be that only paid field trips are planned.  If a family has one or two kids, it may not be a problem.  If you have more kids, then it can get costly.  Lovingly, we tried to balance the field trips each month by making one a paid field trip one month and the next month, host a free one.

field trip planning guide

Because I was asking the same questions over and over again each month, I prepared a Field Trip Planning page so that I could use it as I planned each field trip.

Using it as checklist will help you to avoid making some of the same mistakes we did, like too large of a group, having some members who paid for the event and others who did not and deciding ahead of time whether to eat lunch out or go to the park.

How do you go about finding places in your area and connecting with other homeschooler?  I will share some of my tips in the second part of planning homeschool field trips.

Have you already hit some of these hurdles when planning field trips?

Want to read more about how we are educated and yes, socialized?

How to Grab the Free Planning Your Field Trips Form

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