How to Start Homeschooling with The Old Schoolhouse® Resources
Making the Decision to Homeschool Day 1
Is it time to pull your kids out of public school? Do you feel the tug to keep them home? Making the decision to homeschool is an important decision for your family, but you don’t have to do this alone. The Old Schoolhouse® family brings you the information and encouragement you need to take those first steps on your homeschooling journey. Get answers to your questions and more by viewing our replay of Day 1 of How to Start Homeschooling with The Old Schoolhouse®.
Find the agenda for Making the Decision and learn more about our speakers and guests at HomeschoolShow.com.
Exploring the Reasons Why We Homeschool
The reasons why families choose to homeschool are varied and very different. Look into the history of homeschooling and be reminded of why families choose to homeschool with The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine. And if you don’t know of any local homeschooling families, The Old Schoolhouse® with SchoolhouseConnect.com and The Canadian Schoolhouse offer resources to help you know where to start!
Resources and More
- Find encouragement with the WeE-Book Homeschooling the Rebel by Deborah Wuehler.
- Learn about the public school system with the WeE-Book John Taylor Gatto: Hammering at the Walls of Public Education by Gena Suarez, Eric Novak, and Jennifer Kittell.
- Read 50 Reasons to Be Thankful We Homeschool at The Canadian Schoolhouse.
- Read more from Heather Vogler at Thrift Schooling.
- Find the materials discussed by Stephanie Morrision at VirtualFamilyRetreat.com.
- Listen to Stephanie Morrision talking about her homeschool experiences at HomeschoolShow.com.
- Connect and collaborate to grow your homeschool group, brand, website, or social media reach at https://friendsoftos.com/.
- Does your church have a Schoolhouse? A Church Schoolhouse is a local homeschool co-op for like-minded parents to gather together in a church environment and teach ready-made courses to homeschooled students in PK–12th grade. During its twice-weekly meetings, the Schoolhouse is an engaged community between homeschool families and the church leadership. Find more information at https://friendsoftos.com/church-schoolhouse/.
How to Get Started: Building Your Foundation Day 2
Have you made your decision to homeschool your children but not sure how to get started? The Old Schoolhouse® family shares the resources you need to start off strong, along with encouragement from veteran homeschoolers who understand this part of the journey. We’ll help you build a strong foundation so you have the confidence to homeschool successfully. View the replay of Day 2 of How to Start Homeschooling with The Old Schoolhouse®.
Find the agenda for How to Get Started: Building Your Foundation and learn more about our speakers and guests at HomeschoolShow.com.
Finding Your Community
Once you make the decision to homeschool you might wonder where you will find support and a community. The Old Schoolhouse® offers several easy-to-connect-with support groups, Schoolhouse Ambassadors, and even the ability to download your own “Considering Homeschooling Info-Pak” from SchoolhouseConnect.com.
Or you can start your own Schoolhouse and build your own community in your neighborhood. Connect with like-minded SchoolhouseTeachers.com families in your area by starting or joining a twice-weekly Schoolhouse. Exclusive to SchoolhouseTeachers.com members, your local Schoolhouse provides an outlet and opportunity for your children to complete the necessary curriculum and lesson plans, preschool through high school—together. You don’t need to homeschool alone.
Planning the Day
Don’t know what homeschooling style you want to try in your homeschool? There are so many great options. Take a quiz with The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine to see which homeschool style you lean towards. Then read more about different approaches with The Canadian Schoolhouse and finally dig deeper using the resources listed below.
Charlotte Mason
Take a look into a Charlotte Mason homeschool with The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.
Learn about living books and the Charlotte Mason homeschool style with HomeschoolingFinds.com.
Teach your preschooler using a Charlotte Mason-inspired class from SchoolhouseTeachers.com.
Classical Education
What is Classical Education? Read about it with The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine and HomeschoolingFinds.com.
There are many resources available if you wish to take the Classical approach to homeschooling. Read more about Memoria Press and Cross Seven Musical Memory with HomeschoolingFinds.com.
Eclectic
What does a day look like in the home of an eclectic homeschooler? Find out in an article from The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.
Read more about what an eclectic homeschool looks like and why it works for one family at HomeschoolingFinds.com: What is Eclectic Homeschooling?
Unit Studies, Lapbooks, and Notebooking
One way to approach your homeschooling is to utilize unit studies, lapbooks, or notebooking for your subjects. How do you decide which approach to take? And do you use pre-written unit studies or notebooking courses or write your own? You have so many choices! No matter which one you choose, your children will be able to dig deeper into subjects that interest them like Kristin shared in The Canadian Schoolhouse article What Walter the Frog Taught Me about Teaching Science.
Resources and More
Do you need supplements for your homeschool lessons? SchoolhouseTeachers.com provides free printable charts to help your lessons go more smoothly. Learn about the different forms of poetry, study the states and their capitals, and more.
- Find support at HomeschoolFreedom.com
- Read about the history of The Old Schoolhouse®
- Down the TOSApp to access digital content on the go
How to Stay on Track Day 3
Do you ever wonder if you’d be able to stay on track if you were to start homeschooling today? Homeschooling is a wonderful journey with your family, but there will be tough moments along the way. Listen to homeschoolers who can tell you their stories about sticking to it through the tough times and benefits they’ve seen because they pushed through. Watch the replay of Day 3 and be encouraged as you make your decision to keep your children home.
Find the agenda for How to Stay on Track and learn more about our speakers and guests at HomeschoolShow.com.
Books and Verses of the Bible for Encouragement
- Hebrews 11
- Habakkuk 2:2–3
- Proverbs 6:3
- Proverbs
Finding Your Community
The Old Schoolhouse® offers many ways to help you connect with your community from The Homeschool Minute delivered to your email inbox weekly to conventions where you can meet the owners, Paul and Gena Suarez. You can bring encouragement and advice with you on the go by downloading the TOS App or by listening to the Hey, Mama! Homeschool Show podcast weekly.
If you are planning for the new school year, The Old Schoolhouse® can help you connect with homeschooling resources and curriculum. Through the digital magazine and HomeschoolingFinds.com, you can discover new curriculum or be reintroduced to favorites from the past.
Remember Your Why
Why did you decide to homeschool? Sometimes it can be hard to remember the why on difficult homeschooling days. Today Stephanie Morrision of The Canadian Schoolhouse shares why she chose to homeschool as well as numerous resources you can use in your homeschool.
Avoid Common Homeschool Mistakes
- Don’t try to recreate public school at home.
- Avoid the comparison trap.
- Change the curriculum or material if you need to.
- There will be hard homeschooling days.
- Take the time you need for your child to master a concept.
- You can learn along with your children.
Resources and More
- Find the Bible Study plan from Deborah Wuehler, Homeschool Moms Teach the Psalms, on the Bible App or at https://www.youversion.com/.
- Connect with other homeschooling families and even start your own blog on HomeschoolBlogger.com.
- Connect with other families using SchoolhouseTeachers.com with our Facebook Community.
- Sign up for the second annual National Academic Homeschool Competition at NAHCRegistration.com.
- Read more about homeschooling your high schooerl with the Homeschool College Directory and Resources.
- Remembering Why We Homeschool with HomeschoolingFinds.com
- Episode 16 of the Hey, Mama! Homeschool Show Podcast: Remembering Why We Homeschool
- How to set goals as you plan for the new homeschool year from The Canadian Schoolhouse.
- Homeschooling: You Are Not Alone–a homeschool supplement for ongoing support
- Smart Mama Planner: bit.ly/SmartMamaPlanner
