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HOW TO GET STARTED WITH HOME EDUCATION
The ideal situation is for the interested person(s) to interact with other home educators, read materials about home education, and look over different curricula, thinking about what will work best in their particular situation, for weeks or months before the actual schooling experience takes place.
IF THE NEED IS IMMEDIATE, following steps are suggested:
Select your curriculum and be prepared.
Obtain a notification form from local support group or CHEO fill it out completely. Send notification form to superintendent by certified or registered mail two days before keeping your child home from school, or hand-deliver to the superintendent's office before or the morning of the first day you keep your child home. Keep your child home and begin teaching after notification.
QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT
What are your reasons/motives for home schooling?
What goals do you have for your home-schooled child and yourself as parent/teacher for this particular and school year and the future? What is your education philosophy (possible help from Dr. Moore's or Gregg Harris' writings)? Have you committed this decision to the Lord in time in prayer?
FINANCIAL
Curriculum--dollar amount can vary considerably depending on child/family needs, from very minimal ($ 50 or less) to hundreds of dollars. Support groups--state-wide Christian Home Educators of Ohio (CHEO) http://www.cheohome.org annual membership fee $ 25; contact CHEO for local support group information. Legal coverage--Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) http://www.hslda.org annual membership fee:
$ 100. Field trips and classes-- varies depending on how many free and paying activities attended. Classroom materials--can be basic and gradually added to as time and money permit; educational games can be included here. Books and workshops--CHEO state convention, local informational meetings/conferences/seminars/etc. to enhance home school experience.
STATE REGULATIONS
Familiarize yourself with Ohio's State Regulations regarding home education enacted in 1989. A copy of the regulations can be obtained from (1) CHEO, P.O. Box 262, Columbus, OH 43216, (2) State Board of Education, 65 S. Front Street, Columbus, OH 43266-0308, or (3) possibly your public library. Another helpful resource is Home Education: Answers for Ohio Parents by Diana Fessler available from Cassidy & Nells Publishing, 7530 Ross Road, New Carlisle, OH 45344. Please note (1) what the parents' responsibilities are; (2) what the school district's responsibilities are. Determine to function within the regulations.
LEGAL COVERAGE - strongly encouraged
Home School Legal Defense Association, P.O. Box 159, Paeonian Springs, VA 22129, (703) 882-3838. HSLDA offers coverage of attorney fees if a legal problem occurs for you as a member. You also help to fight legal battles for other home educators across the country when you renew your membership every year. Annual fee: $ 100. http://www.hslda.org/
NOTIFICATION - your responsibility
Obtain notification form and fill it out neatly and completely. Prepare a brief outline of your proposed curriculum and a list of textbooks, teaching materials, etc. you intend to use. Make a copy for your records. Either hand-deliver or send by registered or certified mail to the superintendent or your school district--city or county.
CURRICULUM
Investigate curriculum options, trying to picture what approach would work best for your circumstances. Consider student's learning style and your teaching style, as well as the makeup of your family and financial situation. Helpful resources include Mary Pride's Big Book of Home Learning, Vol. I-IV and Cathy Duffy's Christian Home Educator's Curriculum Manuals--Elementary grades and Junior l Senior High (maybe available at your local library). Christian and secular home-education material suppliers are numerous. Some "satellite" programs are available, where a family can home school through a Christian School and some materials and/or testing services may be provided. Contact your local support group for more information. Some public school systems are very open to allowing home educators to use their textbooks. If you choose this approach, please pay close attention to content and be ready to discuss important issues with your child. Libraries often have public school textbooks and valuable supplemental materials. Take advantage of local used book sales and/or opportunities to rent or borrow books. Joining forces with one or more families can help fill the gaps, strengthen weak areas, or stimulate ideas (cooping). A Few Reccomended Resources:
TRADITIONAL TEXTBOOK APPROACH:
Bob Jones University Press, Greenville, SC 29614, (800) 845-573 1
A Beka Books, P.O. Box 18000, Pensacola, FL 32523, (800) 874-BEKA
Rod & Staff Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 3, Crockett, KY 41413, (606) 522-4348.
UNIT STUDY APPROACH:
Konos Curriculum, P.O. Box 1534, Richardson, TX, 75083, (214) 669-8337
Weaver, 2752 Scarborough, Riverside, CA 92503, (714) 688-3126.
SELF-PACED WORKBOOK APPROACH:
Alpha Omega Publishing, P.O. Box 3153, Tempe, AZ 85280, (800) 821-4443
A.C.E., P.O. Box 1438, Lewisville. TX 75067, (214) 315-1776
RECORDS AND PLANS
900 hours of schooling is required by state regulations (traditionally 180- 5hr. days); remember to include all interactions and teachable moments with your child. You may choose a different approach from the traditional one. A daily log or calendar is helpful; don't get bogged down by too much detail. Keep grading simple. Plan a flexible schedule, especially if you are easily distracted. Major on language arts and math skills in younger years. Read to your child. Fit schooling into your family situation. A scrapbook of pictures and mementos of activities, and samples of work can provide a portfolio. Record-keeping materials such as grade books are available through home-school suppliers (see Curriculum), as well as office supply retailers.
ASSESSMENT - plan ahead
Standardized Testing - a variety of resources are available: local public school --- you contact them and they will tell you when and where; obtain test from suppliers such as BJU Press and find a certified teacher to administer the test; arrange to have your child tested with several other children in the same grade level to help cut costs; use testing available through local satellite school if applicable (contact local support group or CHEO for other options in your area).
Written Narrative - Keep samples of child's work in different subjects showing progress; pictures and other mementos are helpful; keep records of grades, activities, classes, etc. find a certified teacher to examine portfolio of your child's work and to sign written narrative form (forms available through local support groups or CHEO.) Send completed Assessment Form-- standardized test or written narrative-- only when notifying for a subsequent year of home educating, by registered or certified mail (send in mid-August).
ENVIRONMENT- make it unique and pleasant
Kitchen table and storage area for books when not in use, or desk and study area, or schoolroom.
Start with basic supplies such as paper, pencils, etc. and gradually build your resources.
This document was condensed from information compiled by Christian Home Educators Stark County Association (CHESCA), P.O. Box 8801, Canton, OH 44711. Reprinted with permission. Thank you CHESCA! May 1993
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