START HOMESCHOOLING

I'm not going to tell you that being a homeschooler is easy.  Your homeschool will be exactly as good as the dedication and effort that you and your students put into it.  Some people will tell you that anyone can homeschool.  Others will tell you that everyone should homeschool.  I'm not either of those people.  Being a homeschooler is work.  There are as many choices to make as there are books in the library behind this box.

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First, make sure you can meet the requirements to homeschool in your state.  The Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has an excellent and frequently updated guide to homeschooling laws.

Next, teach your first lesson - cooperation and compromise!  Nothing will lead to frustration so fast as choosing a learning style that only works for one of you.  I like Eclectic Homeschooling's quiz  to see the commonalities and differences between my student and myself. Work with your student(s) to determine what sort of curriculum will work best for your situation. See how Emma and Megan worked through this step here.

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Now, it's time to pick a curriculum that meets your state standards and your homeschool style.  What you'll find on this blog is mostly Classical, with the odd dash Unit Studies and Project Based Learning.  My starting point for curriculum reviews is always Cathy Duffy's excellent website.  She's been doing this for years and it is a single comprehensive space to begin winnowing out what will or won't work for you.

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Read all of the Getting Started posts here