# HELP!! New to homeschooling



## Huntinfamily (Aug 14, 2010)

My middle child has some health problems that has caused him to become a social outcast at school. We just learned that he is picked on constantly by the other kids in his class because of his medical problems. After speaking with his Doctor we decided that the best thing we can do for him is to pull him out of school and homeschool him either until his medical problems are fixed or until we decide if he will ever go back to school. That being said, I have been doing extensive research online about homeschooling and am really lost. There is so much info out there but I don't know where to start. Can anyone please give us some recommendations about anything or everything. Every site I go to reccomends a different book to use, saying that theirs is the best and so on. Any help to a newby would be appreciated. I am trying to make sure that my Son is going to get the best education at home that he can. Thanks


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## JuliaM (Oct 15, 2006)

Hi Huntinfamily-I am so glad that I get to welcome you to this place first, cause I get to tell you just how wonderful the people here are! They give so much suport, so much help!!! They will help lead you in the right direction, I know cause they have helped me already and I have been here for alittle over a week.
I am truely sorry about what has happen.....there is no excuse!!!!!
Have faith and take one day at a time, things will come together....I was/am still in your shoes......the first day I pulled my son, it was like a wall was lifted off his shoulders, the pain was gone, you can go and read through my post and the help all these wonderful people have given me. Then I started stressing and came here...again, these people here are wonderful, I can't say this enough.
I am sure YOU and all involved in your son education and welfare will be the best!!!!
Best to you and your son....One day at a time...everything will be so much better! Someone will be on soon that can help you along your way!


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

http://www.worldbook.com/typical_course_of_study.html

That is a good place to start.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

I homeschool my son because of learning disabilities at the suggestion of his specialists. Like you, I was overwhelmed by all the information out there. I quickly learned that there were about as many ways to homeschool as there are homeschoolers. There really isn't a right or wrong way to go about it, in my opinion. Figure out how your son learns the best and try to find a curriculumn that matches that, or, like us, we don't have a set curriculumn. My son has strengths and weaknesses, like all kids, but his weaknesses are areas that I target. He has a pragmatic language delay, both expressive and receptive, he also has poor short term memory. So we have to do alot of repeating. It's slower than his peers, but at least I know that once he's got it, he's got it.  He's also a very hands on type of kid, so I try to find ways to incorporate that in every aspect of his learning. It may take a little trial and error, but you'll get there, and who knows, once you've been homeschooling for awhile, you may decide to keep him home.


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## Cheryl in SD (Apr 22, 2005)

Not knowing his age, & given that you say he has medical issues. I am giong to suggest the eacy route to start for this year. This will give you time to read & learn more about homeschooling. Either ask the school for his books (most states they are required to provide them) or go to www.christianlibertypress.com for a Christian curriculum in a box - traditional textbooks (for $165-265 depending on the year) or http://www.aophomeschooling.com/index.php for a computer based course.

But if you are going to return him to school in the next year or so, getting the ps curriculum might be the best way to go.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

HSLDA.com will point you in the right direction regarding legal matters, letters of notification, what is required etc. Lots of useful info there.


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## Huntinfamily (Aug 14, 2010)

Thank you everyone for your input. I guess I should have posted his age and such. He is 12 and in 6th grade. He dosen't have any learning disabilities. He has a gastro intestinal problem that requires him to run to the bathroom very frequently. Because the other kids in school have figured out what is going on and the fact that he dosen't always make it to the bathroom it is causing alot of mental anguish for him. I have visited all of the links that everyone has posted on here and am starting to figure things out. Again thank you


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## Huntinfamily (Aug 14, 2010)

Cheryl in SD, I really like Aophomeschooling. Have you used them or do you know anyone that has?


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## ovsfarm (Jan 14, 2003)

There are two different ways to go with schooling at home. The first is traditional homeschooling where you select (and pay for) your own curriculum from various publishers or other sources and is subject to whatever the laws of your state happen to be for homeschooling.

The second involves remaining registered as a public school student but choosing one of the online schooling options. With these, you usually have some level of teacher oversight, access to many public school programs, and it is usually free and may include the provision of a computer and printer.

If you have issues with the academics of your son's schooling or whether he is working at grade level, then traditional homeschooling will enable you to address these issues directly by making your own choices.

If you are okay with the ps academics, just not with the social scene, and you are insecure about your ability to select curriculum and teach it, then the online schools might be a better fit for you.

You will find homeschoolers who hate the onliners and onliners who hate the homeschoolers. Whatever. IMO, the bottom line is that you are to be congratulated for taking charge of your son's education and stepping in to do something to make a bad situation better. You need to find what works for your family. And keep in mind that what works currently may change in the future. If his medical condition improves and you later decide to return him to public school, it might be better to have done the online option, which keeps the same pace as the brick/mortar schools.


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

Cheryl;
Welcome to Homesteading today. 

You don't mention your state, so that may have some impact upon what you do, how you keep track of things and what testing and reports you have to do. The HSLDA site should give you information on this. If you think that you will be returning him to school, you will probably want to follow along pretty closely to what your public schools are using. 

I have used some of the Alpha omega materials occasionally. I had a son that did well with some of them as he would look at a big textbook and be overwhelmed, but the smaller lifepacs were more manageable to him. I used them for a little history and bible and the high school health. My oldest (now 26) tried the AOP science when it first came out (he was in 6th grade then) and didn't like it - but they have made a lot of changes since then. 

I prefer unit studies for history with lots of living books and projects, and don't use a science curriculum until 7th grade when we start with Apologia. For elementary science we did many experiments, nature journaling and unit studies. I use ABeka for math, but it's not well written to teach or learn from if you aren't strong in math. I tutored in high school science and math long before I began home educating, so that is my strong area.

For your first year you might want to start with a set curriculum (like AOP, ABeka, Christian Liberty etc.) and begin branching out in areas that you are comfortable teaching without a text. 

I'm not sure if a school would give you the books, around here the students are charged for them at the end of the year if they are lost, so I doubt that they would be given away. 
Dawn


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

www.hslda.com

Home School Legal Defense Association
Click on your state. Learn all the guidelines your state requires, and follow them.
Click on your state and look for you local co-ops and when your state home school convention is.
Click on used cirriculum, and you can get some great deals and ideas.
See who home schools in your church, or in your local 4-H group and ask if you can take them out for lunch and pick their brains about home education.....


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## Huntinfamily (Aug 14, 2010)

Again I would like to thank everyone for their help. I stayed up very very late lastnight researching homeschooling. We found a program that we liked (thanks Cheryl in SD) and were going to sign up for it until we found out this morning when we went to disenroll my Son from school that our county has a virtual homeschooling program. The principal at the school put us in contact with a couple of families in our town that use the program and they had nothing but positive feedback for us about the program. Because we are very happy with our school district and the fact that my Son can still be involved in school activities we decided to use their program. We are very very excited to begin his homeschooling and again would like to thank all of you for your help.


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## Cheryl in SD (Apr 22, 2005)

You're welcome. I am excited for you as you begin your homeschooling journey.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

ovsfarm said:


> The second involves remaining registered as a public school student but choosing one of the online schooling options. With these, you usually have some level of teacher oversight, access to many public school programs, and it is usually free and may include the provision of a computer and printer.


FYI, just want to mention that this is not a choice in many states, so definitely do your research on your state's homeschool regulations. This is not an option in NY.

To the OP: good luck. Sounds like you've found a starting point, but don't be afraid to change it if you find that you can do better. Just because homeschooling wasn't your intended path, doesn't mean you can't have fun with it. It doesn't have to look anything like public schooling if you want.


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