Homeschool Question of the Day
How to Homeschool
Homeschool Question of the Day: “How do I homeschool when our family moves across states every year for my husband’s job? What curriculums/programs are good? I have a 2nd grader and preschooler and newborn. New to this! Please help! ”
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Wow! I know exactly how you feel! We have lived in three states in the last year and are ready to move again – DUE to my husbands job.
There are not cut and dried answers to your question, but here are some things that may be helpful. If you know what style of homeschooling you prefer then it might be wise to try to find like-minded homeschoolers in whatever area you move.
If you like Charlotte Mason method, then you could probably find a Charlotte Mason group on http://www.yahoogroups.com
If you like the Classical Education method, then you may look for a Classical Conversations group in your area. Go to http://www.classicalconversations.com and search by area code or map to find a group in your area.
The two options above would allow continuity in your schooling.
If you are a traditional, school-type homeschooler, then I would use Yahoo groups, or HSLDA to locate potential homeschool contacts in a new area.
If you are an eclectic homeschooler, then you could probably join any group anywhere and make it work for you. Or find a group that offers enrichment classes for homeschoolers.
I also know that some curriculum publishers offer lists or some type of search options with others using their curriculum. I used Diana Waring’s History Alive for a few years for my High school kids, and she had a email group and a way to find other families using her curriculum.
If you have any questions about homeschooling curriculum or methods, please feel free to email me: bethmartin1970@gmail.com I would be happy to answer any other questions you have!
Warmly,
Beth
You are a busy mom! We are a very “stay in one place” family. We stick with the four core subjects. Find something that is easy to do with you children. Simple, simple is the best. If you find that a “hands on ” program has to much to carry to your next move, stick with the books. They are easy to carry in tubs. We do learning time in the morning and afternoon is for the rest. If you try to take on to much you will burn out. You have the responsibility of these moves and that is exhausting in itself. We use Easy Grammer, Alpha Omega Language Arts, Saxon Math, and rotate daily with The Mystery of History and Exploring Creation series. I love the unit study but am not creative enough to fit it into what I have to report to our school board. I miss doing them very much. Blessing to you mom, in your journey with your family.
I also know how you feel… I find out what is fun and interesting in our area and the state and then build my own curriculum around me. Right now we are in a swampy area so we use it to study about alligators, turtles, and such. Before I was in a desert area so we studied coyotes and lizards. I also use simple workbooks for English mostly what we find in discount stores and sentences about the animals or events that is around us. WE also use a lot of lap-books from homeschoolshare.com. I tried an actual curriculum and it was too much the way we were moving every couple of years. Packing and moving to a new environment was life experiences and we just went with it. Help this helps..
In some ways you will find it easier to homeschool rather than having to enroll in a new school each time you move. You know exactly what your children have studied and you can keep curriculum consistent with their needs. May I suggest you consider joining a national hs’ing organization to help you keep abreast of a variety of state laws? HSLDA is the one that comes to mind, although there may be others. HSLDA and your state organization will have lists of hs’ing organizations in your area to help you connect with others. You may also find other homeschoolers through your church or public library. Since it is springtime, when homeschooling conventions are held, try to get to one near you. You will be able to check out a wide variety of curriculum in person.
Choose a curriculum that works well for YOU. Keep your children and their learning style in mind, of course, but it must work for YOU. If you are a free thinker and hate to be confined to someone else’s ideas, then look into unit studies. If on the other hand, you prefer it all laid out so that you can just pick it up and teach, a workbook/textbook style or boxed curriculum may work better for you. If you want to get the most for your money, consider a curriculum that can be reused from child to child, or even one that can be used for several children at once.
Over the years, we’ve used Saxon math (switched to Teaching Textbooks in middle school), Rod & Staff English, Sonlight (barely lasted one year with that one, even though it is a very popular choice), Exploring Creation science, Mystery of History, and probably more I can’t remember. Now we use My Father’s World–this year our 2nd, 6th, and 8th graders studied the same thing which made it very doable time and planning wise.