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How to Get Started Homeschooling

How to Get Started Homeschooling

Homeschooling get started

We hope you enjoy this second article in our series on homeschooling in Alabama. If you missed the first article you can read it, by clicking here.

You’re thinking about homeschooling your kid (or you’re just curious) and you want to know: how does this homeschooling thing work – technically, psychologically, and emotionally? What are the laws? Where do I get a curriculum and what curriculum do I even use? Do I need to test my kid? What about The S Word (socialization). How do I deal with family members who think it’s a bad idea? How do I keep from going Absolutely Insane? It seems overwhelming, but if you take it easy on yourself, and your kid, you won’t drown. I pinky promise!

This article will deal more with the technical aspects of how to start homeschooling in Alabama – legalities and curricula – because there’s really not enough space to go into all the other stuff right now. Seriously, they are articles unto themselves!

Legalities

Let’s start with what’s legally required of you by the State of Alabama.* You’ll be surprised at how easy this part is, really. State Code can be found here. Basically, the law says:

  • Your child must be enrolled in school between the ages of 6 and 17.
  • There are three options for homeschooling.
  • There are no required subjects or standardized tests.

That’s it. The first three are pretty straight forward.

NOTE: You are no longer required to use a cover school. The U.S. Department of Education, Alabama Regulations:
While Act 2014-245 requires that private schools (except church schools) register annually with the Department of Education, it is the interpretation of the State Superintendent of Education that this requirement does not apply to home school students.

Homeschooling in Alabama used to mean you had to enroll with a “Church School” which served as a legal cover for home educators. This is no longer a requirement, but some people feel more comfortable still using a Church School. You can search the internet for Alabama Church Schools and find everything from those that dictate curriculum, require a statement of faith, and require records and testing to ones that are totally hands-off, no requirements, you’re-on-your-own-just-call-us-if-you-need-legal-assistance.

Otherwise, you can simply file an Intention to Homeschool with your local school board before you start homeschooling. You can find out more and ask questions in the Homeschool Without Cover Alabama Facebook group.

Curriculum

If you go with a Church School that dictates curriculum, then you have this all worked out, right? Just remember, if what you’ve signed up for doesn’t work, you still have options. (I’m just putting that out there).

Now, if you’ve decided to do your own thing, there’s a wealth (read mind-boggling, nail-bitting amount) of information on the internet concerning homeschool curricula, methods, and teaching philosophies. A few curriculums or methods you may run across are classical/trivium, Waldorf, Montessori, Charlotte Mason, Sonlight, Time4Learning, unschooling, and unit studies. And that’s a very short list! The list really does go on (and on and on) and there are curricula to be found for all of them (well, except perhaps unschooling).

Rolypoly Hunting

This is where you might get frustrated or even dissuaded. Or, your head might explode. Just know that we’ve all been there. Seek advice from others in local or virtual homeschool groups. Ask tons of questions. Research, research, research. The one thing you’ll probably read from several sources (well, except those trying to sell you a particular curriculum) is, “DON’T PICK A CURRICULUM THE FIRST YEAR!”

Which I ignored, by the way.

If you’re a Type A personality (or have those tendencies) you will balk at this advice. But, trust me on this. Give yourself at least the first part of the school year to figure out your kid’s learning style and what subjects they really like or in which they excel (if you don’t already know). There’s so much free stuff out there, you can easily fill 4-5 months (or your whole homeschool program) with experimentation. And don’t worry– your kid will still be learning. And you’ll be learning about what jives with them and with you as well. It’s a win-win.

In the end, you really don’t need a formal curriculum per se. Personally, I need one because I need structure and a bit of formality (and I’ve just recently realized this. See, homeschool is for the whole family!), so I rely on a method I like and an author I trust (so far, so good). But your mileage may vary.

Besides researching your little heart out, I also recommend not getting wrapped up in a schedule. And by this I mean: don’t break out the spreadsheet software and color code all your subjects for each day with X amount of minutes devoted to each subject and outlining exactly what will be covered in those minutes. Don’t schedule in breaks and lunch in green. This is not fun. This is not as productive as it seems. This is really not why you’re homeschooling, is it? My child sensed my need to finish stuff and she applied the brakes. Hard. Kids can smell your desperation to complete a task on time and to a particular level of satisfaction. Oh, you already know this? Great! Where were you when I did all those silly spreadsheets?

The Open Book

Homeschooling is really an open book. With the law as general as it is in Alabama (and I respect that totally!), you’re given a lot of freedom to do what you want when it comes to teaching your child. You can be a formal or informal as you wish. You just have to follow what few laws there are and you’re set.

Being free to choose your own curriculum is kinda scary at first, but it’s actually quite liberating because you can tailor *everything* to fit your child, your family’s schedule, and your threshold for patience (no, it’s not all wine and roses).

So, to review:

  • Homeschool Laws: Know them

Curriculum and methods:

  • Lots of them, do your research, try out what you think your child (and you) might like
  • Take it easy at first and find what works
  • Don’t think you have to schedule everything.

* Please read and become familiar with the law yourself. I am not a legal expert and I don’t play one on television. Laws can change and you need to be aware of how these laws affect your family.

Looking for more topics about homeschooling, specifically in Huntsville & Madison County? See all the posts in this series HERE.

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