Starting homeschool can seem like a daunting task! Where do I start? How do I start? Arrrgh, I don’t know what I’m doing!!! No matter if you’re starting home education from the beginning or jumping in at the highschool level – it can be overwhelming, even paralyzing – been there!The best advice I can give you is the advice that was given to me. Before jumping in, take time to pray and learn.

Pray

Take time to get God’s perspective. Pray, seeking God’s will for your child. He alone knows the path and purpose He has chosen for them and He alone knows what they will need to be equipped to follow that plan and fulfill His purpose.

Ask God to enable you to see your child’s bent. What are their interests and what direction should you head them in? What opportunities should you provide for them? God will lead, but as in all of life, His leading is not always evident in the present moment. Make the best decision you can & trust Him. Ever heard the old adage, it’s easier to steer a moving car than a parked one? It fits. Bathe the choices & your decisions in prayer and God will “steer” as you go.

Learn
Learn about the various methods of homeschooling and the various home education philosophies. Prayerfully consider what is the best fit for your and your kids and what approach God is calling you to take – He may surprise you!

Many people have written about the various methods and philosophies of homeschooling, so rather than reinvent the wheel, I’m going to steer you to a few sites that I think offer the best explanations.

Heart of Wisdom
Heart of Wisdom (HOW) is one of my absolute very favorite sites! I love Robin’s thinking, her descriptions of methods & philosophies, and her curriculum. Spend a lot of time here. There is sooo much to soak up!

Homeschool Oasis
This is Barb Shelton’s site, which, I confess, can be frustrating to navigate, but there is much here that I think is excellent & worth digging for. Some people find Barb’s style of writing too wordy & “chatty” for their taste. I like it.

I suggest you scroll down and spend time exploring the right-hand sections, “Help & Resources for High School Homeschooling”, “100+ Homeschooling & Parenting Articles”, and “Help & Refreshment”.

If you are approaching or jumping in at the high school level, I highly recommend her book, Homeschool Formula. I guarantee it will challenge your thinking, even if you don’t agree with everything she says.

You can find Barb’s book and other highschool books on the Highschool & College Prep Books Page.

A- Z Home’s Cool
A terrific site with everything imaginable – can keep you busy for days!

Pray & learn and God will lead and likely stretch you as you embark upon this great homeschool journey.

Tip #4: Success Defined

Pressing on,
Sue

Tweet This Post  Stumble This Post 

Related posts

• Economics 101 in 2009: Two Books and a Video (0)
• Who’s responsible? (4)
• What About Driver’s Ed? (2)
• The Gap Year: An Option for Homeschool Graduates (0)
• Teach Your Teens Real Life Money Skills (6)
• Send Your Teen to The Rebelution! (2)
• My Dining Room Table (6)

 |  Email It  |  |  Subscribe to It!
This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 30th, 2007 at 6:20 am and is filed under Home Education. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.