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Thanks for offering your insights as a homeschooler. I'm thinking about the homeschool option for our youngest who is now 4.

My question is about practical things like books and supplies. How does a homeschooling parent know what kinds of materials and equipment is needed for homeschooling?

When I visit my children's schools, I see all kinds of things from world globes, to computers, to stacks of books, magazines, and paper/pencil supplies. Is there a basic checklist somewhere of items I would need if I decided to homeschool? Thank you for helping.

By Nathan (Homeschool) on Thursday, September 06, 2001 - 06:38 pm: Edit

First, I would encourage you to think about homeschooling your child. Frankly, I wish I had been homeschooled from the beginning of my educational career, or not at all. For me, the switching back and forth has, in my opinion, hurt me academically. I feel I have not reached my full potential, and it is something I regret very much. Had I been homeschooled throughout, I probably would have reached my greatest potential. Since I was not, I wish I had stayed in the publics.

Ok, let me get to your questions. There are many different avenues that homeschooling parents can take. You can go the “traditional” route- mom teaches child through books at the kitchen table, you can supplement with outside materials, you can do computer classes or an online school, or you can do a combination of all these.

Most parents get their curriculums now days from homeschool curriculum sellers, such as Saxton or Sunlight Curriculums. These are normally pre-packaged deals where all your books for your subjects, plus age appropriate reading books can be selected. You can choose to mix and mach, or buy books from bookstores like Barnes and Noble (widely considered to be an excellent homeschool resource). You can supplement this with movies, computer programs, and field trips, ECT.

As for knowing what is needed for your school, I would say it depends on what curriculum you are using. If you choose to do traditional homeschooling, then a dry erase board, markers, coloring books, paper, pencils, and whatever filing system you choose would be a good idea. You can get these at Sams or Office Depot for very little money. I got my globe at Sams.

When first starting out, my mother read books and did internet searches to find out as much information as possible. I know www.msn.com has support communities where parents help each other out by answering questions and making suggestions.

One last parting word, if you do decide to homeschool, I suggest you retain a lawyer. School districts aren’t always too nice to homeschooling parents and like to step on people’s rights. My family pays dues to Homeschool Legal Defense Association (the leading homeschooling law association). I think it is a flat fee of 75 dollars a year and it covers all potential legal costs. You can see their site at http://www.hslda.org/.

By Fran on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 07:23 am: Edit

Thank you for such good answers. I would like to know more about the rights issue, however. When you say that school districts "like to step on people's rights," what exactly do you mean? Has this ever happened in your family or to someone you know? Can you give me a specific example? Thanks again.

By Nathan (Homeschool) on Friday, September 07, 2001 - 08:47 am: Edit

No, I don’t know of anyone specifically being harassed in my district. There have in the past five years been arrests of homeschoolers (in the greater Cincinnati area) for supposedly being truant from school. It caused quite a disturbance among the homeschool community here. As far as I know, that case was resolved satisfactorily.

On the home page of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association’s website (HSLDA Home Page), there is a story entitled “Invasion of a Missouri Family's Home Averted". There is also a map of the United States and its territories. If you click on that map, and click on your home state, you can get information about action going on in that state. Most of the information is about illegal forms, and small issues like that. However, there are instances (California Incident) of the sort I alluded to in my previous post. These cases are fairly rare, but they do occur.

By George Meany on Monday, December 31, 2001 - 03:51 pm: Edit

Hey, Nathan, Happy New Year! Got any New Year's resolutions?

By Nathan (Homeschool) on Tuesday, January 01, 2002 - 11:20 am: Edit

Hello, George! Happy New Year to you, too. I don't really do these resolutions, but I think must get going on all this school work I've got left to do before taking off in August. I've had senioritis all year, and it just gets worse around the holiday season.

By ashelton on Sunday, July 28, 2002 - 09:16 am: Edit

Hi, I have been looking into Homeschooling for quite awhile, I think that homeschooling would be ideal for our family, and probably wouldn't cost that much for us in the long run, (we have five children at practically stepping stone ages.) so we would be able to use and reuse our materials, What I lack however, is support from family, as well as financial support. Do I need to go spend a lot for a curriculum? Also, do you think I would have a problem with the district considering, currently, my oldest is ready to enter kindergarten 6yrs. and my twins are 5 but will be in preschool still, I have a 3 yr. and soon to be 2 yr. old. but anyway, my older boys were on an IEP in the public school, because they have difficulty with articulation or famously known as phonics. Should that present a problem for me if I try to homeschool? I live in Ohio.
any cases for this state? thanks for all your input