Homeschooling For Dummies

by Kaufeld, Jennifer

• ISBN13: 9780764508882
• ISBN10: 0764508881
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-12-15
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

If you believe that a good education is the greatest gift you can give your child, you're probably pretty unhappy with what's being taught in most classrooms these days. If you think that education should do more than just train kids to take standardized tests, that it should build their critical thinking skills, enable them to weigh ethical considerations, instill a passion for learning, and reflect your core values and beliefs, then you're probably fed up with the current state of our schools. If, like many parents, you're wondering whether homeschooling can be the solution you're looking for, then you'll be happy to know that the answer is yes-and Home Schooling For Dummies shows you how.This friendly, well-informed guide is a valuable resource for parents considering homeschooling, as well as veteran homeschooler interested in fresh homeschooling ideas. It gets you on track with what you need to know to confidently: De termine whether homeschooling is right for you and your family Get started in homeschooling Obtain teaching materials Develop a curriculum that reflects your values and beliefs Comply with all legal requirements Find healthy social outlets for your kids Join a homeschooling cooperativeFrom textbooks to computers to state compliance, expert Jennifer Kaufeld, covers all the bases. She anticipates most of your questions about homeschooling and answers them with clear, easy-to-follow answers enlivened by real-life accounts by parents around the nation who have opted to homeschool their children. Topics covered include: Deciding at what age to begin Determining your kid's learning style and teaching to it Teaching special needs children Developing a curriculum that's right for your children Finding social outlets for you homeschoolers Complying with state and federal regulations Teaching at the primary, middle school and high school levels Preparing for the SATs, ACT and other key standardized tests Networking with other homeschoolersYou shouldn't have to compromise on your children's education. Get Homeschooling For Dummies and find out how to turn your home into a school and raise smart, well-adjusted kids.

Author Biography

Jennifer Kaufeld has been homeschooling her two children for nearly a decade. She contributes to Homeschooling Today Magazine and is a regular speaker at state and regional homeschooling and education conferences.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(7)
Part I: Heading to Homeschooling	7	(44)
Answering the Big Questions	9	(8)
Taking the Leap	17	(12)
Addressing the Buzzword: Socialization	29	(6)
Complying with Uncle Sam	35	(10)
Getting Everybody Involved	45	(6)
Part II: Tackling Kids of Any Age	51	(56)
Teaching Your Toddler While You Change Your Baby	53	(10)
Covering the Elementary Years	63	(14)
Handling Junior High	77	(6)
Help! I Have a High Schooler	83	(16)
Completing Twelfth Grade Doesn't Mean It's Over	99	(8)
Part III: Choosing Your Cornerstone: Basic Curriculum Options	107	(74)
Orbiting as a Satellite School or ISP	109	(8)
Does Classical Education Mean Teaching Vivaldi?	117	(14)
Teaching Them What They Want to Learn	131	(10)
Unschooling: A Walk on the Relaxed Side	141	(10)
Charting Your Own Academic Course	151	(14)
Special Concerns for Special Students	165	(10)
Finding the Sources You Need	175	(6)
Part IV: Nailing Down the Details	181	(70)
Defining Your School Space	183	(8)
Keeping the Costs Down	191	(14)
Turning Chaos into Organization	205	(10)
Making the Grade	215	(10)
Plugging in Your Schoolroom	225	(12)
Connecting with Likeminded Souls	237	(8)
Opting for a Cooperative	245	(6)
Part V: Making Your Year Sing with Extras	251	(44)
Adding Spice with Special Classes	253	(20)
Making It Adventurous	273	(12)
Throwing Open the Toy Box	285	(10)
Part VI: The Part of Tens	295	(16)
Ten Educational Games That Enhance Your School Day	297	(6)
Ten Common Homeschool Fears	303	(8)
Part VII: Appendixes	311	(24)
Appendix A: Homeschooling Curriculum and Resources	313	(8)
Appendix B: State by State Homeschool Associations	321	(8)
Appendix C: Speaking the Language: Glossary of Educational and Homeschooling Terms	329	(6)
Index	335