Are you thinking about homeschooling this next schoolyear? It doesn’t matter if you are getting straight A’s and find school exceptionally easy or if you are behind in a few subjects and find the idea of alternative learning a better way to succeed. You will find that this is a great way to learn if you want to have more control over what and how you are learning. Additionally, homeschooling or using a virtual online academy is usually far more efficient than public schooling since there are fewer students, so you could cover more ground than you ever would at a traditional school. There are a few steps that you will need to take to begin.
Step one really should be sitting down with your parents and discussing this as an option for you. Use the following tips to research the plan so that you have a fully realized plan for them during your discussion.
1. Contacting the Public School
If you have already been attending a public school, one of the first things that you should do is to have your parents contact the school and tell them that you will not be returning. Make sure that you are no longer enrolled before you stop going, and you can avoid some confusion and truancy issues. It is also important to know what your state requirements are before you begin school this way. Spend some time researching this as it could become very important for testing and college applications.
2. Connecting with Other Groups
You are not alone when you are homeschooling. There are groups of home schoolers all over the country. Connect with some of these groups for support, advice and assistance. You may even be able to set up field trips and other activities with the other children so that you can get even more out of your homeschool career. Co-ops, support groups and having your parents meet other homeschooling parents will benefit all of you in the long-run.
3. Choosing Your Curriculum
Next, you have to select curriculum for you will use while. Do not feel intimidated by this. It is a big decision, but it does not have to be overwhelming. Just use online reviews and sites like aophomeschooling.com, which can offer you assistance so that you make the right choice.
4. Establish a Schedule
Finally, you need to sit down with your parents and set up a schedule. If you have a set structure, you are more likely to stick to it on a consistent basis. This also shows your parents that you are serious about having classes every day and about staying on track and following a definable path. If you just allow things to be unscheduled, you will not get nearly as much done and it will be harder to control the outcome. You will get behind and truthfully then get overwhelmed that you cannot get caught up. Show your parents that you are serious about your high school education.
Get Started Today
It is best to get all of this started as soon as possible if you really want to home school for the coming school year. There is a lot of information to sift through, so you do not want to put it off. The sooner you begin, the easier everything will be.