.png)
Homeschool
Where to Begin
Take time if you can. I suggest trying to plan ahead if possible, like the spring or summer before to spend time doing the following:
-
Breathe. Snuggle. Toast a cup of tea.
-
Embrace your freedom as a homeschooler! to do "school" a million different ways - you are free to find YOUR way!
-
Hang out with other homeschool families that are enjoying their experience to get inspired. BUT, also remind yourself that your journey does not need to look any which way, look like anyone else's or produce the same results as anyone else. Homeschooling is truly choosing the path you see fit for your child, adapting and flowing as you feel your way through it, and having fun learning with your child! Don't judge others' journeys. Pictured to the right are my two youngest girls. One is eclectically homeschooling and one is in a full-time classical school. They couldn't be more opposite of learning experiences, but they are both very happy in their chosen environments. I happily support them both!
-
Come visit one of our events to meet other homeschool parents, go "shopping" in the resource fair to see all of the local education resources, and get excited... together!
-
We also have a big library of homeschool resources (huge actually, so narrow your search by things that matter to you like location, approach, or grade levels)
-
Investigate different style of homeschooling and imagine yourself using any of them to see it they fit. Here is a FANTASTIC video on homeschooling approaches.
-
Investigate options for curriculum. There are a million (literally) options and it can be overwhelming. Skip to our Curriculum page for some guidance on this topic.
-
Test out your ideas and educational tools on your kiddo. Give them the opportunity to choose for themselves what they like! Have fun getting to know your child in this new way and if something feels like you are pulling teeth to get them to do it, throw it out! There are plenty of other ways. Here is a great article on learning styles in homeschooling.
(stepping off my soap box now, LOL). I have blogged about my personal homeschool journey this year (see below).
We don't always have time to plan ahead. Life happens and sometimes we are shoved into homeschooling by unforeseen circumstances. Don't worry, friend. We are here for you. Fill out a contact form or give us a call anytime. We will do our best to support you.
I couldn't have said it better myself!
(So, I didn't - here is a great video intro to homeschooling. Her journey is faith-based, but a great intro for secular as well.)
My Homeschool Journey Blog
Living Waters Spanish
Living Waters Spanish offers a Christ-centered curriculum that includes Bible study, discussion about what God is doing in our lives, Scripture memorization, praise, prayer and an optional Mexico mission trip. We offer a controlled immersion approach, spending most of our time in Spanish during our live online classes and in the homework, in a way that is understandable all the way along. Immersion is effective for teaching Spanish well and quickly. When we take students to Mexico in March or June it is thrilling to see how much Spanish they know.
Logos Public Charter School
A publicly funded charter school in the Medford School District. Located in Medford, but serves Grants Pass. LOGOS is the OG of charter schools in Jackson and Josephine Counties. They have had to tighten their reigns again and again because of the governing bodies. They offer some classroom instruction, but operate primarily as a very hands-on homeschooling support.
Mia Prep
MiaPrep is fully accredited online high school utilizing the digital platform Miacademy (which can be utilized by homeschoolers outside of MiaPrep). Asynchronous video based classes with live teacher hours, student communities, guest speakers and more. Their platform also features a robust virtual game world that keeps kids engaged as well as a robust entrepreneur focus where students can design products and sell them.
