I’m a mother of a 3 year old who I’m planning on home schooling, but the problem is where do I start?? Is there somewhere I can go for the “Dummies Guide” on what paperwork needs to be filled out, where to send and when this needs to be done. I would appreciate any help I can get.
Dear C,
You’ve picked a good place to begin! There are many good books in the library or bookstore, and I would recommend you read a few. A couple of my personal favorites are The Simplicity of Homeschooling: Discover the Freedom of Learning Through Living, by Vicky Goodchild and Beyond Survival: A Guide to Abundant-Life Homeschooling, by Diana Waring. I also personally recommend The Way They Learn, by Cynthia Tobias, which is a book understanding your child’s learning styles. However, there are as many ways to home educate as there are families, so understand that the author is only sharing his or her experience and point of view.
For basic facts, you can read the law on our website. If you want a good, basic guide, check out the Guide to Homeschooling in Florida on the Florida Parent Educators Association (FPEA) website at http://ww.fpea.com .
You might want to hook up with a support group in your area to connect with other homeschooling moms. Some groups will allow younger children to attend some events as preschoolers, although many events and field trips are restricted to school-age children.
As far as preschool home education, I recommend that you do plenty of enriching life activities together as opposed to jumping into formal education. Read books, go to the zoo, beach or park and observe the plants and animals, bake together, and/or plant a garden. The formal education will come soon enough.
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