The First Step in Homeschooling

Yesterday I asked my sister what the first thing she'd do if she chose to homeschool (she does!). I wanted to get inside the mind of parents, because as a teacher I think this transition was MUCH easier and natural for me. But what if I didn't have 5 years of teaching under my belt? What would I have done?

My sister said she would get grade appropriate workbooks and start there.

Makes sense. I guess that's where a lot of people start. But, her child also attends a home school co-op at the moment, so I suppose she has that safety net in case there's something she misses.

In my opinion the first thing a parent/caregiver needs to do in order to homeschool is learn what exactly a child needs to know. And not just for that grade. If you have a 2nd grader, you need to know what they were expected to do in K and 1st grade, and also know what they will need to know in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. Once you know what they need it know, it will make your life as a teacher a lot easier! You'll be able to make informed choices instead of going with whatever you see on some blog online (haha). STANDARDS.

That's what we call what a child needs to know at a specific grade level. You need to find and read the state standards as well as the common core standards in ELA (English Language Arts aka Reading), Math, Science / STEM. I also recommend reading Canada's educational standards -- you'll need to look at a specific province like the Ontario Ministry of Education I personally also purchased Finland's standards. I want my child to have the best chance to compete internationally, not just in the United States where most people aren't proficient in reading and math, and virturally no one knows science or social studies.

So get started! Here's where you can find those standards to learn what your child will need to know across all grade levels.

1. Common Core Standards

2. State Level Standards - Search for "your state name" + state educational standards -- or just use Massachusetts' since they are currently #1 in the US for education.

3. Next Generation Science Standards

4. Ontario Ministry of Education

5. Finland's Educational Standards (only for purchase)