HOMESCHOOL RESOURCES FOR PARENTS (This is a work in progress, please contribute anything you've got)
Hat Tip to u/LucilleBrawl for this project/effort.
NOTE 1: This is a work in progress. Please post any good resources you have here.
NOTE 2: Before hooking up with any individual or organization on homeschooling, be sure to vet them for Anti-MAGA Lefist rhetoric and goals -- that includes all resources on this list. (Let us know if any of them fail to meet our standards.)
NOTE 3: Beware of overly-commercialized homeschool resource purveyors. Some folks are into this just for the money.
NOTE 4: Don't try to do this alone. Find other like-minded parents and join together. Know your state / local law, join a homeschool association and local / SM groups that support your values.
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Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)
HSLDA’s leaders, directors, and employees are Christians who seek to honor God by providing the very highest levels of service in defending homeschool freedom and equipping homeschoolers. And because of our beliefs, we want every family to have the freedom to direct their children’s education, no matter their background or religious affiliation. Therefore, we do not make religious beliefs a condition of membership or any other service we offer.
How to Get Started (Interactive Explainer)
Homeschool Laws by State (interactive map)
List of other homeschool organizations (each State has them)
https://hslda.org/content/orgs/
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Hillsdale College
Hat Tip: u/DagnyDocket
K-12 at Home: An American Classical Education
https://k12athome.hillsdale.edu
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National Home School Association (NHSA, appears to be membership/dues-based)
https://nationalhomeschoolassociation.com
About:
About Us Aside from our many advisors and associates, we are a dedicated team of seasoned homeschoolers that are determined to maintain the NHSA's position as the epicenter of the home schooling movement. With a wide variety of talents and experience our team is uniquely positioned and qualified to take on the challenges to unify the millions of widely diverse and fiercely independent homeschool families across the country into a single voice to protect everyones right to homeschool.
Free E-Book
Terra Scholar - A Complete Handbook for Today’s Homeschooler E-book https://nationalhomeschoolassociation.com/terra-scholar-homeschool-ebook.php
What are Homeschool Pods and Co-Ops? (explainer)
https://www.homeschoolingsc.org/resources-page/homeschool-associations/
Other Resources, Activities, and Curriculum available on site.
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Christian Homeschooling Association (CHA)
[Not sure about this group. Their website seems a bit thin.]
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What is a School Pod ? (How to form and manage)
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National School Choice Week (NSCW)
About:
National School Choice Week is a not-for-profit effort to raise awareness of effective K–12 education options for children. We focus equally on traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online schools, and homeschools.
By researching and developing comprehensive and unbiased web-based resources, we work year-round to help parents better understand their school choice options and navigate the process of finding schools or learning environments that best meet their children’s needs.
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Ed Choice
School choice allows public education funds to follow students to the schools or services that best fit their needs —whether that’s to a public school, private school, charter school, home school or any other learning environment families choose. Watch this video to see how an educational choice system works.
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Reddit Homeschool Groups
https://www.reddit.com/search/?q=homeschool
NOTE 1: Vet these very carefully. Lots of lefties.
NOTE 2: Also search Reddit for specific State / Christian / faith-based homeschool subs.
Example -- Arkansas
https://www.reddit.com/r/ArkansasHomeschoolers/
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FakeBook Homeschool Groups
https://www.facebook.com/search/groups/?q=homeschool
NOTE 1: Vet these very carefully. Lots of lefties.
NOTE 2: Also search FB for specific State / Christian / faith-based homeschool subs.
Links to Duck search results pages for various Homeschool topics (offered temporarily for lack of fully-vetted resources)
State Homeschool Associations
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=state+homeschool+association
How to Homeschool
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%22how+to+homeschool%22
Homeschool Basics
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%22homeschool+basics%22
Homeschool Resources
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=homeschool+resources&t=h_&ia=web
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Indiana Association of Home Educators https://iahe.net/
Hat Tip: u/SocraticCircle
"I highly recommend researching the classical model, which I will gladly make a post on if there's an interest. Currently working on a Master's in such."
"My family utilizes a curriculum which provides the opportunity to meet weekly with other families in community. There's accountability, the chance for kids to interact with friends, cohorts of students, like-minded parents who offer encouragement, and amazing support from the curriculum company itself."
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Hat Tip: u/RS24ME
This was my first stepping stone: Texas Home School Coalition
Info on how to withdraw from public school. In Texas, it’s pretty easy.
https://thsc.org/sending-a-withdrawal-email/
How to choose the right curriculum for your child: https://thsc.org/homeschool-curriculum/
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Hat Tip: u/TheSkipperTwo
Homeschool Buyers Co-Op for curriculum choices. Free to join, lots of great deals!
https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org
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Hat Tip: u/Food4theGorg
https://www.rainbowresource.com/
Has every curriculum under the sun and then some more! It was a great place to buy homeschool books. Good luck I homeschooled both my kids and they are happy and successful today without going to college by the way! One is a self-taught gaming coding engineer and the other runs her own full time home based bakery business at the age of 19. Don't give up and persevere with the help of God!
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BetterWorldBooks
Great source for older / out of print Textbooks.
https://www.betterworldbooks.com
Khan Academy
Hat Tip: u/xxnamexx530
NOTE: The Math and Science resources are untainted, but check other materials for CRT and other SJW propaganda just in case.
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Ron Paul Curriculum
https://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com
Hat Tip: u/CarrieDodson17
"Absolutely the best CONTENT I have seen anywhere for subjects of Literature and History. My 4th grader loves it and is learning things I didn't know about until college and beyond. PhD level professors teaching in prerecorded course (180 lessons per subject per semester). Also have courses in science, math, etc and adult courses. By 4th grade students can work almost entirely independently with the curriculum (but you'll want to learn it too!) which is a big help especially for families with multiple kids."
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ABEKA (Christian Homeschooling Program)
https://www.abeka.com/homeschool
About:
In 1954, Dr. Arlin Horton and his wife, Beka, started a Christian school in Pensacola, Florida. But they soon discovered a problem. Textbooks and curriculum based on biblical educational philosophy were starting to disappear. Burdened to give their students the best education possible, they stood in the gap and began producing their own materials.
Hat Tip: u/arth
"my daughter taught piano to 3 boys who were using the christian homeschool ABEKA program and there all in college now! Both my daughters were raised on this program in private christian school."
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Seton Home Study School (Catholic)
Seton Home Study School is a nationally accredited, faithfully Catholic private PreK-12 distance school located in the state of Virginia. We serve an enrollment of approximately 20,000 homeschooled students, and several thousand more families through book sales and by furnishing materials to small Catholic schools.
Hat Tip: u/1HappyBuddha
"Seton Catholic homeschooling is excellent. The program handles all the paperwork for the state or country of residence. They send a box of real books, computer use is minimal. We set up a fast pace with provided math course, so we can add Singapore US edition afterwards."
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Bob Jones University Press (Christian; homeschool resources and books)
https://www.bjupresshomeschool.com/content/home
Saxon Math (subsidiary of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
https://www.hmhco.com/programs/saxon-math
WallBuilders (history resources)
Hat Tip: u/laneybelle
"BJU is a great curriculum if you’re looking for one with a biblical worldview. It’s quite rigorous. Saxon math is great also. Teaching textbooks is also great for math. Also check out Wallbuilders. They have tons of true history content."
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Alpha Omega Publications
Switched on Schoolhouse
https://www.aop.com/curriculum/switched-on-schoolhouse
Hat Tip: u/bydesign
"If your kids like computer-based learning (as mine did and do), Alpha Omega Publications has a great curriculum called Switched On Schoolhouse. It starts in 3rd grade, and goes through high school. Covers all the core subjects plus Bible studies and electives."
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Thank you so much!! You are too kind to take this on. I will share if I find any. (I'm not much of a researcher, naturally.)
My son doesn't listen to me/take direction super well (he gets it from me...I don't like being told what to do!). That is the first obstacle. Second is my husband who probably wouldn't understand.
how old is your son? I was a sped teacher before my TBI, & most of my students were young stubborn boys. I used a lot of reverse psychology, praise and technology to get them to finish their work.
visual schedules are also very helpful, so they can check things off as they go, makes it easier to break up the day.
visuals might help your husband too, so he can see how much work you're completing compared to school. especially public schools, where SO much of the day is wasted on behaviors, busy work and transitions.
He will be 7 soon. We butt heads a lot. I am understanding, but my patience wears thin. I will mull all this over. Thank you!
Have you tried Roblox? Most primary schoolers love playing games. My youngest is now touch typing, and learnt to read on Roblox.
Oh, yes. He is a sore loser and loses his privilege to the game! He is learning to read more, and that will help, but he wants to do it on his own (I am the same way) but needs help and gripes too much without listening. It's an exercise in futility at times. ;)
Yes, I remember that phase. Tears even. There are lots of games there though. Try Lumber Tycoon. It's mostly a building game. It does get weird occasionally though, for example, the kids will try and cooperate to harvest some wood from the volcano, but if they jump in a car together, the balance changes and they tend to fall off the cliff.
Agora cyber charter was very good. It's amazing how some children blossom in this learning environment.
you're welcome 🙂
If he has fmgood grades and does keep the grades up then he can move out of classroom style and work at his own pace. My son didnt listen either as ling as we lived w my mom. But when I moved out his responsibility in reased. No grandma running interference. He went from sick all the time in brick mortar to never sick 1 day from 6th through graduation.
But we still could sign in do the 1 required in class session. And go day trip and see things and then work on stuff in the evening. It was very liberating. If he does well..you can even get in college credits . Its win win. Peer pressure? None.
This was my first stepping stone: Texas Home School Coalition: https://thsc.org/
Info on how to withdraw from public school. In Texas, it’s pretty easy. https://thsc.org/sending-a-withdrawal-email/
How to choose the right curriculum for your child: https://thsc.org/homeschool-curriculum/
This year, I am giving https://www.abeka.com/ a try. We also use curriculum from: https://www.khanacademy.org/ and https://www.ck12.org/teacher/
https://www.rainbowresource.com/
Has every curriculum under the sun and then some more! It was a great place to buy homeschool books. Good luck I homeschooled both my kids and they are happy and successful today without going to college by the way! One is a self-taught gaming coding engineer and the other runs her own full time home based bakery business at the age of 19. Don't give up and persevere with the help of God!
Just ordered from them! Thank you for the link!!
You're very welcome!!
Nice. Thanks!
Homeschool Buyers Co-Op for curriculum choices. Free to join, lots of great deals!
https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/
Have you tried any of the foreign language courses? I see they have Rosetta Stone.
Goes on deepest discount in February. Fyi
This is what we used last year and loved it. It is a non faith based, literature based program that is a lot of fun. https://www.movingbeyondthepage.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwos-HBhB3EiwAe4xM9yKOk1mVxbUPu6zr34gw4WJyo5NzY_eOOobZLJ27AeVCTA0IcjVaZxoCaiwQAvD_BwE
In addition we used Right Start Math which is a great program but requires a little re learning to understand their program. I think it would be best if starting from kinder. https://rightstartmath.com/
I've also heard great things about Math U See https://www.mathusee.com/
And we added on Lexia for families for additional Language Arts. I used this mostly for my kindergartner who was learning to read but my 4th grader loved it too. https://www.lexiaforhome.com/
when you are looking for textbooks there is a treasure trove in old Catholic School math books and readers.
Math books have explanation of concept - examples of how to do it, and lots of practice problems with answers in the back. No 'multicultural connection' about counting peas collected by some tribe in a village with unpronounceable name.
Same for the readers: stories with easy to sound out names - Dick Jane Dog Cat Mother Father, etc and not too many 'context clues' to stifle phonics practice.
https://www.goodandbeautiful.com/
I LOVE this curriculum! Christian based and has amazing resources!
The Good and The Beautiful https://www.goodandbeautiful.com/ Created by LDS (Mormon) but contains Christian traditional values throughout. They provide many curriculums for free or for an excellent cost. Some of their books are printed in China, but you have the choice to buy them and print them yourself.
Buy yourself a dictionary. We have a few - a regular, adult one, an illustrated children's and a children's dictionary. We also have a book of idioms and a thesaurus.
Rush Revere Books - Good old historical fiction for kids. Action packed and written by Rush.
Brave Books - Subscription Service https://shop.bravebooks.us/ This is new but the first book is awesome! It explains why transgender theory is bad to young children. It is printed in Canada, which is better than China!
Tuttle Twins - https://tuttletwins.com/ A simple way to explain conservative values to your children.
Guide to the Universe By Institute for Creation Research. Science book that supports God's Creation of Earth
PragerU Prep - https://www.prageru.com/kids/ They have new "kid friendly" videos. I have watched the first couple already and enjoyed them and the pro-America message but I will be honest in saying that I have not watched the newer ones yet, but feel comfortable recommending them considering the source.
Founding Documents of the United States Call me crazy, I'm afraid this text will be difficult to find with the current banning of everything. We purchased these along with the Federalist Papers as primary source material to just have on hand.
Get America Singing Again This was the primary music source for my choir classes when I taught public school. It is important for my children to know American songs.
Letters from Afar - https://lettersafar.com/ This is a subscription service. They provide letters from all different areas of the world. They do not gloss over how awful some places are and it helps bring perspective about what an amazing place America is.
What Should Danny Do? A great "choose your own adventure" story where choices matter and consequences are explained.
Good Pictures, Bad Pictures Great books for having the difficult convo of porn with children.
I'm playing around with building a home school app where likeminded parents can match up and form a pod to facilitate the social elements that normal schools provide.
Three of our favorites are Masterbooks, Generations (Kevin Swanson), and Christian Light. I grew up using both Abeka and Bob Jones, but they are pricey. We have also found Pathway (Amish publisher) to provide excellent, rigorous, traditional education. Very plain, no frills. We use their handwriting cursive and readers for extra reading.
Ronpaulcurriculum.com
Absolutely the best CONTENT I have seen anywhere for subjects of Literature and History. My 4th grader loves it and is learning things I didn't know about until college and beyond. PhD level professors teaching in prerecorded course (180 lessons per subject per semester). Also have courses in science, math, etc and adult courses. By 4th grade students can work almost entirely independently with the curriculum (but you'll want to learn it too!) which is a big help especially for families with multiple kids.
If your kids like computer-based learning (as mine did and do), Alpha Omega Publications has a great curriculum called Switched On Schoolhouse. It starts in 3rd grade, and goes through high school. Covers all the core subjects plus Bible studies and electives.
AOP has several other print-based curriculum choices as well.
https://www.aop.com/curriculum/switched-on-schoolhouse
Life of Fred works for my kids. We love the story.
http://www.lifeoffred.com/