Homeschooling: 5 Steps to Getting Started

STEP 1:  Know the law.

Homeschool laws differ from state to state. For example, in Pennsylvania at least one parent must have a high school diploma or its equivalent (e.g., a GED) and no adult living in the home may have been convicted of specified crimes within the five years preceding the beginning of the home education program. (Parents who do no have a diploma may enroll their children in Cyber Charter Schools, however.) For those living in Maryland, there is no diploma requirement, any parent may homeschool, but you will still need to find out what MD law does require (see Maryland Home Education Society). 

Additionally, homeschool laws change over time. Make sure to keep up with those changes! The PA Home Education Law was modified in 2006 and 2014. You can read the current law here.

If you are homeschooling in PA and need to know the basics in a hurry, please read From Affidavits to Evaluations: 7 Steps to Complying with the PA Home Education Law. This article summarizes the steps you need to take to start homeschooling as well as provides links to documents you will need to file with the school district and forms you can use for record keeping. For a practical, easy-to-read guide of how to comply with the PA Homeschool Law, read the MDHSA Law Guide, available free of charge on this website. If you wish to purchase a hard copy of the law guide, you may do so on our Publications page.)

STEP 2: Do some research.

Before making the commitment to homeschool, it’s beneficial to devote as much time as you can to researching homeschooling methods, learning styles, and available resources. One of the best ways to do this is to actually talk to parents who are already educating their children at home. While you will want to develop your own style of homeschooling, finding out how others homeschool will give you ideas that you can adapt to fit your own family. Local homeschoolers can also give you good tips about resources or events in your own community that will enhance your student’s education (e.g., 4-H Clubs, nature programs, book clubs, art classes, etc.).

Naturally, the Internet is a treasure trove of information about homeschooling. In fact, you may be overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of websites, articles, videos and blogs available online. Additionally, most libraries will have books and/or ebooks on the subject as well. MDHSA also offers our own booklet “The Fine Art of Homeschooling” on our Publications page. This booklet details how to homeschool, and is helpful for beginners as well as veteran homeschoolers.

Once you have done your research, you will be able to make an informed choice. If you do choose to homeschool, you can move on to Step 3.

STEP 3:  Choose your curriculum.

New homeschoolers are often concerned about choosing the “best” curriculum. Truthfully, there is no “best” that will suit everyone. Families have their own unique styles and preferred methods of learning. Some resources are necessary, of course, but these can be minimal, especially in the elementary years. The library is a proven provider of many excellent resources and is widely used by homeschoolers. 

When buying curriculum, some homeschoolers prefer the “pre-packaged” approach where curriculum is divided into grade levels, and all the materials for all the subjects for the entire school year are included in your “package.” Other homeschoolers prefer a more eclectic approach, choosing their curriculum by subject and piecing it all together into their own unique “package.” There are pros and cons to each approach; you may have to experiment to find what works best for your student. (Tip: Avoid the mistake of buying a curriculum that appeals to you but doesn’t suit your student.)

Trying out different curriculums can be expensive. To make your money stretch further, consider buying used curriculum. Used curriculum can be found

• on homeschool used curriculum sites
• in stores or on sites that sell used books
• at used curriculum sales hosted by local homeschool organizations

In addition, school districts in Pennsylvania must lend curricula to the homeschooling family, if requested by the family. 

STEP 4:  Set a schedule. 

The word “schedule” will cause some people to feel like leaving by the back door in a hurry, while it will cause others to dance a jig while humming a happy tune. However, there is no formula to follow; the goal is to create a personalized schedule that will work for your own family’s unique needs.

If you’re an anti-schedule person, relax–your schedule can be a simple outline of what subjects you want to cover that day. While you might want to “wing it” and might even be good at being spontaneous, it is still best to have a general idea of what you want to accomplish that day. Otherwise, it’s very easy to be distracted by other pressing issues and discover at the end of the day that very little learning has taken place.  

If you’re someone who thrives on routine and checklists, just make sure your schedule isn’t a higher priority than your student. If your child is struggling with a concept, realize that you might not be able to tick off all the boxes you had scheduled for the day. If you feel frustrated by the lack of progress, remind yourself that the real goal is for your student to understand what he/she is learning.

While there is no set number of hours that you should school an elementary student or a secondary student, there are some things to keep in mind, especially for younger children:

• Don’t base your schedule on a “typical” public school day. Your attention will be on a few students, not an entire classroom. Therefore, learning can take place in a more concentrated form and busywork will be eliminated. 
• Don’t let the lesson time exceed your student’s attention span.
• Give plenty of breaks. Sending your children outside for fresh air and exercise is especially helpful for re-engaging their attention spans.
• Allow time for and encourage imaginative play in younger children. More and more studies are showing that imaginative play in children is linked to their cognitive and social development.
  
  STEP 5:  Decide if a support group is right for you.
  

Making connections in the homeschool community is important for most new homeschoolers. Parents find it beneficial to be able to exchange information and share resources with other parents. Homeschooled students usually find it easier to relate to their homeschooled counterparts who have similar shared experiences. While some homeschoolers are able to find community without the help of a support group, other homeschool families find community within a support group. 

MDHSA offers a local support group for homeschooling families. If you wish to find out more about our local support group, please click here.

Related Articles:
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Quick Start-Up Guide – Teaching While Waiting for Your Curriculum to Arrive
Homeschooling Young Children