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Redwood Games Homeschool Page

Overview and Advice

Many have asked, "How do I get started homeschooling?" The following is a blueprint for the new homeschooler. But remember. You are unique. Your child is unique. So take what feels right and ignore what doesn't.

Although the public school day is 6 hours long, studies indicate that most of that time is taken up with housekeeping tasks: going from one class to another, taking roll, getting ready to teach, etc. Only about 1.5 hours is actual education.

Most homeschoolers use 3 hours per day as a good amount of schooling time. Some are very strict and those 3 hours are spent right on task. Others (like me) assign work that will take about 3 hours and let the kids get it done however they want.

If your child gets restless, have him run around the house, do jumping jacks or stretch every 45 minutes or so.

Don't be in a hurry to choose a curriculum. Your library is a vast resource which can supply everything you need (except paper and pencil) free of charge. Take your time and don't feel you need to jump in and buy textbooks. If all you do for the first couple of months is read with your children and practice their number facts, they'll still be learning far more than in an institutional setting.

I've found that some very expensive homeschool syllabi which looked great to me just didn't go over well with the kids. So it pays to try things out first before investing in expensive texts.

And remember that the goal of homeschooling is a happy child who enjoys learning and who is being guided into a direction of self-reliance and lifetime independent learning. If something becomes a struggle or makes her miserable -- try another approach!