How to start a homeschooling group in your area
Labels: Home Schooling
If you are a homeschooler who would like more support, find out how to start your own homeschooling support group.
Once you decide to homeschool your children, it can be a lonely decision if you do not have a support group of people who understand the choices you have made regarding your children’s education and why you have made them. This is one reason why many communities have homeschooling support groups. These groups offer advice on curriculum, structured activities for both kids and adults, and a safe place to talk about the frustrations of schooling your own children. If your community does not have a homeschooling group, you may want to consider starting one. Likewise, if your community offers is a faith-based homeschooling group, and you would like a secular one, or vice versa, you may want to begin one of your own.
The first thing that you need to do if you want to start your own group is to get the word out. Locate other homeschoolers in your area and try to get a feel for their interest in this undertaking. Most likely, they will be happy to have a group of like-minded people to consult and socialize with. You may need to put an advertisement in your local newspaper, flyers at the teacher supply store and online announcements in relevant newsgroups. Slowly, you will find a core group of people who share this interest.
You will have the most people in your group if you decide to be all-inclusive, as opposed to requiring members to be of a specific faith or non-faith. Also, as homeschoolers tend to be on a budget, it is not a good idea to charge dues. What you will want to do is develop a mission statement, which can go on all of your communications, including an email newsletter. You will also want to designate one or two contact people for the group. Also decide upon a time and location where a monthly meeting can be held for parents to put together a calendar of events for the following month. Many churches and libraries are willing to let you use classrooms or conference rooms for free or a very nominal fee. Once you have done this, put together an online bulletin board or subscribe to Yahoo Groups so that members may easily meet each other, have discussions and ask questions. You may then use that venue to announce upcoming events.
What makes a homeschooling group great is what it offers to the homeschooling community. Consider a lending library, co-op classes, a membership business directory and a steady stream of events that cater to children of varying ages, as homeschooling families have children of all ages.
Perhaps the most difficult thing about homeschooling your own children is the potential for lack of interaction with other children who are in or close to their age group. Scheduling a series of group activities will be one of the most important things that your group will do. Try organizing a Park Day once or twice a month. Schedule regular field trips to go roller-skating, to the zoo, to a museum or other events. Try to schedule field trips that are free or that are very inexpensive. Gradually, families will get to know one another and will begin to offer their own events, as well. For example, you will be able to find parents who are willing to teach groups of students creative writing, conduct hands-on science experiments and generally introduce your children to other interesting topics. Another thing that some homeschooling groups do is perform community service. You may want to schedule one day a month for kids to volunteer at the local food bank, or to participate in community clean-up initiatives.
A homeschooling support group will not only offer support to its members, but will be a resource for other parents in the community as well, who may be wondering about their legal right to homeschool, or what is available in the community for homeschoolers. Your group can serve as a guide for those who are interested in homeschooling but who aren’t quite sure how to go about it.
Offshoots of the larger group may form, such as specific social groups for teenage homeschoolers, sports clubs or a chess club. Co-ops also frequently arise. A co-op is a group of homeschooling families who get together and teach each other’s children. For example, one parent may teach art, while another may teach writing and yet another math skills. Co-ops are usually not full time; they may be held one morning a week, or three mornings a week. There are a few that are very well organized and run full-time, but this is rare, and requires a large community with a great deal of interest and commitment.
Creating and playing an active role in a homeschooling group can be very time-consuming. By doing so, however, you are giving an invaluable resource to your local homeschooling community and to the community at large. Once you get a good start, remember to delegate! A strong group will have a variety of members sharing the responsibilities that a support group of this importance entails. By starting a homeschooling group, you will teach your children about organizing people to meet a goal, and that is one of the most valuable lessons of all.
Once you decide to homeschool your children, it can be a lonely decision if you do not have a support group of people who understand the choices you have made regarding your children’s education and why you have made them. This is one reason why many communities have homeschooling support groups. These groups offer advice on curriculum, structured activities for both kids and adults, and a safe place to talk about the frustrations of schooling your own children. If your community does not have a homeschooling group, you may want to consider starting one. Likewise, if your community offers is a faith-based homeschooling group, and you would like a secular one, or vice versa, you may want to begin one of your own.
The first thing that you need to do if you want to start your own group is to get the word out. Locate other homeschoolers in your area and try to get a feel for their interest in this undertaking. Most likely, they will be happy to have a group of like-minded people to consult and socialize with. You may need to put an advertisement in your local newspaper, flyers at the teacher supply store and online announcements in relevant newsgroups. Slowly, you will find a core group of people who share this interest.
You will have the most people in your group if you decide to be all-inclusive, as opposed to requiring members to be of a specific faith or non-faith. Also, as homeschoolers tend to be on a budget, it is not a good idea to charge dues. What you will want to do is develop a mission statement, which can go on all of your communications, including an email newsletter. You will also want to designate one or two contact people for the group. Also decide upon a time and location where a monthly meeting can be held for parents to put together a calendar of events for the following month. Many churches and libraries are willing to let you use classrooms or conference rooms for free or a very nominal fee. Once you have done this, put together an online bulletin board or subscribe to Yahoo Groups so that members may easily meet each other, have discussions and ask questions. You may then use that venue to announce upcoming events.
What makes a homeschooling group great is what it offers to the homeschooling community. Consider a lending library, co-op classes, a membership business directory and a steady stream of events that cater to children of varying ages, as homeschooling families have children of all ages.
Perhaps the most difficult thing about homeschooling your own children is the potential for lack of interaction with other children who are in or close to their age group. Scheduling a series of group activities will be one of the most important things that your group will do. Try organizing a Park Day once or twice a month. Schedule regular field trips to go roller-skating, to the zoo, to a museum or other events. Try to schedule field trips that are free or that are very inexpensive. Gradually, families will get to know one another and will begin to offer their own events, as well. For example, you will be able to find parents who are willing to teach groups of students creative writing, conduct hands-on science experiments and generally introduce your children to other interesting topics. Another thing that some homeschooling groups do is perform community service. You may want to schedule one day a month for kids to volunteer at the local food bank, or to participate in community clean-up initiatives.
A homeschooling support group will not only offer support to its members, but will be a resource for other parents in the community as well, who may be wondering about their legal right to homeschool, or what is available in the community for homeschoolers. Your group can serve as a guide for those who are interested in homeschooling but who aren’t quite sure how to go about it.
Offshoots of the larger group may form, such as specific social groups for teenage homeschoolers, sports clubs or a chess club. Co-ops also frequently arise. A co-op is a group of homeschooling families who get together and teach each other’s children. For example, one parent may teach art, while another may teach writing and yet another math skills. Co-ops are usually not full time; they may be held one morning a week, or three mornings a week. There are a few that are very well organized and run full-time, but this is rare, and requires a large community with a great deal of interest and commitment.
Creating and playing an active role in a homeschooling group can be very time-consuming. By doing so, however, you are giving an invaluable resource to your local homeschooling community and to the community at large. Once you get a good start, remember to delegate! A strong group will have a variety of members sharing the responsibilities that a support group of this importance entails. By starting a homeschooling group, you will teach your children about organizing people to meet a goal, and that is one of the most valuable lessons of all.