Making Your Home a Place for Learning

To focus on a project, your child must feel “safe” to dig into materials and really explore with his work. It is not necessary to make major changes in your household to make it a place where meaningful learning experiences can occur for your child, but there are questions for you to consider.
1. How can I provide an environment for learning?
Where is there enough space in my home for my child and me to work together? Will I be comfortable working on a 12-inch wooden chair alongside my child? Where will my child have a surface to write, draw, paint, and use materials like clay?
2. Where will I get materials for my child to use?
Will buying supplies for project work be expensive? What kinds of things do I need to collect? Will I need to go somewhere special to get the materials we will use?
3. How can I store materials for projects and other forms of meaningful learning?
Where will I keep paper, clay, and books about project topics? Where can ongoing work be stored so that it is safe from siblings, vacuum cleaners, or the dog? Where can materials be stored neatly and safely, but so that they are still accessible to my child?
4. How I can I help my child gain literacy skills in project work?
Are there things I can do to encourage my child to use books more? What kinds of books would be appropriate for project work? How can I best organize literacy materials?
5. How can I provide the time for projects and other forms of meaningful learning?
When can we block off time so we can concentrate on our project work? Can we fit clay work in between a soccer game and girl scouts?


Creating an Environment for Meaningful Learning
As an adult you have learned that you need space to do quality work, whether it is your kitchen, your office, or a workshop. Children also need space to do quality work. With patience, determination, and a little creativity, most living areas can accommodate project work. If you think in advance about issues such as table space or access to water, you can help prevent many problems that may come up once your child is busy with his project. For example, your child will not have to stop work early so you can clean off the table for dinner.

For some parents, creating an environment for meaningful learning can be a challenge because it requires them to leave their comfort zone. In our role as teachers and parent educators, we have come across parents who say, “Give my 3-year-old scissors? Is that safe?”
“Bring paint into my immaculate kitchen? Do you know what we spent on that floor?”
“I can’t let my child use these things when I have a toddler in the house too!”
Issues of stains, safety, and appropriateness all emerge. One advantage of doing project work with young children is that it encourages you as a parent to think about the organization of your home. Does your home foster meaningful learning for your children? If you work out how to create spaces for meaningful learning in project work, you can use these for years to come as children work on school projects and other learning activities.

While creating a space may seem difficult on a tight budget or in a small home, just the willingness to create a space and provide materials will benefit your child. Neither a fancy art studio nor 100 different types of collage materials are necessary for a child to be able to do project work. If money or space is an issue for you, think creatively of how you can assemble an inexpensive art kit of basic supplies (scissors, glue, crayons, paper), which will be enough to get your child started. Using found materials such as shoe boxes, wrapping paper, and buttons can also be a way for children to develop their creativity. Keep in mind that many great project activities have occurred using just a few materials on the kitchen floor or at the dining room table covered with newspaper.

When looking at your environment for a space where you and your child will want to work together on projects, you will need to consider the room, its location in the home, and the furnishings within that room.

FINDING A LOCATION IN YOUR HOME
Survey your home. Is there a playroom, a kitchen breakfast bar, or a dining room table that may be a good place to work? The room where you work should be a place where you will be able to access materials easily. Good work spaces for children are not necessarily fancy. A heated garage room or a finished (or even unfinished) basement room may be perfect, as long as it is comfortable for you and your child when you work on larger projects. A quieter, less busy place without a television playing allows for more communication and concentration during activities. The room where you and your child work should be free from a constant stream of traffic and allow a child to feel that her work is safe, especially if there are other children in the family. Toddlers and friendly dogs can be especially dangerous around art supplies, so a less-visited room

may be helpful. Since one of the goals of doing projects with children is to provide meaningful time together, this time with your child is precious. The environment must support your focusing on your child and the interaction between you and your child.

SELECTING A WORK SURFACE
While a small table and chairs in your child’s room may be perfect for a tea party, a 6-foot, 220-pound father will not be comfortable in this pint-sized area! Likewise, a 3-year-old seated on an adult folding chair at a table that is chin high for the child will not help the creative process. An appropriate sized table—large enough for lots of materials and chairs—is important. Kitchen counters are great if there are stools and there is space. However, a dining room table or kitchen table may work better.

The table or counter area needs to be washable and able to handle markers, clay, and paint. Using a vinyl tablecloth may help make a dining room table or a counter area appropriate for projects. Having a washable floor underneath is also helpful. Kitchen linoleum is fairly durable and washable, but if the most comfortable
area to work side by side is carpeted, old blankets, sheets, newspapers, or drop cloths can be placed under the work table for protection.

In small apartments or in homes where there is limited space, it will probably work better to have work surfaces and materials that can be put away when not being used. For example, a large piece of cardboard can be used as a place to work and can be slid under a bed when not in use. Some families have set aside
one corner of a room as the children’s work area and put materials in this area.

CONSIDER ACCESS TO WATER
Project work can also occur in several different places. At some times, access to water is crucial, such as during art and construction work. Activities such as painting or clay work require water. It may be possible to carry water to the work area, but for cleaning up accessible running water is important. Imagine your child finishing a big painting project—do you want to have him walk through the house with hands dripping with paint? Of course, paper towels and baby wipes can provide a quick fix, but access to a sink is preferable.
Read More : Making Your Home a Place for Learning

Homeschooling Special Needs Children

Many homeschoolers are reluctantly drawn to homeschooling because the schools failed their children. This trend is expanding to include children in special needs programs, resulting in an increasing number of questions from parents choosing to homeschool their children who are interested in continuing or obtaining special needs help from the schools. In many instances a special needs child shows tremendous gains just by being removed from the public school situation and educated at home by loving and caring parents who are able to provide the stimulation and enrichment each child needs and deserves. If services are offered the family is not required to accept them. Many families do just fine without government help, but if you need it, special needs services are available to homeschoolers.

A search of the Internet reveals several sites committed to special needs legal issues. The California Department of Education, http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/, is a good place to start. Another good research site is http://www.ideapractices.org. The federal government provides funding for special education, and the states must operate within the guidelines of the United States Code (USC) and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Families who choose to enroll their children in a public independent study program or charter school are entitled to the same special education services that are available to students enrolled in a traditional public school. (Ed. Code §56145.) This option is the easiest way for families to obtain special needs services because they fit into the statutory and regulatory parameters. Thus, there should not be any disruption of services for those families who are already receiving them, and new families should easily qualify for them.

Children with disabilities enrolled in private schools are also entitled to special education services. (34 CFR §300.451.) Therefore, families who use the private school option and follow the legal requirements for setting up a home-based private school, are entitled to the same special education benefits as any private school in California. However, the government is not required to provide services in addition to those available in the public schools. The extent of those benefits is covered by 34 CFR §300.450 et seq., 20 USC 1412 (a)(10), and California Education Code (EC) section 56170 et seq. A child in a private school is entitled to services "provided by personnel meeting the same standards as personnel providing services in the public schools"; "may receive a different amount of services than children with disabilities in public schools", and "[n]o private school child with a disability is entitled to any service or to any amount of a service the child would receive if enrolled in a public school." (34 CFR §300.455.)

The state is not required to pay for the cost of education, including special education and related services, of a child with a disability at a private school or facility if that agency made a free appropriate public education available to the child and the parents elected to place the child in such private school or facility." (20 USC 1412 (a)(10)(C).) Thus, the states have a certain amount of discretion when providing special education benefits to home-based private schools. If they argue that they offered a "free appropriate public education" that was rejected by the parents, they are not required to offer an additional services. These provisions are echoed by the California statutes (Ed. Code §§ 56170-56177.) As long as a "free appropriate public education" is provided to the child with the disability, the district is not required to reimburse parents for the cost of enrolling the child in a private school. (Ed. Code §56175.) Educational legal departments may interpret the law to not provide services to private school and home school students.

If you are determined to homeschool independently and to get special education services for your child, there are several legal options open to you. The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc., http://www.dredf.org, based in Berkeley and Washington, D.C., is "a national law and policy center dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil rights of people with disabilities through legislation, litigation, advocacy, technical assistance, and education and training of attorneys, advocates, persons with disabilities, and parents of children with disabilities." The credentials of the participants and the successful advocacy of this organization are spectacular. Protection and Advocacy, Inc., http://www.pai-ca.org/, is a non-profit advocacy center with offices in Sacramento, Oakland and Los Angeles, that "works in partnership with people with disabilities " to protect, advocate for and advance their human, legal and service rights." Either of these groups may handle your case without cost or at an affordable cost if they decide it fits within their parameters for representation. In any event, they are a good source of legal information.

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, http://www.copaa.net, is not limited to California, but has helpful referrals and information. Wrightslaw, http://www.wrightslaw.com, is a comprehensive site operated by Pete Wright (a Virginia attorney who represents children with disabilities and who struggled with learning disabilities himself) and his wife Pam Wright (a psychotherapist). It contains many informative articles and referrals. Another helpful site can be found at http://www.reedmartin.com. Attorney Reed Martin, of West Virginia, is the parent of a child who needed special education services and has concentrated on special education rights for 32 years. He is another prolific writer, and his site is full of useful information. Ann Zeissí A " Z Homeís Cool, http://www.gomilpitas.com/homeschooling/weblinks/specialneeds.htm, has several additional resources, as does Lenore Hayes, http://www.bayshoreeducational.com/special.html.

After consulting with these groups, if you decide you need an attorney, make sure to thoroughly investigate at least three before hiring one. Obtain referrals from your friends, look in the phone book, contact the sites mentioned above, contact HSC, legal@hsc.org, the Association of Home School Attorneys, referrals@ahsa-usa.org, and check the internet (try http://www.edlaw.net/home.html). After you get some names, check their membership status and discipline record on the California State Bar site (http://www.calbar.org) and interview them on the phone. Make sure they support homeschooling and understand or be willing to learn homeschooling law and special needs law. Ask about their state bar disciplinary record, if they have one. Meet with them, and trust your instincts. Keep in mind that an attorney is your employee, and that educating yourself about your legal rights is your best protection.

The provision of special education services by the government is a complicated legal area, full of interpretation and argument. A relatively new area, it is growing rapidly. Recent court decisions clarify the law, and more cases are under submission. If both the provision of special needs services and homeschooling independently are critical parts of your education, research all of your alternatives thoroughly, starting with the resources in this article. On the surface, the law appears to support the denial of services if "free appropriate public education" is available, but the law is in flux. Therefore, if the services offered by the district do not meet your childís needs, it may be worthwhile to obtaining legal help to enforce your childís right to a "free appropriate public education".

1: Please note that public or charter schools are not obligated to approve a student's enrollment in or transfer to an independent study program. In some cases, the schools may decide that a student receiving services should remain in the traditional classroom setting, or should be denied admission to the charter. In most cases, funding and ease of administration are the motivations behind these decisions. Unfortunately, we are not aware of any legal basis to challenge these decisions [Footnote added June, 2003]

Pulling Your Child Out of School

Jennifer* (name and some facts changed to protect her privacy) was enrolled in a school that decided that she needed special education services. The school staff was abusive to her and her parents tried to pull her out of school. Jennifer was denied admission into the public school homeschooling program, charter school programs were unavailable, and her parents decided to homeschool her using the private school option. They filed an R-4 with the county, and the county rejected it, stating that they were not eligible to homeschool their child because she was subject to an IEP (Individualized Education Program) and she was required to be enrolled in the public school to receive the "free appropriate public education" they were providing her.

This scenario is the opposite side of the coin discussed in my April 2001 column. Instead of requesting the school to provide special education services to homeschoolers, homeschoolers are rejecting the special education services schools are providing. Are special needs children precluded from using private educational alternatives? The answer is a resounding NO. Just because a child has been determined to be a special needs child and an IEP has been prepared for her, does not mean that her family loses their constitutional right to choose the best educational alternative for their child. Parents can elect to place their child in a private school or facility. (20 USC 1412 (a)(10)(C); Education Code §56174.)

The fact that a family has a special needs child with an IEP contract, is involved in a SARB process or has signed a contract requiring them to comply with the compulsory education requirements does not negate their right to enroll their children in the private school of their choice. Furthermore, special needs children are not required to be enrolled in public school and may be enrolled in a private school of the parent's choice. The choice of a private school includes the right of a parent to enroll their children in a home-based private school by establishing their own school, complying with the California requirements for starting and operating a private school, filing an R-4 to verify that they have complied with the California requirements, and sending verification, upon request, to the local school district that the children are enrolled in and attending the private school. The county office of education does not have authority to approve or decline to process private school affidavits.

Jennifer's family is homeschooling their children, after filing the R-4 with the state. HSC wrote a letter to the office of education, and the family is prepared to enforce for their right to homeschool their special needs child. Often, administrators are bluffing, or just do not know the law. It is important that you know your rights so you can provide the best educational alternative for your children. Linda J. Conrad Jansen, Esq

Recommended Reading List for Homeschooling Parents

Homeschooling Parents may be a new conditions for you so it might not prepared well enough. You will need information about homeschooling parents a lot that might you can search on net but mostly for better directions and right information you need reading books about it. Reading the right book that you need. 

Here are recommended reading list for homeschooling parents that available in Amazon.com , clicking on the title of any book will take you to Amazon.com, where you can find out more information about the book, including description, reviews, and price. Check these lists :

NO	TITTLE
1	And the Skylark Sings with Me - Adventures in Homeschooling and Community-Based Education
2	Arnie and His School Tools: Simple Sensory Solutions That Build Success
3	But What About Socialization? Answering the Perpetual Home Schooling Question: A Review of the Literature
4	Catholic Homeschool Companion
5	College-Prep Homeschooling: Your Complete Guide to Homeschooling Through High School
6	Help for the Harried Homeschooler: A Practical Guide to Balancing Your Child's Education with the Rest of Your Life
7	Help! I'm Married to a Homeschooling Mom
8	Home Education (Charlotte Mason's Homeschooling Series)
9	Homeschooling and the Voyage of Self-Discovery
10	Homeschooling at the Speed of Life: Balancing Home, School, And Family in the Real World
11	Homeschooling for Dummies
12	Homeschooling for Excellence
13	Homeschooling Handbook (Revised 2nd Edition)
14	Homeschooling Our Children Unschooling Ourselves
15	Homeschooling the Challenging Child: A Practical Guide
16	Homeschooling the Child with Asperger Syndrome
17	Homeschooling with TLC in the Elementary Grades: A Practical Guide with Fun and Effective Teaching Tips
18	Homeschooling Your Struggling Learner
19	Homeschooling: The Early Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 3- to 8- Year-Old Child
20	Homeschooling: The Teen Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13- to 18- Year-Old (Prima Home Learning Library)
21	Mommy, Teach Me to Read!: A Complete and Easy-to-Use Home Reading Program
22	Nebel's Elementary Education: Creating a Tapestry of Learning
23	So You're Thinking About Homeschooling: Second Edition: Fifteen Families Show How You Can Do It (Focus on the Family)
24	The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start
25	The Heart of Homeschooling: Teaching & Living What Really Matters
26	The Homeschoolers Guide To College
27	The Homeschooling Book of Answers: The 101 Most Important Questions Answered by Homeschooling's Most Respected Voices (Prima Home Learning Library)
28	The Imperfect Homeschooler's Guide to Homeschooling: A 20-Year Homeschool Veteran Reveals How to Teach Your Kids, Run Your Home and Overcome the Inevitable Challenges of the Homeschooling Life
29	The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas: 500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Ages 3-12
30	The Well-Adjusted Child: The Social Benefits of Homeschooling

Why Are Homeschoolers Criticized ?

The biggest concerns of homeschooling are the homeschooling accreditation and loss of revenue for public school district. Many district superintendents are genuinely concerned that homeschooled students are not learning essential skills because they are not being taught by professional educators. But most professional teachers refuse to admit the fact that the vast majority of public schools fail the students on every level, and deny that they able to be replaced by “uneducated teachers” (I disagree with this term).

This concept is too hard to be accepted, so they try to dishonor homeschooling by boosting on the myth that the homeschooled intellect lacks social skills plus most often becomes a individualist who cannot socialize. In fact, the statistics show the truth of these contradictions. The vast majority of homeschoolers outscore their public educated counterparts in all facets of life and education. So what is it about? Money ?

If you are considering homeschooling, do not be intimidated. Statistics are on your support. You are doing what is superfine for your youngster.

Here are benefits of homeschooling

• You don't have to wake them up at 7 every morning and bundle them off to school with umpteen numbers of instructions, and wait with an anxious heart till they return. Homeschooling gives you more control over the influences that affect your child. The growth and development of your child is removed from the realm of the unknown. You decide what your child needs to do or learn mostly subject which suit the needs and interests of the child.
• Individual attention is another salient benefit of homeschooling. For instance, if your child needs more time to learn Math, then she can reduce the time for her English lessons. There are no fixed hours of learning per subject. This means that a child has the advantage of assigning more number of hours to the subject that seems tough WITHOUT any additional pressure. The amount of time needed to learn each subject will depend on the abilities and interests of the child.
• The schooling of the child becomes an extended family activity. Parents get involved in every step of the learning procedure. Field trips and experiments become family activities. Thus, the child receives more quality time with his parents. The entire family shares games, chores and projects. Family closeness becomes the focus here. The child is also free of any negative peer pressure while making choices and decisions.
• Competition is limited when it comes to homeschooling. The child does not need to prove his ability with regards to other children. His confidence remains intact. Since parents have a deep understanding of their child, they can plan the learning program to pique the child's interest. It is also possible to intersperse difficult tasks with fun activities. A tough hour with Algebra can be followed by a trip to the nearest museum. Learning becomes fun. Parents can also tailor the curriculum to suit the learning style of the child. Some children learn through reading, while others need to write, and still others need to see objects in action.
• Homeschooling allows parents to take control over the moral and religious learning of the child. Parents have the flexibility to incorporate their beliefs and ideologies into the child's curriculum. There is no confusion in the child's mind either because there is no variation between what is being taught and what is being practiced.
• Lastly, more and more parents are getting disillusioned with the public school system. They believe that their children are being pushed too hard or too little. Other worrying issues pertaining to discipline and ethics also make the school system less welcome. Many repudiate the educational philosophy of grouping children solely on the basis of their age. Some parents themselves have unhappy memories of their own public school experience that motivates them to opt for homeschooling when it comes to their own children.

Homeschooling is the best way to teach a child if you have the time, the ability and the interest to follow through with his education. After all, nobody can understand or appreciate your child more than yourself.

Homeschool Program: Education of the Future

Homeschooling program is hardly new. It's been around long and has been acknowledged as a source of some of the brightest people in the country including celebrated names like Thomas Edison.

Homeschooling emerged when parents believed that their local academic programs didn't offer the class and rigor that they desired for their children. Thus they would merely pull the plug on going to a formal education, and instead be tutored by mentors, home teachers, and members of their communities.

What marks many homeschooled children is the independence in terms of selecting what they want to learn. By following a homeschooling program that not only provides a well-balanced foundation in the arts and sciences, but to essentially concentrate in whatever field of interest that they are passionate about, produces genuinely intelligent students who go on to excel vis a vis students in similar formal class programs.

As technology infrastructure expands and as the overseas workforce evolves, Home education presents a further respected option for those who want a dynamic education both in terms of theory and in practice.
Many reasons are cited for opting for Home education. They include but are not limited to religious purposes, disagreements with the local learning environment curricula, feeling of poor grade of instruction in the schools, fear that peer influence will have unfavorable affect on their child's development, and for others it's because of disabilities which require broader avenues for achieving an education.

As you can tell by now, home school program selections are certainly something that can be considered, even though not considered mainstream. It's important to sit down carefully with your child (as his or her choice should be factored into the decision), as well as local school counselors and anyone other families that may have been involved with home schooling programs to some extent.

For many people, homeschooling may call to mind the picture of two or three children sitting at a table and writing feverishly in their workbooks, while mom or dad stands nearby. This is not entirely true. There are different methods of homeschooling, and the method you choose will decide the curriculum and your style of teaching. Given below are some of the most influential and popular homeschooling methods.

Here are some Homeschooling Methods that might able to completed your information about home schooling work:

The Charlotte Mason method:

Charlotte Mason is known as the founder of the homeschooling movement. A homeschooler herself, she was passionate in her zeal to lay out the foundations for an effective a complete homeschooling program that is fun and educational at the same time. This method focuses on all the core subjects with emphasis placed on classical literature, poetry, fine arts, classical music and craft. Mason used a variety of books from classical literature, which she called 'Living Books'. Since this method encourages a passionate awareness of literature, the child is read to daily from the 'Living Books'. After this, the child is asked to narrate what she has heard. This process begins at the age of six, and by ten the child is expected to write her narrations in her book. Mason also advocated the use of 'Nature Diaries'. After each short and interesting lesson, the child is asked to go to Nature and draw observations from Nature. Thus the child also gains a sense of respect for her environment. Mason believed that development of good character and behavior was essential to the complete development of the child's personality.

The Eclectic Homeschooling:

This is a mixture of various homeschooling techniques. Here, the innovative parents trust their own judgment and pick out the topics that make the best curriculum for their child. Such parents continuously look out for the best products that will meet the needs of their homeschoolers. Most Eclectic homeschooling curriculums are improvised. This means that the basic curriculum is ready-made. The parents then make changes in the curriculum to accommodate the individual needs and interests of their children. The child's gifts, temperament, learning style and interests dictate the curriculum. Eclectic programs include visits to the museum, libraries and factories.

Unschooling:

A Boston public educator name John Holt laid the beginnings of the unschooling method. He believed that children learned best when they are free to learn at their own pace and when they are guided by their own interests. His message was to 'unschool' the child. This method is a hands-on approach to learning, where the parent takes definite cues from the children. There is no definite curriculum, schedules or materials. This method is the most unstructured of the various homeschooling techniques.

The Montessori Method:

This method began in Italy, when it was observed that children have acute sensitive periods, during which they undergo periods of intense concentration. During such phases, a child will repeat an activity till he gains a measure of self-satisfaction. The Montessori method depends on a prepared environment to facilitate learning. All the materials used in this method are designed to satisfy the inner desire for spiritual development of the child. The materials used progress from simple to complex, and are rather expensive.

These are just a few of the methods of homeschooling. Whatever the method, the underlying factor is flexibility and a keen interest in the desires of the child. The secret is to use the child's desire for knowledge to further his education. How about your child?

Want to Home School? How To Get Started

Education is one of should do list parent’s care for their children and homeschooling become one of your choice to give your children the best education. There are so many benefits you can offer your children through home schooling. And if you have made the decision to home school, you need to know how to get started.

You need to do some research about all stuff that will be needed for homeschooling, the subject are:

Homeschooling teachers

The teacher is the key to the success of homeschooling. In most cases, the teacher is a parent or a close relative. In some cases, parents may divide the subjects between them. If you feel anxious about your skill or knowledge, relax. There are countless homeschooling resources that are aimed at helping you. Professional curriculum packages, support groups, online help desks, virtual schools and library resources are all available. When you start out, you may want to make use of the commercial curriculum packages. Readymade software also allows you to record and log important achievements.

But, if you want to take a professional educator for your child so do research to find any local or state based groups that deal with home schooling. These organizations should be able to offer you the best picture of home schooling in your state. You might also try to join some bulletin boards or list services that deal with home school parents. This will give you an outlet to ask any questions you might have of people who are in the same position you are.

Local support groups are an excellent source of help, ideas and material. This is where you get to meet experienced homeschoolers, who will be more than happy to offer their insight and advice.

Grading in homeschooling

Once you've done your research, you are ready to decide how you want to structure your child's program. You may want to go with a structured approach. This will work much like a traditional school Math will be completed at a certain hour of the day. English will always follow lunch, and so on. If that doesn't work well for you, perhaps you should try an interest approach. With this method, you would focus your efforts on what your child is currently interested in or surrounded by. For example, if the family is suffering from the flu, perhaps you would do some study related to that condition. If your child loves dinosaurs, you could focus your efforts on that. You could also base your approach around your child's learning style. Finally, you might consider basing your home school method around an educational philosophy that you appreciate. For example, you may want to take a Montessori approach.

Grading in homeschooling is done by the teacher-in-charge. In most of the cases, this means mom! In this situation, grading can get a bit tricky because it can be a little difficult to grade your own child. There is no benchmark against which you can evaluate your child's performance. In most cases, you also have no awareness of how well other children are doing. So, obviously the traditional method of grading is perhaps not the best method to follow.

Record keeping in Homeschooling

The importance of record keeping cannot be ignored. It is not only legally required in various States, but also provides important milestones in your child's learning experience. Record keeping is important not only for the sake of regulations. It is also an exciting way to record and document the learning process of the child. When most of the learning is done through play and there is no clear cut index of topics that have to be covered, it is necessary for the parent to keep some sort of a log which records the child's progress.

The records you keep can be as simple as a daily journal, or as elaborate as a software program. If you participate in a support group, you probably have set forms and requirements. But even so, keeping track of daily work makes reporting easy and efficient.

There are various record keeping methods used by various homeschools. Some of the more popular ones are:

• Journal: This can be maintained by the teacher or the student. This basically aims to keep a log of what was learned and what was done. Recording memorable events that happened in the course of the year is a great way to reminisce later on.
• Daily planner: Lay out the plans and the assignments for the week in a teacher's planning notebook. Check each item as it is covered. Maintain a separate area where any additional things can be recorded. This includes educational trips, visits and videos etc. Any extra topics that were covered are also recorded in this area. Make a summary every quarter.
• Portfolios:This consists of a collection of varied materials that show what the child has achieved and done during the course of study. Portfolio assessment is a very effective way to chart the child's progress. It gives structure to the otherwise loose and flexible form of schooling called homeschooling. A drawing portfolio will consist of some paintings or sketches that are considered the best in that quarter. A language portfolio may consist of essays, stories, reading-logs, spelling samples or letters. Progress in mathematics, fine arts, history, science and social studies can all be recorded this way. The biggest advantage is that portfolio assessment places control in the hands of the children. Having a tangible record of what they have established eggs them on to greater heights.

Other than the above-mentioned systems, there are also purchased record-keeping systems that lay out a good checklist. Some of these allow one to personalize the organizer. Irrespective of the methods used, record keeping in one form or the other is essential. Your child's future may well depend on the well-maintained record that you have meticulously kept over the years.

Financing homeschooling

When people talk about teaching their children from home in the absence of any definite or structured curriculum, it is perhaps natural to think that homeschooling is cheap. But this is far from the truth. Although homeschooling does not stick to any particular text, this is perhaps more of a bane than a boon, when it comes to finance.

When you need to make sure that your children receives state-of-the-art education so that they can compete with regular school goers, expenses will naturally mount. The actual cost of educating a child at home is surprisingly high. Up-to-date textbooks, course materials, a library, computing equipment, lighting, specially designed furniture all cost money. In this case, the cost may be slightly lesser when it comes to homeschooling the second child. Add to this any additional tuition cost for tutors who come to teach subjects that cannot be handled by parents, like higher-level math or science. The total cost can be a bit mind boggling.

You can add your others subject to be in research list to complete your preparations before start homeschooling. These research will clear your mind about how to start homeschooling and I wish the homeschooling become your perfect choice for your beloved child educations.