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Home educating your children is not something you do....it is a lifestyle. It is a realization that you, as a parent, are responsible for your children to God, and for raising them to be Godly. You are the most capable and equipped to teach your child, no one else is.
How does it work? What structure is there? Do the public schools provide me with what I need?
The beauty of homeschooling is that there is no set way or structure. Each family, or even each child, learns and teaches differently. You can set up a college-type lecture format, or improvise everyday. You can purchase entire curriculum packages that are specialized and accelerate your child on video tape, or you can piece together a series of learning tools using only the public libraries. Homeschooling as defined by the Home School Legal Defense Association requires that a parent teach the child at least 51% of the education they receive; charter schools or public independent study programs are still government education, and are not technically homeschooling. Keep reading this site and other material on homeschooling and form in your own mind how you would like to educate your children.
What would joining CHEFA do for me?
CHEFA provides support to your family, opportunities to fellowship with other homeschoolers, and many other things; we will not teach your children for you.
Do you have any ideas on how I can approach teaching at home? Your approach to teaching will be affected by several factors:
Your child’s learning style The number of children you teach at the same time Their grade level The level of confidence you have as a teacher The amount of money you have to spend on curriculum
Yearly Scheduling: Begin with a proposed school year calendar (remember, this can be changed or adjusted). Public schools schedule 175-180 days, we generally do the same but there is no set number of days for private schools.
Course of Study: What subjects you plan to teach and what curriculum you will use. Your children can give you great ideas here, take advantage of their interest in a subject or hobby.
Daily Schedule: What will your school day look like? What time? Where? Which subject on what day?
Lesson Plans: Written goals for daily or weekly studies. What about social growth?
Who better to learn how to do deal with people and develop socially than by working side-by-side with one's brothers and sisters? This is also part of the reason CHEFA and other support organizations exist, to provide venues for fellowship and growth among similar and non-similarly aged peers.
What about financials? Do I get a tax break? Unfortunately, homeschooling does cost money. However, it does not have to cost a lot. Bargain hunting can keep book and supplies hunting to only a couple hundred dollars for an entire family per year. There are no tax breaks, we are still required to pay our taxes to the public education system; however this is not entirely to waste, as many school districts provide ways for privately educated students to participate in sports or other activities.
Is homeschooling successful? What does the law have to say about homeschooling? Is this legal? The short answer is yes, it is legal. However you should see our page on the legality of home educating.
What is the big picture? Don’t be so concerned with getting to your academic destination that you fail to enjoy fellowship with your Maker and your children.
God has a plan for each of us. His ways and ours sometimes differ, but His way is perfect. It is much more important to pass on to our children a spiritual heritage, rather than letting the world press us to mold our children into its’ image of success.
By His power and under His grace, YOU CAN DO IT!
"May the mind of Christ, my Savior, live in me from day to day, by His love and power controlling all I do and say. May the word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour, so that I may see I triumph only through His power." - Kate B. Wilkinson
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