Help with homeschooling?

Question by : Help with homeschooling?
I have been home schooling the last few months, and I need help. I am not in any programs, i have just been reading books and taking notes, i am in 8th grade, and i need a website with tests and quizzes, i also need help finding good geography, history and creative writing workbooks. I should be doing advances history and geography and beginners creative writing…thanks

Best answer:

Answer by Story
Hello,

I am homeschooled as well, and I think the first step is to consult your parents/grandparents/guardians or whoever is teaching you.
But then again homeschooling is pretty independent, especially in the later grades. Reading books is a great way to start your homeschool education, especially if you keep a variety of readings tastes. There are really books out there about nearly everything, so go to the library and look for everything from science books to history books. Readings historical fiction books is always a great thing to do.
A website with tests and quizzes, eh? Is this for a requirement? If not, talk to your parents/guardians etc about what they require you to do as far as tests. As long as you and your
“teacher” feel you have a firm grasp on what you’re learning, I don’t think tests are absolutely necessary.
Then again, it is good to practice good test-taking skills for college, so here are some suggestions. You can take quizzes on books on sparknotes.com, as well as several other literature websites. But to get a wide selection of tests for all subjects, I would strongly recommend joining a co-op or something similar. It depends on where you live of course, but there seem to be a lot of great resources for homeschoolers like Home Instruction programs and co-ops.
Also, below are some homeschool resource websites where you can get great curricula for school.

http://www.hslda.org/

http://simplycharlottemason.com/

http://www.homeschool.com/

As a homeschooler, my favorite curricula are:

Math-U-See mathematics- Clear, comprehensive lessons to all types of math. Saxon Math is the other popular one in the homeschool community.

Apologia Science- This is such an interesting and engaging series of science books. They cover everything from chemistry to botany and physics to astronomy.

Institute for Excellence In Writing- This is THE BEST writing curriculum out there. They have so many great materials. If you are looking into Creative Writing, I would highly recommend using their writing method. It’s amazing.

Excellence in Literature- This course is a division of the Institute for Excellence in Writing. It is a great course for both American and British literature, as is a similar book by this publisher, “Windows on the World”, a literary analysis course.

Simply Charlotte Mason- This is less of a curriculum and more of a method. Look at the website above to explore a vast universe of resources. There are great geography and science resources there.

A Beka Books- I am not overly fond of A Beka, but it is definitely a favorite in the homeschool world. They will be great if you prefer a text book style of learning. There are great books on geography and history provided by A Beka.

Bob Jones Curriculum- Bob Jones, in spite of being a rather boring name, has a wide variety of text books to offer.

Online classes are also a good option, and probably your best bet for a creative writing class. Creative Writing is probably my speciality, but I’m afraid I don’t have any recommendations for curricula, because I take freestyle creative writing at our local co-op. I really enjoy it though, and would encourage you to pursue some creative writing it possible!

Well, these are but a few ideas from the top of my head. My biggest advice to you is to become very connected with the gigantic homeschool community. You mentioned that you are not in any programs, and I would recommend becoming part of a co-op soon if possible. Often times homeschoolers function well on their own, but I find homeschool fellowship to be one of the most helpful and encouraging things to the homeschooler.

Also, some more advice is to not take tests, text books, and grades too seriously. After growing up with four homeschooled siblings, I’ve realized that learning at your own pace in your own style is by far the most beneficial way.

Well, congratulations on homeschooling, and thanks for bringing up this question! I hope you enjoy homeschooling as much as I do!

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