FAQ

1. What do I have to do if I want to homeschool?

Legally speaking, start with your declaration of intent, which you can find and fill out here. Print and save it as a pdf after submission. You can use this for teacher discounts and even some businesses accept its use for discounts. You can find all of the legal requirements here at the HSLDA site or here at the official GA DOE website.

From the admin: The other thing you want to do is sit (with your spouse) and discuss what your goal is for homeschooling. Write down these goals and keep them readily accessible. When opportunities come up, reflect on those goals before jumping at everything that comes your way. 

2. When should I start homeschooling my child?

Legally, homeschooling would begin from age 6. For more information on that and other general homeschooling topics, check out the HSLDA site here. 

From the admin: Don't rush to begin homeschooling. Enjoy the time with them while remembering that play is learning and connection creates a solid foundation for later learning.

3. What is the best curriculum for....

The best curriculum is the one that works for your family. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, not even within a single family. 

Don't be afraid to drop a curriculum that isn't working (or has stopped working). It's better in the long run than wasting your, and your child's, time.

From the admin: Remember that goals list that you created earlier (see above), this is one of the places to reflect on it. Ask yourself:

• Does this curriculum align with my goals and values?

• Will using this curriculum move us away from our end goal?

• Does this curriculum fit in our budget? Is it sustainable to continue to purchase or will it only be in-budget for a short period?

• Does this curriculum fit my child(ren)'s learning style(s)?

• Does this curriculum fit my teaching abilities or will I burnout trying to use it?

4. How do I homeschool kids of various ages?

This is obviously more challenging for certain circumstances (such as having a toddler around and wide age gaps), but generally speaking, you'd have to plan things that can be done together (such as learning about a topic) and then break down the school work part based on what level each child is on.

For example, learning about a continent with kids aged 5, 12, 16 could look like: borrowing books of various levels including historical fictions, picture books, and informational texts, listening to an audiobook or podcast episode together (or with just the older two if the younger one may not enjoy), and expecting a presentation from each. The presentations could be varied in expectation, for eg the 5 yo will have a simple presentation giving facts about climate and animals, while the 12 yo will have a Google Slides presentation that is more in-depth, and the 16 yo will maybe also include some foods that were made together from the continent.

Subjects such as math, will obviously not work well in a varied levels setting, but even children of the same exact age end up with varied abilities and benefit better when given the opportunity to move at their own pace.

5. How can I fulfill the standardized testing qualification?

There are various companies that you can use to fulfill this qualification. 

The two we've tried and enjoyed are the PASS Test and Homeschool Boss. They're easy to take at home and are not stressful on the kiddos. The PASS test is a paper test and Homeschool Boss is online. 

No matter the test you choose, be sure that it satisfies the GA state qualifications, which should be answered on the company's FAQ page or you can reach out to them and ask. 

6. More questions to come insha'Allah.