How to Homeschool Your Child

Leslie Nathaniel: Hello! I am Leslie Nathaniel.

Celeste Land: And I am Celeste Land. We are both members of the Board of Directors for the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers.

Leslie Nathaniel: We are here to show you how to homeschool your child. I'll begin by discussing what homeschooling is, and why some families should choose to educate their children at home.

Celeste Land: Then, I'll discuss the legal requirements for homeschooling your children, and where you can find information regarding the State you're living.

Leslie Nathaniel: Next, I'll show you how to turn your home into a learning environment with or without a formal classroom. Then, I'll discuss how to choose an appropriate curriculum for your children. I'll also discuss the importance of socialization and how to find other homeschool families in your area. Then I'll provide tips on finding resources outside the home. As a final wrap up, I'll also show you some ideas on educating yourself about homeschooling, so you can get off to a good start.

Celeste Land: Next, I'll provide tips for homeschooling special needs children of all ages. Then, I'll discuss things to consider before starting a high school homeschool curriculum, as well as finding resources to support your student. Then I'll discuss how to homeschool very young children and how to survive the preschool pressure. Then I'll provide great tips for working parents, so they too can homeschool their children.

Leslie Nathaniel: You don't need much to get started. You should have an understanding of the homeschool laws in your state, a sense of enthusiasm and a few good resources, access to a homeschool support group can also be of big help. Homeschooling can provide a customized high quality education that suits the needs, goals, and interest of your child and family. Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, and all sorts of families find homeschooling as a comfortable enjoyable way to educate their children.

Celeste Land: Before we begin, let me tell you a little about the Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers. We are a volunteer-run non-profit organization, dedicated solely to homeschooling issues. I am a member of Board of Directors for Virginia Homeschoolers, and the director of the Government Affairs Department.

My two children began homeschooling in 1996 and are continuing to learn at home right through the teen years. I love that we have a homeschooling interest here in Virginia and Washington, DC for ten years. My articles on homeschooling have been published in the Virginia Homeschoolers Voice, and Virginia Homeschoolers website, as well as several homeschooling magazines in the USA and Canada. I have also been a speaker at many homeschooling seminars and conferences.

Leslie Nathaniel: I have been a member of the organization of Virginia Homeschoolers since we began homeschooling, and I am now a member of the Board of Directors. My children began learning at home as soon as they were born, but we became official homeschoolers when my eldest reached kindergarten age in 2002. I am a homeschooling mother of two, as a volunteer for Virginia Homeschoolers, I answer telephone and email requests for information, write articles for the Virginia Homeschoolers Journal Voice, speak at conferences and seminars on a variety of topics, and organize homeschooling seminars around the state of Virginia. In our next segment, I'll talk about what homeschooling is and some of the reasons why families choose to educate their children at home. Let's get ready to experience life, experience learning, homeschool.