Homeschool Info Session Recap

I am so thankful for the wonderful ladies and gentleman who sat on our homeschool panel! I obviously should've planned for more time since the librarians at Chinn were not-so-gently telling us that we didn't have to go home, but we couldn't stay THERE at closing time! Thank you also to all of you that came out! I hope that the info session was helpful.  Here's what I have for you.

1) If you want to homeschool, you have to submit a Notice of Intent to Prince William County by August 15th.  This is NOT a dissertation, just a very basic list of subjects you will teach and how you are filing. You can find all the county information on homeschooling HERE.

2) You can do this.  Nobody loves your kids more than you. Know why you're doing it, how you are doing it, and then just do it.  Go team. #Awesome.  Sparkles, Unicorns, etc.

3) Some days will suck.  Hard.  Keep going.  You can do this.

4) Co-ops are awesome, or, you don't need a co-op.  Your choice.

5) Some co-ops include:
Homeschool Melting Pot
Woodbridge Eclectic Homeschool Co-op navygirlsunshine(at)yahoo(dot)com
Several others are closed, but if you'd like to add yours just email me!

Then I polled the audience!!

1) What's your favorite curriculum?
MATH:
Right Start Math
Teaching Textbooks- Math
Singapore Math
Math on Level
LANGUAGE ARTS:
Peace Hill Press Language Arts
Easy Grammar
Explode the Code
Handwriting Without Tears
Prarie Primer
Brave Writer
Reading Eggs (Online)
FULL CURRICULUM:
Tapestry of Grace
Abeka
Spectrum Workbooks
Sonlight
HISTORY:
Story of the World
LATIN:
Getting Started With Latin
 SCIENCE:
Answers in Genesis (with stars around it)
Apologia
(I can tell you right now I both love and hate several of these! The beauty is that you can pick what you like!!)

2) What's your favorite Group? (Online or Real)
Homeschool Melting Pot (Facebook)
VA Eclectic Homeschoolers (Yahoo)
NOVA Unschoolers (Yahoo)
Classical Conversations (which I personally only recommend on a director-by-director basis)
The Well Trained Mind Online Group
VA Homeschoolers
Woodbridge Eclectic Homeschool Coop

3) Favorite Homeschool Classes
Homeschool PE at the Freedom Center
Woodbrdige Eclectic Homeschool Coop
Homeschool Soccer at Courage Sports Woodbridge
Homeschool Band
Homeschool Theatre
Mr. Dunn's HS Interactive Computer Classes
Cub Scout Pack 1189
Edgemoor Art Studio
Homeschool Swimming at Chinn

4) What's your favorite "Have To Share"?
*Know WHY you have chosen to homeschool
*RELAX and enjoy the ride!
*Do NOT try to recreate the classroom at home!
*Get outside! More field trips!
*Know why you homeschool.  Enjoy it! Be flexible.
*Use the library as much as possible
*USED curriculum!
*It's not as complicated as you think it is.
*Enchantedlearning.com, the dollar store is great and everything is a buck!
*Keep Breathing :)
*Enjoy the time you are spending with your children because it'll fly before you know it!
*Take it one day at a time!

I think that I'm going to schedule another meetup for homeschoolers and those considering for June- would you be interested? I'm thinking this would be a "featured homeschool parent" who would talk and take questions, and then some breakout groups for more one on one discussion and Q&A.  Let me know if you'd like to come and what you'd like to see discussed!