| Description: | Homeschooling can be a bit of a mystery if you're new to the topic. In this course, we'll start at the beginning, delving into the history of homeschooling and examining its status today in all 50 states. You'll see how to find the laws and regulations that govern your community--and you might be surprised to learn that homeschooling is legal and growing all around you. As you discover what you need to know to homeschool your children, you'll also become familiar with the terminology the homeschool community uses. To ensure you're well prepared to meet your children's needs, we'll discuss learning styles and how they affect homeschooling. You'll learn how to take your children out of school and make their transition to homeschooling both fun and effective. We'll talk about children that need extra attention, both special needs and gifted, and a variety of types of homeschooling so you can choose the one that best fits your family's lifestyle. You'll see how homeschooling gives you the opportunity to socialize your children as well as build long-lasting and productive relationships with peers and adults. We'll also explore homeschool support groups, which provide resources for teaching your children and can be a source of friends, emotional support, and lots of fun activities with like-minded families. You'll also find out how homeschooling gives you unique opportunities to teach valuable life skills. From manners to money management, you can be sure your children master subjects that don't make it into most textbooks. We'll also talk about full-time homeschooling for travelers and how it can fit into their adventurous lives. When you finish this course, you'll have lots of information and guidance to plot your homeschooling course for years to come! Requirements: Internet access, e-mail, the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser, and the Adobe Flash and PDF plug-ins (two free and simple downloads you obtain at http://www.adobe.com/downloads by clicking Get Adobe Flash Player and Get Adobe Reader). |
