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New and veteran homeschoolers alike can be overwhelmed this time of year. Here are six steps to getting your homeschool up and running without pulling out your hair!

1. Find out the requirements for homeschooling in your state. Homeschool Legal Defense Association keeps updated information for each state.

2. Know your child’s learning style. Armed with this information you will make the right curriculum choices and teach the way your child learns. Find out your child’s learning style, it goes way beyond simply auditory, visual, and kinesthetic.

3. Choose a homeschooling method. Forums, blogs, and websites focusing on your homeschooling method are great places to find ideas and encouragement. Do a Google search using these keywords: Charlotte Mason homeschool, ecletic homeschool, unschooling, unit study, textbook homeschooling, Moore Formula, classical homeschooling, and principle approach homeschooling.

4. Plan a course of study. You don’t have to get too carried away (unless you want to). Ask your children what they want to learn – even if you plan to use a textbook publisher. They will be motivated to get through their algebra text when they can work on their rocket project as part of school! Write a list of the subjects and materials you want to use. This makes ordering curriculum a snap!

5. Make a schedule. Start with a schedule but be flexible. Don’t let your schedule be your dictator. It’s a guide to keep you on track. The Donna Young website has an extensive listing of FREE forms and schedules!

6. Begin. Start with just one subject. Then, add a subject each week. This way everyone eases into a routine. I start each year this way and I know I have avoided a few gray hairs!

About the Author
Jena Names created www.custom-homeschool-curriculum.com to give parents tools and advice for choosing the right homeschool curriculum. Here you can customize a homeschool curriculum in three easy steps.