Common Questions
How will my kids get a physical education if they are home schooled?
Homeschool co-ops are a great place to get physical education as most of these groups have a P.E. class. Other ways are extra-curricular activities through private pay - like dance, karate, sports, etc. Homeschoolers are also welcome to participate in both private and public schools in the sports and arts programs. Lastly, just doing your own exercise and P.E. activities count as physical education as well. Even on rainy days, there are various exercise games and programs for kids on gaming systems and you tube.
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Is there anything new homeschool parents should avoid or be aware of?
Know your state's homeschool laws. It is important to be sure that you are staying in compliance: Homeschool Law - Washington Homeschool Organization (washhomeschool.org)
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I also recommend:
Homeschool Legal Defense (just in case): HSLDA - Making homeschooling possible
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Do you have any experience with homeschool co-op groups?
Yes, I have a lot of experience with homeschool support groups. I attended and taught at support groups for about the last 15 years. The last 5 of those years, I was co-director of the Shelton LEAF Co-op group which consisted of about 15 families and 50 plus students. We had enrichment classes for ages preschool through high school and met once a week. If you are thinking of starting a homeschool co-op and would like help or ideas, please let me know.
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What are your thoughts about homeschool support groups?
Finding the right homeschool co-op group for your family is a huge asset to your homeschooling. There are various types of groups out there to choose from based on your family's interests and needs. Some are more academic, some are more enrichment classes and some are just field trip groups.
Our family preferred the enrichment style in which there were various co-op classes like P.E., art, science, history, cooking etc in which the children could have a fun class learning with peers that would be something more relaxed and fun than their normal curriculum studies.
These groups also provide a time of encouragement and enrichment for the parents as well as they gain ideas and support from interacting and making friends with other homeschool parents. Lastly, they provide a huge social aspect for the students that help them develop their social skills in a fun and safe environment.
Where to find homeschool co-op groups in your area?
A good place to start is on washhomeschool.org as various homeschool groups are listed there with contact information. Another avenue is to see if there are any local Facebook homeschool groups in your area. Lastly, just ask other homeschool families and churches in the area?
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How important is standardized testing?
Standardized testing has some benefits; however, you need to keep in mind that a test presented in a particular learning style will often not judge a student's abilities in that subject accurately. There are sixteen different learning styles and a standardized test does not always match your child's learning style.
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These tests are often multiple choice and often timed. Students can do way better than expected in a subject just because it was a multiple choice format....for example, my 2nd grader had severe dyslexia and could not spell hardly at all. She graded at a 7th grade level on the spelling of a standardized test just with her educated guesses of how the words looked and picking the correct multiple choice answers.
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You can also have the reverse, where a child may have scored much better, but had test anxiety or simply ran out of time or didn't understand the wording of the questions. However, taking the test once in a while and observing what questions in the subject areas your child is consistently missing will help you as a teacher know if you are missing something in your teaching or need to go back and review some concepts taught in previous years.
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An option in Washington is the non-test assessment, which I offer, if you are not convinced that a standardized testing is right for your child. If you do want standardized testing, I suggest the Stanford 10 online as it is completely online and it is not timed.
Stanford 10 Online - Standardized Test - Seton Testing Services
