There could be a hundred and one reasons why you’re here. In the end, it’s all about the children…
Whether you have always thought you would homeschool or you were thrown into it with little other choice or anywhere in between – this is a place for us to meet, greet and support one another. Although the primary goal is Long Island Homeschool and Home Education, there might be some areas of national interest and some off topic articles for discussion. This board is provided as an opportunity for the homeschoolers of New York and Long Island to use as a venue in sustaining their community – a gathering around a common goal.
Home Education is legal in every state of the US, although each state has their own set of laws, regulations or constitutionality behind how involved the state is with your homeschooling. There are many sites that list state by state information but that is not the purpose of this site. We do, however, have information on New York State Home Education Regulations.
The first rule of thumb when considering home educating, is to know that no matter what your circumstances, with some ingenuity, almost every one can home school their children. You do not need permission, a teaching degree, or have to hire a tutor unless you choose to do so. If your child is having issues that make your worry for their state of mental health, then remember you can pull your child out today and you still have 10 days to get your paperwork in order. You can take control of your child’s education and do what’s best for them. Nothing can beat one on one teaching modified to the child’s learning style. Children do better academically by home schooling.
Once you decide to homeschool, the two best things you can do for yourself and your child(ten) is:
- Give your child some time to “deschool.”
- Learn the NYS Home Education Regulations as best as you can. Never stop learning them throughout your homeschool years.
In reference to the first item, this means you are going to resist the urge to feel like you have to be doing something every second of their ‘school’ time. I’m going to let you in on a little secret… after working with hundreds of children over my decade+ of home schooling I can emphatically say that children will learn at their own pace and method no matter how many rewards and punishments you dole out. The trick is to learn how each child learns, which is done more easily in a home school setting.
Of course there are some classes you will take with other homeschoolers since it’s fun to learn certain subjects in groups and have time to play and hang out together when the workshop is over.
If you’re well entrenched in the system of school or have always sought out alternative education, leaving the system may or may not present challenges for you and your family. It’s normal to feel nervous and afraid of what homeschooling entails; mostly parents worry they are not doing the best for their child since they are not a qualified teacher.
There are many resources that parents can use in the grades that might be too hard to teach and there are online classes for children of all ages. You don’t have to go it alone. Additionally, there is a thriving Homeschool Community in New York and on Long Island – and has been long before the digital age.
There’s one last thing I’d like to tell new homeschoolers, and I can’t say this loudly enough – It is your LEGAL right to homeschool in New York so do not feel bullied into buying a legal service to support that right. There are no lawyers that are certified in any of the legal groups that tout themselves as homeschool legal proponents and most of what they do can be done by support groups.
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