P.O. Box 159, Camden, ME 04843—0159 207-763-2880 homeschl@midcoast.com

HOME Beginners’ Handbook

2019

As long as there have been parents and children, “homeschooling” has been happening. It was only with the emergence of widespread compul-sory public education that this age-old method of instruction was virtu-ally forgotten, but not eradicated.1

Foreign service workers or missionaries who by choice or necessity did not send their children to boarding schools continued the tradition of home education. Children who had illnesses that kept them from attend-ing school were frequently taught at home. And families who lived in the remote areas of Alaska or other isolated regions answered their chil-dren’s educational needs with homeschooling. In the 1970s and ’80s, homeschooling experienced a renaissance as a few parents began to question whether the public education system or exist-ing private schools were right for their individual child. They wondered if they might be able to do a better job.

And what do you know? Parents discovered they could do a great job. They told two friends who told two friends and so on. The modern home-schooling movement was born.

It wasn’t entirely that simple, of course. The early days were rocky.

There were few curriculum suppliers who would sell to homeschoolers.

Homeschooling: The BIG QuestionsIs it legal?

“Because the United States Constitution is the highest law of the land, homeschooling has always been legal in all 50 states,” says Michael Far-ris of Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). “It has been a bit of a fight to get the various members of the education and social ser-vices establishment to accept that fact, but great progress has been made. Currently about two-thirds of the states have specific laws authorizing and regulating homeschooling. In the balance of the states, homeschool-ers may legally operate as a small private school or provide ‘equivalent instruction.’ The details vary considerably from state to state and opin-ions about the law vary from district to district. What does not vary is HSLDA’s commitment to the constitutional right to teach one’s children at home.” I don’t have a teaching degree. Can I really teach my child?

Yes, research and practical experience show that it is dedication and hard work, not special training, that produce outstanding educational results in a homeschool setting. (See Figure 1.)

How do I do it?Where do I find curriculum and materials?There’s an ever-increasing variety of curriculum—from traditional text-books to homeschool-specific curriculum and correspondence courses. Thankfully, experienced homeschool moms have put together review guides, saving newcomers time and frustration. Just two such guides are Mary Pride’s Complete Guide to Getting Started Homeschooling series and Cathy Duffy’s two volume 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curricu-lum: Choosing the Right Curriculum for Your Child.

Start by contacting homeschooling veterans in your local and/or state support group—ask what they have tried, what has or has not worked for them, and why. You need to get to know your child’s learning style. Attend a couple of homeschool seminars and curriculum fairs where you can look at your options firsthand.

How much time does it take?

A lot less than you think. Homeschooled students don’t have to take time to change classes or travel to and from a school, so they can proceed at their own pace. In elementary years especially, parents and children of-ten find that they may only need a few hours to accomplish their work for the day. You’ll be surprised at the subjects that can span grade levels. Certain curricula lend themselves to multi-level teaching. You can design your program so that older children work independently in the morning while you work individually with younger children, and then while younger children take naps in the afternoon, you can have one-on-one time with older students.

What about my child’s special needs?Thousands of families are homeschooling children whose special needs range from Attention Deficit Disorder to severe multiple handicaps. Par-ents often find that when they bring these children home to be educat-ed, they come out of the “deep freeze” that has kept them from making significant progress. Gone are the comparisons, labels, social pressures, and distractions that a regular classroom may bring. Parents can offer their children individualized education, flexibility, encouragement, and support, which may be ideal for children who are learning-disabled, med-ically sensitive, or attention-deficit.

What about socialization & special interests/enrichment activ-ities?Research has found that most homeschooled students are involved in a wide variety of outside activities, interact with a broad spectrum of peo-ple, and make positive contributions to their communities. Experience has shown that homeschoolers are well socialized and able to make last-ing friendships across age and cultural divides.

Article used with permission.

Teachers considered themselves experts. What made these parents think they could teach their own children?

While few states specifically prohibited homeschooling, legislators and school officials acted as if they had. Homeschooling parents faced threats of jail time and having their children removed from their home. Some were arrested. Many were taken to court.

Parents were confronted by concerned neighbors, worried friends, and aghast relatives—all of whom were sure that the homeschooling mom and dad were ruining their children’s lives and dooming them to an un-productive future of illiteracy and isolation.

But those early homeschoolers hung tough. They fought the court battles. They went to the library and crafted their own curricula. And they qui-etly continued teaching, letting their children’s achievement answer the charges of their fiercest critics.

Notes 1Massachusetts passed the first compulsory school attendance law in 1852; by 1918 all states had enacted similar legislation.

Article used with permission.

Homeschooling: Getting Started

Complying With Maine’s Homeschool Statute...It’s Clear and Simple!

By Ed Green, President and Founder of HOME

In May 2003, Governor John Baldacci signed into law a complete overhaul of Maine’s homeschool regulations. Since then, the law has provided clarity and security to homeschooling families throughout Maine. Under the law, those wishing to begin homeschooling a child (who has reached his or her 7th birthday or who has not yet reached his or her 17th birthday) for the first time in Maine must file a written notice of intent within the period of 10 days before and 10 days after the beginning of the child’s home instruction program. This applies to a child removed from school to be ho-meschooled at any point during the school year , or to a child who moved into Maine at any point during the school year. If the child is currently enrolled in a public or private school, it is advisable (though not required) to file the notice of intent—or at least give the school informal notice—before the child is withdrawn. The notice of intent must be filed, simultaneously, with the local school superintendent of your school admin-istrative unit (you can find this address by contacting your town office) and with the Commissioner of Edu-cation at the Maine Department of Education in Au-gusta (find this address on the letter of intent forms). It must include: the full name, signature, and address of the parent or guardian, the full name and age of the student, the date home instruction will or did begin, a statement of assurance that instruction will be pro-vided for at least 175 days annually and will cover the following subjects: English and language arts, math, science, social studies, physical education, health ed-ucation, library skills, fine arts, Maine studies (in at least one grade between grades 6 and 12); and that the student(s) will demonstrate proficiency in the use of the computer (in one grade between grades 7 and 12). a statement of assurance that the parents will submit a year-end assessment. Each subsequent year, by September 1 the family must file a “subsequent year” letter with the commissioner and the school administrative unit. The letter must state whether the student’s home instruction program will continue. It should be signed by the parent or guardian, and include the parent or guardian’s full

name and address, and, of course, the child’s full name. The family must enclose a copy of the previous year’s annual assessment results for the child. Both the one-time notice of intent and the letter each subsequent year should be clear and legible, or you may be inconvenienced by an official contacting you for clarification. The law requires you to keep copies of all items that must be submitted until the homeschool program concludes. (It is advisable to keep them lon-ger). They must be made available to the commissioner upon request. When mailing documents to the school administrative unit or commissioner, we strongly recommend using certified mail, return receipt requested, so you can prove that you sent the required documents if that ever becomes necessary. Carefully file the green postal re-ceipts. (Please note: The State Postal Center in Augusta is the mail service center for State agencies including the Department of Education. Your DOE mail receipt will come from this address, which is 88 State House Station, and will not be signed. This is not the DOE mailing address, however. Please use the DOE mailing address when sending your documents.) The process is as straightforward as that! Please Con-tact HOME if you have further questions or concerns.

Ed and Kathy Green are the parents of four grown daugh-ters who were homeschooled through the 12th grade. After homeschooling their daughters for more than twenty years, Ed and Kathy are now helping with the homeschooling of their grandchildren!

In 1990, Ed and Kathy co-founded Homeschoolers of Maine in an effort to provide information, support and encour-agement to homeschoolers throughout the state. Ed cur-rently serves as the President of Homeschoolers of Maine, and speaks throughout the state on topics and issues related to parental rights and homeschooling. Kathy manages the daily details at the HOME Office. They reside in the town of Hope.

Pre-Trip Planning ChecklistOr: (I feel overwhelmed! Where do I begin?)

organizations that exist to help you. Some sugges-tions include:

Home School Legal Defense Association (540-338-5600, www.hslda.org)

State organizations (www.homeschoolersofmaine.org)

Local support groups (check with your state orga-nization for local groups)

Specialized support groups, such as those for fam-ilies of special needs children (www.NATHHAN.com, for example, or those based on particular in-terests such as sports, 4-H, etc).

Set Goals

Why are you homeschooling? What is your idea of an education? What would you be doing if nobody told you that your 5-year-old had to leave home?Determine where your child is academically, spir-itually, physically, emotionally and socially; this is your starting point.

Set measurable, attainable goals for each child. Dis-cuss with your spouse (and your child, if appropri-ate) how these objectives fit into the “big picture” of his future.

Set personal and family goals.

Evaluate activities and curriculum against goals.

Choose Curriculum

By definition, your curriculum is your “course of study”—your road map on this journey!

Look through catalogs, magazines, curriculum guides, and books.

Talk to other homeschoolers about what worked for them and why, as well as what didn’t work and why.

Good planning is the key to any successful road trip; this checklist will give you a basic overview as you prepare for this homeschool journey!

Research Homeschooling

Read all you can about home education. Consider subscribing to homeschooling publica-tions.

Attend a state convention (or obtain tapes from the workshops, if this is a mid-year decision).

Read, read, read.

Attend a how-to-get-started seminar in your area, if available.

Check out home education web sites on the Internet (see resource list for a starting point).

Attend a local support group meeting and ask lots of questions-other parents often love to talk about home schooling! Most importantly, talk to other ho-meschoolers to find out what they do, how and why.And read, read, read!

Research Your State’s Homeschool Law

It is legal to homeschool! Basically, you should:Familiarize yourself with the statutes of your state code which regulate home education, if applicable.Be aware of any deadlines you must meet.

Keep copies of any paperwork you send, and it’s a good idea to mail everything certified, return-receipt requested. Be sure that any paperwork you submit is free of spelling or grammatical errors (and cof-fee stains!). If you hand deliver, take a receipt to be signed (“I have received Mrs. ___’s homeschool pa-perwork.”)

Join Support Organizations

You don’t have to make this trip alone! Consider membership in any of the national, state, and local

Attend state convention workshops and exhibit halls, as well as local curriculum fairs.

Go to used book sales and used curriculum shops.

Evaluate your child’s learning styles.

Decide which methods seem to fit your family best at this point in time (you may overlap—methods are not mutually exclusive!).

Keep evaluating all your choices against those goals you have set for your family and for each child.

Purchase Supplies

Homeschool resource books

Basic home reference materials

Filing or organizational supplies to keep your pa-perwork in order

Bookshelves and/or storage cabinets—designate “a place for everything”

Other necessary items as specified in your curricu-lum

School supplies such as paper, pencils, pencil sharp-ener, rulers, pens, notebooks of some sort, and the proverbial red pen!

Establish a Schedule

Decide on your school year, keeping in mind any le-gal requirements in your state. For example, we ho-meschool for eight weeks on, one week off, August through June, taking a four-week break in Decem-ber and again in July. My reasoning is that I can do anything for eight weeks at a time, and then I have a week to regroup for the next session! Taking only one month off in summer keeps the girls on their toes academically.

Have at least a framework for academic and charac-ter progress during the year.

Have a family chore schedule in place, or a plan to keep the house manageable.

Write out daily/weekly plans so you know that your expectations are realistic!

Consider starting each day with a short family de-votional time.

“ED’ U CATE, v.t. [L. educo, educare; e and duco, to lead; It. Educare: Sp. Educar] To bring up, as a child; to instruct; to inform and enlighten the understanding; to instill into the mind principles of arts, science, morals, religion and behavior. To educate children well is one of the most important duties of parents and guardians.

ED U CA’ TION, n. [[L. educatio] The bringing up, as of a child; instruction; formation of man-ners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts, and science is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense re-sponsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.”

(Noah Webster in First Edition of an American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828)

“And these words which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”

(Deuteronomy 6:6-7, NASB)

Article used with permission.

What Curriculum Should You Use?When you hear the word curriculum, you probably think of books.

While your curriculum will most likely include quite a few books, curriculum is simply a course of study (from the French courir: to run). There is no such thing as The One, Perfect Curriculum, but some approaches and materials will be a better fit for your child than others. (This can even vary from child to child within one fam-ily!)

“What curriculum should I use?” is the same as asking, “How do I get there?” on this homeschooling journey. What you are really asking for is a road map to success-ful home education.

If I asked you for directions, what’s the first thing you’d probably want to know? Right—you’d want to know where I was trying to go, and from where I was starting. To get somewhere, I need to know my starting point and my destination, so I can determine the best course to get me there. Let’s walk through those same steps to help you make an informed decision about your course and your materials.

1. Where is my child now (figuratively speaking) and where do I want him to be next year? Five years from now?

2. Why am I homeschooling? Once you determined where you are going, will you take the “shortcut” or the “scenic route”? Are you catching up or are you leisurely learning? This will influence your curriculum choices.

3. Set goals: For what am I preparing my child? What relationships, skills, or content knowledge do I need to

cultivate in him? Goals should be measurable and at-tainable.

4. Understand differences in worldviews. You have a worldview, and the publisher and author of the mate-rials you use have a worldview. Are they similar, or will you spend a lot of time “correcting” the values present-ed? This is especially important when training our little ones; for older students, this can be a timely opportuni-ty to discuss differing views.

5. Research the various approaches. This is your “mode of transportation” in the home education journey. Be-low is a basic listing of the most common approach-es. One particular approach may be a great fit for your family or you may find that an eclectic approach—mix-ing and matching or combining from several different approaches—may help you incorporate the ideal mate-rials for your student’s learning style. There is not one “right” way to homeschool!

Common Learning Approaches

TraditionalClassical (includes Principle Approach)Living BooksUnit StudiesRelaxed/Unschooling

6. Alternative routes and detours can be helpful. Have you ever gotten behind the “Follow Me” truck in a construction zone? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a lead vehicle when you’re homeschooling? Some of us need to start the drive with some assistance or a “lead car” like the Follow-Me truck in the construction zone. This is especially true if you are beginning homeschooling

Home education has constantly grown over the last two de-cades. The growth rate is 7% - 15% per year, according to Dr.

Brian Ray, president of the National Home Education Research Institute.

Worldwide Guide to Homeschooling

mid-year or “all of a sudden” and you wish you’d had more time to plan a course, but you didn’t. You might choose a simple course to get you “on the road” while researching your options for adjustments for later in the year or next year.

For example, you could just select a language program and a math program (for example, Learning Language Arts through Literature combined with Saxon math) and add living books from the library for science, his-tory, etc.

Or you could select from the many prepackaged cur-ricula available, especially helpful for the first year, such as:

Christian Liberty Academy BJU Press HomeschoolAlpha Omega has paper-based LifePacs or their CD-ROM-based Switched-On Schoolhouse that can be done independently or as correspondence courses.ABeka correspondence or prepackagedSonlight prepackagedCalvertChristian LightSchool of Tomorrow (Formerly ACE)My Father’s WorldOther various pre-packaged materials, or correspon-dence or online academies

Use such a program exclusively or select subjects to use. The next year, you may choose to branch out from there, or continue the program for the entire homes-chool journey.

Be prepared for detours and alternative routes. Once, I was coming home from Pittsburgh for at least the sixth time in a few months and suddenly found myself in unfamiliar surroundings. I called my husband at work (collect!) and asked, “If I’m on Skyline Drive, have I missed a turn?” He sighed knowingly and got a map to help me figure an alternative route to get back on track.You may make adjustments along the way to get back on your homeschooling track—or you may simply decide to revise your destination. Changing course to reach your desired goal is not failure!

7. How much will all this cost? Homeschooling costs more than public school, but less than private school. That may sound pretty non-committal, but the average

of $500 a year can sound like a burden or a relief, de-pending on your previous education experience! Some expenses you’ll want to consider include:

Curriculum (most likely your greatest expense)Testing feesHome librarySchool suppliesExtracurricular activities/lessonsProfessional membershipsState convention

8. Where do I find materials?

Curriculum fairsState homeschool conventionsBook storesCatalogsInternet (search for the subject + homeschool curric-ulum)Used curriculum shopsSupport group swaps/other homeschoolers

Before you buy, ask yourself:How much time do I have?How much money do I have?Are there good books on this subject that I could buy with the money?How much structure do I want/need?Does this material convey my values?Does it encourage my children in the goals we’ve set?Is the material a good “fit” for my child?

Not only does homeschooling give you greater oppor-tunity to encourage your child to achieve his academic potential, but it can give you time and growth in char-acter development and life skills.

Article used with permission.

HOME’s Regional Contacts

Region 1: Aroostook & Penobscot Counties Regional Reps - John & Sharon Bulley (207) 538-1377 - Houlton, ME jsbulley@pwless.net Region 2: Hancock & Washington Counties Regional Reps. - John & Sharon Bosley (207) 546-7766 - Millbridge, ME coastalwork@juno.com Region 3: Knox, Lincoln & Waldo Counties Regional Reps. - Jacob & Trish Hutchins (207) 338-9299 - Swanville, ME trishhutchins@gmail.com Region 4: Kennebec, Androscoggin & Sagadahoc Counties Regional Reps. - Robert & Amy Decker (207) 737-8885 - Bowdoinham, ME stampinamy@myfairpoint.net Region 5: Piscataqua, Somerset & Franklin CountiesRegional Reps. - Sam & Melissa McKeen (207) 277-5230 - Cambridge, ME melcmckeen@gmail.com

Region 6: Oxford, Cumberland & York CountiesRegional Reps. - Daryl & Michelle Collomy (207) 423-6783 - Hiram, ME room4more29@gmail.com

HOME Regional Rep Coordinators Chuck and Carolyn Simonds (207) 752 - 2577 - Kittery, ME ccllsls@aol.com

HOME Regional Representatives are veteran homeschoolers who bring the ministry of HOME closer to homes-chooling families in every area of the state. Regional Reps provide a HOME presence within their region that is

informative and encouraging. They are often the first friendly voice for a new homeschooling family.

Support HOME With a Portfolio EvaluationVisit the HOME Website for More Information!

Maine law requires homeschoolers who have filed letters of intent to homeschool to submit the results of assessments, annually, to both the local superintendent’s office and the Maine Department of Education in

Augusta at the end of each school year, no later than September 1.

Throughout the summer months, Homeschoolers of Maine (HOME) provides a convenient method for annual assessment, which fulfills the requirements of our homeschool statute. Portfolio reviews through HOME are

easy, inexpensive, and require a minimal amount of preparation for the homeschooling parent. By participating in a portfolio review through HOME, you will also be supporting your state homeschool organization!

To learn more about the portfolio review process and how to prepare a portfolio for review, visit the HOME website at https://www.homeschoolersofmaine.org/events/home-portfolio-evaluations/.

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Homeschoolers of Maine’s Schedule of Events 2019

New & veteran homeschoolers alike…Stay informed and encouraged through HOME sponsored workshops, field trips, annual events, book sales and more!

HOME’s Upcoming Events:

Annual HOME Convention March 21--23, 2019

Inventory Clearance Sale March 21--23, 2019

HOME Graduation Ceremony March 23, 2019

Used Curriculum Sale & Expo May 18, 2019

Homeschool Day at the Capitol May 22, 2019

Barnes & Noble and Homeschool Mini Conference August, 2019

New England Heritage Days October 2019

Please visit the HOME website for all details and information regarding the upcoming events listed above at www.homeschoolersof-maine.org.

More events will be added throughout the year! Check our website for the latest.

Join HOME Today!

15 Reasons to Support Your State Homeschool Organization

Homeschoolers of Maine (HOME)...

• helps families get started in homeschooling year round.• provides telephone counseling to help homeschoolers year round.• is a non-profit, 501C-3 ministry-based organization run by a volunteer board of directors and trained

leadership teams.• is a reliable, knowledgeable and accurate source of information regarding homeschooling in Maine.• provides up-to-the minute news and articles of interest via printed resources, mailings, email updates,

website, facebook and twitter.• stays up to date on issues affecting homeschooling in our state.• maintains a liaison with state elected officials, and constantly works to preserve and protect homes-

chooling in Maine.• maintains a network of HOME Representatives throughout the state to provide guidance and support

to new and veteran homeschoolers.• organizes many events and field trips throughout the year to encourage and equip homeschoolers.• conducts portfolio reviews.• holds an annual convention.• holds an annual used curriculum sale.• holds an annual high school graduation ceremony.• reinvests all monies earned back into homeschooling in Maine.• has fought the good fight for homeschooling rights for nearly 30 years.

Thank you for your support!

HOME is Families Helping Families. Please join us to help with our mission. You will receive great benefits, too! These benefits are our way of saying “thank you” for your support.

Name:______________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________

City:________________________________State:____________

Zip:_____________________

Phone:(____)______________Email_______________________

Membership Level:______________________________________

Amount enclosed: _______________________________________

Send to: HOME, PO Box 159, Camden, ME 04843-0159

Find out more at our website at https://www.homeschoolersofmaine.org/join/

You can become a Family Helping Families in one of five ways:

□ HOME Affiliate Families—Free!

□ HOME Subscriber Families - $10 to $24/year donation □ HOME Friends of Families – $25 to $99/year

□ HOME Founding Families - $100 to $499/year

□ HOME VIP Families - $500 to $1000/year

□ HOME Lifetime Families - $1000

Visit our website for a description of benefits at each level.