~ Is homeschooling legal in British Columbia?

-Yes, see BC Laws link to the left.

~ What does a typical day for a homeschooler look like?

- See Day in the Life link to the left.

~ How do parents handle negative reactions from others?

- Prayerfully and with the conviction of well-thought-out reasons delivered with a calm, polite manner.

~ What qualifications do you need to homeschool your child?

- You know your child better than anyone else, and have the greatest level of love, concern and commitment to their success. Dr. Brian Ray, president of the National Home Education Research Institute, states, "The tutorial method has always been the superior method for educating children. Home schooling epitomizes this method, providing the essentials for success - a close relationship between the student and teacher, motivation, flexibility, and individualization." You need time, patience, and the commitment to the responsibility.

~ What about acceptance to higher education institutions?

- Many colleges and universities actively pursue homeschooled students because of their self-motivation, maturity, creativity, and independent thinking skills.

~ Is homeschooling expensive, and do I need any specialized equipment?

- Homeschooling can be done effectively with very little expense, utilizing the public library, the Internet (see our Lesson Subjects pages, for a start), family resources. On the other hand, there is no limit to what you could spend if finances allow. In general, there is no need for much specialized equipment until possibly in the later grade levels, i.e., for science, arts, etc.

~ Do I have to follow the provincial curriculum?

- As a Section 12 registered homeschooler, a child does not have to follow the BC curriculum if you do not wish them to. Other home-based education options, Distributed Learning Programs or Distance Ed., require the PLO's to be followed (among other things - see BCHLA site for a good discussion of options in BC).

~ At what age must I register my child(ren)?

- According to the BC School Act, we're not required to register our children until the age of 6, although you may register them at the age of five.

~ Do I have to pay to register my child as homeschooled?

- No, you do not have to pay any fee for registering as a homeschooler.

~ Where can I register?

-You can register with a local school district, a regional correspondence school, or an independant school anywhere in BC. (See BC Laws link to left for more information.)

~ Do I need to report any academic progress to anyone?

- That will depend which option you have chosen for your home education. If you have registered with a school as a homeschooler, you will have not need of reporting. If you have your child(ren) enrolled in a DLP, you will need to supply examples of work and the certified teacher in charge of the student's educational program must write reports based on the work submitted.

~ I'm removing my child from public school. What can I expect?

- There will be an adjustment period that will vary for each family dependant on ages of the children, time spent in the school system, and family personalities. The parent/teacher will need time to get used to the new routine and role, and the child(ren) will need to adjust to the parent becoming the teacher. You must adjust to having the kids home all day. You will find your philosophy of what learning is and when it takes place will dramatically change. Remember that during this time your child may need some "down time" in which to re-focus and re-gain a love of learning. Spend time at the library researching your child's favourite subjects, do some hands-on learning, take some neat field trips, and let learning take place away from textbooks and desks for a time.

~ This will be my first year in home education. What can I expect?

-First of all, expect not to be perfect. You will most likely find that your "ideal" won't happen. We don't say this to dishearten you, but to be realistic. As you begin your homeschooling journey, you are sure to run into obstacles. Perhaps it will be a curriculum choice that isn't a good one for your family. Perhaps you'll find you need to work on discipline issues with your children. Perhaps you'll need to try several different schedules for your days in order to get one that works well. Look at your first year as a large laboratory in which you are free to experiment for a while.

Educating at home will be different for each family. We all have individual needs, personalities, children, spouses, and physical space. All these things and more will affect what you use to teach (curricula), how you decide to teach (learning and teaching styles), where you decide to teach (in the living room? dining room? somewhere else in the house? or all?), when you decide to teach (family schedule and activities), and even why you decide to teach (personal philosophies or religious beliefs, etc.). You need to remember that there is no one way to homeschool. There are as many ways as there are families who do it. Your family, by doing it, will discover the best way for them.

Expect to spend some money (just how much depends on your own circumstances and ideas). Expect to be looked at differently by family, friends, strangers (but don't expect all the looks to be "bad" looks!). Expect yourself to run the gamut of emotions, from elation and excitement to being discouraged and overwhelmed. Expect some adjustment time if you're taking student's out of public school (see previous question). Expect some adjustment time even if you are starting to homeschool right at kindergarten - a big chunk of your daily schedule will now be used for educating, which means something else inevitably will have to be moved or deleted from your day altogether. Of course, you may or may not run into any of the "pitfalls", but we don't want you to think idealistically that your first year has to be a bed of roses - we want to help you keep your feet on the ground.

Having said that, there are some other things you can expect, too. You can expect that there will be a lot of help within the Prince George Home Educators' Association. (We aren't called a "support group" for nothing!) You can expect to spend the year learning and growing in new and exciting ways. You can expect that your ideas of what "learning" is and when it can take place to be delightfully challenged. You can expect to spend a lot of time in prayer for your homeschool, and to lean on God as hard as you can for guidance and strength. You can expect God to lead you down a path tailor-made for your family. You can expect that there will be days of elation when you see your child grasp something that you taught him. You can expect a level family bonding that may not have been there before, and that even friendships become centered around families rather than individuals.

So what is our advice to you, you ask? Pray about everything you do, see, hear or read. Start your planning with the checklist. Read as many good homeschooling resource books as you can take in without overwhelming yourself (see our Recommended Reading List). Don't feel you need to rush anything the first year. Research different learning styles, home educating styles, and curriculum options. Create a mission statement for your homeschool, and an educational plan for the year, in as detailed a form as you wish. Come out to meetings to glean ideas, ask your questions, peruse various curricula or buy used ones, cry on a shoulder, or share a victory. Connecting with other home educators is vitally important! We are saying this from experience. Not everyone feels the same way that you are beginning to feel about education - it's good and encouraging and refreshing to be connected with like-minded people.

It would be advisable to find a mentor. Your mentor should be someone with at least 3 years of home educating under her belt, someone you are comfortable with, whom you could pray with, whom you could call for help or to field questions (after lesson hours, of course), and someone you can be accountable to. Most people cannot, and we would go so far as to say should not, homeschool in isolation.

Most of all, relax! You will not ruin your kids in one year! Homeschooling mom of 17 years and author Barbara Shelton, says, "A few have told me 'It takes someone special to homeschool!' NO!!! It doesn't!!! It only takes someone willing to let their old ideas die and let God redefine 'education' for them! The fears die a natural death as the mind is renewed!" Let this first year be a season in which God can renew your mind about education. If God has brought you to this place of change, you can be sure that He will see you through. "Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Printer-friendly page