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What Would You Put in a Homeschooling Starter Kit?

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What Should Go in a Homeschooling Starter Kit?
By Heather Sanders

Last week, in a conversation with a fellow homeschooling parent, I was asked what I would want in a homeschooling starter kit if I were beginning my homeschooling adventure again.

It seems like an easy question to answer, but when I opened up my mouth nothing came out because how we homeschool now and how we homeschooled then is so entirely different. I’m not sure we began the way we needed to (Does anyone?), and I’m almost positive that the discovery process along our journey was as important as getting to where we are now. So, maybe I don’t have an answer because I realize how individualized homeschooling is for each family and creating a kit that fits everyone seems as impossible as nonsensical.

And maybe not.
I like to play devil’s advocate, you see.

Maybe I’m overthinking things because a kit could be as simple as a few articles, a book, some supplies, and what else?

I’m thinking; I’m thinking.

I decided that recording ideas for a homeschooling starter kit would make for a great post for two reasons. First, it will provide a resource for those who come and read. Second, it gives each of us an opportunity to consider where we’ve been, where we are, and what tools helped us along the way.

There are many different approaches to homeschooling; so, I think it is helpful to clarify where my family fits in that spectrum before detailing what I’d want in a starter kit. We took a more eclectic approach with a bend toward the classical–primarily because until this year, our curriculum was literature intensive. We prefer a curriculum set to a calendar–especially me because I work from home and homeschooling cannot rule the day.

Heather’s Ideas for a Homeschooling Starter Kit

1. A Download Detailing Homeschooling Styles and Approaches

Some of us have the advantage of entering the homeschooling world with someone to hold our hand, but that isn’t the case for all of us; it certainly was not the case for me. A download providing a quick overview (paragraph or so) of each of the different styles or approaches is a must read for anyone considering homeschooling. Knowing what is available is the first step to determining what direction we want to take, right?

While I do not mind downloads that include links to online articles, I find that the dynamic aspects of the web can render links useless (websites disappear, and URLs frequently get altered without appropriate redirects). So, if linking is a must, whoever produces the download should frequently check each link’s validity. Better yet, and this would be my preference, simply provide a download where each approach gets represented respectfully and without bias.

2. A Homeschooling Calendar

Here’s the thing: I love paper, but these days I lean heavily on online calendars for many reasons–first and foremost, the simplicity when making changes that span weeks and months. “Oops! I forgot that field trip, now I need to erase/reschedule 121 days or make the kids do school on a Saturday.”

Errm…no.

I do not want to take the time, nor do I have the space, to maintain the beautiful, elaborate daily and weekly binders of my earlier years. So, why is a homeschool calendar still on the list? Because once a paper addict, always a paper addict and there is something unexplainably appealing about organizing and maintaining a homeschool calendar.

Personally, I prefer the somewhat minimalist style of Tsh Oxenreider’s Simple Homeschool Planner download. Although, for high school planning, I have two pre-printed, spiral-bound copies of The Well Planned Day High School 4-Year Plan calendar (for the girls–Kenny is still in middle school). The design is a bit busy for my taste, but it also includes checklists and reminders to stay on top of any important milestones.

3. A 30-Day “What-to-expect” Timeline

A while back, when on the Whole30 program, I found their 30-Day Timeline amazingly helpful. The Timeline provided some perspective on what kind of responses I could expect from my body each of the 30 days. Based on trends from the emails and comments of individuals on the Whole30 program, the Timeline was almost always spot-on.

I think a 30-Day First-time Homeschooling Timeline would be amazing. Admittedly, it could not possibly frame every experience from every perspective. But I believe if someone took enough time gathering information from homeschooling families, it could be funny, inspirational, and keep first-time homeschooling families from feeling they are alone in their struggles.

Throw in a few funny stories, inspirational quotes, and “Voila!” an email newsletter is born. Then, homeschooling families could set their first day of school as a start date and receive 30 emails one day after another directly in their inbox. I know I would have enjoyed a chuckle over a cup of coffee each morning before striking out into the world of sight words and math facts!

4. School Supplies

Most of us can pick up our pencil, pens and post-its from our local supercenter or favorite office supply seller, but a few additional school supplies made, or still make, my day much easier:

» Black Sharpie (Fine-tipped is my preference.)
» Date Stamp
» Red Light, Green Light tabs for marking places in our books
» .38 mm Uniball Signo DX Japanese Gel Ink Pens (just because I’m snooty about pens)

5. A Coffee Mug

It’s a fact that all homeschooling parents drink coffee. FINE! That’s not true–some drink hot tea or water or warm milk–whatever you’re drinking, you need a mug to pour it in, right? I know this isn’t a “need” specific to homeschooling, but some of us really love our coffee, and I am one of them.

Now, if I were a specific company, I imagine I would include a mug with the company logo. But since I’m not a company, I searched the internet and found this adjective mug which would do well enough for the pseudo-grammarian that I am. Or? This mug, but for entirely different reasons.

6. Homeschooling Books

Here’s the kicker with homeschooling books; they typically interest the reader more when it applies specifically to their chosen homeschool approach. There are a few books out there that are broad enough to cover all views, but the “oh-so-general” approach lessens the effectiveness of their application.

Still, I think one or two books certainly would enrich a homeschooling starter kit, and I’m curious which books others think most fitting. I’d be less interested in “How To” books and more inclined to suggest John Taylor Gatto’s Dumbing Us Down, John Holt’s How Children Fail, or Holt’s more positive sounding title How Children Learn.

Your Ideas for a Homeschooling Starter Kit

You’ve heard my ideas, now I hope to hear yours. It’d be helpful if you also clarified the “type” of homeschooling method your family ascribes to, or maybe even what homeschooling curriculum you use (if any).

If YOU were starting over, what would you want in a homeschooling starter kit?

Heather Sanders is a leading homeschooling journalist who inspires homeschooling families to live, love and learn. Married to Jeff, Heather lives in the East Texas Piney Woods where she currently home schools two of her three kids.


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