Product Description

An all-inclusive guide for the parents of the 1.5 million homeschooled children

Homeschooling, once an alternative to conventional education, is experiencing a boom all across America and has become a highly valued option for more and more mainstream parents. The McGraw-Hill Homeschooling Companion provides parents with a complete, authoritative, truly balanced guide to every aspect of homeschooling, from the primary years through high school.

This all-in-one manual covers the different approaches to homeschooling as well as the specific methods for setting up the home learning environment, including legal requirements, supplies, and lesson plans. Individual chapters examine the stages of homeschooling: what curriculum planning involves, the indispensable tools for the home classroom, computer use, and tips and techniques on teaching all the core curriculum requirements. Special features include comprehensive treatment of standardized testing, state by state; practical counsel on integrating homeschooling and living in the outside world; 10 favorite homeschool suppliers; websites; and homeschooling laws for all 50 states.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #623842 in Books
• Published on: 2002-06-03
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From the Back Cover

More and more parents around the country are embracing the commitment to homeschool their children. Some want to give their children a wider range of experiences than a conventional classroom can provide, while others like the idea of the benefits of one-on-one instruction. Others simply want to enjoy a more meaningful relationship with their children. The reasons are as numerous as the parents involved.

Whether you're in the early stages of researching homeschooling, or you're ready to start your own classroom, The McGraw-Hill Homeschooling Companion is the essential resource for you. This comprehensive guide contains vital information, from whether it's the best alternative for you, to covering the important details on particular subjects for all grade levels. Inside, you'll find:

• Making the decision: Whether this exciting educational alternative is possible for you
• How to get started: Your approach, schedules, and costs
• Information on state legal requirements, including attendance records and lesson plans
• Core subject chapters (mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies) as well as phys ed, art, foreign language, and music
• Practical advice on balancing in-home education with life in the outside world
• "What will the neighbors say?"­­staying confident in the face of criticism
• Required standardized testing and an appendix of colleges that accept homeschooled students
• Current websites and other resources to help you provide the best education possible

Homeschooling can be a daring commitment. But with the right tools and techniques, it is also incredibly rewarding for both you and your children. The McGraw-Hill Homeschooling Companion is a reference you can turn to throughout your new educational journey, and will give you the hints on making the most of this exciting experience!

About the Author

Laura Saba is a former public school teacher, and has been successfully homeschooling her children for six years.

Julie Gattis is a registered nurse and occasional lecturer. She has seven years of homeschooling experience.

Customer Reviews

A place to start
This book is alright if you are contemplating homeschooling and desire an understanding of basic requirements. Beyond that, its use is limited, at best.

A Breath of Fresh Air!
What a breath of fresh air! I cannot tell you how pleased I was to open an introduction to homeschooling book and find new information! This is definitely a book I will be recommending to those parents who call me asking for homeschooling information, as well as a refresher to help experienced homeschoolers recommit themselves.

Just opening the book to it's table of contents was enough to convince me to read further. The McGraw-Hill Homeschooling Companion began as most homeschooling how-to books do. It addresses the issues of why people homeschool, the legalities, and a brief history of the movement. It is after the first chapter, however, where this book takes a different path from most.

Saba and Gattis do an excellent job of emphasizing the uniqueness of homeschooling and homeschoolers. They addresses the issues of attendance, they confront the "S word" with a real-life example, they even address the issue of cost-effective homeschooling! A chapter of particular interest to me was one in which they reassure all parents that all they need to homeschool are time, love, and conviction, not a fancy diploma or initials after their name!

Adding to it`s uniqueness is the fact that The McGraw-Hill Homeschooling Companion also hits home with many sensitive issues. These issues include unsupportive spouses, addressing the neighbor's concerns, single parenting, and what to do when your children score poorly on exams.

There is entirely too much good stuff in this book to sum up in one book review - so do yourself a favor and RUN to the bookstore and buy this book!! Loan this book to friends! Ask your library to add this book to their education collection! Heck, keep a copy in your car to give to the curious persons we meet in the grocery store! This book is complete, informational, down-to-earth, and thoroughly enjoyable. The book was written in very readable language and provided succinct, yet accurate and witty advice.

Everything I Wanted to Know, and More!
I've been homeschooling for a year and a half, and am still eager to read new information on homeschooling. I wish I'd found this book sooner. It was all I would've needed to know and then some. Great resources! It explains the legal requirements, recordkeeping, how to deal with family and friends who look at you like you're crazy, ideas on how to teach each subject (from unschooling to highly structured approaches), discusses curricula, provides listings of state laws, support groups in all the states, websites, what if your child wants to go to college -- too much to list! I was surprised to see the "reader from USA" say that it was too general. But that is what makes homeschoolers so interesting -- we have a common bond even if we see certain things differently. I couldn't recommend this book more highly. Don't just think about it -- buy it! Good luck with your homeschooling.