Nancy van Loggerenberg, SPED Homeschool Partner Online Elementary Tutor
It seems like just YESTERDAY your child was born and TODAY he/she is getting ready to begin pre-K or Kindergarten. If your child has special needs, or has struggled to reach milestones typical for their age, you know your child will struggle in a traditional-school setting. School is starting soon, and you have decided to homeschool your Pre-K or Kindergarten child. But how does a family homeschool a struggling child?
So, take a deep breath, say to yourself “I got this”, and read on to find the best way to start your homeschool.
Your Homeschool Law
If your state requires it, your first step should be to fill out your letter of intent to homeschool. Not sure of your state law? Check out this page on the SPED Homeschool website.
For Now Plan
Next is to decide on what kind of homeschool you envision. Create what I like to call your “For Now Plan”. This is simply an outline of what YOU see working for YOUR family homeschool and it’s easy to do.
First, on a piece of paper, write, in 1 sentence, what your homeschool looks like. For example: “My homeschool Kindergarten will formally (or informally) take place 5 days a week and will include reading and math with lots of opportunity to do art, games, and outdoor learning”
Next, write WHY you want your homeschool Kindergarten to look that way. For example: “My WHY is because I know ‘Tim’ will respond and sit with me to learn for short bursts, he loves being outside, and reading and math are the core subjects I feel comfortable teaching for now”.
Top 3 Resources
Then, do a little research on the SPED Homeschool website, Facebook groups, and Pinterest boards to find inspiration for the TOP 3 RESOURCES you would like to use to implement your mini-plan. For example: Public Library, subscription boxes, and ABC Mouse.
Support Networks
After deciding on your resources, list three SUPPORT NETWORKS you can turn to when you run out of ideas or need some guidance. These could be a homeschool mentor, your local school, church community, a Facebook group, a private tutor, or even a homeschooling consultant. Your support networks will grow and change as your child does, so just remember this is your FOR NOW PLAN and it is a simple and clear plan to begin homeschooling.
Action Steps
Now it’s time to put your resources and your support networks to work by creating your “3 ACTION STEPS”. For example, it could look like this:
- Get books from the library
- Choose theme for the first 2 weeks
- Research what other parents are doing for their Homeschool Kindergarten curriculum in my Facebook group
Repeat as Necessary
Whenever something seems too technical or overwhelming to work through, it’s time to repeat your process to discover your new FOR NOW PLAN. Some parents find that, after creating and implementing their FOR NOW PLAN, new challenges present themselves. Hey, most of us did not go to college to become a teacher, so go easy on yourself. Many parents find that outsourcing their reading lesson to a private tutor helps ease some stress in covering ‘all the bases’.
What do you think? Are you going to implement your FOR NOW PLAN?
You would be wise to come check out what KINDERGARTEN HOMESCHOOL could be like with a real teacher/tutor and learn about the 1 tool that will revolutionize your child’s digital portfolio. And if you have
questions, you can get answers!
Imagine your homeschool. Handled. Stress-free and messy, because yes, it will get messy, and that’s part of the process
Feel like you need more help? Don’t hesitate to contact me on my website: Ms. Nancy! Online Elementary Tutor: or sign up for my kindergarten webinar here.
No matter where you are in your process of starting homeschooling, enjoy the journey and the gift you have been given to teach your child!
