The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start [Paperback]

Linda Dobson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Prima Home Learning Library | Publication Date: May 24, 2001

Homeschool the right way from day one.
Are you considering homeschooling for your family? Today, many parents recognize that their child's school options are limited, inadequate, or even dangerous, and an increasing number are turning to homeschooling. But where do you start and how do you ensure the highest-quality educational experience, especially in that pivotal first year?
This comprehensive guide will help you determine the appropriate first steps, build your own educational philosophy, and discover the best ways to cater to your child's specific learning style, including:
·When, why, and how to get started
·The best ways to develop an effective curriculum, assess your child's progress, and navigate local regulations
·Kid-tested and parent-approved learning activities for all age levels
·Simple strategies for developing an independent child and strengthening family and social relationships
·And much, much more!
"To the thousands of requests we receive for help from families new to homeschooling, we will now recommend this warm and knowledgeable book. It will ensure that all families make it to the second year—including yours!" —Elizabeth Kanna, editor in chief, Homeschool.com
"Linda Dobson addresses all the issues facing parents as they consider the task of homeschooling over other educational options. Those who wonder whether they really can or want to do the job will find unique perspectives in this well-researched work."—Beverly K. Eakman, author and cofounder, National Education Consortium

Editorial Reviews

Review

Homeschool the right way from day one.

From the Inside Flap

Homeschool the right way from day one.
Are you considering homeschooling for your family? Today, many parents recognize that their child's school options are limited, inadequate, or even dangerous, and an increasing number are turning to homeschooling. But where do you start and how do you ensure the highest-quality educational experience, especially in that pivotal first year?
This comprehensive guide will help you determine the appropriate first steps, build your own educational philosophy, and discover the best ways to cater to your child's specific learning style, including:
·When, why, and how to get started
·The best ways to develop an effective curriculum, assess your child's progress, and navigate local regulations
·Kid-tested and parent-approved learning activities for all age levels
·Simple strategies for developing an independent child and strengthening family and social relationships
·And much, much more!
"To the thousands of requests we receive for help from families new to homeschooling, we will now recommend this warm and knowledgeable book. It will ensure that all families make it to the second year?including yours!" ?Elizabeth Kanna, editor in chief, Homeschool.com
"Linda Dobson addresses all the issues facing parents as they consider the task of homeschooling over other educational options. Those who wonder whether they really can or want to do the job will find unique perspectives in this well-researched work."?Beverly K. Eakman, author and cofounder, National Education Consortium

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; 1 edition (May 24, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761527885
• ISBN-13: 978-0761527886
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Linda Dobson and family began their homeschooling journey in 1985. They were having so much fun together that she wanted to share news of this educational approach with as many other families as possible. She co-founded a local homeschooling support group that now offers support and learning activities to a growing membership. She helped found and for the first two years served as coordinator of the New York (State) Home Educators' Network. Upon creation of the National Home Education Network (NHEN) in 1999 she served as its first public relations advisor as a media contact providing reporters, journalists, and researchers with background information and interviews. She was also Homeschool.com's early years' advisor.
Linda's articles have appeared in dozens of magazines, including Good Housekeeping, but her favorite stint was as Home Education Magazine news reporter and analyst for almost a decade. She still regularly contributes a commentary column, "Notes from the Road Less Traveled," and is acting columns editor. She has authored eight books, and contributed essays and forewords to many more. She has enjoyed diversity in writing, from a children's column for an Atlanta-based alternative newspaper to mail order copy, as well as consulting and market studies for companies such as Barnes&Noble.com and Grolier's. Linda is experienced with the media having provided scores of interviews for radio talk shows, feature stories, including German Public Radio, and publications including The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, Reader's Digest, Better Homes & Gardens, and "Live Online" for the Washington Post.
As she became home education's most prolific author and vocal spokesperson, Linda emerged as a nationally respected conference keynote speaker. She has traveled the country, staying in touch with parental concerns and educational approaches across the U.S. and Canada. Formerly a short-term academic tutor for children, she also counseled parents of traditionally schooled children, as she believes that parental involvement is essential to educational success and can occur no matter where a child learns. She was also an online course instructor for Barnes & Noble University.
Believing that modern homeschooling's rich history lives within those who have completed the journey, Linda began the Homeschool Crones Café at ning.com and invited all her old friends to hang out there.
Life isn't all work, fortunately! She moved to be close to Florida's Gulf coast and has started a non-profit volunteer program and a non-profit economic revitalization corporation. Now, she has left all that behind to return to her passion - helping families enjoy and thrive through the homeschooling lifestyle.
To this end, Linda produces Parent at the Helm.com, where parents concerned about their children's education can find information, news, resources, guest commentators, homeschooling start-up information, and monthly book giveaways to help their children succeed.
She's grandmother of three beautiful girls, including a set of twins. She is also engaged to the most wonderful man in the world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

108 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was looking for answers!!!, September 7, 2003

By 

"maestra24" (Mystic, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start (Paperback)

This book was so amazing I am lending it out to people who aren't even thinking of homeschooling... it was just so wonderful to read! I was about to start homeschooling my oldest and didn't have any idea where to start. Lisa Dobson addressed each of my fears and questions... and I don't even know her! This book is so down to earth that it will put anyone at ease, and the advice she and the many many other homeschoolers give is so practical. I started using the information immediately. There are two wonderful features I would like to detail for you: first of all, she takes nine different styles of homeschooling, explains them thoroughly, and then takes you through "A week in the life" with a family using each. As a new homeschooler, this helped me immensely by helping me eliminate those philosophies which I know would not work for our family, but find some philosophies that I will research further. The second feature are the abundance of "What I Wish I had Known the First Year" highlights throughout the book. You will not regret this purchase!

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book for parents exploring homeschooling!, January 7, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start (Paperback)

As a mom who is looking to homeschool, I am in the process of researching the subject. This book is very well and logically laid out and is objective in its approach, using both religious and secular families in its examples.

The "What I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me..." excerpts throughout the book were great, as I had some of those same preconceived ideas in mind -- what a relief to know I won't have to go overboard on expensive curriculum and extremely structured "class" time!

Ms. Dobson lays out the different homeschool approaches as well as goes through one week examples of each, most of which were interesting (although I must admit that after reading this part I found a couple of the approaches a little questionable ... it seems like class time is squeezed in between extracurricular activities (discussing topics in the car en route to/from karate or piano lessons)). Overall, I was pleased with the different approaches that are available (including online!), which has gotten me thinking about how I might want to do things, as well as eased some of my anxiety.

The only thing I did find missing from the book was that several people said they came up with non-confrontational answers to people who question their homeschool decision, but no actual answer examples were given.

I plan on going to several of the websites and user groups she has listed in the resource section.

I plan on re-reading this book several times!!!

59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Peace of Mind -- a gift from Linda Dobson, May 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start (Paperback)

I stepped into homeschooling in 2001 as scared mom of a burned-out child. This book was not in print at the time that we began our homeschooling adventure, but I came across it several months later. What great gift it was to read! I learned that I was doing okay, that my decision to "deschool" was on-target and most of all, this book gave me priceless peace of mind that homeschooling does not have to replicate school in order to be a viable means of educating my child. I found particular comfort in the chapter on Homeschool Myths, especially the myth that all homeschool children are National Spelling Bee champions, science fair winners, etc. While it may seem contraindicated to have lowered expectations of one's children, this advice nugget helped me understand that my children don't have to confrom to society's expectations of success in order to be successful. I don't need to push them to achieve based on some artificial, media-biased standard. I can let them be -- and share the joy of learning as a family. *That* is the greatest gift of homeschooling which this wonderful book taught me to see. Thank you, Linda Dobson!