When it is Time to Go from Public School to Home School

Making the wrong moves or saying the wrong thing can cause a headache on your part when it is time to pull your kids out of public school to homeschool. To avoid some of the mistakes I made, follow this simple plan.

1. When the decision to homeschool has been made, if you plan to leave your kids in the school system to the end of the term, or the school year, say nothing to the teachers, or administrators.  You could always choose to withdraw them without saying anything at all but that could land you in trouble with the truant officer, tell them, but at the last possible moment.

I had to put up with arguments with teachers who felt my decision to homeschool was an insult to their abilities as well as having a child scrutinized in an attempt to have her labeled ADHD as well as having her minor speech impediment suddenly become a big deal. These things occurred in an attempt to have keep here tied to the school for “special services”. 

2. Unless you are taking your child out of school immediately, use the time you have left to prepare to homeschool your child by reading everything you can get your hands on from homeschool magazines, to learning styles, and different types of home schooling curriculum's.  Other homeschoolers are also an excellent source of information, but you will soon find that there are as many ways to homeschool as there are homeschoolers, and you will want to chart your own path.

Personally, in the 3 months I had from the time I decided to homeschool, to the time the school year ended, I had consumed about 20 books on homeschooling, learning, and teaching.

3. Asses your child yourself: Use private non intrusive ways to have your child tested for ADHD, dyslexia, other learning problems or speech impediments. 

I had people experienced in ADHD simply speak to my child and give me their opinion. What they told me was that my child probably did not have ADHD, but she did mimic me who they suspected did have ADHD. As far as her speech impediment was concerned they gave suggestions to help her get rid of them, and within 1 year there was no sign of it left.