Homeschool 101 ​With many years of experience in creating home learning programs for my family and others, I hope to share a few insights that may make your journey easier and more enjoyable. You are invited to:   1. Learn from my mistakes​       First of all, do not replicate the government school model in your home. When I started my homeschool journey, I made the “brilliant” decision to bring everything that wasn't working at school home. All the workbooks, rigid schedules and even my best intentions were doomed to fail. Immediately and completely.   2. Dare to have fun           Once I accepted that a standardized learning model was never going to work for my student, I had to explore other options. I had to think how to create an outside-the-box learning program in which my student would willingly engage. I realized to achieve the buy-in I needed, I had to appeal to her interests. This led to a much less structured and a less stressful approach.  We started having fun!   3. Explore options My student was interested in science.  I researched on the internet and discovered that local colleges offered free access to various science lectures. Libraries offered endless resources of science books and documentary videos  with a library card. Museums offered amazing opportunities to engage with docents eager to talk about the exhibits. I later “poached” some of these docents to become Maestros in our alternative school which evolved from our homeschool program.   4. Connect with Others You Are Not Alone!  Join as many homeschool groups as possible. This will lead you to find more resources, many offer in-person activities, play days and field trips. Check out Scouts, 4H groups and other youth organizations, you’ll find arts and music groups, math clubs, chess clubs or even start your own! A great place to start is HSLDA. We HIGHLY recommend you join their group.  In the unlikely event you run into a legal issue, they will help you out with their bevy of attorneys.     5. Get help from Baywood Learning Centers Get a custom homeschool program designed especially for your family. We provide support, guidance as well as grades, transcripts, documentation and help to get into college.  Click on this link to find out more:   Custom Options