Your free 8 step E-Book guide to starting homeschool

I receive questions all the time, asking how to homeschool. From sisters wanting to begin but not knowing where to start. And whist I always endeavor to reply to each one the best I can, I am limited in the time I have. And so it hit me, why not produce a ready-to-go guide, responding to this ever-popular "how to start homeschooling?" question.
So here it is, a completely free, 8-step E-Guide to starting homeschool.

I would have loved something like this when I first began. Whilst I did find local homeschoolers and random snippets of information online, I didn't really understand what homeschooling should look like, or where to begin. I imagined what I knew of school and tried to fit that into my home.

I was desperate for someone to tell me something to help me get started. But those I knew, were in a similar situation in their early stages and equally as clueless. Those who were more experienced were hard to get hold of because our children were different ages and so we rarely bumped into each other in the same places.

To be honest, the difficulty in finding this help was a large part of why I originally set up this blog back in 2011; to inspire and help others on their journey as I muddled through my own fog.

And so I hope that with this short digital publication, you will have the answers you are looking for.

It's simple yet concise and will provide a gentle springboard into the beginning of your homeschool adventure inshaAllah.

The quick-start guide to homeschool addresses the following 8 steps:

 Step #1: HOMEschool not homeSCHOOL

Home education is not the same thing as school education. It won't look the same and it won't work the same.
You have to remember that school has been designed for the masses; for a large group of same age students in one classroom setting with one teacher.
Your home is not a classroom. It is your own private space, and a place of family, connection and safety. Embrace the qualities of home as an important part of your learning and realise that it won't run in the same way as a school....because its not one. 

 Step #2: Be a mother not a teacher

One thing to understand, is your kids don't want to live and be raised by a school matron. They want and need a mother; they need you. 

When we're talking about homeschool, you're not looking at developing your skills as a teacher because teachers belong in school. Rather you're seeking to develop your skills as a mother because it is a mother who belongs at home. 

Step #3: Choose one thing to start with

Don't jump all-in on day one. As Julie Bogart of Brave Writer says, "go slow to go fast". 

Start with one thing. Choose one thing you all enjoy, do it consistently and do it well. Give yourself a couple of weeks or even months to establish this as a comfortable part of your daily routine before adding something else. 

Step #4: Create an inviting learning space

If we want to embrace the freedom to learn that so many home educators go on about, then we need to cultivate an environment that nurtures our children's curiosity and sparks interest. 

It's not the size of your home or the scale of your budget which matters here. Rather it is the environment that you cultivate and the messages you send to your children which does.
So think about the space you have (whether that is an elaborate homeschool room or huddled closely around the kitchen table) and see how you can craft it into a space that invites and welcomes learning and curiosity. 

Step #5: Develop a routine not a schedule

Homeschool doesn't need the scheduled time-tables found in school. If you find the kids are deeply engrossed on something they're working on, don't tell them at 11:30 its time to swap books. Leave them to it. The next thing on your "agenda" will still be there later; tomorrow or next week. But the children's inspiration and interest for the thing they're working on may not be.
Remember home thrives on routine and flexibility, schools thrive on schedule. 

 Step #6: Discover education methods

I knew nothing about education philosophies when I started homeschool. I'd never heard of them, I didn't know such things existed. 

Spend a little time exploring different education styles. These offer insights into different methods of teaching and learning.

Some that are popular with homeschoolers include:

-Montessori
-Charlotte Mason
-Traditional
-Unit Studies
-Child-led learning
-Unschooling
-Eclectic

Step #7: Curriculum shopping

The temptation when you start out home educating, is to buy all this stuff and lots of it; manipulatives,  curriculum, crafts, books....everything to help your children learn. Yet what tends to happen is, most of us don't really know what we are buying, or rather why we are buying it. Take your time. Ask around.

Step #8: Trust the process

Make dua'a for the success of your homeschool and children. Then take the means to get there. Trust yourself, trust your kids, trust the whole homeschool process.

To read more about each of these steps, download your free guide through the highlighted text below:

>>8 Step guide to starting homeschool.<<

Note: if you have the kindle app on your tablet or phone, you should be able to open the PDF in the app.