Homeschooling in Delaware
Hi, my name is Heather and I homeschool in
Delaware! I am the mother of seven children, ranging in age from 23 years to 18
months, and also grandmother to two more, who live with us currently.
If you have more questions or comments about homeschooling in Delaware, visit our online Delaware support group.
Delaware Homeschooling Resources
To find out more about the legal requirements for homeschooling in Delaware, articles, and state-specific resources you can also visit one of these sites:
|
Legal disclaimer: This section is one family’s story and how they meet the mandatory school attendance laws in Delaware. It is not intended and should not be used as definitive legal advice. In most states, parents find a variety of legal methods to pursue the educational approach that they prefer for their child.
How We Get Involved Locally
I am most actively involved in a local Christian Co-op, W.A.V.E. Our family has attended since the co-op began in the fall of 2004. I created the group's website for the fall 2006 session and have served as the webmaster since then. I serve on the groups board of directors and have taught classes most sessions.
The first support group I joined when I found out we were moving to Delaware was SHERD. It is not as physically active as it was in 2002, we used to have
monthly
luncheons and weekly park days, but I believe it is still the largest group in central Delaware, making it a great place to share information. Another list that seems to have some knowledgeable parents is the Yahoo group: DEHS families. There is a state homeschooling organization (Delaware Home Education Association), but I am not sure if it is active at the moment.
My Life Homeschooling in Delaware
I love to learn and spend any free time I have reading a book, learning a skill, or taking a class. I am drawn to technology, dabbling in website development and computer programming, with a love for gadgets.
The oldest three children began their school career in public school, but we eventually brought them home after it became clear that the schools were not meeting their needs. All three had been placed in the gifted program, and the second one also had some special needs. Our third child (and only daughter) just finished her first year of college after graduating from our homeschool. This year, we have had a fifth grader, a third grader, and a brand new preschooler. The two elementary aged children are doing T4L.
Support and Requirements for Homeschooling in Delaware
Having moved from a state that was not always friendly to homeschoolers
(California), it is nice to be in a state with minimal legal requirements and
lots of support. Homeschooling is quite accepted here, with many people aware of
someone close to them who homeschools or has homeschooled. We also have access
to many opportunities as homeschoolers, from nature classes at the state parks
to homeschool days at the roller rinks and bowling alleys.
In Delaware, you can register with an umbrella school, or as an independent homeschool family - - technically a non-public school. To register your homeschool independently, you contact Vicki Fjelsted-Fields at the Department of Education and request a non-public school registration form. Each year, you are required to complete and submit the registration form in the fall, and a form verifying attendance in the summer. If you choose to register with an umbrella school, the school would handle this contact with the Board of Education and you would submit whatever records that school requires. A third option is to work with a school districts superintendant, but I have yet to meet a family using this option.
Choosing Homeschool Curriculum
For families with more than one child, choosing
a homeschool curriculum
can even be more problematic. What works for one child, may not work for another. What works for one subject may not work on the next. What works one year, may fall flat the very next year.
Time4Learning's experience shows that there is no single, best homeschool material. Rather than feeling torn between homeschool resources, parents should select a diverse blend of materials and activities.
Some of the features that make Time4Learning so successful include:
- Time4Learning appeals to a wide range of learning styles. Our online learning materials are especially well-suited to children who are visual or kinesthetic learners. These children can take advantage of Time4Learning's interactive, multimedia materials.
- Children like using the computer to learn. It's a convenient, interactive homeschool resource that provides a welcome change each day to paper-and-pencil workbooks and textbook-based lessons.
- Parents like that it tracks progress and helps children advance by clearly presenting and reinforcing each lesson. Quizzes and tests are graded by the computer, saving valuable time and effort for parents who would be happier concentrating on other areas.
- Time4Learning's self-paced, modularized lesson plans allow you to move forward and back through the materials whenever you want. You can skip lessons that teach concepts your child has already mastered and repeat those he or she has not. The choice is yours. With Time4Learning, you are always in control.
Time4Learning is proven effective with homeschoolers, has a low monthly price, is easy-to-use, and provides a money-back guarantee so you can make sure that it works for your children!
Sign up for Time4Learning as part of your overall homeschool program.
If you have more questions about homeschooling in Delaware, or want to learn more about our experiences in the state, you can contact me in the Delaware State Parent Forum.
|
