New York Homeschooling

Homeschooling in New York

Hi my name is Johnna and I homeschool in New York. I am a Christian, first of all, wife to the same wonderful man for almost 19 years and mother of three. I love having my children home; to watch them grow and develop is of utmost importance to me, and to have the primary influence in their lives, as opposed to school teachers and peers, is vital to their growth and development in my view. The other joy of my life is serving the Lord with my voice; I love to sing praise and worship music and Southern Gospel music.

If you have questions or comments about homeschooling in New York, check out our homeschooling tools and resources or visit our online New York support group.

To find out more about the legal requirements for homeschooling in New York, articles, and state-specific resources, you can also visit one of these sites:

• New York NYSTP Test Prep
• The Homeschool Mom's New York support page
• Home Education in New York by Ann Zeise
• Homeschool World New York support groups

Legal disclaimer: This section is one family's story and how they meet the mandatory school attendance laws in New York. 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.

Finding Support and Resources in NY

The best local resource, especially for new homeschoolers, is the local LEAH (Loving Education At Home) group. A family can find one for their area by going to the New York State LEAH website. There are a multitude of helpful websites for anything from spelling courses, history, science and math, as well as resources for buying and selling used curriculum.

Homeschooling in New York can be Difficult at Times

Homeschooling in New York can be difficult at times. In one respect, it is good to have the accountability from the school districts, but on the other hand, who knows our children better, the school district or us? We have it reasonably easy in our area because the gentleman who heads up the homeschool program is sympathetic to our desire to homeschool, but not all districts are so blessed. I feel that as long as our children are learning what they need to succeed and doing things they enjoy and can also learn from, I don't see the need for all the paperwork that New York State requires. This just adds to the long list of work the parents have to do in addition to teaching and raising their children.

When a family decides to homeschool, and every year thereafter until the child graduates, a parent is to submit a letter of intent to homeschool by July 1. Within 14 days of the start of the school year, an IHIP is to be turned in to the district office. An IHIP includes a list of all curriculum a family intends to use and/or a plan of instruction and names of instructors, etc. They must also submit dates for submission of quarterly reports that they must turn in on or near those dates. Year-end testing is a requirement, although not every year until the ninth grade.

Each year I go back to the records I have on my computer and, using the forms, retype the information and print them out. Of course, hours of research go into determining which curriculum I will use prior to writing up my IHIPs. Quarterly reports are my weakest point -- I am not a good record keeper. Of course, Time4Learning has been a big help on that end because of the portfolio kept for each child. In a nutshell, we fulfill the requirements the best we can, and that's all the district should ask.

I LOVE Time4Learning! It holds the attention of my kids, plus I can keep track of their learning without hovering over their shoulders.

I am really pleased with Time4Learning. It has made a world of difference in my son's academic performance in school!

Our Homeschool Days

Our homeschool days are quite uneventful since each of my children works pretty independently. My son, Josh, and daughter, Mary, take turns at the computer doing their Time4Learning. They intersperse chores and play time between their turns at the computer (they also eat... a lot!) Josh and Mary use T4L as their primary curriculum and we supplement it with other websites such as Internet4Classrooms.com or Mr.Nussbaum.com and activities such as working in the garden or volunteering at our local animal shelter. My oldest son, Clark, works at his Christian Light books independently too, interspersing chores, reading and eating between subjects.

Choosing Homeschool Curriculum

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.

For families with more than one child, choosing a homeschool program can 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.

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, multi-media 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.
• 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 any more questions or comments about homeschooling in New York, head over to the New York Parents Forum.

Some Helpful Tools and Resources

Welcome to Homeschooling Guide - Are you new to homeschooling? This guide was written by seasoned homeschoolers to answer some of the difficult questions new families often struggle with.

Curriculum Lesson Plans - An overview of the number of lessons that are included for each grade and subject. All students have access to at least 2 (and in most cases 3) grade levels of curriculum for each subject, so they can move ahead or review at their own pace.

Homeschool Portfolio Information - Answers common questions about homeschool portfolios and evaluations. It includes tips on organization methods, what to include and how Time4Learning can be used as part of your homeschool portfolio.

The Lesson Activity Finder - One of the many helpful tools that Time4Learning offers its members. The activity finder is a shortcut that makes it easy for parents to preview lessons or find extra practice for their child. You can visit our hints and help section for more information about the activity finder.

Lesson Planning Worksheet - Wondering how many lessons to have your child do each day? Estimate the number of activities per day using this easy to use, printable worksheet.

Online Parent's Forum - Reach out to homeschoolers in your area, join discussions, ask questions and trade ideas on our online community of homeschooling parents. Having the support of seasoned homeschoolers can really help make your homeschooling journey a success.

Sign up for Time4Learning and gain access to a variety of educational materials, which will engage and challenge your child to succeed. Make Time4Learning a part of your children's homeschool resources.

I want to Learn More about Time4Learning's homeschool curriculum or how to use the program for afterschool enrichment.