How to Start Homeschooling in Charleston
Did you know Charleston was the leading city in the South from the colonial era to the Civil War, or that the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter? Those are just a couple historical periods you can explore when homeschooling in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s a city that offers homeschoolers the opportunity to include its rich heritage, art, cultural diversity, culinary expertise and amazing architecture in their curriculum.
Homeschool activities in Charleston South Carolina range from museums, walking tours, hands-on activities, festivals, historic districts and more. The city is a mecca for those who love learning. It’s also a wonderful place where parents can combine in-the-classroom learning with outside adventures. But before you begin, there are a few things that you should understand.
- How to Homeschool in Charleston
- Time4Learning Curriculum for Homeschooling in Charleston
- Field Trips in Charleston and Beyond
- Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in South Carolina
This information should by no means be interpreted as legal advice. It is your responsibility to interpret and understand the laws that you will be homeschooling under.
How to Homeschool in Charleston
Knowing the requirements for homeschooling in Charleston, SC is key to a successful homeschooling journey. You’ll need to start out with the following:
- Choose which option you want to homeschool under
Option 1: Homeschooling through the school district
Option 2: Homeschooling through the SCAIHS
Option 3: Homeschooling through a SC Accountability Association - Parents or guardians must handle the majority of the guidance for the curriculum instruction.
- Hold at least a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- You must teach the following required subjects: reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and, in grades 7–12, composition and literature.
- Homeschool instruction should occur at least 180 days of the year.
For full details on the options and requirements for each option, please review our South Carolina Homeschool Laws page.
Time4Learning Curriculum for Homeschooling in Charleston
Time4Learning is a popular choice for homeschooling in Charleston South Carolina, because it offers the core subjects required by the state (reading, writing, math, science, social studies), and, as an added benefit, it also includes an automated system that grades lessons, tracks progress and keeps reports for homeschool portfolio usage.
Additional benefits include:
- Access to virtual labs, interactive projects, guided notes, and much more to help improve material, bring concepts to life, and allow students to apply what they’ve learned to real-life situations.
- An interactive online environment that also focuses on problem solving skills, lateral thinking, complex analysis and critical thinking skills.
- Assistance in helping your children prepare for any standardized testing that they may take.
- Activity planners and curriculum calculators that keep your students organized and working independently.
- A curriculum that can be customized to meet your children’s specific learning styles and needs.
- A program that encourages independent learning and allows students to go at their own pace. It also allows students to repeat lessons if they need a refresher on any subject.
- An affordable monthly payment plan that offers a 14-day money back guarantee.
Field Trips in Charleston and Beyond
When homeschooling in Charleston South Carolina, you’ll have a “field day” with all the options that the city offers. Incredible museums, cultural venues, outdoor activities, educational programs and the rich history of a region that has played a vital role in our country’s past and present life is right outside your door! Below are just a few examples:
Charleston Museum – Founded in 1773, this museum is one of the oldest in the country, in fact, it’s often referred to as “America’s First Museum.” Its numerous exhibits allow visitors to learn about the area’s rich history including its part in the American Revolution, Civil War, and more. A natural history gallery includes fossils, skeletons, and various specimens of prehistoric animals. Visitors can also explore the armory, the Egyptian mummy, as well as two historic houses that are part of the museum’s collection.
South Carolina Aquarium – The aquarium employees teach the wonders of nature through STEM-based programming and interactive activities. Imagine, your kids will experience what it’s like to be in a swamp at twilight, experience waterfalls spilling over a rocky gorge, spy river otters frolicking in their habitat, and see bass, crappies and suckers swimming in exhibits that showcase their natural habitats. The aquarium features educational programs, hands-on activities and more for children of all ages.
Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art – The Institute offers structured guided tours and educational outreach to the public, with a focus on K-12 schools, afterschool programs, and community organizations. Artists lectures, poetry readings, film screenings, exhibits and a reference library are open to the public for browsing. Located at the College of Charleston School of the Arts, the Institute “emphasizes the historical, social, and cultural importance of the art of our time.”
Charleston Tea Garden – You don’t have to be a tea fan to appreciate one of the only tea gardens in North America, where you can see hundreds of thousands of tea bushes and experience an educational tour of the tea factory. You get to walk the entire length of the tea production building where you can see all the equipment it takes to make tea. Also, learn how they do not use any pesticides (herbicides, fungicides and insecticides) to grow their plants.
Fort Sumter – Take an educational field trip to the place where the civil war began. Located in the middle of Charleston Harbor, the fort is only accessible by boat, which is a fun adventure in itself. There are many places for kids of all ages to explore and learn about the history of the fort and the Civil war.
Mace Brown Natural History Museum – The Museum of Natural History contains over 15,000 fossils from around the world, and also showcases a world-class exhibit on fossil whales and their evolution. The Museum is an incredible resource for both teaching and research at the College of Charleston. You can walk the museum and the campus, take educational tours and learn about the over three billion years of evolution that the museum highlights.
Discover even more opportunities to enhance your child’s learning experience by venturing beyond Charleston with these field trip ideas in South Carolina.
