I have a Master's degree in Business Management and have taken several graduate level courses in teaching elementary education. My husband also has several graduate degrees so we feel pretty well equipped in instructing our children.
I am familiar with homeschool successes and homeschool failures and did considerable research before deciding this course of action. I do not believe homeschooling is for everyone and am discovering that it really is more of a spiritual than intellectual decision. One really must have a spiritual confirmation that it is the right course of action in order to be successful and not give up when it gets challenging.
I love the book The Well Trained Mind and use that as my homeschooling "bible". It's a great place to get started. I am using a combination of classical and charlotte mason methods. If you are thinking of homeschooling, having a mentor is invaluable. There are so many options it is quite overwhelming to start and talking to someone who has been there can really help. Check out some of the posts I've written about homeschooling. If you don't have a mentor, and you have questions after reviewing this information, feel free to email me. I'm happy to help in any way that I can. {cariandanthony} at {gmail} dot {com}.
Socialization concerns. This makes me smile, because my #1 concern with public schools is not the content of education being taught but the negative socialization children are faced with. While I know my children cannot live in a bubble, I do want to have some control over what they are exposed to before the age of accountability. If you are a social person, your children will be social. There are many opportunities for socialization at church, sports, reading groups, and other midweek activities. If you are social yourself and are interacting with other human beings on a regular basis, this is not really going to be an issue... If you are not a social person- your kids will become the example you show them regardless of where they go to school (we've all seen socially backward kids who go to public schools), so if this is a concern simply provide them with opportunities to interact with others on a regular basis and set a good example! Here are some wonderful articles that articulate my view on homeschooling much better than I ever could...
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/144135.aspx
http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000000/00000068.asp
http://school.familyeducation.com/home-schooling/human-relations/56224.html
Click here to see all my posts related to home schooling
LDS Home School Sites:
http://www.latter-dayhomeschooling.com/ (awesome blog with tons of resources)
http://lds-nha.org/
http://www.ldsnhe.com/ (they have an annual conference in Virginia and have awesome transcripts available)
Curriculum I recommend
The Well Trained Mind http://www.welltrainedmind.com/
E.D. Hirsch Core Knowledge http://www.coreknowledge.org/
Math U See: http://mathusee.com/
AHA! Math & Science http://learning.com/
Education through literature: http://www.amblesideonline.org/ and http://www.welltrainedmind.com/ Even if you choose not to homeschool, these sites have an extensive list of books that will highly benefit your children
Simply Charlotte Mason: http://simplycharlottemason.com/
Discount Curriculum & resources: http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/
Scripture study for children: http://www.bookofmormondiscovery.com/
BYU Independent Study (accredited Middle & High School program) http://ce.byu.edu/is/site/courses
Apologia Science: http://www.apologia.com/prodas.php
Blogs & Resources:
Pioneer Woman Homeschool blog: http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling
Chocolate on my Cranium: http://chocolateonmycranium.blogspot.com/
Beginning phonics and reading (Free): http://starfall.com/ (NEW! http://more.starfall.com/ subscription)
Hip Homeschool Moms: http://www.hiphomeschoolmoms.com/
The Old Schoolhouse: http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com/
Workbox System: http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2009/11/workbox-system.html
Relaxed Schedule: http://www.latter-dayhomeschooling.com/2011/08/scheduling-in-relaxed-home-culture.html
Homeschool Freebies:
Free Homeschool Planner: to organize your day and keep track of attendance and activities
Classic reading list: (compiled from a Thomas Jefferson Education)
Homeschool Education for Parents: a list of books and resources to further your education
