In a word: Wow.
When I began to think about homeschooling seven years ago, I read and researched and researched and read. Honestly, I wish I’d had this invaluable tool back then.
Home Education 101 guides new homeschoolers in the beginning steps of their journey, covering such high-interest subjects as:
- Organizing your time and your home for a home education lifestyle
- Getting acquainted with your children’s different learning styles
- Choosing the best curriculum for your children
- Figuring out testing and evaluation methods
- Keeping records
- Feeding the family while teaching the kids (a personal challenge for me!)
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Home Education 101 covers all the basics and then some. Questionnaires, checklists, discussion prompts, articles, resource lists, recipes, sample schedules, they’re all here. I really like that the program addresses life and home management topics as well as educational concerns, since homeschooling is truly a lifestyle.
Originally designed to be used in a small group setting, facilitated by “mentoring” families, the Home Education 101 program includes a 225+-page mentor’s manual and a parent workbook. The 175-page parent workbook is packed with articles, outlines, questions to consider, space for note-taking, and myriad recommended resources for further information. The mentor’s manual contains everything in the parent workbook plus shaded boxes with information to cover, discussion prompts, and resources to point out. If you are a small group facilitator, Vicki has done all the prep work for you!
Not every support group offers a separate option for new homeschooling families, and some people prefer a more personal setting. If so, Home Education 101 would work equally well in a one-on-one setting or solely as a resource book. This is a tool you’ll turn to again and again.
Moreover, if you’re a veteran homeschooler who has a heart for encouraging new or prospective home ed families, Home Education 101 would be an excellent guide for you! Instead of merely offering a meager “you can do it!” cheer from the sidelines, you’ll be better equipped to extend real help, support, and service to newbies.
The program is thoroughly Christian and offers spiritual encouragement and support within its pages. And we certainly need that! Also, Home Education 101 is not state specific (although Vicki talks about Virginia standards), so it can easily be used anywhere in the U.S.
With Home Education 101 at your side, you’ll be well prepared for your own homeschooling journey. I’m not a newbie, but I learned a lot! Even better, you’ll be able to walk alongside families taking their first steps. What an exciting prospect!
Besides Home Education 101, author Vicki Bentley offers encouragement and more products for the homeschool family on her site, Everyday Homemaking. She also coordinates the Early Years program at Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).
Ellen lives in the Deep South with her husband, two middle-grade daughters, two Pembroke welsh corgis, stacks of books, and lots of papers, a look she prefers to call Casually Cluttered. She writes about her life at The Bluestocking Belle.
A homeschooling mother, Ellen lives in the Deep South with a transplanted Yankee husband, two middle grade daughters, and two adorable corgis, Jasper and Georgette. She espouses a literary-based education with a Charlotte Mason emphasis. She squeezes in time to write between teaching, managing the household, ferrying the girls to their activities, and volunteering with said activities. Iced coffee and prayer keep her going. You can read about her life at http://bluestockingbelle.blogspot.com.
What a true blessing Vicki Bentley is! She is so very generous with her homeschooling experience and resources. I’m so grateful she has gone before us and pointed the way. We use her ‘These Things Must Be Done Before School’ checklist daily and are currently enjoying her Everyday Cooking. Thank you for a wonderful review, Ellen!
Thank you for your kind and thorough review! 🙂 Since you mentioned the Virginia standards, I thought I’d let you know that while I’ve pulled the state-specific info out into an appendix in the mentor’s manual, with a “default” of Virginia, there are several other editions currently available — specific to Nevada, Oregon, and First Class Homeschool Ministries, so far. If other states are interested in a mentor’s manual with a state-specific appendix for their state, I’m happy to work on that with them! Meanwhile, as you kindly mentioned, the manual is usable for any state as is. I know what a help it was for our group families and hope it equips, encourages, and blesses many others.