My Personal List of Recommend Books to New Homeschoolers
(or those considering it!)
Creative Homeschooling for the Gifted by Lisa Rivero
Homeschooling for Excellence by David and Micki Colfax
The Well-Trained Mind by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer
Homeschool Your Child For Free by Gold & Zielinski
What Your Xth Grader Should Know (series) by E.D. Hirsch (year by year – good
recommendations but remember to use your child’s reading level as the grade
level, not your child’s age!)
Home Learning Year by Year by Rebecca Rupp
The Complete Home Learning Source by Rebecca Rupp
Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense by David Guterson
The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook: A Creative and Stress-Fress
Approach to Homeschooling by Dorothy and Raymond Moore
The Homeschooler's Handbook: From Preschool to High School: A Parent's
Guide by Mary Griffith
And What About College? By Cafi Cohen
Homeschoolers' College Admissions Handbook: Preparing 12-18-Year Olds for
Success in the College of Their Choice by Cafi Cohen
Real Lives: Eleven Teenagers Who Don’t Go To School by Grace Llewellyn
Best Websites for Homeschoolers
National Home Educator's Network
Rules and laws for every state, links to getting started and more!
www.nhen.org
Rainbow Resource Center
Run by a homeschooling family, they sell a great many products recommended
in The Well-Trained Mind and more, at discount prices.
www.rainbowresource.com
Scholastic
Yep, the magazines you remember from your childhood! They will allow you to
set up your homeschool as a school and earn points for free books and
software. Unbeatable bargains!
www.scholastic.com
Half.com by ebay
Great books at, generally, unbelievable deals! I once purchased a $62 algebra
text for just $3.95! You can also set up your own site for selling books you've
finished with.
www.half.com
Zenger Media
Great place for social studies text and workbooks. Prices are so-so, but they
often offer $10 discounts for purchasing on the internet.
www.socialstudies.com
Classroom Direct
Offers deep discounts on classroom supplies: markers, crayons, paper, tons
more! They'll mail you a free phone book size catalog, too!
www.classroomdirect.com
Unbeatable Deals
Free software, popular titles! You pay just $4.95 for shipping. I've heard of folks
having difficulty not receiving product, but I have never been disappointed in 6-8
purchases.
www.unbeatabledeals.com
Homeschooing Gifted
Part of A to Z's Home's Cool
www.gomilpitas.com/homeschooling/weblinks/gifted.htm
Homeschool Central
www.homeschoolcentral.com
Other Great Resources:
Middleschoolhub.org
Great on-line courses in a variety of subjects, all at a middle school level.
Highschoolace.com
Great on-line courses in a variety of subjects, all at a high school level
Forms and templates for lesson plans, schedules, math cards, etc.
http://donnayoung.org
Educational Charts and Worksheets
www.chartjungle.com/educationalcharts.html
http://testprep.sparknotes.com/
They have free e-books on the SAT, SAT II and ACT exams.
Driver’s Education
http://www.driveredinabox.com
AP Classes
www.cty.jhu.edu/cde/ap.html
Johns Hopkins University's Center for Talented Youth -AP classes via distance
education. AP courses offered in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Composition,
Psychology, and Calculus.
Creating Diplomas
www.homeschooldiploma.com
Transcripts
http://www.edplus.com/transpro.asp
Barnes & Noble: Just ask at the sales counter for an Educator's Discount Card
(20% off)
U.S. Toy and Constructive Playthings (Quebec and County Line Rd.)
Often offers 10-15% discounts on educational workbooks. Check in late July
and August for best prices.
The Bookies (Colorado Blvd. and Mississippi)
Great selection of books, games, and materials, 15% discount for cash or
checks.
Elitch Gardens: Features "Homeschool Day" every August. Reduced-priced
tickets available from Teacher's Helper stores in late July-early August.
Best Websites Regarding
Homeschooling and the Law and Standards:
Concerned Parents of Colorado
http://members.aol.com/treonelain/colorado.htm
Home School Legal Defense Association
Membership dues apply; have heard favorable and unfavorable responses from
this organization. Their lawyers are responsible, however, for Colorado's
homeschooling laws which are "looser" than other states. (No annual curriculum
check, for example.)
www.hslda.org
State Standards
www.edexcellences.net
www.statestandards.com
National Standards for Public Education
www.mcrel.org
Homeschooling in Colorado
www.hschool.com/colorado.htm
www.scruz.net/~jds/hs/Colorado.htm
Umbrella Schools
Colorado law states that if you homeschool your child, you must submit
standardized test results or be evaluated (by a teacher or other qualified
individual) for grade years 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. Many homeschoolers are opposed
to such restrictions and have found a loophole, if you will.
The law states that, beginning at age 7, every child must be enrolled in an
academic institution. No mention of attendance. So, a number of "umbrella"
schools exist that offer enrollment for a nominal fee. Most have no intention of
telling homeschoolers what curriculum to use, methods to employ, etc. All must
keep adequate state records including immunization records and some form of
evaluation at year's end.
I used West River Academy for several years. They charge $45 per
student/academic year and keep all immunization and previous school records.
At the end of the school year, I submitted a summary of our academic year
including museum classes, concerts, tennis lessons, books read, and whatever
curriculum materials were used.
There are a number of umbrella schools available, here is what I've found:
Colorado Academy of Independent Learners
719-749-0200
Faith Christian Academy Home Education Umbrella School
4890 Carr Street
Arvada, CO 80002
303-424-7310 x 5119
Desiderata Schools, Inc.
4617 County Rd. #2
Berthoud, CO 80513
303-682-0267; 303-678-9335
Family Academy of Christian Education (F.A.C.E.)
6704 W. 98th Circle
Westminster, CO 80021
303-426-8484
Liberty Baptist School
448 S. Camp Road
Grand Junction, CO 81503
970-243-5275
Moriah Christian School
P.O. Box 272
Westminster, CO 80021
303-287-7344
Pleasant Hill Academy
421 21st Ave, Suite 203
Longmont, CO 80501
303-682-5309
TRUTH Academy, Inc.
Box #1551
Elizabeth, CO 80107
303-646-2494
The Garden School
5033 335 Road #295
New Castle, CO 81647
970-876-2205
Colorado Heritage Education School System (CHESS)
1300 9th St.
Greeley, CO 80613
970-346-0099
Colorado Springs Christian Schools Home School
4845 Mallow Rd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
719-535-8968 x 2717
CO State Academy of Arvada
7506 W. 74th Place
Arvada, CO 80003
303-425-1752
Clonlara School
112 Road D
Pine, CO 80470
303-816-9335
Christian Fellowship School
7350 W. Eastman Place
Lakewood, CO 80227
303-980-6622
Christian Home Educators of Colorado Satellite School
10431 S. Parker Rd.
Parker, CO 80134
720-842-4852
Christian Cottage Schools
3560 Dawson Rd.
Sedalia, CO 80135
Mike or Teri: 303-688-6626
christiancottage.aol.com
West River Academy
WRAcademy@aol.com
Worried About College?
Don't be!! The latest statistic I've heard, supported by a school administrator,
was that 2/3 of all American colleges are presently accepting homebrewed
transcripts and/or portfolios of work completed by homeschoolers.
Some colleges are even creating scholarships specifically for homeschooled
students. Stanford, for one, has publicly stated that they seek homeschooled
students for their abilities in time management and overall enthusiasm to learn.
Last year, a larger percentage of homeschooled applicants were accepted into
Stanford than that from high school diploma recipients.
Books:
And What About College? By Cafi Cohen
Homeschooler's College Admissions Handbook by Cafi Cohen
Cool Colleges for the Hyper-Intelligent, Self-Directed, Late Blooming
and Just Plain Different by Donald Asher
The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn
Sites:
http://learninginfreedom.org/colleges_4_hmsc.html
Lists and updates homeschool-friendly colleges.
List of books from Home Education Magazine:
www.home-ed-magazine.com/HSRSC/hsrsc_SelectBks.html