Homeschooling has become a parenting buzz word, with more and more families opting to educate their kids at home rather than in a traditional classroom setting. Are you curious about homeschooling but don’t know if it’s for you? We’ve put together a primer for parents to get you schooled on homeschooling.

What is homeschooling?

Homeschooling is simply the option exercised by some parents to educate their children themselves, at home, rather than in a traditional public school or private school setting.

What does homeschooling “look like”?

When people think of homeschooling, many have an image of children sitting at the dining room table studying workbooks while a parent stands over them, guiding their progress. While this is one snapshot of studying at home, there are plenty of others. There are countless study guides, games and activities for children to use on DVDs and online. And trips to a local museum, grocery store, or just the backyard can be all places to learn about math, science, geography, history and more.

Do all homeschoolers keep their kids at home for religious reasons?

No. It’s true that many choose to homeschool because their beliefs differ from some things taught in public school, and there are religion-based homeschool curriculums and associations. But homeschooling is not a strictly religious movement. There are plenty of secular homeschooling curriculums and support groups, including the newly formed Beaufort Homeschool Association. 

How much time does it take?

While a typical homeschool day of lessons might last only four hours, homeschooling takes considerable time and commitment. Often it is accomplished by a parent who stays home full-time. You’ll need time to research and prepare lessons and outings, grade papers, lead field trips, plan experiments and projects and chauffeur children to extracurricular activities like music lessons, sports team practices and social functions.

How can parents who aren’t trained teachers be effective at teaching their children all the subjects they’d learn in a traditional classroom?

“If a third-grader can learn it, a mom can learn it,” says Claudia Gay, administrator for Community Bible Church Christian Academy, a homeschooling association in the Lowcountry. “The curriculum is so user-friendly now, it’s not like you have to be a math whiz or science whiz to teach your child. You just have to stay one chapter ahead.”

Homeschooling proponents point out that children often learn better in a one-on-one setting, child to tutor, so homeschooling gives the child the opportunity to have the undivided attention of the teacher. It also allows the teacher to tailor the lessons to the child’s interests, abilities and needs.

What options do I have?

In South Carolina you have three options for homeschooling, says Anna Cumbow, who recently started the Beaufort Homeschool Association for those wanting to connect with other homeschooling parents in the Lowcountry.

Option 1: Use the “K-12” curriculum from the public school system. You have to go to Columbia for some testing, Cumbow says, but everything is provided for your child’s education — right down to the dirt needed for a science experiment.

Option 2: Establish a homeschool under the membership auspices of the South Carolina Association of Independent Homeschools (SCAIHS). 

Option 3: This is literally called “Third Option,” and it is for those who go through an association with 50 or more members. Cumbow says the newly formed Beaufort Homeschool Association could become such an umbrella if membership and interest grow. Currently the only association that has Third Option status in the Lowcountry is Community Bible Church Christian Academy, based in Beaufort. At least one parent must be an active member of Community Bible Church for their children to be eligible for schooling under the CBCCA umbrella. Click here for more information.

For more information, visit the state site for a complete description of the requirements for each option.

How do I find a curriculum I like?

“Google ‘homeschool curriculum’ and you will be overwhelmed (by the number of options),” Gay says. “As you learn about your child and how they learn, you’ll find a curriculum that’s best suited for the temperament of your child.”

Gay says the first year she homeschooled her son she stuck pretty close to the public school curriculum, which includes everything a parent needs for the lessons, including teacher guides, tests and answer keys.

How long is the homeschool calendar?
Are there rules about how much time you have to spend teaching them?

The homeschool calendar generally follows the state’s requirements for public school attendance. In South Carolina that’s 180 school days a year, Gay says. And a school day can be as few as four hours of class time or considerably longer, depending on the lessons, activities planned and age of the student.

Do you have to test your children? 

How do you know if they’re measuring up to their peers in public or private school?
Not all homeschool options have mandatory testing, Cumbow says, but most do. At Community Bible Church Christian Academy, they start administering an academic achievement assessment test to students in third grade, “just so we can be above board and make sure we’re not letting any of our families fall through the cracks,” Gay says.

What about socialization? 

Will my child’s social skills suffer if he’s not with other kids all day?

“This is probably the number one question people ask about homeschooling families,” Gay says. “There’s never a lack of things to do for socialization.” Church-related activities, sports teams, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, and music and art lessons are just a few of the many ways homeschooled kids get to socialize with other kids. There are also outings organized by homeschool associations and support groups for homeschooled children to take field trips and do social activities with other homeschooled kids.

Is it ever too late to start? Or stop?

Certainly not. Homeschooling is a year-by-year decision, based on whether it’s working for the child, the parent, and the family as a whole, Cumbow says. If you and your child are in agreement that it’s something you want to try, go for it and reassess at the end of the school year.