The most common question new home schoolers have is: “How do I get started”? OK, you probably knew that already, and you realize that easy is best. So no complicated formulas or theories today, just some simple steps to help you get your home school program launched.
 
Whether your children are just starting school or if you have pulled them out of public school, there are certain actions you’ll need to take.

We’ve broken it down into the following basic steps you can follow to get going:
 
Step 1: Learn The Laws

The first thing you will need to do is to learn the home school laws in your area. You can do this by going to
http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/default.asp and clicking on your state.
 
Some states require you to inform the school board if you are home schooling, some do not. The states that do usually have a form you will need to fill out and return to them.
 
If you live outside of the USA go to http://www.hslda.org/hs/international/default.asp and click on your country.
 
Step 2: Make A Plan

The next thing you need to do is to make a plan. This involves choosing the materials you will use, making a schedule as to when you will have school, deciding what you will teach, and deciding where you will have “class”.
 
For those of you with children preK-1 we recommend that you start by getting some flash cards with numbers and letters on them and teach your child these first. For some free alphabet flash cards go to http://home.netcom.com/~hexchex/flashcards.html and make a copy.
 
A great web site for early learners is http://www.starfall.com . Here you will find fun learning activities that teach reading and phonics.
 
* Will You Use Curriculum?

Many home schoolers start off using curriculum. This is a good idea in order to make sure you are covering all the subjects.
 
If you need to decide which curriculum to use you can visit http://www.homeschoolreviews.com  where other home schoolers give their opinion on different curriculum
 
* Will You Design Your Own Curriculum?

Some home schoolers search the web for all of the home schooling freebies and design their own curriculum from these. If you decide to do this, you should first get one (or more) of the books in the series “What Your (1st-12th) Grader Needs To Know”
 http://here-is-more.info/?i=143142/
to be sure you are not leaving out anything important.

* Set Up Your Schedule

After you have reviewed your materials you can set up a schedule and
decide what you will teach and when.
 
Step 3: Follow The Plan

The last thing is, follow the plan. Don’t panic if you have to change the plan. In fact, it’s quite unusual when a home schooler’s plan doesn’t change a little. One of the best things about home schooling is the flexibility it allows. Take advantage of this.

Pretty simple, right? Ready for some more detail? Here’s a great resource that will help you whether you’re just getting started or you’re a veteran homeschooler:
 http://show–me.com/?i=143143/