Minnesota law does not legally require you to participate in preschooler screening through your school district. Pediatricians will often perform these simple screenings as part of an annual check-up.

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What kinds of records do I need to keep?

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Are there discounts available to homeschoolers in MN for things like museums, bookstores, etc.?

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General Homeschooling Questions

I think I want to homeschool, but I don't know where to start. Help!

The first step is to find other homeschooling families. Find out what they do and how they do it. Getting involved in an ECHO support group is a great way to accomplish this. You can also ask questions on the ECHO-MN e-group. One piece of advice is to talk to other homeschoolers before you spend a lot of money on curriculum. Many new homeschoolers regret spending money before they have educated themselves as to their options.

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I've heard that homeschooled kids can't get into colleges. Is that true?

This is not true for most colleges. In fact, many colleges have begun to actively recruit homeschoolers. See http://learninfreedom.org/colleges_4_hmsc.html  for a list of colleges which already admit homeschooled students.

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What about socialization?

This is a common concern among new homeschooling parents, and it can be a sensitive issue. Many homeschooling families get together with other families on a regular basis, and children form friendships in this way. While most children are sitting in a classroom each day with other children the same age, listening to a teacher, homeschooled children are out in the world interacting with others of all ages. They are not restricted in their socialization in the way that other children are. In fact, some parents choose to homeschool specifically in order to avoid the negative aspects of socialization that are rampant in today's schools.

I often hear about the different philosophies of homeschooling (unschooling, School-at-home, classical, etc.) What are the different methods and what do they each mean?

These are the most common styles and philosophies of homeschooling. One style is not right for every family. Often, families use a combination of approaches to meet the needs of their children. 

Traditional: Often referred to “School-at-Home”, this approach attempts to replicate the school model in the home setting. Textbooks are used and a schedule is followed.

Classical : In the Classical Approach children are taught tools of learning collectively known as The Trivium. The Trivium has three parts: the Grammar stage, the Dialectic stage and the Rhetoric Stage, each part corresponding to a childhood developmental stage.

Unit Studies : A unit study takes a topic or theme and delves into it deeply over a period of time, integrating language arts, science, social studies, math and fine arts as they apply. Instead of studying subjects as unrelated, all subjects are blended together and studied around a common theme or project.

Unschooling : Unschooling has many definitions. The main thread connecting these definitions is the idea that a less structured learning approach allows children to pursue their own interests and find personal meaning and purpose in learning.  Children are surrounded with a rich learning environment and adults who model a lifestyle of learning.

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