https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/ Calm, practical homeschooling guides: getting started, state rules, curriculum choices, schedules and the days that do not go to plan. en https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/planning-your-second-year-what-to-keep-drop-and-change/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/planning-your-second-year-what-to-keep-drop-and-change/ How to evaluate your first year of homeschooling and plan a better second year, covering what to keep, what to drop, and how to adjust your schedule, curriculum, and expectations. Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-on-a-budget-free-and-low-cost-resources-that-work/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-on-a-budget-free-and-low-cost-resources-that-work/ A guide to homeschooling without spending hundreds on curriculum, covering free programs, library resources, used curriculum markets, and low-cost approaches that cover the required subjects. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-a-child-with-learning-differences/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-a-child-with-learning-differences/ How to homeschool a child with dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum differences, or other learning disabilities, covering evaluation, curriculum choices, accommodations, and when to seek professional help. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/deschooling-why-your-child-might-need-a-slow-start/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/deschooling-why-your-child-might-need-a-slow-start/ What deschooling is, why children coming out of conventional school often benefit from a slower start to homeschooling, and how to handle the transition period without falling behind. Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/what-records-to-keep-and-how-to-keep-them-simple/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/what-records-to-keep-and-how-to-keep-them-simple/ A practical guide to homeschool record-keeping, covering what your state may require, what is useful even when it is not required, and how to set up a system that takes minutes, not hours. Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-socialization-the-logistics-not-the-verdict/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-socialization-the-logistics-not-the-verdict/ A practical guide to building social opportunities for homeschooled children, covering co-ops, classes, sports, community activities, and what the research actually says about homeschool socialization. Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/teaching-reading-at-home-where-to-start-and-when-to-worry/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/teaching-reading-at-home-where-to-start-and-when-to-worry/ A practical guide to teaching reading at home, covering phonics-based approaches, when children typically learn to read, how to recognize a potential learning difference, and when to seek evaluation. Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/single-parent-homeschooling-making-it-work-with-less/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/single-parent-homeschooling-making-it-work-with-less/ How to homeschool as a single parent, including scheduling around work, finding help, managing costs, and building a support network when you are the only adult in the house. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/math-at-home-comparing-four-popular-elementary-programs/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/math-at-home-comparing-four-popular-elementary-programs/ A side-by-side comparison of four popular elementary homeschool math programs covering teaching approach, prep time, cost, and who each one fits best. Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-burnout-what-it-looks-like-and-what-to-do-about-it/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-burnout-what-it-looks-like-and-what-to-do-about-it/ How to recognize homeschool burnout in yourself or your child, what causes it, and practical steps to recover without quitting. Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/how-to-choose-a-homeschool-curriculum-without-buying-five/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/how-to-choose-a-homeschool-curriculum-without-buying-five/ A practical guide to choosing homeschool curriculum for your first year, covering teaching styles, the kitchen-table test, what to try before you buy, and when to switch. Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/art-music-and-pe-at-home-the-subjects-nobody-plans-for/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/art-music-and-pe-at-home-the-subjects-nobody-plans-for/ Practical ways to teach art, music and physical education at home without special equipment, training or a large budget, including what counts, what your state may require, and how to fit it all in. Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/a-realistic-first-year-homeschool-schedule-for-elementary-ages/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/a-realistic-first-year-homeschool-schedule-for-elementary-ages/ How to build a homeschool schedule for elementary-age children that is short, consistent and flexible enough to survive real life, with a sample week and the kitchen-table test. Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-while-working-schedules-that-fit-a-job/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-while-working-schedules-that-fit-a-job/ How to homeschool while holding a job, including schedule options for full-time, part-time, remote and shift-working parents, with realistic time estimates and common trade-offs. Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/your-states-homeschool-rules/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/your-states-homeschool-rules/ A guide to finding and understanding your state's homeschool requirements, covering notification, required subjects, assessment, record-keeping and where to find the official source. Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/secular-homeschool-curriculum-finding-materials-without-a-religious-framework/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/secular-homeschool-curriculum-finding-materials-without-a-religious-framework/ A guide to finding secular homeschool curriculum for families who want materials without a religious framework, covering math, science, history, language arts and where to check before buying. Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/how-to-start-homeschooling-in-the-middle-of-the-school-year/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/how-to-start-homeschooling-in-the-middle-of-the-school-year/ A practical guide to withdrawing your child from school and starting homeschooling mid-year, covering state notification rules, what to teach first, and how to build a schedule that fits your household. Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/teaching-a-reluctant-reader-patience-practice-and-when-to-get-help/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/teaching-a-reluctant-reader-patience-practice-and-when-to-get-help/ How to support a child who is struggling with or resisting reading at home, including what is developmentally normal, when to push, when to wait, and when to seek an evaluation for a learning difference. Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-and-screen-time-setting-limits-without-banning-everything/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-and-screen-time-setting-limits-without-banning-everything/ Practical guidelines for managing screen time in a homeschool household, including when screens help learning, when they do not, and how to set boundaries that survive a Tuesday. Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/field-trips-libraries-and-free-community-resources/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/field-trips-libraries-and-free-community-resources/ A guide to free and low-cost community resources for homeschooling families, including libraries, museums, parks, community classes and field trip planning. Sat, 11 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/when-homeschooling-is-not-working-signs-it-is-time-to-change-something/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/when-homeschooling-is-not-working-signs-it-is-time-to-change-something/ How to recognize that your homeschool is struggling, determine what needs to change, and decide whether the issue is the curriculum, the schedule, the approach, or homeschooling itself. Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-testing-and-assessments-what-your-state-may-require/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-testing-and-assessments-what-your-state-may-require/ A guide to understanding your state's homeschool assessment requirements, including standardized testing, portfolio reviews, evaluations, and how to prepare without turning your homeschool into test prep. Fri, 03 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/high-school-at-home-credits-transcripts-and-college-readiness/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/high-school-at-home-credits-transcripts-and-college-readiness/ How to homeschool through high school, including creating transcripts, assigning credits, meeting college admissions requirements and navigating standardized testing. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/teaching-writing-at-home-from-sentences-to-paragraphs/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/teaching-writing-at-home-from-sentences-to-paragraphs/ A step-by-step approach to teaching writing at home for elementary-age children, from first sentences through basic paragraphs, with curriculum options and common mistakes to avoid. Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-a-gifted-child-when-the-grade-level-does-not-fit/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-a-gifted-child-when-the-grade-level-does-not-fit/ How to homeschool a child who is ahead in some subjects and on track in others, including curriculum choices, pacing, social considerations and when to seek evaluation. Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/the-homeschool-co-op-what-it-is-how-to-find-one-and-whether-you-need-one/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/the-homeschool-co-op-what-it-is-how-to-find-one-and-whether-you-need-one/ What homeschool co-ops are, how they work, what they cost, and how to decide whether joining one is right for your family. Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-multiple-ages-at-the-same-table/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschooling-multiple-ages-at-the-same-table/ Practical strategies for homeschooling children of different ages at the same time, including combined subjects, independent work, toddler management and realistic schedules. Sat, 13 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/history-and-social-studies-choosing-between-textbooks-living-books-and-unit-studies/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/history-and-social-studies-choosing-between-textbooks-living-books-and-unit-studies/ A comparison of three common approaches to teaching history and social studies at home, with fit cards, prep estimates and notes on secular and religious content. Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/how-to-write-a-homeschool-plan-that-survives-september/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/how-to-write-a-homeschool-plan-that-survives-september/ A practical guide to homeschool planning that accounts for real life: short days, sick kids, changing interests and the gap between the plan on paper and the plan that works. Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/science-at-home-experiments-kits-and-curriculum-for-elementary/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/science-at-home-experiments-kits-and-curriculum-for-elementary/ A practical guide to teaching science at home for elementary-age homeschoolers, comparing curriculum options, experiment kits and free resources with a fit card for each approach. Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/when-child-resists-lessons/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/when-child-resists-lessons/ Resistance can signal a mismatch in difficulty, timing, relationship or support. Shorten one lesson and observe what changes before buying another program. Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/teach-reading-at-home/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/teach-reading-at-home/ A reading routine should include explicit skill work and enjoyable reading together. Notice which sound-letter patterns are hard and ask for evaluation when progress stalls. Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/start-homeschooling-midyear/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/start-homeschooling-midyear/ Changing schools in the middle of a year calls for a legal check and a gentle first week. Confirm withdrawal and notice steps with your state and school district before changing enrollment. Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/secular-vs-religious-curriculum/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/secular-vs-religious-curriculum/ Secular and religious families both deserve to know what a course teaches before paying for it. Read a full sample chapter and ask the publisher direct content questions. Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/review-your-first-homeschool-term/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/review-your-first-homeschool-term/ The first term is a test of fit, not a final verdict on your family. Keep what worked on ordinary Tuesdays, adjust one bottleneck and check your records. Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/how-to-start-homeschooling/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/how-to-start-homeschooling/ Begin with your state's current rules, then build a small routine around reading and math. Find your state education department's homeschool page and write down its notice and record requirements. Sun, 26 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-with-a-toddler/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-with-a-toddler/ The toddler did not read your lesson plan and will not honor it. Reserve the most focused lesson for a short protected window and use flexible work later. Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-while-working/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-while-working/ The plan must fit the job's fixed hours and the child's need for actual teaching. Map the week's immovable blocks before choosing curriculum or a co-op. Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-state-rules/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-state-rules/ No national checklist can replace your state's current instructions. Use your state education department, save the page and note the date you checked it. Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-socialization/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-socialization/ Friendships need repeated access to people, not a slogan about socialization. Choose one recurring group and one easy informal invitation before filling the calendar. Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-records/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-records/ Requirements vary, but a simple dated record is easier to maintain than a scrapbook assembled in June. Check the state rule, then keep a weekly log of learning and work samples. Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-math-routine/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-math-routine/ Daily practice is more useful than changing programs every time a page is hard. Pick a short lesson, a few practice problems and a stopping point. Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-learning-differences/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-learning-differences/ A changed setting can help, but it does not erase a learning disability. Document the concern and ask the local school district about an evaluation. Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-high-school-basics/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-high-school-basics/ High school planning is easier when course descriptions and work samples are kept as you go. Check state graduation rules and admissions requirements for programs your teen may want. Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-budget/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-budget/ A small, flexible budget leaves room to replace what does not fit. Separate reusable books, consumables, classes and surprise fees before buying bundles. Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-assessment-anxiety/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/homeschool-assessment-anxiety/ A single hard week cannot tell you whether a child needs a new curriculum or an evaluation. Gather work samples, look for a pattern and ask a qualified professional when concerns persist. Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/first-homeschool-schedule/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/first-homeschool-schedule/ A short plan you can repeat beats a full classroom timetable on the refrigerator. Put reading and math first, then rotate one other subject each day. Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/find-a-homeschool-coop/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/find-a-homeschool-coop/ A co-op is useful when its schedule and expectations fit your actual week. Ask about fees, parent duties, worldview and what happens when a child misses a day. Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/deschooling-after-public-school/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/deschooling-after-public-school/ A slower start can help a child settle, while legal requirements still apply. Keep a light learning rhythm and review your state's attendance and subject rules. Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/choose-first-curriculum/ https://firstyearhomeschool.malate.org/articles/choose-first-curriculum/ Curriculum is a tool for this child and this year, not a family identity. Try samples and placement materials before buying a full package. Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT