Homeschoolers are commonly heavy users of their local libraries. Libraries can become educational hubs for homeschoolers by providing programming, information, and events. Homeschoolers can help libraries by advocating for libraries and urging lawmakers to support these vital institutions in their communities.
My Homeschool Place is a friendly homeschool community where members gather to talk about their homeschool jouneys. Sign up for a free MHSP account and enjoy your own personal website where you can create blog entries, upload photos, video, create calendar events, view friends, and much more. You are able to upload artwork, lessons, work sheets, photos of outings, recipies, and much more. You can also apply to join any of the existing network groups or create your own. Inside each of the existing network groups there are group blogs, photos, videos, calendars and forums to connect with other members in the group.
A great collection of printable worksheets, multiplication tables and charts, math charts, flash cards, and number lines.
Parents are starting to realize that "fuzzy" math courses (variously called "whole math," "new math" or "new new math") are producing kids who can't do arithmetic, much less algebra. The U.S. Department of Education responded last October by officially endorsing ten new math courses for grades K-12, calling them "exemplary" or "promising" and urging local school districts to "seriously consider" adopting one of them. The recommended programs were approved by an "expert" panel commissioned by the Department of Education. But many parents believe that the "experts" are subtracting rather than adding to the skills of schoolchildren.
The Teachers.Net Lesson Bank is a resource designed to allow teachers to post and/or request specific lesson plans and teaching ideas. These lesson plans cover all sorts of subjects and grade levels. There is a remarkable amount of creativity and resources that can only come from the experience of teachers using these ideas successfully to make learning exciting. Note that because they are posted by individual teachers, there is not a standard format for these lesson plans (some don't have objectives, materials list, etc).
Math Goodies is a free math help site featuring interactive lessons, puzzles and worksheets. They also provide free homework help. There are more than 400 pages of activities for students, educators and parents.
For eight days in February, 1994, the home schoolers of this nation gave Congress a lesson on the power of grassroots politics it is not likely to forget. It began when an amendment was introduced to H.R. 6, an enormous education reappropriations bill, which would have required all teachers in America to be certified in each and every course they teach. (See article on “The Battle of H.R. 6.”) This provision would have encumbered public schools—especially small public high schools. It would have seriously interfered with America’s private schools. But for home schools, the provision was the political equivalent of a nuclear attack. America’s home schoolers astonished Congress with a political counterstrike that was quick, effective, massive, and decisive. There are three central reasons why the home schooling community was able to respond in this manner.