Books and legal advice

[marcia]

Well I have officially decided to take the plunge and homeschool after 2 years of going back and forth on the issue. My son will be 5 in March and I plan on starting in August. I have chosen an association, Insights On Education, and am looking at a few support groups. I am in the Greenville/Simpsonville area, so if anyone has any advice on one particular group please let me know. Having said all this, I'd like to get some books on learning styles and teaching methods but there are so many, and...well, I can't buy them all! Any book reviews,advice on this would be great! Also, I have been seeing alot about a Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). Is this worth the expense? Does anyone know about this? Is anyone a member? If so, what do you think? Thanks everyone!:biggrin2:

[TAT191]

I know that I am a little late answering this but these are the books that I have enjoyed reading.

The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer & Jessie Wise
The Minds of Boys by Michael Gurian
Books to Build on by E.D. Hirsch - This is one of the must haves for me!
What you (k,1st,2nd.....) Grader needs to know by E.D. Hirsch
The Way they Learn by Cynthia Ulrich Tobas

I always check the book out from the library first, if it seems like something that I am going to want to read again (which I do a lot) then I buy it.

I hope this helps!

Stephanie

[Dianna]

Hi Marcia, welcome to our forums and to homeschooling! :wave:

For support group info, go to my Support Group area at http://www.carolinahomeschooler.com/support.htm You can email the different groups near you to see what they're like.

I agree with Stephanie about getting homeschool "how-to" books from the library so you can see what appeals to you without going bankrupt! :lol: There are so many books out there about homeschooling now that it can get overwhelming fast, so just choose a few books that seem to interest you and start there. You can always modify your method later as you learn more and see what fits and what doesn't.

Also, read through these message boards for posts about how others homeschool, as well as my Frequently Asked Questions area at http://www.carolinahomeschooler.com/faq.htm . Hopefully they'll help you, too.

Regarding HSLDA, I don't personally know anyone who is a member, nor who has needed membership. The homeschooling climate in SC is good, so you probably wouldn't need them, but you do what you feel is best for your family.

Warmly,
Dianna