Homeschooling Support

We are at the last in this round of the Intro to Homeschooling series. I’d love to hear what others think is useful in this category!

At this point we have covered:

• Why you would want to homeschool
• Methods of homeschooling
• Homeschooling laws
• Resources to start homeschooling

At this point, you most likely have at least an outline of what you want to do, and we must not overlook ongoing support! Many homeschooling families do not have a good support system in their decision within their family circle, so that means we need to continue to find places that will support us through this incredible, unique journey.

Blogs are a great source for ideas, and a look into the lives of fellow homeschoolers. Of course, come and check out my blog during the week! I’ve had a hard time finding Muslim bloggers that blog regularly, but here’s some that have some great posts:

• Muslim Homeschool Blog
• Pearls of Jannah
• American Muslim Mom
• Homeschool4Muslims

Forums are a wonderful place to talk to people online who can offer support and encouragement. Trust me, you will need some people to pat you on the back once in a while, and tell you that it is okay to change what resource you planned to use without feeling guilty! Here are some forums I’ve heard good things about, or enjoy myself:

• Ihsan – A Muslim homeschooler’s forum. Most of the members are in the UK, so the laws are a little different. Overall it is a beautiful community of Muslim moms working to educate their children at home. As of 10/22/12, the site seems to be down, but check back.
• The Well Trained Mind Forums – This is a very active forum, and most of the members either purely homeschool with the classical method, or it resonates with them.
• Homeschool.com Forum – I’m not part of this forum, but from the way it appears, this would be a great place for homeschoolers of any method.

Share forums you enjoy and have found useful, too!

Last, but certainly not least is your local homeschool groups. Searching Yahoo groups is a good way to find if there are groups in your area, even if that is finding a general Muslim group for your state and then asking on there if there are homeschooling groups. Since Muslims are a small fraction of the population, there aren’t many groups in general. I’ve found secular groups can be a good solution for finding support and friends, and some Christian groups are welcoming also (but ask ahead of time, just so you aren’t intruding on a group that wishes to remain purely Christian members).

I do think that finding or making a Muslim group is important for our children. It is important that our children feel part of a bigger community, whenever possible. Since Muslims are such a small fraction of the population in many parts of the country, we have to support each other, even if we do not have the same homeschooling methods. There are enough times that our children are left feeling weird and out of place because of our beliefs, and inshaAllah we can find a safe haven for them.

What other areas of support have you found? Do you have feedback on links I have provided?

The rest of the series to check out!

1. Why Do People Homeschool? (September 24, 2012)
2. Homeschooling Methods (October 1, 2012)
3. Homeschool Laws (October 8, 2012)
4. Homeschool Resources (October 15, 2012)
5. Homeschooling Support (October 22, 2012)
6. Daily Homeschool Organization and Routine (November 5, 2012)
7. 10 Way to Pinch Homeschool Pennies (November 19, 2012)