The Homeschool Gossip is the place to come to find out all about Homeschooling in the Greater Charlotte Area & beyond ~ from Rock Hill to Raleigh!

You'll find calendars of events and activities, list of co-ops, support groups and enrichment classes; Homeschooling FAQs and a Social Network to get you connected to other homeschoolers with similar ages and interests; there are even Marketplaces to buy & sell curriculum, toys and games!

So, spread the word! And don't forget to say you heard about it on The Homeschool Gossip!

Homeschooling FAQs & Free Resources

To aid those considering homeschooling, or are new to this fantastic adventure, here are some helpful FAQs:


In the words of Lewis Carroll “Begin at the beginning...” The NC DNPE (North Carolina Department of Non-Public Eduction) is where you register your homeschool and find out all NC state requirements.  

The Homeschool Gossip’s Homeschooling Q & A’s Support Group can help you find answers to your homeschooling questions!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/696919220509549/

There is also the Homeschooling 101 in NC from The Homeschool Legal Defense Association.

Curriculum

So...many...choices...it can be overwhelming!  BUT here’s the good news: they are ALL good. Yep, every one.  All of them will teach your child.  It’s just a matter of picking the one that best speaks to your child. The goal: no tears. Seriously, that’s it, that’s the goal of picking the right curriculum, no tears for you or your child.  Let’s say you picked a math curriculum that made them cry, no worries, they still learned something.  You picked a grammar curriculum that made you cry, they still learned something.  Just smile as you gather up the pieces and post that curriculum on the Marketplaces and just pick a new one!

To find helpful extensive reviews of nearly all the curriculum choices out there, you can go to www.rainbowresource.com or www.christianbook.com . You can also ask opinions on the different support groups (see below), veteran homeschool mom’s are very willing to help! You can post your questions in the Homeschooling Q & A’s Support Group. Once you decide on a curriculum, it's best to first see if you can get it used. You can find used curriculum in The Homeschool Gossip’s Marketplaces these are local buy/sell groups of all things homeschooling.  You can always find it online at Amazon.com, eBay, or directly from the publisher for discounts like Apologia Science.

Testing 

To find out all about the yearly Nationally Standardized Testing requirement for homeschools in North Carolina visit the NC Department of Non-Public Education. Here is the link to the Nationally Standardized Testing Requirement page at the NC DNPE. 

For those new to homeschooling, this is not as scary as it seems!  These tests are a wonderful tool to see how well your child(ren) are doing and where you may need to spend some more time. They are also a great way to evaluate how well your curriculum is working for your child(ren). We are only required to test, we are NOT required to have any particular score. Even if your child didn’t fill in the bubbles completely and received a zero, you have met the yearly requirement.  That example is to take away the anxiety of testing.  

Here are some options to meet the yearly Nationally Standardized Testing requirement:


For our neighbors that homeschooling in South Carolina, we share lots of social events, but our homeschooling laws are different. Here is a link to a group that can help you figure it all out! http://www.carolinahomeschooler.com/

The Homeschool Gossip's Links for Socialization Opportunities:

Click this link to view The Homeschool Gossip's calendars completely in a scrollable list with clickable links to all event details!  Book mark this link for easy access.
How to obtain Proof of Homeschool for merchant discounts:
  1. Go to the NC DOA: Home School Information webpage
  2. Scroll to the bottom and click on the link Print a Home School Verification Record Non Public Education
  3. You'll be taken to a logon page, where you can logon to you account. Just follow the directions on the page.
  4. Once in your account you'll see the option: "Print the Official Registration Record and Verification Card (Use this link to print your official home school record information and verification card.)"
  5. Click that link and you will download a .pdf of your Official Registration Record and Verification Card.

The Homeschool Gossip's Links for Academic Support & socialization opportunities:


AMAZING FREE SUPPORT RESOURCES!

  • https://chemfiesta.org/ The Cavalcade o' Chemistry is from the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide of Chemistry.  Here you will find, information and tutorials on all things Chemistry INCLUDING an online textbook!! ALSO is an online textbook for Physical Science as well!!  This is an amazing resource if you are searching for secular science options for middle school and high school!
  • https://nckids.overdrive.com NC Kids Digital Library - Available Through Most Public Libraries. Thank you Valorie Pope for sharing! Have a library card? Check out The NC Kids Digital Library, a resource available through most local metro libraries! NC Kids Digital Library offers e-books, audiobooks, streaming videos, and Read-Alongs. This collection was specifically designed for youth ages pre-K through 4th grade and includes picture books, youth fiction, youth nonfiction, and more. Click here for more information.
  • This is an amazing free resource! Instantly improve your writing! Brought to you by the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW), this free app includes charts and lists to help you write organized and stylish papers. Based on the nine structural models and the many stylistic techniques presented in the Teaching Writing: Structure & Style program, this application gives you tools to organize your writing, whether you are writing short stories, reports, essays, or book reports. Also includes lists chock-full of interesting word choices to improve your writing and vary your sentence structure—the mark of a sophisticated writer. Perfect for the homeschooling student and the classroom teacher.
  • www.charlottemasonpoetry.com: A new wonderful resource for parents & teachers-Charlotte Mason. Thank you Christina Brown for sharing: Hope everyone is familiar with , but if not, please take time to explore the website and listen along with the podcasts of the blog posting...a "delectable delight." Charlotte Mason Poetry by Charlotte Mason Poetry on Apple Podcasts. Charlotte Mason Poetry by Charlotte Mason Poetry on Apple Podcasts. Download past episodes or subscribe to future episodes of Charlotte Mason Poetry by Charlotte Mason Poetry for free.
  • Crash Course YouTube Channel Tons of awesome courses in one awesome channel! Nicole Sweeney teaches you sociology, Carrie Anne Philbin teaches you computer science, Craig Benzine teaches film history, and Mike Rugnetta is teaching mythology! Check out the playlists for past courses in physics, philosophy, games, economics, U.S. government and politics, astronomy, anatomy & physiology, world history, biology, literature, ecology, chemistry, psychology, and U.S. history.
  • Virtual Homeschool Group :We are an online homeschool course co-op. Think of it as your local co-op gone electronic with no geographical borders. It is all-volunteer run and donation supported so that we can offer the classes tuition-free. We offer at your own pace and live online classes. August 1st is the big registration day each year for live online classes. At your own pace (ayops) can be started at any time. Contact Tammy Moore at teacher.tammy.moore@gmail.com if you have any questions.
  • Donna Young offers the largest selection of Printable homeschool planners. Not only will you be able to print a complete homeschool planner, you can also read Donna's How to Plan Homeschool articles with examples and suggestions. 
  • Free MIT courses, including videos, audio, simulations, lecture notes and exams! 
  • HSLDA’s Membership for Parents of Preschoolers This FREE HSLDA membership is for parents or legal guardians whose oldest child is under age 5. Here are the benefits you receive! Personal phone and email access to legal staff for your state, for any legal concerns regarding your homeschool Toddlers to Tweens consultant (preschool–8th grade) who can answer your homeschooling questions about everything from getting started to learning styles, from curriculum to lesson planning, and more www.hslda.org/ToddlersToTweens Struggling Learner/Special Needs consultants who can assist you in diagnosing and addressing your homeschooled child’s special needs www.hslda.org/StrugglingLearner
  • LibraVox – free and low-cost audio books 
  • Forgotten Books is a London-based book publisher specializing in the restoration of old books, both fiction and non-fiction. Books available to read online, download as ebooks, or purchase in print. https://www.forgottenbooks.com/en 
  • Where to Go Wednesday: NC Aquariums As the weather cools down, maybe your family enjoys a trip to the coast? Consider a visit to one of our wonderful aquariums. With preregistration, homeschools are allowed on free visit per school year. You must be a registered homeschool with DNPE.
  • Lynda.com through CMS Library -  Lynda.com is an online educational site that includes over 3,000 courses (and over 130,000 videos) in popular fields like web design, web development, IT, education/instruction, media production, and business. Normally, using lynda.com requires a paid subscription, but Charlotte Mecklenburg Library cardholders can access lynda.com content FREE with their library card number following these instructions

Great gift idea for homeschoolers!

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