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Janice Hedins son was into model rockets, so she used that as a starting point for his home-school curriculum. Her daughter loved horses, and that became a focal point for her education.
"She owned it," said Hedin, of Maple Valley, Wash. "It was hers. I didnt have to force anything because she loved every minute of it."
Some home-school parents create their own curriculum for their kids. "There should never be a set curriculum," said Hedin. "Every child is so unique. Our goal as parents is to custom design the education that fits our children."
For those who find that daunting, there are many prepared curricula available for home schooling, as well as guides to what a child should know at each grade and age. Material is available online and in libraries, at bookstores and through home-school support groups.
The World Book, for example, provides a free online guide detailing typical courses of study for students from prekindergarten to 12th grade.
The National Center of Education Statistics reported last April that about 1.5 million American children were home-schooled in 2007, representing 2.9 percent of the school-age population. The number of home-school children increased by 74 percent since 1999. The upward trend is believed to be continuing.
As a first step, parents new to home schooling should check out their states laws. Helen Hegener, director of the American Homeschool Association, noted that there is a wide variety in state requirements.
In Washington state, for example, parents must meet...