Homeschooling in the Triad
By TMoM Team Member Sandy Harper
This directory is sponsored by River Run International Film Festival. RiverRun International Film Festival is a non-profit cultural organization whose mission is to foster a deeper understanding of the many people, cultures, and perspectives of our world through regular interaction with great films and filmmakers. Films With Class is RiverRun’s education program that works to enhance school curriculum by presenting free screenings of documentaries in classrooms and at the festival each spring.
Homeschooling is a growing school option in the Triad. There are many established groups and resources that help new and veteran homeschool families. Additionally, there are new ones popping up all the time. If you know of a group or resource you think we should feature in this blog, please email us and we will add it. We hope you find this blog a helpful and supportive resource in your homeschool journey.
Craft a Vision of Your Homeschooling Situation
Start by taking the time to analyze why your family decided to homeschool in the first place. Those reasons are probably fresh in your mind, so go ahead and write them down. Rank them in order of importance if you want. You are creating a vision – a focus – that will guide you through the decisions that follow.
For example, if you’ve decided to homeschool because the actual physical school situation doesn’t work for your children, but you still want them to be learning the same things as their peers at the same time, your vision might lead you to virtual schools where content is delivered online, and a licensed teacher handles the teaching and grading. Some popular options in North Carolina include North Carolina Virtual Academy, North Carolina Connections Academy, North Carolina Virtual Public School, and North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Online.
Also, private schools are increasingly offering hybrid options where students spend a day or two in the classroom and complete the rest of the work with their parents. Locally, Cathedral Oaks in Clemmons and The Covenant School in Greensboro offer a classical, University-Model hybrid, and Liberty University Online offers a virtual hybrid.
However, if you have strong feelings about what is taught and when, and if you want your child to have a very different school experience, you’ll need to choose a basic curriculum that reflects your goals. The tips below will help you with deciding on your homeschool style and curriculum choices.
Ask Tons of Questions
Your next step, if possible, should be talking to actual people who homeschool. So, your husband’s third-cousin’s sister-in-law happens to be your Facebook friend and seems to enjoy homeschooling? Send her a private message. That family at church? Ask if you can chat sometime. The next door neighbors? Knock on their door.
There are many ways to homeschool and curriculums to choose However, don’t start with something that doesn’t sound interesting to you. Think about your goals and values. Take into consideration how your child learns best. Most of all, know that if you start a curriculum and you hate it from the start, you do not have to continue with it! That is the beauty of homeschooling, you can try different and new things until you find what fits your family and child the best.
Attend a Homeschooling Conference
You should also consider attending a homeschooling conference. There are several in North Carolina and surrounding states throughout the school year, and they feature speakers as well as a wide variety of vendors. This is a great chance to see curriculum in person, instead of researching online. Of course, a conference can easily become overwhelming because, like mentioned above, there are so many choices. If you’ve done your research with homeschooling families beforehand, you can focus on the curriculum you already think you want to use, instead of trying to look at everything. The greatest thing about a homeschool conference is the feeling of community! You realize how large the homeschool community is, and you are not alone in this journey!
If you’re looking for a conference, here’s a quick list to get you started:
- The Thrive! Conference is always held at the end of May in Winston-Salem. It’s a fantastic resource for families all over the state and features both religious and secular options.
- Teach Them Diligently conferences move around. The next conference will take place May 2-4, 2024 in Pigeon Forge.
- Great Homeschool conferences are very popular. The closest location is Greenville, SC on March 14 – 16, 2024.
- If you love the idea of a homeschool conference from the comfort of your couch, then a virtual conference is for you. For The Love of Homeschool has a wonderful virtual conference that has 35 sessions on a variety of homeschool topics.
Shadow Homeschooling Families
If you don’t know what you are looking for in a homeschool, or even if you are looking for inspiration, shadowing a homeschool family can be a great way to begin crafting your own vision. Yes, this pretty much involves inviting yourself over to their house. Disregard social norms and do it anyway.
Every family does things differently: some are very, very structured to the point of imitating traditional school, and others have a schedule that ebbs and flows by the day. Some families get up to an alarm and start work by 7; others let their kids sleep as long as they wish, take some time to play, and then buckle down to work. Your homeschool may need to work between naptimes or your work schedule. Flexibility is your friend with homeschooling, embrace it.
The more families you can shadow, the more realistic you’ll be when you make your own plans. Honestly, your initial expectations for homeschooling are probably not very realistic. If the family you’re shadowing is using curriculum that interests you, take this opportunity to try it out with your own kid. Find a printer with a photocopy function; it will be your best friend. IYou can save yourself a fortune by copying a few pages of someone else’s book and letting your kids try them.
Consider a Co-Op
Homeschooling is very popular in North Carolina, which means there are plenty of co-op options available. You do not have to join a co-op; in fact, our state is relatively lenient in that there’s not a whole lot that you have to do. However, you may find a co-op is a great source of support and encouragement. Homeschooling is best done in community; however, that looks like for you.
Co-ops are like curriculum: you’ll find wide variety in terms of purpose and price. Some co-ops – like Classical Conversations and Charlotte Mason – are aligned to a specific curriculum, meaning strict standards apply to instructor training, scheduling, and general operation. There’s less risk in choosing a co-op like this, but often the price-point is higher. The other option is an independent co-op, formed by like-minded parents who want to leverage the collective strengths of the moms within the co-op. These co-ops tend to be much more affordable, but they require you to put more trust in the parents running them. When you talk to other homeschooling families, ask them about their co-op, if they have one. If possible, arrange to visit. Homeschooling Facebook pages can be a great way to find smaller, lesser-known co-ops. Here are some local homeschooling pages and co-ops:
- Winston-Salem Homeschoolers
- Piedmont Homeschoolers
- Lighthouse Christian Homeschool Association
- Triad Homeschool Activity Group
- Triad Family Homeschoolers
- High Point Home Educators
- Forsyth Home Educators
- Stokes Home Educators
- Classical Conversations
- Charlotte Mason
- Central STEM
- Hillcrest Homeschool Enrichment
- Tinkergarten
- Friendly Educators
- EMMA
- Catholic Co-Op – Greensboro
- The Secular Homeschool
- Homeschool Connections
- The Mindful Mentor (homeschool math classes)
- Wild + Free Groups
- Trinity Home Educators
- Mt. Pleasant Church
Don’t Overdo It
The more research you do, the more amazing opportunities you’ll find. If you aren’t careful, you’ll wind up with three extra-curricular activities per kid, per day…and no actual time to teach! Especially if your kids are little, give yourself a few months to see how much spare time you have – and how much you are willing to give up – before you register for anything. Just because something is good doesn’t mean it’s good for your family. Choose carefully.
Consider Joining a Home Educators Organization
These organizations support homeschool families with information, activities, sports programs, and other resources typically provided by local school districts.
North Carolinians for Home Education advocates for homeschooling families at the state level. They’re also a wealth of information. Need to know how to build a transcript for your high schooler? They’ve got a template. Need info on registering your homeschool? They’ve got that, too. Pretty much everything you need to know is on their website, and you support that mission when you join.
Depending on your location, you might also want to join Forsyth Home Educators, Greensboro Home Educators, and High Point Home Educators. These organizations host sports teams, high school proms, field trips, and activities for kids of all ages.
Piedmont Forest School offers a homeschool group in Winston-Salem. Details HERE. Nature Explorers is a club-like nature-immersive adventure and creative play program which can incorporate nature tutoring if needed. Forest Kindergarten is a play-based and child-lead nature immersive program embedding integrated and applied STEAM experiences and utilizing place-based learning.
Give Yourself Freedom to Change Your Mind
When you begin to make final decisions, remember that you aren’t marrying the choices you make. If you aren’t happy with your co-op after a year, you can always try a new one. The same goes for curriculum choices. In fact, you might find that what works for one of your children doesn’t work at all for another. One of the tremendous benefits of homeschooling is that you can constantly make adjustments based on your child’s needs. Take a breath and make the best decision you can with the knowledge that you can always change your mind.
Additional Resources on Homeschooling
National membership:
Curriculum stores:
Guillion’s Christian and Homeschool Supply in King and Statesville
The Homeschool Room in Matthews and Huntersville
The Gathering Place in Raleigh
McKay’s – Great place to find used books – locations in Winston-Salem & Greensboro
Websites available for resources:
TMoM’s Arts & Enrichment Programs Directory
www.wildwnc.org (membership for AZA and ASTC museums nationwide)
Discounts available for home school instructors:
OfficeMax/Office Depot/Staples
www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org (ID)
Carson Dellosa Publishing Warehouse Sale
Field Trip groups:
Triad Homeschool Activity Group
Piedmont Triad Nature Nuts Homeschool Group
Homeschool Days:
Level Up, LLC– posts times/dates for their monthly homeschool events on their Facebook page.
Bethabara Park: Check their Facebook page; they offer homeschool days at least twice per year.
Level Up – Thomasville
Tinderbox Fitness (PE Classes)
Sawtooth School for Visual Art
Yearly Testing Services:
Click HERE to go directly to TMoM’s Homeschool category that features articles from local moms and professionals!
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Hello I’m looking to home school my high schooler in the Winston salem area and I don’t have a clue where to start exactly. I do feel like I would be a good fit to do it but need information on how to go about it. I’m open to any suggestions and/or ideas as to how and where should I start? Thanks for reading.
This directory is full of information to give you a great start. You can also search local homeschool groups on Facebook and those homeschool parents give great advice!
Hi! My name is Michaela Hafley. I’m the Education Director with Theatre Art Galleries (TAG) in High Point. I’m curious if homeschool families in the area would like us to organize an art class/art club for your students? I would also like to offer a virtual fieldtrip with the NCMA that we would conduct at our location. I’m just not sure how to publicize these opportunities to gauge for interest. Any suggestions? Or if interested, please contact me at TAG: 336-878-7850. Thank you!
I am attempting to find a homeschool coop where I can take my 8th grade, 14 year old adopted by me, nephew. I am 72 and would be happy to financially support a homeschool co-op that I could enroll him in and take him to. Do you location would have to be in Fuquay Varina, Angier, or Holly Springs, North Carolina. Are there any type of schools like that being sponsored by churches or individual teachers that do this in their home? He has add and has a hard time focusing. Please contact me.
I homeschooled many years but am now empty nest. I have a piano for anyone who would like it. You would have to pick up. I live in Kernersville.
Do you still have this @amy?
Hello. Would you consider homeschooling again? I live in Greensboro. I have a 3 year old girl. I understand she’s preschool age, but I would like to get her started. She’s very intelligent, and learns quickly. I’m having trouble finding a place for her. Honestly, I’m new to this and don’t know where to begin. Please help.
I am homeschooling my grandchildren along with my daughter. We have chosen a curriculum for our kindergartener but we don’t know what legally to do to get started. I have a college diploma and my daughter has two years of college among other educational degrees. How do we register with the state? I homeschooled my daughter but back then things were pretty loosey goosey!
Hello I am currently pondering the idea of having my daughter homeschooled since we do not feel that she is getting the proper attention and educational guidance necessary for her to succeed in public school. My husband and I do not feel qualified to provide this education to her ourselves with our work schedules and looking for information or possible homeschool groups/teachers that are available to take new students. She is currently in the 6th grade and has been in a Spanish Immersion school tract since Kindergarten.
My daughter is doing online school from home and is currently a sophomore. I am looking for a homeschool group that gets together for outings. She misses the interactions with her friends. Any suggestions?
Hi Cathy, I’m not sure which county you’re in, but Forsyth Home Educators is really great for this sort of thing. They host everything from skating parties to sports teams to a homeschool prom. The teenagers in our co-op are very active in FHE. I would assume that the surrounding counties have very similar offerings. Church youth groups and organizations like Young Life also provide a lot of social opportunities. If none of those options work, I’d suggest starting with her hobbies and researching opportunities where she’d be learning alongside other teens (art classes, etc.) The good thing about homeschooling is that it gives her more time to invest in extracurricular activities.
Hi Laura, we are relatively new to the community and are looking to home school our soon to be two and half year old. We are considering hiring a qualified teacher to home school our son as neither my wife nor I feel qualified.
Do you have any advice on how we might network to find a potential candidate? If this person had, for instance, K-6 experience, we would consider hiring them for that number of years. Spanish speaking is a big plus but not mandatory. Thank you, Patrick
Hi Patrick, I did some digging and most folks suggested starting with the homeschool associations – like Forsyth Home Educators – or even the area homeschool Facebook pages. That’s where you’re most likely to get connected with the right people.
Patrick- I would be interested in helping your family. I am an elementary school teacher (15 years of experience) looking to leave the classroom to home school my kids, and maybe another 1 or 2. I am licensed in multiple areas, have a Master’s Degree, Post Master’s, and National Board Certification. Feel free to email me if you want to chat further. ankfaf@aol.com April
Laura, do you know if any local private schools are offering the hybrid option around here? I’m very interested in that model for my boys.
The Covenant School in Greensboro offers this model. At one point, Calvary Day School was offering exploratory meetings, although I didn’t find anything about it on their current website. I’ve also heard that they offer a la cart classes for homeschooled high schoolers. My own kids aren’t that old, but I’d definitely suggest that you call and talk to them directly. If your children are younger, Redeemer is a Charlotte Mason school, and while it isn’t a true hybrid, the school days are far shorter than a traditional school. It could definitely give your schedule more of a homeschool feel.
As you mentioned, Redeemer School is not a homeschool, but they practice Charlotte Mason principles and students grades TK-2 only attend school from 8:30-12noon daily. Third grade is a ‘transition year’ , when students attend MWF 8:30am-2:45pm and T, TH 8:30am- 2:45pm, prior to attending all day 8:30-2:45pm daily for grades 4th – 8th grade.
Hi, Laura. Any secular, hybrid schools in the area?
I have a bunch of A Beka books that I’m giving away now that all my kiddos have graduated. Do you know of anyone who’d like them? I can be contacted @ vicki.schroemer@gmail.com
Just an update as all the books have been claimed. Thanks to everyone who took them off my hands!
Just now seeing your comment..do you still have the Beka books?
I live in Greensboro NC and am now a “retired” homeschooler. I have both the Dr Jay L Wile Chemistry and Physics textbooks as well as the solutions and tests book for both. These are the 2000 edition but being chemistry and physics, I am thinking these subjects don’t change too much.
I also have the Bob Jones US History student text along with the teachers edition to go with it, however I do not have the tests. This is the 1999 edition.
I am looking to give these to anyone who could use them. Contact me via email: hepzibah43@yahoo.com.
Thank you so much for mentioning our homeschool group!!! So heartwarming!! That means a lot to us! We don’t offer any co-ops yet but we do have a lot of field trips planned and more coming! We are based in Greensboro and most our trips are in Greensboro.
What group are you specifically part of? We just moved to Greensboro last year and need to meet more people that homeschool. We have no homeschool community at all right now :-/
Very well thought out post! Thank you so much for the link and mention of Classical Conversations. We appreciate it 🙂
– Sarah Iddings,
Classical Conversations Team
I really,want to homeschool my two teens. They delve deeper into subjects than their class time allows for. I am just not sure how this affects their college application process.
Thanks for asking this question! A lot of families have the same concerns, but the short answer is that most colleges accept homeschooled students. While individual colleges vary, most rely on standardized tests, such as the ACT, in lieu of traditional transcripts. Many will also ask for letters of recommendation from adults who aren’t family, so it is wise to keep your kids involved in extracurricular activities. In general, colleges are looking for students who are well-rounded, with a wealth of experiences outside the classroom, and most homeschooled kids fit this description
Our daughter in SC homeschools using the classical conversation model and I love what I see there. Our son and his wife chose The Covenant School in Greensboro. It’s a hybrid homeschool and we love what we see there. If you haven’t taken a look at that I highly reccomend it!