1. Make a homeschooling plan

You don’t have to have a homeschooling plan. But it can be helpful to create one, especially as the school board can investigate or look into your homeschooling. Some parents who develop a plan send a copy of it to the school board at the same time they send their letter saying that they’re homeschooling their child.

Here are some questions that may help you develop a plan:

• What subjects will your child learn?

• What learning activities will your child do? For example, science experiments, journal writing, field trips, research projects, etc.
• What learning materials will you use? For example, online courses, textbooks, blocks and toys, scientific instruments, etc.
• What model of instruction will you use? For example, structured classes at home, unstructured self-guided learning, free time for discovery, or a mix of different models.
• Do your plans follow the Ministry of Education’s Ontario curriculum or any other curriculum? Homeschoolers don’t have to follow any particular curriculum. But if you’re following one, it’s helpful to say which one.
• What other homeschooling resources will you use?
• How often will your child get to interact with other children?
• Are you a member of any homeschooling groups or communities?
• How will you test or assess your child’s progress?

When developing your plan, keep in mind that homeschooling doesn’t need to look like regular school. It can look and feel very different. For example, you don’t have to make your child sit at a desk or tell them what to learn or follow any particular curriculum. You don’t have to follow a regular or school year schedule. You can start and end whenever you choose.

For help in developing your homeschooling plan, visit the Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents’ website.