Starting to homeschool? Look for local workshops like this one for free resources and tools

To jumpstart parents’ introduction to homeschooling, a Kansas City-area nonprofit is offering the opportunity to browse free curriculum at an upcoming workshop.

The workshop will take place at 10 a.m. Aug. 17 at the Lenexa City Center Library. Families can take advantage of a “Meet & Greet” one hour beforehand, while the free curriculum will be available from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m.

“It’s relaxed, it’s casual, you can come in with experience or with zero knowledge on homeschooling,” said Jacklynn Walters, Shawnee city councilwoman and Midwest Parent Educators (MPE) media director, in a recent podcast episode.

“It’s just a really great environment to come and be vulnerable and ask those tough questions that maybe you’re wrestling through.”

‘Families are coming together’

Walters and her husband, Justin, have homeschooled their four children in Missouri and Kansas for nine years.

“I used to say moms, and now – I love it – families are coming together, dads are coming and supporting,” Walters said of the changing workshop demographics. “Sometimes dads are the No. 1 homeschool parent.”

Attendees can expect an overview of homeschool procedures – learning Kansas and Missouri legal requirements, choosing curriculum, and organizing their homeschool day. 

Homeschooling can fit a wide range of families, including those where one or both parents responsible for educating also work full-time jobs, Walters said.

“The beauty of coming together is learning how people have done it from different family dynamics, different family makeups, single moms that come and really just are trying to navigate, ‘How do I do this as a single parent?’ And we really are there to come alongside and show you the way and show you that somebody like you has done this before.” 

Walters encourages families to work out a plan to anticipate specific needs, expecting some trial and error without pressure to make it “perfect all the time.” 

For example, she customizes her homeschool to adapt around the four months in the year when she works in Topeka on the Senate staff for Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson. 

“I really want my family to thrive in that time and not be scrambling,” she said, adding how homeschooling involves household management as well. “You can’t just do the school and forget about supper and laundry and cleaning the house – all of those components. And so it can be overwhelming.” 

Tips to start the school year 

Parents whose children have already attended public school should set aside time to adjust to homeschooling, Walters advises. 

“It’s having those conversations and talking about what school is going to look like now, and then it’s going to be a lot different than what they’re used to. But different isn’t bad. Hard is not bad. It just takes planning, takes intentionality, takes prayer, to really be prepared for what the next year’s like.”

Walters’ family also eases into the school year in August with some first-day pictures, a special breakfast, and only a few academic subjects.

“You’re going to build strong relationships together,” she said. “Don’t think that that is not valuable because it is the key, I think, to a successful homeschool family – a successful school lifestyle.” 

Relationships out of education go hand in hand in a homeschool home, no matter whether you’re starting with preschoolers or teens, Walters said. 

“It is a lot to navigate. But that truly is why we’re here. We want to help you. We want to come alongside you and really be an encouragement to you as you begin this beautiful journey of homeschooling your children.”