Oh boy!
Starting is the hardest part... so, prepare yourself for doubt, resistance (from family, friends, and teachers) and lots of mixed advice. Everyone has a different way of doing things and homeschooling is one of them. The first thing I would do is get connected to some local homeschool groups for more information.
Here is the Washington State homeschool organization:
http://www.washhomeschool.org/
Skagit county is in region 5:
http://www.washhomeschool.org/homesc...g/whoReg5.html
This homeschool group sounds great:
Quote:
Harmony Home School Group - South Skagit and North Snohomish areas
Harmony draws members from Everett, Arlington, Stanwood, Camano Island, Mount Vernon, Burlington and surrounding towns. We are a supportive, inclusive group whose purpose is to provide practical knowledge and support, share resources and coordinate outings among our members. We have families using a broad range of homeschooling methods.
www.harmonyhomeschoolgroup.com
Contact Tanya Lopez for more information. tanya.lopez75@yahoo.com
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The first thing I did was to find a homeschool group in my area. Then, I called and emailed to find out more information. Often, a group will have several nights a year especially to educate moms about homeschooling and help out newbies. I started by going to a "so, you're thinking about homeschooling" type mom's night out. They pretty much answered our questions and presented a quick 'how-to' and had some resources for us... like the state's requirements, and how to get started. Or, if it's a smaller group in your area, they might just invite you to come to one of their regular meetings and then you can ask them questions.
My second step was attending a homeschool convention. There are lots of them in this area, but I learned the most from the one held by our state homeschool organization, FPEA. The convention had speakers who spoke about a range of things (from law, to methods of educating, to mushy-crying 'I love my kid' stuff). The convention also had a HUGE exhibition hall where many, many, companies had booths to sell their books, paper supplies, educational stuff, and curriculum. It was in the exhibition hall that I found the curriculum I felt good about using to teach Ben. I think it's nice to go see it in person, flip the pages, and talk to someone who knows it well before choosing what you will teach with.
Here's a link to your state's convention:
http://www.washhomeschool.org/conven...onvention.html
I think the key is getting connected to local homeschooling families, and finding a few who are interested in helping you get started. A support group of mom's who you can call when you feel 'stuck' or need ideas. That's a must!