How to Start Homeschooling in Memphis

How to Homeschool in Memphis

Before you actually start homeschooling in Grind City, take some time to think about your homeschooling goals. In Tennessee, you have the option to homeschool in three ways: as an independent homeschool, through one of many Tennessee Umbrella Schools, or through an accredited online school. The steps below pertain to those who choose the independent homeschool option.

1. Ensure you possess a high school diploma or GED.
2. Provide annual notice of intent to homeschool to the local director of schools prior to each school year.
3. Keep attendance records and submit them to the director of schools at the end of each school year.
4. Submit proof of vaccination and receipt of any health services or examinations as required by law.
5. Explore homeschool groups in the area. Many provide group field trips, enrichment classes, and plenty of opportunity to make lasting friendships.
6. Choose a curriculum that best suits your children’s learning styles.
7. Have fun learning together!

Time4Learning Curriculum for Homeschooling in Memphis

Because Tennessee homeschool laws do not dictate the content you need to cover in your independent homeschool, you have a lot of options. You will discover that there are many types of homeschooling and lots of different curriculum choices. You can decide to use a print curriculum, an online curriculum, or some type of hybrid curriculum. You will want to find a curriculum that is both high quality and a fit for your homeschool budget. If you are like many new homeschoolers, you may want to start with a comprehensive curriculum that provides all materials for all subjects for a particular grade level.

More and more homeschoolers in Memphis and around the world are choosing Time4Learning’s pre-K to grade 12 curriculum as their homeschool curriculum. Its online format and other features make it convenient and easy to use, and it is a curriculum you can stick with right to the end of high school.

Here are some of the reasons that families homeschooling in Memphis are turning to Time4Learning:

• Tennessee gives you control of your homeschooling curriculum. Time4Learning gives you and other Memphis homeschoolers the confidence that they are providing their children with a solid foundation of content areas: language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, and high school electives, too.
• Customizing your child’s instruction is easy with Time4Learning. You can select different grade levels for different subjects and skip lessons that are not compatible with your worldview.
• Foreign language lessons through Time4Languages is also available for an additional fee.
• The very popular game-based math fact fluency program Time4MathFacts is included within your Time4Learning subscription.
• Time4Learning supports new and veteran Memphis homeschoolers with easy-to-use lesson planning and recordkeeping tools, making it easy to prepare documentation and homeschool portfolios for college and other pursuits.
• Time4Learning provides engaging, self-paced lessons and activities that enable you to individualize your child’s education and align with your child’s learning profile. Memphis homeschooling families like that they can support their children with or without special learning needs by changing the rate and content of instruction and revisiting content and quizzes/tests.
• Time4Learning understands that connecting with other homeschoolers can be important. You can use our Facebook Parent Community to reach out to other homeschoolers in Memphis and around the world.
• You can join your fellow Memphis homeschoolers for no risk, by starting and stopping at any time through a no-contract monthly subscription!

Field Trips in Memphis and Beyond

Peeking through the lens of history and exploring the world of music and art are just some of the amazing things you can discover in this city. Known as the “Home of the Blues” and the “Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll”, Memphis offers students so many opportunities to survey the city and enhance their learning experience along the way.

From famous musical attractions like Graceland, the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, the Blues Hall of Fame Museum, The Legendary Sun Studio, and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music; there’s just so much your student can uncover in Memphis!

Here are some other ideas for field trips Memphis homeschoolers can enjoy:

Fire Museum of Memphis — Located in the renovated Fire Engine House #1 in downtown Memphis, the Fire Museum of Memphis is a place where you and your homeschooler can learn about fire safety, firefighting and its history, and major fires of Memphis. Fight a simulated fire from a snorkel basket, find an escape route, feel the heat of a fire, and hear about the horse-drawn period of firefighting from a horse’s perspective. You can book a field trip, tour, or even a birthday party here!

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art — The largest and oldest art museum in Tennessee, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art contains global and local art collections. Find paintings, sculptures, photographs, decorative arts, and more. Explore ancient artwork, as well as modern artwork with special collections related to women artists, African American artists, regional artists, and self-taught artists. Check for free Homeschool Days! If you cannot visit, you can review the collection online.

Memphis Museum of Science and History – Pink Palace — Visit the Pink Palace Mansion, Giant Screen Theater, AutoZone Dome Planetarium, Lichterman Nature Center, and historic Mallory-Neely and Magevney Houses. At the Pink Palace Museum, find permanent exhibits on the Cultural History of the Mid-South and Natural History of the Mid-South or explore the renovated Pink Palace Mansion. Watch for temporary exhibits, Homeschool Days, and other educational programming.

National Civil Rights Museum — Built around the former Lorraine Motel, the site of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., this museum traces the history of the civil rights movement from the 17th century until now. Check these Student Resources to enhance your homeschooler’s learning before and after your visit.

Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum — Take a walk through history and learn about the antislavery movement. Take a tour of the antebellum home and picture what it was like to be a fugitive during those times.

Are you able to travel outside of the Memphis area? Check out other Tennessee Field Trips for Homeschoolers!

Additional Resources Related to Homeschooling in Tennessee

• Homeschooling in Tennessee
• Tennessee Homeschooling Laws
• Tennessee Umbrella Schools
• Tennessee Homeschool Associations
• Tennessee Homeschool Groups and Co-ops
• Homeschool Field Trips in Tennessee
• Tennessee Unit Study for Homeschoolers