New to Homeschooling?

Interested in homeschooling your child? Here' how to get started:

1-Go to the "Resources" Tab on our homepage and click on SC Laws. This will take you to the HSLDA website. Read South Carolina's homeschooling law, and note the different options available to you for legal coverage. EVERY homeschooler must choose one of the three options to legally homeschool in SC (and not be considered truant). Foothills Accountability Association is an Option 3 organization.

2--Read or print off our application on this website and read the requirements for membership carefully. Homeschooling is not a state to be entered into lightly. We want you to make the best informed choice for your family. Be sure to read the Frequently Asked Questions Page! If you have further questions not answered in FAQ's, please email Kim Williams, the Administrator, through the "Contact Us" tab or by emailing her at briarwd@bellsouth.net.

3-Check out one or more of the many books on the subject of homeschooling available in your local library. Talk to other homeschoolers in your area. Ask questions. You'll be more comfortable--and more successful--if you are prepared and well-versed in the "lingo" homeschoolers use.

4--Research curriculum options, and prayerfully decide what approach or methods will match your educational goals and your child's learning style best. Then purchase (or borrow) what you'll need. Support Groups are a great resource for used materials, and many offer lending libraries for their members. Foothills keeps on hand a limited amount of curriculum to lend to members as well. Check with the Adminstrator for availability. Locally, BJU Educators Resource store on Wade Hampton Blvd in Greenville sells traditional materials, and Children's Books of Greer offer wonderful curriculum options. Steer clear of the workbooks sold at Teacher's stores, as they are intended to be used as SUPPLEMENTS, not a full curriculum. These can be used of course, but they are not designed to provide information in a logical, linear fashion, and they do not typically (particularly in Math) provide enough constant practice and review in concepts to facilitate learning. Buying used curriculum from other homeschoolers, ebay, etc. and heavily utilizing your public library (awesome for Science, History, and Literature) is an affordable option for anyone. All curriculum is NOT created equal! Take the time to choose the best books to suit YOUR child's learning style for optimum FUN AND LEARNING!

5--Get legal! Join an association that meets your needs for support and accountability, that honors your goals for your child.

6--Join a support group! Support Groups (like TCHE, EHE, and AHEA)offer social opportunities, clubs, field trips, classes, community service activities, and parent support for the whole family. Crucial, I believe, to your support, happiness, and success as a home educator, especially if you and your children lack positive encouragement and support elsewhere.

7--Get started! Be patient! It takes time to find your "groove" and establish a daily flow of learning. Learn as you go, and be forgiving to yourself and your child. This is a new experience for everyone. It can be humbling to discover we are responsible for "everything". We've all struggled as new homeschoolers, so reach out and seek support, encouragement, advice, whatever you need. It is here for you.