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Choosing Curriculum

Home education offers the opportunity for craftsmanship in education. Loving parents, rather than book publishers or school administrators, are the experts in education. Remember the effective methods of education you used before your children began "school." Inquire of godly parents with experience home-educating. Find out what they use for teaching materials, what they like and don't like about them, and why. Attend several home- education support group meetings. Read books and articles about home-education to broaden your perspective. Visit a curriculum center or educational store in your area. Examine the actual materials you are considering (not just a catalog). The goal is to choose teaching materials that will work for you and your student(s) in your home. Pray and ask the Lord for direction.
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Suggested Reading for Parents

• 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum, by Cathy Duffy, 2005
• Educating the WholeHearted Child, by Clay & Sally Clarkson, 1996
• How to Home School (A Practical Approach), By Gayle Graham, 1997
• The How & Why of Home Schooling, by Ray E. Ballmann, 1995
• A Charlotte Mason Education: A How-to Manual, by Catherine Levison, 1996
  

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Area Home Education Contacts

• Smoky Mountain Home Education Association
  Smoke Signals ($25/10 issues)
  925 View Harbor Rd. / Knoxville, TN 37934
  (865) 671-3059 www.SMHEA.org
  

• Middle Tennessee Home Education Association
  Jonathan's Arrow ($35/11 issues, includes
  MTHEA & THEA dues)
  P.O. Box 147 / Old Hickory, TN 37138
  (615) 477-6917 www.MTHEA.org

• Chattanooga Southeast Tennessee Home Ed. Association
  Esprit ($18/12 issues)
  P.O. Box 23374 / Chattanooga, TN 37422
  (423) 266-4663 www.CSTHEA.org

• Memphis-area Home Education Association
  MHEA News & Views
  ($33/12 issues & membership; $27 paperless)
  P.O. Box 171134 / Memphis, TN 38187
  (901) 362-2620 www.MemphisHomeschool.org

• West Tennessee Home Education Association
  ($25 year dues)
  P.O. Box 10013 / Jackson, TN 38308
  www.WTHEA.org

• Northeast Tennessee Home Education Association
  Home School Primer
  ($20/6 issues, includes THEA dues)
  168 Forest Hills Rd. / Rogersville, TN 37857
  (423) 272-4529 www.NETHEA.org
  

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Real Books and Other Resources

• Lifetime Books (305) 248-1271 www.LifetimeBooksandGifts.com
• Sonlight Curriculum (Literature-based unit study) (303) 730-6292 www.Sonlight.com
• Math-U-See (Manipulative-based math program) (888) 854-6284 www.Mathusee.com
• Dover Books (516) 294-7000 www.DoverPublications.com
• Timberdoodle (800) 478-0672 www.Timberdoodle.com
• Educators Publishing Service (800) 225-5750 www.EPSbooks.com
• Nasco (Science & Math catalogs) (800) 558-9595 www.eNASCO.com
• Hewitt Homeschooling Resources [catalog only (800) 348-1750] (360) 835-8708 www.HewittHomeschooling.com
  

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Programmed or Self-Instructional Materials

• Alpha Omega (Lifepacs & Switched on Schoolhouse) (800) 622-3070 www.AOP.com
• School of Tomorrow [Accelerated Christian Education (Paces)] (800) 925-7777 www.SchoolofTomorrow.com
• Key Curriculum (Math) (800) 995-6284 www.Keypress.com

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Textbooks

• A Beka (video available) (877) 223-5226 www.Abeka.com
• Bob Jones University Press (video available) (800) 845-5731 www.BJUP.com
• Saxon (Math) (Digital Interactive Video Education available) (800) 284-7019 www.Saxonpublishers.com
• Apologia (Science) (888) 524-4724 www.Apologia.com

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Magazines

• Home School Digest $20/year (4 issues)
  P.O. Box 374 (800) 343-1943
  Covert, MI 49043 www.HomeschoolDigest.com
• The Teaching Home (only back-issues available)
  P.O. Box 20219 (503) 253-9633
  Portland, OR 97294 www.TeachingHome.com
  
• Homeschooling Today $21.99/year (6 issues)
  P.O. Box 244 (276) 628-7730
  Abingdon, VA 24212 www.Homeschoolingtoday.com
  
• Practical Homeschooling $19.95/year (6 issues)
  P.O. Box 1190 (800) 346-6322
  Fenton, MO 63026 www.Home-school.com

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Tennessee Home Educators Association

(annual dues - $10)
P.O. Box 681652. / Franklin, TN 37068 (888) 854-3407 www.TNHEA.org

Achievement Testing

• Bob Jones University Press (800) 845-5731
  

Home School Legal Defense Association

(15% discount for Gateway families : Code =291054)
P.O. Box 3000 / Purcellville, VA 20134 (540) 338-5600 www.HSLDA.org

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Used Materials:

Homeschool Classifieds