A Welcome From Your K-9 Team
Whether you’re new to home education or a seasoned home educator, HCOS provides a student-centered learning plan, the flexibility to use a variety of resources including faith-based learning materials, and a supportive community to provide guidance as we partner with you in your child’s education and spiritual growth.
To help you get started, here are five tips to focus on as you prepare for your home education journey with us.
1. Familiarize Yourself with HCOS Resources
One of the biggest advantages of choosing HCOS is the resources available to you.
- We have a variety of face-to-face learning opportunities provided through our Learning Groups programs. These vary from in-person to virtual learning camps right up to one day a week, ongoing classes in our Community Connections programs offered in many cities around the province.
- We provide a wide assortment of free physical and virtual resources through our Learning Commons lending library.
- You also have access to all the planning and reporting details related to your child’s education program in our student management system, Encom.
Spend some time exploring @HCOS, a webpage with resources for families, logging into your parent and student portals, and familiarizing yourself with the tools and materials you’ll use throughout the school year. Knowing what’s available at your fingertips will give you confidence as you start planning.
2. Prepare Your Homeschool Space
Setting up a dedicated learning space at home can make a big difference in how smoothly your days run. Having resources organized ahead of time makes it easy to access and use them, and this will help make your day go a lot smoother. Setting up a daily routine goes hand-in-hand with an organized learning environment. When everyone knows where the day starts and what the schedule will be, it really helps parent and student success as you work through your daily lessons and activities.
Create specific spaces in your home that provide comfortable places for learning. Whether it’s a quiet corner of your living room, a kitchen table, or a cozy study nook, make sure it’s stocked with all the necessary supplies—books, notebooks, pens, pencils, art materials, etc. A well-stocked and organized space can set the tone for calm and engaging learning.
3. Connect with Your HCOS Support Teacher
At HCOS, every family is partnered with a certified support teacher who will guide you throughout the year. This teacher is your go-to person for curriculum planning, assessment, and general guidance related to all things HCOS. Reach out to your support teacher early on as you introduce yourself and begin discussing your child’s learning goals. The relationship you build with your support teacher is a foundational piece to the year going well.
Your support teacher will work with you to personalize the curriculum by helping adapt resources when needed, and suggest supplemental resources and activities to meet learning needs and standards. They will also provide insights into what resources or opportunities fit your child’s strengths, interests, and needs as they ensure you meet provincial requirements. Building a strong relationship with your support teacher will make your experience smoother and more rewarding.
4. Plan Your Year (Collaborate with Your Support Teacher)
Planning your year starts with working with your support teacher to make sure you have resources and activities in place to meet course requirements. Resources and activities are then built into a comprehensive student learning plan over the course of the first two months of the school year. Your support teacher builds this with your input and can adjust it as the year goes on.
The student learning plan may also include online course options for students in grades 5 and up along with face-to-face learning opportunities in our Learning Groups programs. Talk over online course options with your support teacher, if you haven’t already, and let your support teacher know if you participate in any learning camps.
Planning and feedback are also supported by knowing about successes and challenges you and your child experience and additional resources and activities you add into your year. Your support teacher uses this information to help support you well as you carry out your education plans on a day-to-day basis.
As you work on the resources and activities you have for Christian Studies this year, keep in mind we have a lot of Christian study based resources on our Christian Studies Curriculum website. This page is a convenient place to find Christian Studies resources to support and inspire spiritual growth in the life of your child.
5. Join the HCOS Community
One of the greatest assets HCOS offers is its vibrant community of Christian home education families. From virtual events and in-person learning opportunities to start of the year events and week-long trips, HCOS provides plenty of opportunities for you and your family to connect with others. Don’t hesitate to dive into our community! These connections will provide invaluable support, encouragement, and friendship as you navigate home education together.
For example, this year we have mountain biking and snowsports camps, track and field events, books clubs, theatre programs, virtual executive functioning sessions, and overnight trips. This past year we had an excellent trip to Barkerville! Stay connected and follow HCOS on Facebook and Instagram!
Find out more about the activities in your area.
Final Thoughts:
Take it one day at a time, stay flexible, and remember that no home education journey looks exactly the same. With patience and prayer, you’ll find your stride and create an environment where your child can thrive both academically and spiritually. Enjoy your home education journey as you partner with HCOS!
