Required Subjects for Homeschooling in Washington state

Homeschooling is a great way to provide your child with a personalized education that meets their individual needs. But what are the required subjects for homeschooling? In Washington state, we are required to teach 11 subject areas over the course of their education. 

They are:

1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Spelling
4. Language
5. Math
6. Science
7. Social studies
8. History
9. Health
10. Occupational education
11. Art and music appreciation

Ideas for Teaching Each of the Required Subject Areas:

• Reading: Read aloud to your child every day. Read together as a family. Help them choose books that are interesting and age-appropriate. Once your child is ready, encourage your child to read on their own. Help coordinate a book club for them and their peers to encourage reading with a goal in mind. Participate in library summer reading clubs.
• Writing: Help your child develop their writing skills by providing them with opportunities to write regularly. Assign writing exercises, write grocery lists and recipes together, having them keep a journal, a gratitude journal or encouraging them to write letters to friends and family and stories or poems.
• Spelling: Teach your child the basics of spelling by using a variety of methods, such as flashcards, games, and word lists. In the early years, we found a lot of success with copy work.
• Language: Teach your child about grammar, punctuation, and usage. Read together, point out examples along the way. Use workbooks and online curriculum. Education.com and KhanAcademy.org are two online resources we have used in the past.
• Math: It’s literally everywhere and there are countless fun ways to teach these concepts. Online games, workbooks, flashcards, dice and board games, problem-solving exercises and practical examples like cooking in kitchen, budget and building.
• Science: This is another subject area that has many examples. Just getting outside and exploring the natural world around us is a great start. Read books, take field trips, conduct experiments, take online classes and more.
• Social studies: Pull out maps, learn about other culture’s food and traditions. Pick a new cuisine per week and order takeout from a local restaurant. Teach your child about history, geography, and government. Read books, watch documentaries, visit museums and more.
• History: Explore topics such as ancient civilizations, wars, and important events. Read fictional narratives, non-fiction accounts, watch documentaries and visit historical sites.
• Health:  Talking to your children about healthy eating, exercise, hygiene and the importance of health and wellness. Meal plan and grocery shop together. Talk about what makes a healthy plate. Try a variety of different foods. Be active. Find fun activities outside.
• Occupational education: Learn about different careers and the skills needed to succeed in them. Read books, visit workplaces, and talk to people about their jobs. Friends and family are a good place to start, but look for other opportunities with your local library.
• Art and music appreciation: Put out art supplies and let the creativity flow. You can have prompts or not. Sometimes the best teacher is exploration. Provide a variety of mediums and materials, even the recycling bin can be the perfect source of art supplies. Play music: check out CDs from the library, play a different type of music genre on Pandora, Amazon Music or Spotify. If you have an instrument, provide plenty of opportunities for free play and/or look for apps or videos on YouTube that can help teach a new skills. Attend concerts and art museums. Attend a live art demonstration.

Tips for Teaching the Required Subject Areas

• Visit Washington Homeschool Organization to get the lay of the land of Washington state homeschool law, upcoming Parent Qualifying Courses, resources and more.
• Remember you are free to choose the curriculum and teaching methods that work best for your family. You don’t have to teach all of these subject areas at once And there are *many* resources available to help you, including online courses, textbooks, and educational games.
• Do deep dives on your child’s interests. What is your child into? Art? Science? History? For example, my child has really been into video game coding. I have been letting them take more time with this and they’re picking it up quickly (starting with Scratch and now learning JavaScript) but they’re also learning a bunch about science, art and math.
• Learn along side your child and make it fun. Learning should be enjoyable for both you and your child. Find ways to make the material engaging and relevant to both your interests. Make space for field trips, play dates, rest, plenty of family time that’s not tied to a lesson plan.  And don’t plan on tackling each subject area every day.
• Be flexible. Don’t feel like you have to stick to a strict schedule. Make it work for your schedule as well. Homeschooling is a great opportunity to tailor your child’s education to their individual needs.
• Get involved in your community. There are many homeschool support groups and activities available in Washington state. Seattle Homeschool Group is one of the great resources in the area that offer events, resources and more. Plus, getting involved in your community can help you connect with other homeschoolers and learn about tried and true resources, new teaching methods and more.

By following these helpful tips, you can help your child succeed in homeschooling and receive a well-rounded education.