Used curriculum makes home-schooling affordable

It takes a lot of dedication to be a home-schooling parent.

In addition to dedication, home schooling requires extra money because parents must purchase curriculum materials, (textbooks, workbooks, readers, DVDs, etc.), based on the age and needs of each student.

These costs — like tuition for private schools — are in addition to the parents paying real estate taxes and income taxes that support public schools.

But when there’s a will to do something, there’s always a way. That’s especially true if a group of folks with “the will” combine forces.

Recycling educational materials is one of the ways many enterprising home-schooling parents have found to keep costs down.

A large used curriculum sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Great Hope Community Church, 111 N. Adams St., in New Carlisle.

“This is the first time we have done this,” said Heather Phipps, one of the organizers. She and Brandy Rollins learned how to organize the sale from Lisa Cox, who used to have a large used curriculum sale in Vandalia.

Materials will be set up by subject area, and by age group from preschool to high school. Each item will have a cost sticker and a code that identifies the seller.

When items are purchased at the checkout area, the seller will receive credit for the sale.

In a home-schooling co-op, parents combine energy and support each other as they educate their own children. Most of the teaching is done at home by the parents, but the co-op makes activities like field trips, special programs and interest groups possible.

Having a used curriculum sale will keep costs down for members of the co-op and other home-schoolers in the area.

“If I bought everything new that we needed, it would cost more than $100,” Phipps said. “This makes it affordable.”

The curriculum gets even more affordable during the last hour of the sale, when specially marked items will be half price.

A simple lunch and snacks will be available for purchase, and a bake sale will benefit the church. The event is sponsored by a local homeschooling co-op named ABLE (Achieving Bible Led Education).

For more information on the used curriculum sale, or the ABLE co-op, visit www.hiac.net/able, email ale@hiac.net, or call 937-543-8458.

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