We’ve been a homeschool family living in British Columbia for the last decade and a half.
Our three oldest kids are launched, and our youngest is in his final years. “They say” things go quickly, and they are right. But it was hard to see the quickness of it when many days are plenty long.
One thing I know: if you want to homeschool, you CAN homeschool. I’m here to tell you that you can do this homeschool thing with confidence!
I’m here to help you learn how to start homeschooling in British Columbia. And in this article, I’ll also help you decide on registered homeschool versus online learning too (because you’ll need to decide).
This is what you’ll find in this article on how to start homeschooling in British Columbia (& how to decide on registered homeschool versus online learning).
- What you might want to know about the homeschool lifestyle.
- What the most common concerns are that new homeschool parents have?
- You are invited to join me in a consultation call to discuss your coaching options with a homeschool life coach.
- I offer you an overview of the legalities of home learning in British Columbia.
- I explain the differences between registered homeschooling and online learning.
- A quick flyover about how I thought homeschooling would be and what it was actually like.
- And a special welcome to homeschooling from me!
So let’s get started…
When you first get off the beaten path, leaving the conventional schooled path, you might have uncertainties and doubts; you might research & read more than Wiki itself.
And of course, it is a rite of passage for all new homeschoolers to do that, as one should (we are taking responsibility for our children’s education, of course).
And that is a huge responsibility.
But I’m here to equip you to get clear, confident, and intentional so you don’t have to be uncertain: you really can do this homeschool thing.
Here are a few common concerns that new homeschool families have and you might want to know:
- A Beginner’s Guide to Your First Year of Homeschool
- Should I Homeschool My Child?
- Can I Homeschool In Canada?
- the surprising transition from school to homeschool
- What about gaps in my child’s home education?
- Teach Your Own: Homeschool Confidently Without Being a Certified Teacher
- What do homeschoolers want to deschool from: let’s get specific.
- How to Handle Homeschool Overwhelm
- What Does Homeschool Cost: What I Wish I Knew Before I Homeschooled
- A Homeschool Life Coach Help Near Me
- Three Things I Wish I Knew Before I Homeschooled
- homeschool philosophies and why you don’t need to care
- How to homeschool with confidence in 5 (not-so-easy) steps
- A Homeschool Mama Will Benefit from Coaching for Homeschool (& Life)
If you have any questions, you’re welcome to send a message here.
And of course, to know how to start homeschooling in British Columbia, you’ll want to know the legalities according to provincial law too.
What does the provincial government say about how to start homeschooling in British Columbia (registered homeschool versus online learning)?
In British Columbia, many kids online learn from home (if you enroll as an online learner, even though you’re learning at home and you might identify as a homeschooler, the BC government doesn’t acknowledge you as a homeschooler unless you’re a registered homeschooler).
The BC government maintains a close connection to the online learner with an online learning school, a teacher/learning consultant, and learning outcomes, which might include grades, exams, and all that jazz.
It looks like homeschooling to the schooled world, because the kids are typically at home doing their work, but the government does not acknowledge it as such. You don’t get to choose your educational program. You’re accountable to the BC Ministry of Education.
Everyone chooses different approaches for different reasons: so, to each their own, of course.
But since I went into this lifestyle for a whole lot of freedom, I chose the Registered Homeschooling path.
- Freedom to learn what we want to learn.
- Freedom to live a less constrained life.
- Freedom to live a family-centric life.
- Freedom to travel.
- Freedom to enable an individualized education.
- Freedom to choose our social connections.
- Freedom to live a life on purpose.
- Freedom, freedom, freedom…
…And now that I’ve done this for as long as I have, I know I don’t need outside intervention to direct my children’s education.
(Eventually, most homeschoolers gradually grow in this confidence too).
ps I’m not one for learning provincial law for fun either, but it serves you to be familiar with this part of the law so you are more confident and can address others’ concerns (like when you have to field random concerned questions from your aunt or your neighbor, or the grocery cashier…cause girlfriend, those questions will come).
When you’re asked “Is homeschooling legal?” you can confidently answer, “Heck yeah, you can check it out under the BC School Act under Section 12/13.”
(And you’ll also know how to address school officials who aren’t familiar with the law because a lot of them don’t know either.)
My first perceptions about homeschooling before I did it…
Once upon a time, I had an expectation my family would experience utopia via a homeschool life.
Early on, I wrote about my three little girls in white dresses, slamming screen doors as they ran in from our Prince Edward Island homestead garden, enjoying readalouds with tea in the afternoon, reading classics like Secret Garden and Anne of Green Gables, on our white couch, and living happily ever after.
You know, utopia.
And yes, for some reason, it had to happen in Prince Edward Island, not British Columbia.
And why a white couch? Because I already purchased one from Ikea (which I might add is the antithesis of homeschool utopia: a white couch in any family home is always unwise!)
I learned that homeschool is not utopia, there are plenty of challenges along the way, but if you’re clear on why you’re doing it and you’re willing to learn a few strategies, you’ll overcome a lot of those challenges.
Turns out my three little girls are way past wearing white dresses now: they’re 22, 20, and 18. (They’re more likely to wear Lulu lemons or waist-high jean cut-offs.) We added a son to the mix. He’s 14 and about to enter high school.
I learned you can homeschool in every province of Canada, not just PEI.
We have indeed read a bajillion readalouds with tea in the afternoon, we got rid of that white couch, and didn’t live happily ever after, but have enjoyed so many moments and memories because of this big beautiful freedom-based lifestyle called homeschooling.
My reality and my original vision definitely were not the same, but freedom most certainly has remained a constant family companion.
Here are a few of the challenges I’ve had to overcome:
- How to Handle Homeschool Overwhelm
- What to do when I was fed up homeschooling?
- 16 Practical Self-Compassion Tools to Help for Homeschool Moms
- how to manage impatience in your homeschool: 14 strategies to freedom
- How to Address Homeschool Mama’s Big Emotions
- 7 ways to find quiet & build boundaries in your homeschool
- How my story of deschooling brought more freedom & purpose
- Finding quiet, building boundaries & handling overwhelm
No question, it hasn’t been utopia, but what an amazing lifestyle for family living!
Now to the legalities of homeschooling in British Columbia: you have to choose registered homeschooling versus online learning before you start.
There are two ways to enter the home learning world in British Columbia. One way to home learn in British Columbia is known as registered homeschooling and another way is known as online learning.
Let’s talk about the difference between registered homeschool versus online learning…
1. You can register as a homeschooler according to Section 12/13 of the BC School Act.
If you choose the Registered Homeschool option, you are not required to follow the BC curriculum, there is no mandatory testing at all, and your child is not required to work toward grade 12 graduation with a Dogwood Certificate.
ps I had a daughter graduate from high school without a Dogwood and without a high school diploma, yet she still took local community college classes before she left home and will graduate from her college program this week.
The only thing required of you is to provide an educational program that you believe will sufficiently…
Yet, with this homeschool freedom, you do not receive government funding.
Also note: Registered Homeschoolers can enter the school system at any time they wish, with no testing or preadmission required.
ps I also had two daughters enter public high school for grade 10. (They were both registered homeschoolers). Neither had a challenge adjusting or transitioning.
Know that if they decide to go this route in their high school years, they don’t have to enroll as an online learner before their high school years. Your kids can be registered homeschoolers before enrolling in public school.
Homeschool registration must be completed by September 30th (if you know you are going to homeschool for the upcoming school year).
However, you are free to pull your child from school at any point throughout the year and register at that time.
You can register with a public school or independent school of your choice. BC’s Homeschool Association (BCHEA) has a handy list of options for where to register for homeschooling in BC.
The New Homeschooler’s Quick Guide: 9 Mistakes to Avoid for a Stress-Free First Year
“The New Homeschooler’s Quick Guide: 9 Mistakes to Avoid for a Stress-Free First Year” will help you confidently begin your homeschooling journey! This Quick Guide, crafted by an experienced homeschool parent, is your roadmap to a successful start.
Inside, you’ll discover:
– Strategies to navigate legal requirements and curriculum choices
– Tips for balancing family life with homeschooling
– Insights on creating personalized learning routines
– Advice on managing family dynamics
– Confident responses to common homeschool questions
Perfect for new homeschoolers or those in their early years, this guide addresses real concerns like socialization, patience, and unrealistic expectations. Learn to trust your instincts, embrace flexibility, and celebrate progress.
Don’t let doubt hold you back. With practical advice and encouraging wisdom, you’ll build a strong foundation for a fulfilling homeschool experience. Welcome to the rewarding world of homeschooling—you’ve got this, girlfriend!
2. You can also enroll as an online learner: this learning program is authorized by the Ministry of Education and is simply another method of curriculum delivery within the education system.
As an online learner, the student is expected to follow the BC curriculum and meet the learning outcomes at grade level. You are assigned a teacher liaison/learning consultant who is considered by the Ministry to be in charge of your child’s education.
Depending on the online learning school, there may be regular reporting, report cards, and expectations like a brick-and-mortar school.
There is a fair amount of variation in online learning schools: there are both public and independent ones. The website LearnNowBC has a complete listing of the public DL programs.
Once upon a time, there was a reasonable allotment for online learning students. That is not so anymore.
For further information on all the rules and options:
- Where do you go if you want to register as a homeschool in British Columbia?
- BC Government Province of Education
- Here are the educational options in British Columbia
- What should I submit to the local school if I want to register as a homeschooler?
Hey, and can I just say, welcome to homeschooling!
If you’re new to homeschooling, you want to learn more how to start homeschooling in British Columbia or you want options to help you transition toward clarity, confidence & vision in your homeschool life…
- Join the Intro to Homeschool in British Columbia webinar to get all your questions answered.
- Get your Guide to 1st Year Homeschooling.
- Join the Homeschool 101 Group Coaching to help you transition from school to homeschool and know how to address everything you’ll need to know that first year.
- Learn more about homeschool coaching: learn more by scheduling a chat with me.
- Join the Deschool Your Homeschool Intensive to help you shed schooled mindsets as you move toward individualization and freedom in your homeschool.
- Use the self-directed journaling workbook to Deschool your Homeschool.
You can do this first homeschool year alone, of course.
You can do your first homeschool year by…
- checking out Facebook threads and asking questions,
- and learning from homeschool authors (you can get my Homeschool Mama Reading List here)
- & you can read my book, Homeschool Mama Self-Care: Nurturing the Nurturer too,
- or you can listen to podcasts (here’s my podcast),
- watch YouTube videos (I’ve got one too!)
- or you can just head to the local playground on school days and ask if the families with school-aged kids playing on the monkey bars are homeschool families: they probably are.
(And you really should do some of those things, of course).
But if you want someone to encourage and inspire you, if you want someone who can help clarify your challenges during the most demanding year of your homeschool family life, I’m here to walk alongside you.
If you wonder if that might be a benefit, join me in a chat. (There is no fee to connect and learn more about me and my coaching offerings).
I look forward to connecting with you & learning about you and your family.
And welcome to homeschooling! You got this girlfriend!
Teresa, Wiedrick, Homeschool Life Coach
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- About Me
- Do you offer one-on-one coaching? Yes, I do, connect with me here.
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Just a heads-up that the LearnNowBC site only contains information on public-school DL programs, not on any of the (generally very popular) independent-school-run DL programs like HCOS, SelfDesign, eStreams, CHEK, etc. etc.
Thank you.