You have decided to homeschool your kid, and now what? One of the first things you’ll have to figure out after deciding to register a homeschool are the responsibilities that come with that decision. Seemingly trivial, but one of those responsibilities is to choose a name for your homeschool. Yes, homeschool names are a thing!
You may even wonder, do you truly need a homeschool name? The answer is much more complicated than you think. There are a lot of things you need to consider. In this article, we’ll take a look at all the legalities, traditions, pros, and cons of naming your homeschool, as well as tell you how to create your homeschool name, and even give you creative homeschool names examples.
All you have to do is to keep reading, and you’ll be one step closer to give your child an amazing educational opportunity.
Is Naming Your Homeschool Necessary?
This depends on where you live. Generally, in the USA, you need to apply for specific permits and licenses before starting a homeschool, which sometimes includes stating a homeschool name. However, each state has different requirements for opening a homeschool, and it’s best to check with your local department to find out the specifics.
To help you out, we’ve published a full breakdown of the homeschool laws by state and everything you need to be aware of, so make sure to check that article. Every beginning is hard, but we’ve got you covered.
For everyone living in California or Texas, we also have separate articles about the homeschool laws in these states, where we go into more detail.
To conclude, if you want to register your homeschool, so the education of your child is later recognized, you’ll have to follow specific legal requirements, including naming your homeschool. Some states might even require you to create a logo, while others, like the Homeschool Coalition in Texas, advise you against naming your homeschool.
The Benefits of Naming Your Homeschool
Some people decide to name their homeschool, even if the state’s law does not require it, and there are several reasons why.
First, naming your homeschool makes it sound more official, which affects people’s perceptions. For example, you have an official name to put on your diploma and transcripts. Later, when your kid applies for higher education or a job, the name might give the homeschool more value in other people’s eyes.
Second, some families take pride in their tradition of homeschooling, and giving a name to that tradition is like publicly acknowledging it and making it official. This is why many homeschool names are actually a combination of the family name with some of the words: School, Academy, Institution, etc.
Third, naming your homeschool creates a sense of belonging. For example, you can create t-shirts with your homeschool name or stickers which you can apply on your kid’s backpack or books. This helps the child feel like it’s a part of something official and stable.
Finally, through the name of your homeschool, you can reflect on your principles and values. You can show what you value most, like responsibility, independence, creativity, discipline, uniqueness, and so on.
The Disadvantages of Naming Your Homeschool
On the other hand, some people argue that it’s better not to name your homeschool. Here are some of the ideas behind their reasoning.
First, naming your homeschool might mislead people into believing your kid was enrolled in a regular school. This can be completely unintentional, but still a problem. If people think you’re misrepresenting your child’s education, they’ll think you’re dishonest and reject the application. Further in the article, we’ll explain how to avoid making this mistake.
Second, some people believe this actually leads to missed opportunities. While homeschooling becomes more and more popular in our culture, many universities and colleges have specific quotas for homeschooled children. Employers might even look for employees that have a unique background if they hold that this would add value to their teams. If these institutions or employers aren’t sure whether your child was homeschooled, they might ignore your application simply because of the name.
Finally, some don’t like naming their homeschool because they don’t want to be associated with a typical “school system and curriculum”. Most of the time, people choose to homeschool their children because they believe in an alternative learning method that has nothing to do with traditional institutional school methods.
Tips to Consider Before Naming Your Homeschool
Most people are still left with doubts about whether naming their homeschool is the right decision. Unfortunately, we can’t give you a yes-or-no answer, as this depends entirely on your ideas and how you envision the homeschool process and your child’s future. For some, having a homeschool name is an advantage, while the disadvantages outweigh the potential benefits for others.
In any case, here are a couple of things to consider before naming your homeschool to mitigate some of the risks associated with it.
First, consider whether you actually have a choice. As we discussed earlier in the article, the law in some states requires you to name your homeschool, so you might not even have a choice.
Second, make sure you make it clear that your child studied in a homeschool, regardless of whether it was named or not. When you have an official name, the best way to do this is to add the word “homeschool” in addition to the name. If applicable, you may even include a brief description just below the title, where you explain that the above-named school is a homeschool.
Third, never put your name on the curriculum package that you’ve used for your home school, useless you’re the one that created the curriculum. Since curriculums are usually developed by private companies that have copyrights, you might put yourself in legal trouble.
Finally, choose your name carefully as some states won’t allow you to change the name, even if you close the homeschool and decide to re-open it in the future. Make sure that it’s a simple and clean name that your child won’t grow out of.
What to Tell Your Kids?
Unfortunately, your kids might be the ones misled by naming your homeschool. Although they won’t do it intentionally, with time, they might start believing that “This-or-that Academy” is just like any other school their friends go to and they can even use it in such context.
To prevent a misunderstanding like this, once you register your homeschool, sit down, and have a conversation with your kid. Patiently explain the difference between the regular school their friends go to and your own child’s unique homeschool. Let children know why it’s important to tell people that it’s a different kind of school and make sure they understand it, rather than just agreeing with it.
Where Can You Use the Homeschool Name?
People don’t just decide to name their homeschool because it sounds better, but because they plan to use the name when pursuing educational or professional opportunities. Here’s where you can use your homeschool name, once you decide to have it.
- Use it on grade transcripts or yearly evaluations on which you track your child’s progress;
- Use it on your homeschool diploma at the end of your homeschool education;
- Use it on homeschool legal documents;
- Use it on a resume or curriculum vitae;
- Use it for future college or university applications;
- Use it for future job applications.
How to Name Your Homeschool?
Finally, when you’re out of ideas or don’t know where to begin with homeschool names, here’s a step-by-step guide that won’t fail you in your pursuit to find the best name for your homeschool.
- Do Your Research
The fact that you were googling “homeschool names” or “how to name your homeschool” means you’ve already made the first step. Aside from finding insightful articles like this one that can guide you through the process, you can also check out some of the names of popular homeschools and read personal experiences that tell the story behind the name.
- Brainstorm and Take Notes
After seeing what’s out there, start thinking about your homeschool possibilities and play with some variations. For example, use your family name, the name of your children, write down the core values you believe in, or some short phrases that represent your views on education and learning.
During this process, there are no good or bad answers. Write down all homeschool names that come to mind, no matter how silly they sound.
- Take a Break
At first, leaving your task halfway through might seem counterproductive, but scientists agree that to solve a problem you have to stop thinking about it, especially if it’s a creative problem. This will allow you to unfocus from a certain narrow way of thinking about the task, and once you get back, you’ll see “the big picture” with interesting combinations that you might have overlooked before.
- Analyze and Finalize the List
Once everything is written down and you’ve taken your coffee break, analyze the list, and organize the homeschool names that you actually think are good. You should have no more than six or seven names in the final list, as otherwise, it would be highly impractical to try them all out.
- Check if the Names are Available
Before setting your heart on one or two options, make sure the names on your final list are available. You can do this by googling them and checking in your state’s register.
- Ask for Feedback
The last step before choosing a name for your homeschool is to try out your two or three final contenders. Say them out loud and show them to your child, as well as friends and family. Let them tell you what they think about the names, how they perceive them, or what associations come to mind when hearing the name. This is valuable, as you’ll learn whether the name you have chosen represents the message you’re trying to convey properly.
Homeschool Names Ideas & Examples
To kick-start your brainstorming session, here are some popular homeschool name combinations, as well as examples for inspiration.
- Combination of your family name and the word “School” or synonyms.
For example, Johnson Academy, Miller School, Williams Institution, Anderson Homeschool, and so on.
- Combination of a place with the word “School” or synonyms.
For example, Sunset Boulevard Homeschool, Ocean Drive Academy, Michigan Avenue Institution, and so on.
- Combination of tag line and the word “School” or synonyms.
For example, Rising Star Learning, Diamond Scholar Institute, Big Ideas Academy, Creative Minds Homeschool, and so on.
- Combination of a unique name with the word “School” or synonyms.
For example, Mighty Pine Prep School, Making Cornerstone Institute, Blue Brook Learning, and so on.
You can also use the style of education, historical periods, or a nature reference to make a good combination for your future homeschool.
Before You Leave
As you can see, naming your homeschool is much more than simply finding the right name. You have to take into account a lot of factors before making that decision.
First, you have to figure out whether you have a say in the matter or not.
Second, you must weigh in the advantages and disadvantages of naming your homeschool, and finally, invest a little time in finding the right name as you might not be able to change it later. This is why we broke down the process of finding the perfect homeschool name and included several homeschool names to serve as inspiration.
Since you’re looking for a name for your homeschool, you’re just at the beginning of this beautiful journey. Fortunately, you’re not alone. Subscribe to our newsletter and make sure to visit our blog regularly, and we’ll deliver many informational guides and articles on every aspect of the homeschool experience.
Plus, starting with homeschool means you’ll need a lot of resources, and our worksheet library can help you round off your curriculum with easy and fun educational activities.
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