Frequently Asked Questions About Homeschooling

Michigan Requirements

Homeschooling Styles and Curriculum

  • I decided to homeschool, now what? Where do I begin educating my child?
    • There is no easy answer to this question. The beauty of homeschooling is the freedom to figure out what works well for your child, and you! Don't forget to factor yourself into the equation. There are so many options out there from unschooling to trying to replicate public school in a home-based classroom. Each family will find their own groove.
    • If your child is coming from a public school environment, it is often recommended to have a time period of de-schooling, of letting them unwind and start fresh in figuring out what's going to work well for your family. The resources online are endless, just google any of the following terms and be prepared to be overwhelmed: "Homeschool styles", "Unschooling", "Classical Education", "Charlotte Mason" "Unit Studies" "Online Curriculum" "Literature-based curriculum" "Hands-on Curriculum", etc, etc.
    • A couple of great online resources for reviewing and shopping curriculum is Cathy Duffy Homeschool Curriculum Reviews and Rainbow Resource Center.
    • Our best advice though, is going to be to find your village! (We hope that's why you're on this website).

FAQ's Specific to the DICE Group

  • Why join DICE?
    • Everyone should find their community, village, tribe, or whatever you want to call it. We try to keep rules to a minimum and respect the individual decisions each family makes. Any rules we do impose as a group are established for safety reasons.

We are a welcoming and inclusive community for everyone regardless of educational philosophies and styles, religious or political preferences, ethnicity & race, marital status & family
structure, physical development & mental health challenges, gender identity & expression, or
sexual orientation.

What Does Our Community Offer?

  • Monday classes
    • Find out more about monday classes here. Also see the tips and FAQ below for answers to commonly asked questions about classes.
      • Our classes are only open to DICE members
  • Park days
    • Throughout the summer we host meetups at local parks in Lansing and the
      surrounding area. These are announced on our website and our Facebook page.

      • Park days are open to all local homeschoolers.
  • Field trips
    • Throughout the year we host various field trips around the Lansing area and throughout the state. These can be found on our member-only calendar of events.
      • Field trips are only open to DICE members.
    • How do I plan a field trip or homeschool event?
      • Anybody in the group is welcome and encouraged to plan field trips and events to share within the group. Any activity shared within our group is required to share our values of inclusivity. If you would like your field trip or event to be shared on the DICE website and events calendar, or if you have questions or need guidance planning an event, please email events@dicemichigan.org.
  • Fairs
    • We plan several fairs throughout the year including a Science Fair, Entrepreneur Fair, Art Fair, and others. These can be found on our member-only calendar of events.
      • Fairs are only open to DICE members.
  • Events
    • We plan several events throughout the year including Field Day and a Not Back to School Carnival.
      • These events are open to all local homeschoolers.

Okay I'm Ready, How do I Join?

Please visit our Membership Page.

FAQ's for Monday Classes

  • Where are classes held?
    • At the East Olive Community Center in Saint Johns. The address is 2583 Green Rd, Saint Johns, MI 48879. The building was a former elementary school. Through our rental, we have access to many classrooms, the library, gym, kitchen, cafeteria, and the playground.
  • What days do you have classes?
    • Classes are held on Mondays from 10am-4pm. We have classes at 10am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2pm, and 3pm with a lunch hour at noon.
  • How often do you have classes?
    • We offer three (3) terms of homeschool enrichment classes. Terms run for 8 weeks each in the fall, winter, and spring.
  • Is this a drop off program?
    • No. This is NOT a drop-off program, children need to be accompanied by an adult, and that adult is to stay in the building or on the grounds while the child is in class
  • What ages are classes available for?
    • We have class offerings for ages ranging from 3 year olds (sometimes younger depending on the offerings for that term) to 13+ years old.
  • What are the fees for classes?
    • Class Fees are set by the instructor and are usually around $20 per student for the 8 week term. Scholarships are available, please see our class offerings page for more information. Some classes also have a material fee that is to be paid directly to the instructor on the first day of class for covering supplies used in class. This fee can be found on the class offerings page and it will be noted in the class registration.
  • How do I sign up for classes?
    • Watch for our class offerings on our website (be sure to subscribe to our website to get updates- you can sign up by submitting your email address on the bottom of the page). Once classes are announced for each term there will be a link you can follow to access our online registration system.
  • What kinds of classes are taught?
    • Class offerings change each term. In the past, we have offered Art, Drama/Theatre, Baking/Cooking, Cooperative Games, BOKS Functional Fitness, French, Spanish, American Sign Language, Geo-caching, Michigan History, Highland Dance, American Girl History, Forensic Science, Karate, Cake Decorating, Dissection, Vikings, Medieval History, Physics, Chemistry, Creative Writing, Spelling Games, Photography, Color Guard, Gameschooling, and Sensory Yoga.
  • Is volunteering required?
    • At this time, we do not require volunteer hours. We know that everyone is going through a different phase of life. We know that most people, if they are able, are more than happy to help out. This program cannot run without the army of parent volunteers that chip in to keep things flowing. Most of the volunteer positions revolve around helping teachers in class, monitoring the hall during class, and cleaning up after classes.
  • Who teaches the monday classes?
    • Most of our classes are taught by homeschooling parents. Many of the parents who attend monday classes decide to teach classes to help enrich the community of homeschoolers. Teachers get to teach on the subjects they choose. If you ever want to teach but need help deciding on a topic, feel free to email us at teacherhelp@dicemichigan.org and we would be happy to help you plan things out! Our teachers must also pass a background check before teaching to ensure class participant's safety.
  • Are there benefits to teaching classes?
    • The amazing teachers in our community volunteer to teach classes and we could not provide this learning environment without them! As a thank you, we allow our teachers to sign up their children for classes before the rest of the community. This ensures that teachers' children have a place to be while they are teaching and they can devote their full attention to the kids in their classroom. Teachers also get a free spot for their children in the class they are teaching.
  • Am I allowed to stay with my child in class?
    • Of course! If your child does not feel comfortable with you leaving, just let the teacher know and it is no problem for you to stay. We also have parents who “check in” often by poking their heads in the room, or hang out in the hallway just outside the room in case their child needs them for anything.
  • Do I have to stay all day?
    • You are more than welcome to take a class every hour or only do one class. Whatever works best for your schedule works for us. As long as you are signed up for your class(es) with DICE there should be no issue.
  • How structured are classes/how much socialization is available?
    • Classes are designed by each teacher individually and will vary in their exact structure. With that in mind, teachers usually have plans for class but also understand that sometimes they will not get through everything they had planned. There is plenty of time to socialize before class starts, during class with activities, during lunch, and on the playground outside. Kids are able to form friendships and build social skills.
  • My child has food allergies, can they participate?
    • Yes! Please let the teacher know beforehand so they can make sure those triggers are not present in anything they give to the kids. Teachers are very accommodating to special circumstances when informed. We provide each teacher with student specific information at the beginning of each term (including any listed allergies) but it is always a good idea to speak with the teacher ahead of time about any allergy concerns.
  • I have a child who is neurodiverse, are we a good fit for monday classes?
    • Yes! We have many ND kids in our community and we welcome everyone to come learn with us. We even have classes taught by parents of ND children so some are even more tailored to a ND child’s needs. Please notify the teacher of any special needs before classes start and you also have the option to stay in class to help your child if needed. If you have any additional questions and want to talk to other parents of ND children that have attended monday classes, post in this Facebook group and they would be happy to help
  • Is my child's therapist allowed to be in class with them?
    • Yes! We ask that you discuss this with the teacher when signing your child up for their class, so that they can account for this in their class size if needed. We have found in some class settings, this can be disruptive to the class, so it is important that you work with the teachers to make sure the class is able to run smoothly. Teachers are very willing to accommodate various special needs in classes if they are made aware of it ahead of time to allow for planning.