Welcome to the Ninja 3Op Group!

Registration is open for the 2023/2024 school year. The registration fee is $20 per year for the whole family ~ regardless of how many children or their grade level. Registration will run from the date of the completed registration (including payment) through June 30, 2024 (all memberships expire June 30th). The membership dates will be listed on the membership cards. Registration is open through April and can be extended for certain circumstances. If you need to add additional children during the school year, the fee is $5/per child.

New registration for the 2024/2025 year will be accepted starting July 1, 2024. The registration fee will be $25 per family for the year. The membership dates will be listed on the membership cards. Registration is open through April and can be extended for certain circumstances. If you need to add additional children during the school year, the fee is $10/per child.

The options for payment are Zelle (use edje4him07@gmail.com) and mailing in the payment to the address listed on the registration form. Please mail personal checks or cash. No money orders. If you do not receive your paperwork within 1-3 business days, please contact us at Ninja3OpGroup@gmail.com.

Ninja also has transcript services available. The initial creation of the transcript is $40. Each additional school year will be $25. Email Ninja3OpGroup@gmail.com for more information.

Ninja requires you to keep all of the SC homeschool law requirements for your own file. However, January 15 and June 15 we require you to send us your attendance numbers. If we do not receive the numbers, you will not be allowed to join the following year as you will be non-compliant. Please keep this in mind. Here's a summary of the SC Law for Option 3 groups (Ninja 3Op Group is an option 3 group):

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South Carolina Homeschooling Law

We also exist to give homeschooling families legal accountability in the state of South Carolina. According to the requirements of SC Law § 59-65, homeschooling parents must: 

     1. have earned a high school diploma (or GED) or above;
     2. conduct at least 180 school days per year; and
     3. teach the following required subjects: reading, writing, math, science, social studies in grades 1-6,
                    and, in grades 7–12, composition and literature.

South Carolina law provides three legal options for homeschooling. They are: 

Option 1: Homeschooling under the homeschool statute 
This option entails teaching, maintaining records, and testing under the auspices of the local public school district.

Option 2: Homeschooling under SCAIHS
This option entails homeschooling under the jurisdiction of the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools. 

Option 3: Homeschooling under an accountability association
(“third option group”)
This option entails enrolling in an independent homeschool association that has at least 50 members and complying with the association's requirements. Under the third option, state law requires that the following minimal requirements be kept by the homeschool educator:

      1. You must have at least a high school diploma or GED.

      2. You must teach your child for at least 180 days per school year.

      3. Your curriculum must include reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and, in grades 7–12, composition and literature

      4. The educational records you keep must include:

             - a plan book or other record of subjects taught and activities;

             - a portfolio of samples of your child's academic work;

             - a semiannual progress report including:

                      - individualized documentation of your child's academic progress in the required subjects;

                      - attendance records

For a more detailed description of each option, visit HSLDA.org.

Ninja 3Op is a statewide third-option group offered by Ninja Homeschoolers. Ninja 3Op is not a support group, but a legal accountability association under SC Law § 59-65-47. Our accountability coverage is available to any homeschooling family living in South Carolina. We require that you email us your attendance records twice a year and that you keep up with your own records for your students.

 

We are here to help you in your homeschooling journey and are more than willing to give you advice with over 30+ years experience. Just email Ninja3OpGroup@gmail.com for any questions you may have.

 

Below is some information if you are new to homeschooling or just interested in learning styles and curriculum that matches those styles. We also have the SC Law listed so that you'll see what the options are and what's required of each one. We hope this information will help you in the coming days of exploring learning with your child(ren)!

 

An Introduction to Homeschooling

If you are just starting out, you may feel overwhelmed at taking responsibility for the education of your child. Let me reassure you! You have your child’s best interest at heart – even more so than another teacher. As a homeschooler, you do not need to replicate a classroom setting. You are educating in your home, not a classroom. You will choose your own curriculum and keep your own records. You don’t have to adhere to a particular schedule or structure. You don’t have to make your child raise his hand to use the bathroom! 

Good education goes far beyond academics; it encompasses all of life. As a homeschooling family, you have the freedom to take advantage of opportunities such as field trips, library and museum classes, cultural experiences, outdoor exploration, and more -- anytime during the day! Cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, car maintenance, budgeting, gardening, and other life experiences are all daily learning opportunities. 

What are the long-term goals you have for your child? The purpose of education is to create a well-rounded adult who will be a productive member of society. Book skills alone will not produce this. Your child will need to develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, communication skills, empathy, creativity, and resourcefulness. Real-life experiences, and the ability to learn from them, are paramount for real-life success.

Another thing to consider is, what are your child’s interests and aptitudes? Keep these in mind as you educate him. Not every child needs to go to college, get an advanced degree, and work a high-paying desk job in order to be successful. Among my adult children there is: 1. A farmer, 2. A craft brewer, 3. A dog salon owner, 4. An IT developer, 5. A college admissions recruiter, 6. A missionary, 7. A media specialist. Can you guess which ones went to college? (Answer: 1, 2, and 5.) Allow your child to explore his interests, and encourage him to pursue his own life goals.

There are so many choices available for your child to learn from. Websites, documentaries, books, YouTube, co-op classes, traditional textbooks, satellite classes, computer programs -- the list goes on and on! Let me try to help you navigate this plethora of options! 

Start with determining how your child learns best. What information does he typically remember, and how? Find materials that cater to that learning style. There are many different learning styles, but the three major ones are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. All of us can learn in all of these ways, but we usually have a dominant style that we’re stronger in. Play to your child’s strengths, especially at younger ages, but also expose him to experiences in the other types of learning. Below are some resources to get you started. You can mix and match whatever works for you, and then change it if you see that it’s not working out like you thought. One of the joys of homeschooling is that you can change things that you don’t like or don’t work for you. Be flexible!

Visual Learners: This learning style is probably the most prevalent. Visual learners tend to gather information by reading books, looking at charts, watching experiments, etc. They are focused on gleaning information by sight. You can get cozy on the couch and read together for science, history, literature, etc. Visual learners also like posters, drawings, movies, or anything that involves looking at something.
    Examples of book-focused curricula that cater to a visual learner: 
    ~ Sonlight
    ~ A Beka
    ~ BJU Press
    ~ Classical Conversations
    ~ Veritas Press
    ~ Calvert
    ~ Discovery K12
    ~ Khan Academy
    ~ Saxon Math

Auditory Learners: This learning style relies primarily on hearing information. Songs and music, audiobooks, movies, recordings, discussions, and lectures are helpful for auditory learners. It’s best to decrease distractions like TV, noisy places, or sitting near windows while auditory learners listen to information.
    Examples of resources that cater to auditory learners:
    ~ All About Reading
    ~ Time 4 Learning
    ~ Leapfrog Academy
    ~ ABCMouse
    ~ Schoolhouse Rock
    ~ The Great Courses
    ~ YouTube informational videos and demonstrations

Kinesthetic Learners: Typically this type of learner is very busy and has trouble sitting still for long periods of time. They like to be moving; they take in information through their hands and body. Making models, doing projects, and using manipulatives work very well with kinesthetic learners. They like to experiment and use their hands whenever possible.
    Examples of hands-on resources that cater to a kinesthetic learner:
    ~ Timberdoodle
    ~ Math-U-See
    ~ Montessori materials
    ~ The Wooden Wagon
    ~ Cuisenaire rods
    ~ Educational Insights
    ~ Home Science Tools

I encourage you to join a local homeschool group where you can connect with like-minded families, find local activities and resources, and get the support you need in this venture. There are also many homeschool groups on Facebook, where you can ask questions and get information on field trips, events, and homeschool classes available in your area. 

I hope this helps you in your new pursuit of homeschooling! Enjoy the journey with your child!

Jennifer Ackerman
Ninja 3Op Group