Thinking About Homeschooling?
Home Schooling
by Christina Lorenzen
When I was first told by my husband's grandmother that my brother-in-law was homeschooling
his four children, I shook my head. Though I didn't know much about homeschooling, I was
familiar with the idea. I was also familiar with my four nieces and nephews and the picture of
them sitting around a table and learning....well, the picture of them sitting and listening. I
scoffed at the idea.
"Is she crazy?", I said to my husband. "How is she going to homeschool all four of them at the
same time? If their schools were that bad and they knew it, why didn't they just move?"
My mother always said "don't spit in the wind because it comes right back at you" and I
couldn't find a better example. Flash forward to January 2006 and a mom who had just about
had it with public school.
My son was in the seventh grade in what was a tough, crowded middle school. He had gone from
being a happy, confident sixth grader eagerly racing to the bus stop to a sullen seventh grader
with chronic stomach pain.
My daughter was in the fourth grade at the time and was coming home with migraines every day.
While meeting with her teacher in October of that year, I discussed her dropping grade in math.
She had always had A's or B's in math. Her first report card showed a C in math. I pointed that
out to her teacher.
"Hmmm....no, Kaitlyn doesn't ring a bell as one of my children who needs help in math," she
pondered.
"She doesn't? Going from an A to a C doesn't sound an alarm for you?" I was exasperated. "I'd
like to get her some extra help. Isn't there a one on one tutoring program?"
"Well, Mrs. Lorenzen, there is but it's booked solidly. And I'm only one person myself with 26
children. I can only do so much." What was she telling me? That there was only one extra help
teacher and she was "booked". That she couldn't help my child because she had too many other
children. I left the conference disgusted.
It was then that I decided to jump on the wagon and homeschool my children. Though many
relatives were quite vocal in their disapproval and disbelief (you're not a teacher, what if you
screw them up?), my father's comment was fairly open to the idea.
"Well," he said, "You can't do any more damage than school has already done."
And I took that as a compliment and jumped in with two feet.
Homeschooling is not new. It goes back far into the 80s, 70s and further back in history to
produce famous homeschoolers such as George Washington, Charles Dickens, Thomas Edison
and Henry Ford. Think back to the days when schools were few and far between and children
wrote on blackboards by the hearth. Educating one's own children is not a new idea but the way
one can go about it has evolved like everything else has these days.
Homeschooling can and does work. It's a legal educational option in all of the states and there
are guidelines and resources to get you started. You can teach your children math, English,
history, geography, science and more from the comfort of your home. They can get a
comprehensive, well-rounded education from a teacher who has their utmost interests at heart - you.
What's more, your students don't have to be chained to a desk for six hours a day to learn what
they need to know. And to top it off, homeschoolers are going to college at a high rate and being
actively recruited by colleges around the country.
What does it take to be a homeschooling mom or dad? From my own experience I would answer
creativity, patience, an interest in learning, and some basic organizational skills. I won't tell you
that you have to be a stay-at-home mom with hours on end to spare because I know moms that
work and homeschool too.
Homeschooling is growing and there are 2.6 million homeschooled children in the United States
to prove it. There are curriculum providers specifically for homeschoolers that have textbooks,
workbooks, science supplies, DVDs, reading books and more. I can't think of one educational
tool that I haven't been able to find. What's more, with the world wide web, there are loads of
educational worksheets and activities out there free for the taking!
If you are interested in finding out more about homeschooling in your state, I would recommend
you make a visit to the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (hslda.org) as your first step.
This legal aid association is staffed by attorneys who are homeschooling moms and dads. At the
website you will find the regulations and laws for homeschooling in all 50 states. Beyond that
you will find articles, resources, curriculum recommendations and more.
If I've piqued your interest, join me for this column next month where we'll talk about getting
started on a homeschooling adventure.
Until then, happy learning!
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