In addition to sharing your experience,  you will be entered in a drawing to win over $50 in science books by Janice VanCleave.

Ballots must be cast by June 1, 2012. So get voting!

Growing Without Schooling (GWS),

John Holt (1923-1985) was a professional educator who came to believe that education is an intensely personal journey. He advocated allowing children follow their own interests and was a forefather of the modern homeschooling movement. His book, Teach Your Own, is still a favorite.

Medford, MA, Sept. 14, 2011: Holt Associates Inc. announced today that all issues of its historic magazine, Growing Without Schooling (GWS), are now available for free public access at its website,http://www.holtgws.com. Growing Without Schooling is the nation’s first magazine about homeschooling, unschooling, and learning outside of school, founded by the late author/teacher John Holt in 1977.

“GWS documents 24 years of personal stories, news articles, research, books and the strong flowering of the homeschooling movement from 1977 to 2001. In 1977 there were perhaps 10 to 20 thousand homeschoolers and in 2001 it was estimated there were about 1.2 million homeschooled children. In 2011, estimates put that number over two million,” says Patrick Farenga of Holt Associates.

http://HoltGWS.com presents many resources for helping school-age children, from teens to kindergartners, learn in their own ways, including getting into college or finding work worth doing without a conventional school background. Holt Associates is an education consulting company committed to freedom for learning.

Participants between the ages of 5 and 10 years old were evaluated by standardized test on their reading, writing and math skills. Structured homeschoolers, those who use curriculum, outperformed across the board. Unschoolers didn’t fare as well, scoring lower in all categories.

Although public school children we assessed were performing at or above expected levels for their ages, children who received structured homeschooling had superior test results compared to their peers: From a half-grade advantage in math to 2.2 grade levels in reading,” Sandra Martin-Chang, a professor in the Concordia Department of Education. “This advantage may be explained by several factors including smaller class sizes, more individualized instruction, or more academic time spent on core subjects such as reading and writing.

Read the full story at Science Daily.

Photo: The Idea by William Spencer

It’s a natural question for kids who are around friends and family who attend public or private schools. They look around and discover that their family does things differently. In times like this it’s best to be proactive and positive. Here are a few strategies for getting your children excited about home education.

Show Your Enthusiasm

If you are enthusiastic about your homeschool, then your children will be too. Show them what they will be learning in the coming year. Talk about the field trips you will take and the activities you will do. Don’t wait for them to ask, show your excitement by sharing the information you find, the plans you make and the books you buy. This can be as simple as, “Oh, I’m so glad we homeschool so that we can do this.”

Explain that it is Motivated Out of love

You teach your kids at home because you love them and only want the best for them. Communicating that to your children and explaining your reasons will go a long way toward them viewing it as a family decision. While you may be tempted to give the age-old reason, “Because we said so,” try to get them on board. As they mature, you want them to embrace the decision and not see it as a punishment or believe they were deprived of something.

Talk about the Benefits

There are many benefits to homeschooling, and your children need to know them. Here are just a few to get you started:

• No lines—“Did you know that students in traditional school have to stand in a line just to use the bathroom and get lunch?”
• Shorter school days—“How many hours do we do school each day? Well, kids at public school spend 7 hours doing school each day.”
• More time for interests—“Because we don’t spend as long doing our regular schoolwork, you’re able to spend more time doing music (or acting or art or athletics or foreign language or dance or whatever).”
• Personalized learning—“If this math curriculum doesn’t work for you, we can always change it.
• More field trips—“Do you know that public schools only take 1-2 field trips each year. We do that many in a month.”
• More sleep—“Aren’t you glad you don’t have to stand at a bus stop at 6:30am every day—even in rain and snow?”
• More hands-on activities—“Because we homeschool, we can do as many science experiments as we want, and we can cook recipes from the countries we study.”

Get Involved

As your children meet other homeschoolers of all ages (peers, older students they respect and even babysitters), they will see how natural it is. Join local co-ops, take homeschool-friendly classes and attend play groups. Your children will quickly understand that they are part of a larger community, and you’ll be able to say, “Yes, so-and-so homeschools too.”

If you have more suggestions for explaining to your children why you homeschool, be sure to share them below!

Photo: Homeschool 109 by Bill Townsend Photography

On Thursday, March 22, 2012, Rehema Ellis of NBC News reported some pretty sobering statistics about college tuition and the debt students are incurring as a result of it. In the segment, “Degree of Debt,” she reported:

• The Federal Government recently announced that we have $1 trillion in student loan debt in this country, more than Americans owe on credit cards.
• One in three 2010 college graduates owed at least $25,000. And of them, more than 25% are behind in their payments.

And wondering just what college costs nowadays? According to the Bureau of Education Statistics:

• Average yearly tuition of a 4-year public college = $20,770
• Average yearly tuition of a 4-year private college = $36,400

Sadly, tuition costs will continue to rise and due to budget cuts, less money will be available for grants. Where does this leave those of us who want our children to have choices when making their decisions about college? Saving and researching. We must start our children’s college funds as early as possible and begin researching scholarships as soon as they begin high school. No one said college is easy, but with those of us with youngsters, we probably didn’t realize the work would begin quite so early.

Photo: College by 401K
 

In it, she shared a quote that Michael Farris, the co-founder and former president of HSLDA, made at a home school convention years ago. He said,

I don’t just want my children to be good Christians, I want them to be a better Christians than me! I want them to do greater things for the Lord in their Christian walk than I could ever do. I want my spiral to continually go upward!

What a great sentiment and a goal that all of us can strive for. But what’s especially interesting for me is that I’ve had similar thoughts lately. Recently, I found myself thinking about my father who passed away five years ago.

My dad was a complicated man. During his life, he had two successful careers – the first as a professional rodeo contestant (world ranked) and the second as a thoroughbred horse trainer. Personally, however, he struggled. His childhood, which he rarely spoke of, was difficult. One of four siblings, he’s the only one that didn’t end up either dead or institutionalized. His life wasn’t easy, but I’ve realized that he lived successfully if for no other reason than all his children have had more opportunities than he did.

I hope one day that I’m able to say the same for my children, that I’ve given them even more opportunities than I’ve had. As I raise them, I do hope to keep the spiral upward – in all areas. And in their spiritual lives, I pray that they’ll continually seek and clearly hear God’s voice and obey it, no matter what. If I can teach them to do that – if we can all teach our children to do that – then the spiral will, in deed, continue to move upward.

Photo: Spiral Staircase by Shaun Dunphy

In the most recent issue, I’ve especially liked the article “Higher Education” by Kimberly Williams, which encourages families to take their Bible education seriously. She writes:

Many homeschooling families make the Bible a part of their core curriculum. That is good. The Bible should be a part of our children’s education. But we must be very careful in how we approach the study of God’s Word. There have been times when we went through our daily Bible lessons hurrying just to finish. I am sure many parents can relate. And while this approach is not good for any subject, how much worse is it to treat the things of God flippantly? The study of God’s Word should be something we hold in high esteem, both personally and before our children.

Her words could make you feel like you are, once again, falling short in your planning and execution, but Williams shows that she knows what it’s really like to be an in-the-trenches homeschooler when she gives this bit of encouragement:

But let me say something very important to mothers. Have you ever woken up late and rushed through the morning ritual of reading your Bible? I have, almost in a superficial attitude of wanting to “check it off my list” so that I can now do the things I need to do. On those busy mornings when my family needs me, I have found it better to ask the Lord to be with me as I serve them in a loving way. The Lord understands. After all, God gave you your family. So do the necessary things, and do not neglect your family. God will bless your hands, and you will find you have extra time throughout the day to spend with Him.

I don’t know about you, but that takes the pressure off. Second Corinthians 3:9 says, “If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God!” The “old way” that this passage is talking about refers to the Law of the Old Testament, which demanded outward conformity. People had to perform in a certain way. Through it, God demonstrated to His people that we could never be good enough to earn anything from Him.

So as you are teaching your child the Bible, take Williams’ advice and be diligent and purposeful as you do it. But if you fall short of your ideal—and you will—then give yourself a break. God loves our children even more than we do, and as long as we’re doing what He has called us to do to the best of our human ability, then we can rest knowing that He’ll make up the difference.

6.       Your Relationship with Your Child is in Disarray

If you and your child are constantly at odds or if you can’t even get your child to do the simplest task without it turning into a war, then getting them to do their school work may be an exercise in frustration. Before you embark on the homeschooling journey, you may want to work on your relationship with your child. That said, homeschooling may be part of the healing process. Your relationship may improve through practice and devoted time with each other.

7.       You Don’t Want to Spend That Much Time with Your Child

No judgment here… but if you daydream of the day your five-year-old will head off to school or you dread summer vacation because you don’t know what to do with your child, then having them with you 24/7 may be hard—very, very hard.

8.       You’ve Tried it Without Success

Every once in a while—and this is very rare—I hear of a parent who just can’t get the work done. In fact, I’ve only heard of this happening twice in the hundreds of homeschooling families that I’ve come across. In these instances, it’s possible that the material was all wrong for the child or that the parent needed help planning and preparing. For those parents, who still want to homeschool, there is help through university-model schools and online academies, both of which provide the necessary planning and accountability for success.

9.       You Simply Don’t Want To

If you are part of a church or family who believes whole-heartedly that homeschooling is the only way to educate a child, but you don’t have the desire to do it, then do yourself a favor—DON’T DO IT! Homeschooling takes commitment, and if your heart isn’t in it, then something will suffer—your relationship with your child, your relationship with your spouse, your peace of mind. Don’t spend your days hating what you are doing.

I’m sure there is another good reason NOT to homeschool. In fact, I’m sure there are hundreds. If you know of one, comment and let me know. And if you missed the first part of this post, check it out: 9 Good Reasons NOT to Homeschool, Part 1.

If you have any questions about how to get started, or if you need a cheer leader to get you through a difficult time, contact me or post below. I’ll help any way I can.

Photo: Walking in Sunshine by D Sharon Pruitt

While some maintain that homeschooling is the responsibility of every parent, I disagree. Homeschooling is a privilege that only a few want to or even should do. If you and your spouse have thoughtfully and prayerfully considered the best way to educate your child and it involves something other than homeschooling, then you should feel content with your final decision. Homeschooling is a wonderful journey, but it is challenging, and it does take deliberate time, energy and thought. So if you decide it isn’t for you, there’s no shame in that. In fact, let me give you 9 Good Reasons NOT to Homeschool (Sorry, I couldn’t come up with 10!):

1.       Your Spouse Doesn’t Support Your Decision

Homeschooling affects the whole family and home. It takes everyone supporting one another. If your spouse doesn’t want to do it, then it will make the journey difficult—very difficult. And worse, it could affect the health of your marriage.  Your spouse won’t understand when your house is a mess because a history project or science experiment has taken over the dining room. He won’t encourage you when you’ve had a rough day or week. And she won’t appreciate the time and energy you are putting into it. Bottom line: It is not worth bringing strife and division into your marriage.

2.       Your Child Has Special Needs that You Cannot Address

Many special needs can be address adequately—or even superiorly—at home. Parents of children with ADD, ADHD and autism often find the one-on-one home environment a better choice for their child. Parents of gifted children also often prefer a home environment, but there are some emotional, mental and physical challenges that are best left to professionals. This is a decision that you and your spouse and even your child’s teachers and doctors can help you make.

3.       Your Home is not a Healthy Place

“Schools are sometimes the safest places for children,” a teacher friend of mine once said. If your home is full of strife, or if you or your husband struggles with addiction, abuse, mental illness or uncontrollable anger, then your children may need the safety, security and routine of school.

4.       You Do Not have the Time to Devote to Homeschooling

I once talked to a homeschool graduate who made a sad statement. She said, “I basically wasn’t educated.” She went on to explain that her father was her teacher, but that because of work, there were long stretches when her only assignment was to read a chapter in the Bible each day. Homeschooling does not take as long as traditional school, but if you do not have the time to work with your children because of your work schedule or other commitments, then homeschooling may not be a good choice for your family. Of course, there is help available by way of online academies and distant learning.

5.       Your Child Would Extremely Resent It

This is a tough one. It’s very possible that you may be considering homeschooling because your child is getting caught up with the wrong crowd at school. You may see evidence that their attention and morals are being changed by those influences. If you decide to homeschool, it’s possible that you will unleash the wrath of a teenager. They may shut down and refuse to do the work. You will have to decide if with patience and love and wisdom, you can overcome this obstacle. If not, then you may need to look into alternatives like private schools, university-model schools or even moving districts.

In my next post, 9 Good Reasons NOT to Homeschool, Part 2, I’ll continue with this list. If you have questions about homeschooling, email me. I look forward to hearing from you!

Photo: Walking in Sunshine by D Sharon Pruitt

6.       Your child needs more one-on-one time to learn

Most of us learn best in a one-on-one, tutorial situation. We can ask questions, take time to digest what we’ve heard and learn at our own pace. For many, a classroom environment is fine. They will continue to learn, but for some, they need the extra attention that comes with a lower teacher/student ratio.

7.       Your child is too active to sit still for long school days

If you have an active child, they may need plenty of time to run and jump and play. Homeschooling gives you the flexibility to take breaks and get the wiggles out. And if your child is a kinesthetic learner, then they learn best by moving anyway. Think reciting multiplication facts while jumping on the trampoline, practicing phonics while doing jumping jacks or listening to a historical book on tape while riding a bike.

8.       Your family and work schedule requires a more flexible schedule

If you or your spouse works an evening or night shift or travels for work, then homeschooling may be just what you need to preserve family time. It can allow you to work around unusual schedules. And depending on your travel schedule, homeschooling may even give your family a unique advantage. You can feed your child’s interest in history and science by working field trips to museums, battlefields or historical sites into your trips.

9.       Your family needs to slow down

If your weekdays resemble a NASCAR race—up at 5:30am to get your children to the bus stop, race to pick them up after school for Little League and dance lessons then run through a drive-thru for dinner in time to rush home for baths and homework, then you may be looking for a break. Homeschooling allows you to set the pace and schedule that works for your family.

10.       You can no longer afford private school

According to the Council for American Private Education, the average cost of private school was over $8,500 during the 2009-2010 school year. That would be challenging for one child, but make it two or three and that number becomes overwhelming. Homeschooling allows you to customize a private school quality education for a fraction of the cost.

Oh, the list could go on. There are numerous reasons to homeschool, many as unique as your own family. For some the journey toward homeschooling will be natural process, as simple as putting one foot in front of the other. For others, it will be forced upon them, something they do when there are no other viable options. Whatever your situation, I pray your homeschool adventure will be a peaceful, enlightening process. And if you have questions about homeschooling or how to get started, email them to me. I’ll do what I can to make your transition a smooth one.

Photo: Family Bonding by Heart of the Matter Online