Around the country most kids have, or are about to, return to school. But my friend's kids are getting ready to return to the dining room table. One of my old high school friends homeschools her children. I find this idea interesting because homeschooling seems like such a tremendously scary responsibility, and apparently it can be, but it also has some wonderful rewards.
Originally, their family pursued the traditional route for educating the kids through enrollment in public schools. They were mostly happy with that traditional route, until they had to move to another part of the country. They enrolled the kids in the new school district, but very quickly they determined that the school curriculum was lacking in challenge. The kids had already covered the material and were bored.
Furthermore, her kids were being bullied by some students. When my friend discussed the academic and social situations with the teachers and school officials, she repeatedly felt they offered no solutions and were dismissive to her concerns.
She researched their state's homeschooling laws. My friend, who had been a teacher for years, researched state educational requirements and located resources that were available to parents for purposes of homeschooling. At that point, they decided to take the leap, and they pulled their kids out of school. My friend set up school in her own home. That was years ago and it works very well for them.
She follows state guidelines and curriculum, but incorporates a variety of field trips to museums, libraries, state parks, and a host of other educational activities. Homeschooled kids are allowed to participate in local school sports and other activities, so her kids get plenty of social interaction. They take the same standardized tests as nonhomeschooled kids.
I asked my friend if she enjoyed “relearning” things as she goes through the lessons with her kids. She confessed that when she was young, she didn't have much interest in some subjects. She is learning new things right along with her kids and she loves that aspect of teaching them. I find that really cool and appealing. I confess, I want to enroll in my friend's home school. She'd probably have to start me back at the 3rd grade level.
Anyway, here are some federal resources that may be of interest to folks considering homeschooling:
- National Center for Educational Statistics compiles statistics on the number of kids that are schooled at home, the characteristics of homeschooled vs. nonhomeschooled kids, and why parents choose to homeschool.
- Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
- Online Educational Resource Information
Since homeschooling is considered a matter handled by each state, your best bet is to work with your local school district to locate curriculum and guidelines. Most states have homeschool coordinators to help parents who wish to school their children at home. Remember, you pay taxes, therefore your kids are allowed access to the same resources that are available to public school children.
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