Learn How To Learn

As a home schooler, teaching our children how to learn should be a primary goal. Learning is more than facts and figures. It involves the ability to think, analyze, and use the thought process. In short, to know how to learn and how to apply the knowledge to everything.

Who said this? "The end goal of any society as it addresses the problem of education is to raise the ability, the initiative and the cultural level, and with all of that the survival level of that society."

Do you agree with the concept? The key to a dynamic society is to value learning and education. Our goal as home schoolers should be to instill an insatiable quest for learning in our children. Knowing the pitfalls along the way is critical. This is the foundation of the study technology that supports the above-mentioned quote.

Don't freak out or stop reading this article when I tell you who made above statement, because the study technology created by this visionary is extremely valuable. I am talking about a technology - not a philosophy. You must separate these concepts!

The person who made the above quoted statement was L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. Because of the antics of Tom Cruise, the religion of Scientology is relegated to the kook fringe. And it probably should be.

Separate the religion/philosophy of Scientology from their study technology. I am NOT a Scientologist. I do not support or subscribe to their religion. I do not pretend to be knowledgeable of the beliefs or the religious parts of Scientology. But I do know first hand the value of their study technology in their educational program of Applied Scholastics.

Ron Hubbard's study technology and the Applied Scholastics curriculum addresses the foundation of all learning. It focuses on our brains, its operation and how to train it. The study technology does not promote or intrude on your personal beliefs. The study technology is NOT the religion! It can run parallel to and support any type of religious or secular home school curriculum. It has no spiritual or philosophical component at all. I want to underscore this point because I understand the fear of this religion.

Let’s get back to the key goal of educating our children and I will attempt to explain this study technology. When people learn a subject, this process can get short-circuited or blocked and the path to mastering it can be derailed. What if that blockage could be identified and cleared up at that precise moment it occurs so the learning could continue, the mastery achieved and frustration avoided? Would that be the answer to your prayers? That in a nut shell is the study technology of Applied Scholastics .

The fundamental premise is that there are three barriers to learning that interrupt the flow, create resistance and frustrates the learning process. It also explains how to identify these barriers, provide methods to fix them, and encourages natural flow of learning. This concept is important to the education of our children.

These barriers inhibit learning and can result in a shutdown of the process. This shutdown can be seen in schools today as the runaway diagnosis of learning disabilities, behavior problems or just boredom with learning, all resulting in a disinterested student body and society.

Mr. Hubbard explains that when a student hits one of these barriers, the trained instructor can identify it, clear it up, and resume the natural flow of learning.

I will define these barriers and explain how they affect the student and interfere with learning. These are simplistic and cursory examples of the study technology in Applied Scholastics in which students learn how to learn!

1. Lack of mass. The need to touch, feel or make (a prototype) something that demonstrates the subject matter. It may not be sufficient for a student to simply read about the subject. Many times the physical interaction, touching, modeling out of clay (something to TOUCH) is important to the learning. For example, when learning adding and subtracting, it is much more effective when demonstrated with blocks or physical objects. When studying muscles, tendons and ligaments, examine a chicken wing, identify the parts and SEE how they work.

A physical reaction to hitting this barrier could be the student putting their hands over their ears, looking confused, or showing anger (breaking pencils, "blow", and leave the area).

2. The gradient is too steep. This means that elemental steps taken to learn a subject are not fully understood by the student. An exaggerated example would be going from adding to algebraic computations. The steps in between are missing thus the student does not know how or why they got to the result. This predictably ends in frustration.

A physical reaction would be a dizzy or reeling feeling in the student. If the students feel like their heads are spinning, stop! There are gaps that need to be filled in.

3. Misunderstood word. Have you ever been reading and then realized when you get to the bottom of the page that you cannot remember what you just read? This is more common than you think. Somewhere you encountered a word you misunderstood, a word that did not makes sense in context, so you tuned out.

Children do it all the time. Trained educators and parents are aware when their student becomes confused. They understand the importance of clearing up the misunderstanding to understand the subject and proceed with the learning. They know how to trace the confusion back to the offending word(s) and clear up the misunderstanding. They have the children look up the word in a dictionary and redefine it within the context. Only then can effective learning proceed. This process is amazing, I have seen it!

The physical manifestations may be daydreaming, yawning or a confused or far out look.

This study technology is a great basis for any home school curriculum. Give this study technology a more complete look and consider adding it to your own curriculum.

Creating, Maintaining and Presenting a Homeschool Portfolio

Many school districts now require homeschoolers to present portfolios showing their student's progress in an organized fashion. This is actually a very convenient method of recording whenever it is done properly. Here are some ideas on how to create, maintain, and present your homeschool portfolio for a successful assessment, evaluation and review.

First of all, it is important to have a firm grasp on precisely what a homeschool portfolio is. Basically, a homeschool portfolio is a collection of materials that are used in order to showcase what your child has learned over the course of the "school year." This is important because numerous states require an annual assessment of homeschooled students either via testing or the presentation of a portfolio. While it may seem that keeping a portfolio is only good in so far as you need to comply with the law. This is not the case however. Portfolios can also help parents and their children to record their progress and achievements. This becomes even more important once a child has reached high school and needs a diploma.

Now that we understand the importance of a portfolio, it is also important to understand that there is no right or wrong way in which to create a portfolio. It is up to the parent and/or child what materials the portfolio will contain. However, it is a good idea to choose a variety of material in order to reflect what the child has learned, experienced and accomplished throughout the year. Some items that should be included in your portfolio are: Suggested items to include are:

(1.) A journal which contains notes about activities and the progress that has been made.

(2.) A list of resources (ie books, computer software, games, toys and outside classes).

(3.) Samples of the child's work (ie samples of creative writing and drawings, text book or workbook pages, and if possible you may include audio or video tapes of your child singing, playing a musical instrument, reading aloud, or taking part in a a dramatic performance - pictures will also sometimes work well in place of audio or video tapes).

(4.) Photos of field trips, artwork, projects and family life.

(5.) Brochures and booklets from field trips and other activities.

(6.) A list of books that the child has read including both the title and the author.

(7.) A list of your goals for the year.

While this may seem quite overwhelming, you'd honestly be surprised at how easily you can accomplish this when you start preparing your portfolio at the beginning of the year. Simply use a three ring binder and add paper for your journaling. Start off by listing a few of your goals for the year and what resources you'll be using to achieve those goals (these can be modified throughout the year as needed). Then begin collecting samples of work, organizing them by subject, and punching holes in them to place them in your binder. Always have at least a throw away camera at hand so that you can take pictures of anything that you'd like that your child does (ie reading, playing, dancing). You'll also want to take pictures at field trips as well as pictures of your child's projects and creations. These pictures can either be placed in a photo album or if you're feeling really craftsy you could organize them into a scrapbook. You'll also want to make sure to hold onto any brochures or other paper items that you collect while on an educational outing. These can be easily placed in clear see-through sheet protectors. This is also a good time to begin accumulating a list of books that are being read.

Once you have put together the beginnings of your portfolio, don't stop there. Regular maintenance (I suggest weekly as it will help you to write your lesson plans for the following week) should include regular journal entries and an ongoing collection of work samples, photos and whatever else you wish to include. Some school districts will require a quarterly assessment throughout your homeschool year. This is a time for parents and children to reflect upon their progress and accomplishments from the previous months. Yet, even if your school district doesn't require a quarterly review, you won't want to wait until the end of the year to scramble and race to put together a portfolio that your school district will approve of. Neither you nor your child deserve having to go through the unneeded stress of having to sort through all of the material that has been collected throughout the year.

When it is time for review you may choose to remove some of the materials from your portfolio. You will find that some of these things simply do not properly reflect what you've accomplished throughout the year. If/when you decide to weed through your portfolio, you need to remember that the purpose of the review is to provide a general overview of the homeschool year, demonstrate that the child is engaged in homeschooling and that progress is being made.

The portfolio review can be exciting since it provides both parents and children with a time to talk about what they've been doing at home. When discussing this with your child, you may find it helpful to write down a summary of the items that you wish to highlight during your year before the review. For instance, if your child learned to read or master a skill you may wish to point this out to the reviewer. Of course, you should never view your portfolio review as a time for you to be judged or ridiculed. It is a time to listen, learn and support from your reviewer. Your child does not need to be present during this time. However, if your child wants a chance to "brag" about their accomplishments and progress to other homeschoolers, then this review is a perfect opportunity for them to do so.

Reading Activity For Kindergarten

As a homeschooler one of the most important tasks for you to accomplish in your child at an early age is getting them interested in and developing good reading habits. At an early age learning to recognize letters, the sounds they make and words they eventually form should be an activity and not a structured assignment. A great reading activity for kindergarten aged children, for example is to read to them.

A natural progression in your reading activities with your children is that after you read them to a passage from the story; have them paraphrase the story back to you. This will help you to understand what level of listening ability and understanding they are at, as well has help them to begin building their vocabulary as they work to find new words they can use with their description of the story they are giving back to you.

Good reading activities don’t always have to occur at the house, or just before bedtime. While you’re running errands around town or on vacation, perhaps have the kids begin to collect words from signs, or spell objects they see. Encourage them to learn different ways to describe objects see. Instead something big, it may by huge, or enormous... or even of gargantuan proportion! Have you child arrange the words they have collected into silly sentences or phrases. Even something as simple as collecting letters from signs, license plates, and such to work their way through the alphabet is a good kindergarten age reading activity.

Not in the car, or travel around much? Use every day items around the house to do the same thing. Labels, there are plenty of labels around the house. Actually put labels on everyday items around the house so your child can associate the spelling, and reading with a tangible item. Then, after a while, take the labels off the items and help your child read and re-label the house.

Once you get your creative juices flowing, you’ll come up with many more reading activities. The key is to make reading activities an every day part of their life. Make an effort to spend an hour a day reading more with an hour less of television. T.V. is an extremely passive thought processing activity. While reading and using one’s imagination is a source of growth and a great foundation from which to build.

Growing Socialization in Home Education

Let me mention the subject of Home Schooling. What thought immediately comes to mind? There have always been many views of home schooling. There are varieties of opinions ranging from great parents to troublemakers. Most of the negative thoughts of home schooling are based on rumors and preconceived ideas. Out of all thoughts about home schooling, socialization is one of the first things that come to mind. The most debated topic among home schoolers and non-home schoolers is this issue of adequate socialization for home schooled children. Some think that home schoolers do not get enough socialization. They feel since the children are home for school this makes the child become socially deprived. Home schooled children are not socially deprived.

As a home schooling parent, and from my personal experience my children are more social at times than I am. Many studies support the home school academic benefit, but what about social aspect? Are home schoolers missing proper socialization? Is there a right solution for the socialization problem? Is there a socialization problem at all? With the growth of home schoolers seen recently are we bound to have future generations of socially deprived misfits?

What is home schooling anyway? Why is the choice a debated topic? Is it just a passing trend? Home schooling is home education. This educational decision is a parents' choice and right to teach his or her children one on one at home. This option is legal in all fifty states. Home schooling options have grown greatly due to many accredited curriculum providers targeting the large growing market of home schooling. These curriculum companies are providing parents with easy, different and even customized options for home schooling.

Home schooling just trend right? No. In 1999, the National Center for Education Statistics reported an estimated 850,000 students nationwide were being home schooled (10). The numbers are estimated to grow due to the popularity and the knowledge of home school benefits being explored. More parents are taking the home school route for the safety and academic achievements of their children. Home education is nothing new; it has been around for years. According to Home4schoolgear.com the famous Artist Leonardo Di Vinci, and Inventors Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison and few presidents of prestigious colleges were home educated along with many other famous trailblazers (Home4schoolgear.com). Only in recent years has home education been media news. Home schooling as shown its solid foundation in successful results through time. Still there are those that have debated the choice of home education.

Home education has grown so much that most cities have home school groups for support, courses, activities and much more. There is also Home School Legal Defense Association to support families with home school legal issues. There are home schooling magazines, clothing and more. Will the growth of home schooling have an effect on public schools? Some feel that home schooling directly effects the public schools. There have been arguments that home schooling can have an effect on public schools in positive or a negative ways.

Paul T. Hill, author of “How Home Schooling Will Change Public Education” says, “Home schooling limits public school enrollments, therefore it reduces the money provided to school districts. Home schooling also reduces growth in public schools, and decreases the pressure for new buildings and staffs”(Hill). The concern of money for public schools has been a raising issue for years. Home schooling does not have a major effect on it. The problem of public school money issues is caused by a number of factors other than home schooling. There have been various news reports of public school officials misusing the money, and the debates to cut unnecessary cost and create better options for public schools. From a concerned parents’ point of view the issue of money in public schools is not a brow raising reason to choose public schooling. For the quality of education provided at home government, money is no comparison.

Socialization is one highly debated topic for home schoolers. As a home schooling parent, I often answer socialization questions. “You can’t mention home education without the s’ word coming up,” says Doug Phillips, director of Federal Relations at the National Center for Home Education (3). People usually question the socialization because they do not under stand how home school works. Many feel that home schoolers do not socialize with their peers so they become “weird” or sociably immature. Although the stereotypes are heard and believed, parents are still choosing to home school their children for reasons reflecting the quality of socialization in public schools, such as peer pressure, violence, sexual harassment and many other problems.

David Wagner says, “In the seventies, Christians home schooled because secular values being promoted in schools. In the eighties, parents home schooled for no particular religious belief. Others are trying to drop out of the prevailing culture”(3). We chose to home school our children because of the poor quality of public schools in the area we lived in. We also saw frequent news reports of school incidents involving violence and even sexual acts. We saw the advantage of instilling morals and values with the use of home education that was not available in public schools. We liked the academic freedom of choice to including subjects forbidden at the public schools.

While socialization was a factor, our decision to home school was not based only on creating a social safe haven for our children, but rather allowing them to excel academically and having the advantage of academic freedom. Despite the reasons for home schooling, it is the parents’ deliberate choice to remove their child from public school social settings as they see fit. Considering that thought, Dennis Helming, an education writer, believes the most miss the point of whether the protection of children from bad influences can cause a backlash to rebellion (3).

I have found this false among home schooling teenagers. All of the home schooled teenagers I have observed and interacted with are pleasant and responsible. They see the danger in rebellion, and choose not to indulge in it. Home schooling parents also do not hide what they are protecting their children from; rather they take the approach to show them what they are keeping them from. Children naturally wanting to be safe, if given a choice usually end up choosing not to be around things that cause them harm such as peer pressure and violence. Aimee Howd, a home schooled child and author of Confessions of a home-schooled kid says, “Home schooling was once considered a choice for the antisocial but home school achievers are challenging the old stereotypes”(3).

Yes, most home schooled children do spend a lot of time at home, however it does not mean the door is barred shut and the child is forbidden to see anyone. As home schooling parents having the natural need to enjoy adult communication, that is not a desired option! The socialization provided to home schoolers is broader than the public schools can allow. While public schooled children are confined to their peers, a teacher and a classroom home schooled children are traveling and learning by visiting museums, and other educational centers.

Simply going to the grocery store is a lesson in teaching social manners, mathematics, nutrition, and more. Most home schooled children are involved in different activities and community groups. Randal Rockney, author of The Home Schooling Debate: Why Some Parents Choose It, Others Oppose It reports that 90 percent of home schooled children spent more than 20 percent per month in organized community activities (3). I have found that many including my own children are in various different extra curricular groups, which also is a supplement to education.

For instance during the school year our local home schooling group has a coop called Masters Lyceum this is a program with a variety of classes from ballet to science. Every Friday morning, we get dressed and head off to school like the public schooled children. Many children and parents participate in the coop. Children have their own class schedule for each semester. The Masters Lyceum is used as a time for our children get together to learn, to be a part of a group, and learn from other adults. During the summer our children are enrolled in a number of community fun programs like any other child.

Rockney also says, “Children tend to be less segregated by age when involved in home schooling activities.” (3). My children are around children of all ages. It allows them to mature in their communication. My children have friends in various grades, which allow them to socialize on different levels. They learn social boundaries by being around a mixed group of children. Nancy Gibbs, author of Home Sweet School: Seeking Excellence, Isolation, Or Just Extra “Family Time,” says, “ Home School parents agree that the socialization in public schools is not all healthy, it may be competitive, intimidating and violent (4).

I personally do not think that public school socialization is all bad, but I do think that the majority of socialization in public school is improper and stressful for children and therefore unhealthy. When a child comes home crying about the treats of bullies, it causes an entire home to be effected in some way. It is potentially disastrous in the future. We have seen this as one of the causes in the increase of violence in public schools. Who can ever forget the traumatic event of Columbine? There are tons of talk shows with disturbed adults confronting their childhood bullies. This is not the socialization I want my children to experience.

Despite personal debatable views, let us look at the research conducted on home schoolers. Most research studies conducted for finding out if home schoolers are socially equal to non-home schoolers have had different methods, yet similar conclusions. Very few recently conclude differently. In 1984, Tisard and Huges studied 4 year olds at home and in public schools. They stated that home schooled children could not learn how to get along with other children, to be a member of a group, to separate from their families and to relate and communicate with strange adults (Van Galen 6). Our home schooling coop alone proves this statement untrue. This provides all of the educational needs that Tisard and Huges argued that home schooling parents could not provide.

It seems that times have changed, in a 1992 study on home school socialization was reported in a 299-page thesis written by Larry Edward Shyers. Dr. Shyers measured the self-esteem of 70 home schooled children, compared it with 70 traditionally schooled children, and found no significant difference in the groups. Dr. Shyers looked at how home schooled children treated other children by direct observation, using a “blind” procedure, found that home-schooled children had significantly fewer problem behaviors than traditionally schooled children did when playing in mixed groups of children did. Dr. Shyers concluded that contact with adults, rather than contact with other children, is most important in developing social skills in children.

This is not surprising because our children are more likely to be in a social setting with a mixed group than those public schooled children are. They in the “real world” environment on more frequent bases than their public schooled peers. Thomas Smedley completed a similar experimental design. His study evaluated communication skills, socialization, and daily living skills. Smedley found that the home-schooled children were more mature scoring in the 84th percentile, while the public school children scored in the 27th percentile (Bunday 9). While home schooled children are home they learn daily living skills more often than public schooled children do. Larger families have the children in the family all coordinate to work together and learn life skills and communication skills. It is an advantage to a child being taught one on one to grasp communication, daily life skills and socialization.

Brian D. Ray, Ph.D., produces another research finding in a book he wrote. The findings in this book concluded that the negative critics have claimed that home schooling makes weak adults have no solid foundational facts. The book reports that the adults who were home schooled were much more civically involved in the United States. Adults who were home educated express viewpoints or beliefs that is about as strong as that of the general public (10). Adults who were home schooled have the same socialization status or higher than those there were not home schooled. We have seen this proven in our listing of famous adults and other trailblazers in our society. They could not make a difference in our world without being strong adults.

We have heard from the researchers, and personal opinions from parents, but what about the children? In an article written by Lisa Russell, she tells of her public schooled days “I found the phonics and reading lessons to be incredibly boring. Luckily, the girl behind me felt the same way. We would chat back and forth. We were both asked to stay in at recess, and sit quietly in our desks for the entire 25 minutes, because "We are not here to socialize, young ladies." Those words were repeated by just about every teacher I've ever had. If we're not there to socialize, then why were we there? If schools weren't made for socializing, then why on earth would anyone assume that home schoolers were missing out?” (Russell)

I remember myself as being a talker in class. That was my whole reason for going to school! I was told that we were not in school to socialize repeatedly also. These words are repeated in public schools often. Children in public school being told this begin to socialize out of disobedience. Is this proper socialization to teach a child? No. This is not, simply because in the class setting the teacher demands respect, which causes some to rebel and secretly socialize by whispering, or notes to each other. This can cause resentment for teachers and authority among students in the class. This problem could eventually snowball into disrespecting adults and any authority.

From my own personal experience with secretly communicating with my peers, it takes away from listening in class, and puts the priorities out to order for attending public school. Lisa asks the appropriate question in defense of home schoolers missing out. I do not think home schoolers are missing out simply because their day is not a typical day which involves freely socializing on different levels and not just their peers. This then teaches home schoolers to be responsible and mature. Children cannot learn to be responsible and mature while rebelling against their teacher to socialize in a classroom setting. Another young fifteen-year-old home schooled girl named Teresa expresses, “Many people are curious about the average day of a home schooler and are surprised to find out isn't an “average day”.

My family chose homeschooling is to avoid the dull routines that schools create. I usually have lessons with my mom in the morning, take care of my siblings, spend time with other home schoolers in the area, and read. Most importantly, my day belongs to me. I have a quote on my wall in my room, “Learning involves everyone everyday. Learning and living are not separate activities. Learning cannot be contained in place or time” (Teresa). This fifteen-year-old is a good representation of home schoolers. Most of them do not have a regular 8-3 schedule like public school kids. Each home school environment is different. Their days incorporate more of in the real world, more than just a classroom full of peers. It involves many different activities, which allows them to experience more and learn in different ways.

The quote she has on her wall is very true. You can not avoid or confine learning. You can not possibly teach a child everything that is needed to survive in a classroom setting. Yes you can learn academics, but life lessons that you will use as an adult are usually learned while interacting with family outside of a classroom. Socializing with friends is a part of her day because that is natural and a child needs that. It however is not all of her day because sitting a classroom full of children will not teach socialization. I asked my children what they liked about being home schooled and they expressed that they liked the flexibility and not being confined to a classroom.

They explained to me that you could not eat breakfast in a public school at your desk like you could in home schooling. Being twins my daughters liked the fact that they are not forced to separate in to different classes if they are not ready for it and they can be with their little brother. They enjoy teaching their little brother what they have learned. This gives them a sense of importance and responsibility. They did not once say once that they are lacking time with their friends. They have ample time with friends during the week with the Masters Lyceum, church, and other activities.

In my conclusion, I will end with a story posted on an Internet message board, at http://www.homeschoolchristian.com: Posted By: Cat. Date: Tuesday, 3 October 2000, at 9:58 a.m.

This is a scene from a local park about a year and a half ago...(a local park back home!) 2 moms were sitting on a bench not too far from me. They were discussing the "homeschool movement" and how they couldn't see the benefits of homeschooling because of the "S" factor--I WILL NOT say that word! They went on and on about how homeschooled kids wouldn't be able to come to the park and play. They went on and on about how you can identify a homeschooled kid because they tend to be withdrawn...the whole time watching my 3 homeschooled children play quite nicely with their 5 children. Tag, races, pushing each other on the swing. I was soaking it all up. Never once did I say a word.

When it was time to leave, one of the moms thanked my kids for playing so nicely with their kids and asked, "Where do you go to school?" I knew it was our time to shine...Kristin said, "Oh, we homeschool." and turned to walk away, leaving that mom staring at me--because she KNEW I had heard their whole conversation. I nodded and said, "Have a nice day."

Talk about a PRICELESS moment! (Cat)

In my own personal experience, that I have seen home schoolers do not lack socialization. Researching studies support this conclusion. I feel that socialization among home schoolers is potentially more advanced than those isolated to a social settings in public schools. There is a time for socialization and a time not to socialize. Home schooling has provided an opportunity to show my children proper socialization skills for life. Home schooling has many myths; socialization being one that is exposed. Home schoolers will continue to prove the stereotypes wrong.

Is Your Family Ready for HomeSchooling

More parents are deciding to homeschool their children each year. As early as the late 1960's homeschooling increased from 10,000 to 15,000 children. In 1999 the number of homeschooled children had risen to 850,000, and by 2003 the number jumped to 1.1 million children which represents a 29 percent relative increase over the 4-year period.

Students are considered to be homeschooled if their parents reported them as being schooled at home instead of at a public or private school for at least part of their education and if their part-time enrollment in public or private schools did not exceed 25 hours a week. Students who were schooled at home only because of a temporary illness were not included as homeschoolers.

Most Important Reasons for Homeschooling

Thirty-one percent of homeschoolers had parents who said the most important reason for homeschooling was concern about the environment of other schools.

Thirty percent said the most important reason was to provide religious or moral instruction.

Sixteen percent of homeschooled students had parents who said dissatisfaction with the academic instruction available at other schools was their most important reason for homeschooling.

Families that elect to educate their children at home come from all major ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds, and all income levels. However, homeschoolers are more likely to be religious, conservative, white, better educated, and part of a two-parent family, compared with the average American family. Homeschooling families tend to have more children and be middle-class.

Parents who homeschool their children are more likely to vote, contribute money to political causes, contact elected officials about their views, attend public meetings or rallies, or join community and volunteer associations. This holds true even when researchers compare only families with similar characteristics, including education, income, age, race, family structure, geographic region, and number of hours worked per week.

What Resources Do Homeschooling Families Use?

Parents are, of course, the primary resource. Typically, the mother takes the lead, though fathers usually pitch in. Perhaps as many as one out of ten fathers takes the primary responsibility.

How Well Do Homeschoolers Perform Academically and Socially?

Researchers cannot tell whether the same children would perform better or worse academically in a classroom or at home. State testing data does not necessarily reflect all homeschoolers because not all comply with the testing requirement. Other testing efforts rely on volunteers.

Keeping that caveat in mind, where testing data is available, homeschoolers do well. For example, in Alaska, the state's Alyeska Central School has tested its homeschooling children for several decades. As a group they usually score above average in any subject area and at all grade levels. The largest study to date, commissioned by the Home School Legal Defense Association, involved 12,000 students tested through the Bob Jones University testing services. The homeschooled children placed in the 62nd to the 91st percentile of national norms, depending on grade level and subject area.

At least one intriguing study suggests that student achievement for homeschoolers is not related to the educational attainment of the parent. This is consistent with tutoring studies that suggest the education level of a tutor has little to do with achievement of a tutored child.

College admission also may suggest success. Homeschoolers have reported admission to over 1,000 different U.S. colleges and universities.

People disagree about whether homeschooling helps or hinders a child's social development. Homeschooling children spend less time with peers and more time with people of different ages. Most participate in scouting, church groups, and other associations. Many volunteer in their communities. Some operate a business. There is no conclusive research suggesting that additional time with same-aged peers is preferable to more time with individuals of varying ages.

What Is the Legal Status of Homeschooling?

Today homeschooling is legal in all states. State law generally requires homeschooling parents to file basic information with either the state or local education agency. Over half the states require some kind of evaluation under some or all of the homeschooling options available under state law. Usually, this evaluation involves testing of students, but some states accept portfolio evaluations or a teacher evaluation. Much less frequently, states have education or testing requirements for parents. Some states require submission of a curricular plan. Parents do not need teaching certificates.

Public programs are growing. Alaska sponsors the Alyeska Central School, where teachers in Juneau work with students all over the state via mail, the Internet, telephone, and occasional home visits. In California, children can enroll in a public school's independent-study program. Washington and Iowa laws require public schools to admit students part-time. Some public schools offer specialized homeschooling centers where families may obtain resources and instructional support, or where children may take classes. An estimated 18 percent of children who are homeschooled enroll in school part-time; 5 percent enroll for 9 or more hours per week

Local and state support groups offer advice and assistance. Sometimes, several families will share instructional duties. Local support groups form readily if there are a sufficient number of homeschooling families in an area. There is at least one state-level homeschooling association in every state, and in some states there are a dozen or more regional associations. Often, parents may examine instructional materials at a book fair or association meeting.

Other popular resources include libraries, museums, colleges, parks departments, churches, local businesses, and schools. Many large and small publishers offer curricular packages, books, periodicals, and other materials for use in home instruction.

The Benefit of Home Schooling - 8 Reasons to Educate Your Child at Home

Making the decision to home school is, on the face of it, not an easy one. There are many questions that need to be asked, and answered, before you can take this very significant step in your child's education. What can influence the decision is an idea of some of the benefit of home schooling.

So here are some things to think of.

1. Your child will get one to one attention with you. The issues associated with large class sizes will be gone forever.

2. Noone knows your child better than you, so you can tailor the lessons to suit your child. That will be something that could never happen in a conventional class room.

3. If your child is someone who is particularly susceptible to peer pressure, then home schooling can alleviate the problem. With your child completely under your control, you not only dictate the curricular activities, but the friends and social elements of their day.

4. Family life can return to how it should be. No more strangers passing at the breakfast table.

5. Many children get wrongly labeled with 'learning difficulties' when all that they needed was a different approach. If your child falls into this category, you will be best placed to evaluate your child's needs and requirements.

6. Scientific studies indicate that home schooled children can come out ahead in every measurement. Other factors may affect this of course, but the indications are that home schooled children achieve more academic success than their traditionally schooled counterparts.

7. Research also indicates that home schooled children actually have better social skills than traditionally schooled children. This rather flies in the face of most people's beliefs.

8. Although not a statistic that should affect your decision making, every child taken out of the state controlled education system actually saves the tax payer around $9000 per pupil per year.

Whilst it is not a task to be undertaken lightly, there are compelling reasons for educating your child at home. It can be argued of course that the benefit of home schooling will not be so strong for all children, but equally, there are many who could benefit significantly from home tutoring.

Home Schooling in Southern Idaho

My son and his bride had four natural children but they wanted to help other children. To their four, they added nine for a total of thirteen. Four are of mixed race born of unwed teenagers. The other five are black Haitian children.

I am a product of the public school system as are my five children. I was surprised to learn that thirteen of our 32 grandchildren were being home schooled. It seemed strange to me. For one, a young mother needs some time to herself. Teaching all day does not fulfill that idea. My son’s wife can not boot the kids out the door and sit back and watch television.

Moving to Idaho and being much closer to our son and his family I soon learned that my son and his wife do not trust the school system. The other day I heard my son say, to my surprise, that the current system was not designed to develop every child to his or her highest capabilities. Rather there is to be an elite class and workers.

My son and his wife also do not appreciate the negative influences in the public school system. My wife and I think that children should face those influences, being corrected if they error by teachers and parents. Be that as it may, home schooling is the best situation for my son and his wife here in Idaho.

My Haitian grandchildren cover ages from under eight to eighteen. They have had to overcome both physical and cultural problems. Raised on the streets of the Haitian capital, the older ones are street-smart and they can be secretive or self-protective.

Most of the children learn at a normal rate. Some don’t. I don’t think that all of the children would be successful in the public school system. The children adopted at a younger age would adjust rapidly to the public system.

All of the children, except the four youngest, play the piano, the violin, and some play the guitar and other instruments. The two oldest girls of natural birth are in the adult symphony. Three play in the youth symphony (two adopted). One granddaughter plays in both. Our oldest granddaughter here in Idaho is on a full scholarship in music at the local college.

The family together has formed a musical group that sings and plays here in Southern Idaho. They take donations for baby formula for an orphanage in Haiti. If you want to contribute to that cause please email me.

All of the older children (over eight) are good cooks, know how to clean house, and perform outdoor chores. Most all of them are doing well in home school as tested by the State of Idaho.

Our other grandchildren are all in public school systems. We have one autistic teenage son who was brought up in the public school system. Fortunately for him, his school system has an effective program for autistic children. It is not a segregated program. Autistic children attend the same classes as the other children, but special assistants keep things in order and educational.

My son and his wife are effective in educating their very gifted (adopted and natural) and not as gifted children. To do that, they use home schooling.

Learning Styles And The Home Schooler - Part II of III

Create the best learning environment for your child.

In addition to receiving and processing information, learning is affected by how the child responds to the organization of the material. Consider these four basic types. (Remember it is not a box to keep your child in...these are cues to keep in mind when you create and teach lessons.)

CONCRETE/SEQUENTIAL ... These Students:

- Apply ideas in a practical way and focus on facts.

- Work well within limits and produce concrete products from abstract ideas.

- Like to work systematically (step-by-step) and pay close attention to details.

- Want a schedule to follow that makes sense to them.

- Want to know what is expected of them.

- Like establishing routines and methods of doing things.

- Do not like working in groups.

- Ask when they are learning are: What are the facts I Need? How do I do this? What should it look like? When is it due?

These children deal well with strict guidelines that are clear and unwavering. They are highly systematic and function well with clearly defines steps. Stress individual projects with clearly spelled out goals.

Next consider:

ABSTRACT/SEQUENTIAL ... These Students:

- Are always looking for the underlying principles.

- Like to analyze ideas, research, and provide logical sequence.

- Want to use exact, well researched information and logical reasoning.

- Learn by watching, than by doing.

- Want to have sufficient time to deal with the project thoroughly.

- Want black and white...right and wrong answers.

- Are not diplomatic and like to monopolize a conversation.

- Want to know:

o How do I know this is true?
o Have we considered all the possibilities?

These students want clearly defined goals but can use their imagination to find the steps to achieve the goals. They tend to over-analyze and may get trapped in minutia. They are willing to create their own methodology. They want a clear answer to problems, and want to prove them.

Next consider:

ABSTRACT/RANDOM ... This student:

- Is always looking for the personal relevance as they listen.

- Seek to understand feeling and emotions of people.

- Focus on the emotional needs of others and seek to bring harmony to group situations.

- Want to personalize their learning and focus on the broad general principles.

- Need to maintain friendly relationships with everyone.

- Decide with their hearts not their heads.

- Find it difficult to explain or justify their ideas.

- Avoid exact details and resent any criticism.

- Find it impossible to focus on one thing at a time.

- Ask: What does this have to do with me? How can I make a difference?

These students evaluate ideas on a personal and emotional basis. They are social but don't like to get bogged down in minutia. They go for the big picture, and get frustrated when forced to learn concrete facts.

Consider this:

CONCRETE/RANDOM ......These students

- Think fast on their feet.

- See many options and solutions to things.

- Want a compelling reason for doing something and find different ways to do them.

- Rely on instinct and insight.

- Want general frames rather specific details.

- Do not like restrictions, limitations, formal reports, routines, re-doing things, keeping detailed records or explaining how they got an answer.

- Ask - How much is really necessary?

This student is all over the place. They are a mass of creativity and imagination. They are problem solvers and want to discover how to do things themselves.

These characteristics give you an idea as to what your child does after he/she has received the material. Focus their lessons while taking their organizational mind-set into consideration. Don't have your Abstract/Random learner write a report on the digestive system...have them make a clay diagram of the digestive system and tell you how everything works...get my drift.

You have the knowledge and the power ... Now go out and create the best learning environment for your individual child!

Learning Styles And The Home Schooler - Part III of III

This is part III and the last part of this report. I hope you and your child are benefiting from the cues to their individual learning style and suggestions on how to can adjust your learning environment to achieve a successful and enjoyable homeschooling experience.

Next consider your child's level of structure.

STRUCTURE effects how your child handles new material.

If your child is analytical and detailed oriented, structure the style of the lessons on:

- Details
- Step by step order
- One thing at a time
- Specifics
- Individual competition
- Preparation
- Values over feelings
- Must know what to expect
- Logical sequence
- Self motivation
- Fact finding

If your child is global and "big picture" oriented, structure the style of the lessons on:

- Relationships
- Seeing the "Big Picture"
- Giving many options
- Reading between the lines
- Groups
- Avoiding of individual competition
- Avoiding conflict
- Reassurance and reinforcement
- Keeping on track, steps and details
- Going with the flow

These styles are not meant to confine your student into a box. The guidelines are meant to offer the parent/teacher options to create the best environment for the student and finally find the "path of least resistance". Evaluating individual styles is aimed to educate the parent/educator on how the child sees and processes information.

Do not try to fit your "round" child into a "square" hole... You will find very little success and lots of frustration and anger. Every one of us was made with different strengths and abilities. One is not "better" than the other, they are just different! This report is meant to illustrate learning pros and cons but most importantly that each style is manageable and has value.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned during my homeschooling adventure is to take the path of least resistance and not fight nature. I know you can do it!

Bird Flu Pandemic, Home Schooling, and Public Schools

Can the United States survive the predicted Bird Flu Pandemic? Will we be forced to alter our lifestyles, wear masks and forego large public areas, activities and events? What about our children, school and education? Large Universities can go virtual but what about our elementary, middles schools and high schools?

I propose that we figure out a way for home schooling in the case of a United States out break, epidemic or pandemic of evolved Bird Flu virus. Education must go on in our schools, but if kids cannot go to school as it would be a breading ground for Bird Flu then they must learn at home and in doing so we must be sure that they are taught correctly.

There are many such home schooling experts whose at home schooling parents consistently teach their children with methodology which allows these children to outperform and blow away the average or even high end test scores of those kids in public schools. Here is one home schooling group that is on the ball:

There are many such brilliant home schooling groups throughout the country who are blowing the doors off the public school results. If we have a Bird Flu pandemic we all need to be thinking here.

No one wants to see a pandemic that kills 150 million people World Wide and certainly no one in the United States wishes to see their fellow countrymen in dire agony or sure death. Yet we must be thinking here and be sure to have a plan to school our kids in a virtual way and using home schooling methodology in this potential eventuality. Indeed, we may find out that smarter kids could in fact be one of the only positive out comes of such a horrific human tragedy? Think on this, think about the children.

How to Get Started in Home Schooling

Home schooling has been around for centuries. The beginning of schooling actually started in the home and then moved into outside schoolhouses. A homeschool is where children are taught by a parent or parents without the outside influence or interference of the school system. There are many variations on a homeschool but all fellowships basic rule of no outside interference. Home schooling is legal in all 50 US states with each state having set guidelines and rules about the homeschool process. Getting started in home schooling will require the parent to do some research ahead of time, so they know exactly what laws apply to them and what they need to do to get the curriculum underway.

The reasons parents choose to homeschool their children vary. Some parents site research like home schoolers placed in the 89th to 90th percentile in national standardized testing. Others state their reasons as being able to provide religious studies and building strong family bonds. Other parents look at the quality of homeschool and feel they have more control over the curriculum and content of the materials studied in addition to knowing their children will be safe. There is also the factor of flexibility that draws some families to homeschool. Flexibility not only refers to time, but methods as well. There are many good reasons to homeschool and each family should decide based on the reasons they feel are best for their family.

Getting started in homeschool involves quite a bit of research and studying before homeschool even begins. Parents looking to home school their child or children need to first find local and state home school groups. These groups will be able to provide you the best information on home schooling in your state. You can also go online and find homeschool websites where you can discuss anything relating to home schooling. They can offer you wealth's of information and help. The more you research and talk to others about homeschool the more you will be able to learn what you want to do in your homeschool curriculum and how to avoid common problems that may come up.

Home schooling is a broad term. There are many techniques that fit under the term home schooling. There are many different styles of home schooling that you can use. The following list describes the most common types of home schooling:

Structured - This works like a public school, in that, it follows a schedule throughout the day. For example, math would be done at a certain time, English at another and so on.

Interest-initiated- This approach is based on what is happening at the current time. For example, if it is snowing, you may chose to revolve the days curriculum around snow or if someone in your family has chickenpox, you may wish to do studies on that disease. This can be very unstructured or structured depending on your choices.

Learning-style- This method is based on each child's learning style

Philosophical- Using educational philosophies and studies to mold a curriculum is the basis for this method.

Accommodating- For families with special needs this approach works around those needs.

Community- Using outside groups and learning areas to teach the children is what this method is about.

These are just some of the methods used in home schooling. Some people may find a mixture of these works best for them. Home schooling is all about tailoring the process to the child, so do the research and find the methods that work best for your family

Home Schooling In Florida - Guide to Florida Home School Requirements

Are you thinking of home schooling your child or children in Florida? Wondering what the requirements are and how to get started? It’s really not as scary as you may think. Florida is actually a pretty easy state to begin home schooling in.

Home education, as defined by Florida law, is “sequentially progressive instruction of a student directed by his or her parent or guardian in order to satisfy the requirements of Statute 1003.21 and 1002.41.” Florida’s home schooling law is broad giving parents almost unending freedom in educating their children.

Basically there are six requirements that must be met to Florida home school.

1. Notify the District School Superintendent in your county of your intention to home school. The notice of intent must be filed with the superintendent’s office within 30 days of beginning your home school program.

Currently there is no “official form” that is used to supply notice but your written (or typed) letter of intent should include at the bare minimum the following information; Name of child (or children), Birthday of each child named, Address and a Parent’s Signature. It is recommended that you send your letter of intent via certified or priority mail and file the receipt as proof in your child’s portfolio.

2. Maintain a portfolio of records. While there is no proper or “official” way to record your child’s home schooling progress you must maintain a portfolio of records. The portfolio must consist of two main parts; Documented Records and Sample Materials. Documented Records is defined as “A log of educational activities which is made contemporaneously (the documentation should occur at the same time as the instruction) with the instruction and which designates by title any reading materials used.”

Florida home schooling law does not require lessons to be planned or approved in advance. Sample Materials is defined as “Samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks or creative materials used or developed by the student.” Showcasing your child’s “sample materials” can be accomplished in various ways. Keep in mind that whichever method you adopt to showcase your sample materials they need to be organized in chronological order for ease in showing educational progress. More elaboration on this topic in the future... hopefully.

3. Keep your portfolio organized and available. Florida home schooling law requires you to make your portfolio “available for inspection by the superintendent or the superintendent’s agent, upon 15 days’ written notice.” The last thing you will want to do is be scrambling around trying to remember what you did when for the last 3 months and what was the name of those books you read again…. The inspection is only to make sure that the portfolio is legal; the superintendent cannot evaluate its contents.

4. Submit your Annual Evaluation. The law requires an annual education evaluation by a Florida-certified teacher of your choosing. You are required to have your child or children tested annually and submit the evaluation to the superintendent’s office no later than one year from your letter of intent date.

Alternatives to having an evaluation performed include; any nationally normed student achievement test administered by a certified teacher, a state student assessment test, a psychological evaluation or any other method mutually agreed upon by the parent and the superintendent.

5. Hang on to those Portfolios, your going to need them. Florida home schooling law dictates that “The portfolio shall be preserved by the parent for two years.” Enough said.

6. Submit your Notice of Termination. If you decide to no longer home educate under 1002.41, move from the county, enroll your child in a public or private institution or if your child graduates or completes the Florida home school program you must file a letter of termination with the superintendent. The notice of termination should include the same information as the letter of intent and should be filed within 30 days of the date or termination.

7. Relax. Okay I know we said there were only six requirements but this one is worth mentioning. As long as there have been parents and children, “home schooling” has been happening. Today an estimated 1.6–2.0 million children are being taught at home by their parents. By grade 8, the average home school student performs four grade levels above the national average.

Research has found that most homeschooled students are involved in a wide variety of outside activities, interact with a broad spectrum of people, and make positive contributions to their communities. Experience has shown that homeschoolers are well socialized and able to make lasting friendships across age and cultural divides.

Painless right? We promised it wasn’t that bad and now that you have all of your legal bases covered you can concentrate on enjoying the home schooling experience and enriching the lives of your children through learning. Now all that’s left is to decide on a curriculum… Decisions… Decisions…

Home Schooling 101

Most people, when they first encounter the idea of home schooling, have one hundred and one questions. This article is intended to act as a reference point for people interested in the prospect of home schooling their children. The first question many parents ask is “Why would we want to school our children at home?”

There are a number of benefits to home schooling your children. Home schooling yields positive academic, social, emotional, and spiritual benefits for any family that is willing and prepared to give it a chance. Study after study has shown that children that are home schooled outrank their public and private schooled peers in every academic area. Child safety has been cited by many parents as a motivation for home schooling.

With the prevalence of guns and violence in schools, this should come as no surprise. There is also the benefit of reducing your child’s exposure to peer pressure regarding drugs, alcohol, and sexual activity. A cursory glance at the statistics of teenage alcohol/drug abuse, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted disease is enough to scare any thinking parent into considering what actions they can take in order to insulate their children from such dangers.

In the case of children with special needs, parents can rest assured that their children are receiving the attention they need and deserve. Home schooling also goes a long way in bringing families closer together, as children really tend to thrive under parental attention. It has been said that a family that learns together, grows together!

Home schooling also has the added benefit of allowing parents to truly know and understand their children. With regards to spiritual teachings, home schooling offers parents the opportunity to teach and guide their children by the principles of their faith. The idea of home schooling one’s children has literally exploded in recent times.

With some of the reasons cited above, it is easy to see why. There are plenty of resources available for parents and students alike, and a quick internet search of the topic will yield you a wealth of information.

Your local library or bookstore will likely have information, as well. Many communities even have local support groups for parents of home schooled children. Why home schooling? Why not??

How to Start Homeschooling

You are the best teacher your children will ever have because you love them more than anyone else possibly could. Your mandate comes from God, and your "certification" far surpasses what governments or colleges could give. Add a commitment to homeschooling, and you are well on your way to giving your children the best education possible.

But what about skills and knowledge? Although it is helpful to know how to read and write, even these things can be learned, or re-learned, right along with your children. You can teach what you know, and when your knowledge of a subject isn't quite what you think it should be, you can read aloud and learn together, or your children can learn to teach themselves.

Low Cost

Would it surprise you if I told you that homeschooling can be free or nearly-free? There are options that can keep costs down, if you choose to use them. We spent very little on homeschooling. Each year we have purchased some items, but only because I wanted to, not because we needed them. Spending on curriculum should be done prayerfully, even if you can afford it, because many items are purchased and not used. Books can be resold, but usually for a fraction of what has been paid for them.

The Library

The library can save you a substantial amount of money and offers a cornucopia of books, from non-fiction for science and history to classic literature and biographies, as well as other materials as varied as current events magazines, research volumes, Shakespearean videos and tapes, painting technique videos, homeschooling programs, foreign language tapes, phonics tapes and computer equipment.

Christians are sometimes cautious about the library. But if you read-aloud, you can skip over objectionable parts. Recently I discovered that Charlotte Mason, in her book, A Philosophy of Education, also suggested this skipping of anything not appropriate for children. You could even skip the book entirely. If a book that you are reading has an anti-Biblical view, such as evolutionary theory, you can discuss what the Bible does say. Children need to know opposing thought to better defend the faith and become independent thinkers.

Reading Aloud

The actual schooling process begins with the basics - the skills that your children will need to use almost every day throughout their lives. Professionals' opinions back up our family's experiences - reading aloud gives children the best possible start in education.

An emphasis on the written word at all ages (especially important when very young) rather than on visual stimulation will result in bright children. Reading aloud or reading silently will "exercise" your child's brain as he builds hisvery own "pictures," based on the words that are read. When good books are read, those "pictures" will stir up proper judgment, rational thought and result in wise children with character. Contrariwise, with the visual, the work has been done for them. No need to think; no growth in maturity.

What if your children are not interested in hearing you read aloud, or in reading themselves? In this case, proclaim a fast from videos, TV and computers. Keep reading, and before long they will develop an appetite for good books.

Starting to Homeschool

If homeschooling is started when children normally start school (5-7), there can be an easing into routines. One subject can be taught at a time, staying with that subject until some measure of achievement is reached. Start with phonics, then, none at a time, go on to reading, handwriting, creative writing and finally basic math. This simple technique keeps the pressure off, which in turn keeps a love for learning alive. Moreover, there is only a minimum time requirement. If your child is older and you are taking him or her out of institutional schooling, there might be more time required at first. In order to find the time for homeschooling, you may have to make a decision to eliminate unnecessary activities, wasted time.

Teaching Phonics

All school subjects will be built upon the mastery of reading. Today many parents with children in public or private schools find themselves having to re-teach reading. This shouldn't be, as the school has the child many hours per day to teach this basic of basics. In the schools and in the home, the exclusive use of phonics will result in children who can read well.

There are many tools available for teaching phonics. But most are far too expensive. You can teach phonics for free! Mothers, tutors, and governesses have been teaching this way for hundreds of years. Your tools are a book such as a Bible, a paper and pencil or a black or white board. With your choice of tool, teach the sounds of the individual letters, starting with the short vowels. Then teach the consonants, and finally the combinations ("sh," "ch" and so forth). Then after your children know several letter sounds, use a simple playground slide diagram to help them blend the sounds into words. Write the "ch" at the top and the "at" at the bottom. Then tell your child to make the "ch" go down the slide and run into the "at." Go on to the long vowels. You can also emphasized patterns in groups of words (such as "gate," "mate," "grate" and "plate").

If you want to purchase a phonics course, I suggest Simply Phonics or Alpha-phonics.

As soon as your child knows how to read a few words, he or she needs practice. You can borrow Hop on Pop or similar phonics based books from the library, or use a simple phonics based reader. Don't try to use a Dick and Jane book. These see-say books have too many sight words in them, and will just frustrate your new reader. We used McGuffey's, which we received as an introductory offer from a book club. You needn't continue with reading classes until you have completed the books. I am very much against all the unnecessary work for both teacher and student that some "experts" consider to be part of a well rounded program. Such things as spelling and comprehension do not need to be learned separately. If a child is read to, learns to read phonetically, is read to, starts reading fluently, is read to, and continues to read individually, he or she will learn and learn well all the peripherals of our language.

Writing

Writing goes hand in hand with reading, for a winning "language arts" program. Encourage your children to be storytellers. If they can't yet write, write their stories down for them. If you have a tape recorder let them record their stories, and replay them. Have them draw a picture to go with their story. As soon as they can write, have them write their own stories, but don't pay any attention to errors at this point. You don't want to discourage them! If your children want you to spell the words for them, do it. Eventually they will know several words. Then you can point out those that are misspelled for them to learn. (Your student can either write each word ten times or spell them aloud several times to learn them.) Save all your students' papers, or at least the best ones - they will be treasures someday!

Arithmetic

For arithmetic make your own flashcards for drill. And for all other subjects, first plan what you want to teach over the school year. Then using the library or your own library, read-aloud together. Have your children tell back, or write on what you have read. We gathered for read-alouds sessions even when our children were perfectly capable of independent study.

After all, isn't being together as a family what homeschooling is all about?

If you have been thinking and praying about homeschooling, or if you have been feeling overwhelmed or financially burdened by what you think you must do - or must buy - to homeschool, I want to encourage you. Homeschooling need not be expensive nor difficult. The public schools give us a great example that spending does not equal quality education. A better choice is to use simple, tried and true techniques and reap the fruit of Godly, well-educated children.

Top 5 Reasons for Bringing Your Home Schooling Family into a Broadband Wireless Environment

1. Sharing is good.

Your connection to the Internet deserves to be shared with everyone in your home school program. One or two computers wired to your internet access can be turned into four or more in their own rooms. Even better you can create a small computer lab where no one will be standing in line to use the connection for homework or research. Even if you have one computer for everyone in your home school program with another computer sharing a wireless broadband connection the access is doubled without string another cable or phone line. Let me share a quick story about a homeshcooling mom who had one computer in her bedroom and she was homeschooling two teenagers who were getting more email than their mom (computers are replacing cell phones when it comes to chatting if no one has noticed - can we say Instant Messaging). After buying another computer (under $300) and setting up a wireless network she now has her computer back and only has to listen to "Mom, Tony won't let me use the computer" - instead of "Mom when are you going to get off your computer".

2. Dialup is too busy

Some broadband users enjoying the speed of dsl would probably argue that this should be number one and it did take some arguing not to make it number 1. Dsl users never get a busy signal when trying to access the Internet and the connection is on all the time without being dictated by a busy signal, downed phone line, long distance charges or constantly updated dialup numbers. A homeschool resource is hard enough to get to without waiting for someone to get off the phone and in a home with several very talkative individuals that can be a long time. If you are a homeschool mom you can have your phone and Internet connection at the same time - who said you can have your cake and eat it too...

3. Wireless broadband is getting faster and faster.

While this one is still tied to the one above it - remember that a 56k dialup is like the topspeed of a Model T car when it was first invented. The speed of dsl is getting faster and is being pushed to over 70mbps. Let me also mention that wireless hotspots are popping up all over the place in coffee shops, health food stores and even your favorite burger place. Handheld computers or PDA's are advancing also into wireless to where you'll soon be able to watch video on them also just like a regular computer - why the emphasis on video you may ask, because it is an incredible learning tool.

4. Broadband wireless content is getting more info to your desktop that you need.

With the huge push to wireless broadband more and more information providers are creating content that is more targeted to high speed delivery. Streaming videos of info from Discovery channels website, watching the launch of the space shuttle (from NASA's own website) or the landing just in case you missed it on television are one of the few examples available to be accessed with a wireless broadband connection that is fast (see Numer 3 above) and you don't even have to check out a video from the library (see Number 5, not to mention how long it will take for the library to even get a video of a shuttle launch).

5. No more trips to an already crowded library.

A home schooling family of any size has a full schedule as it is and squeezing a trip to the library can be more than a challenge. If you have ever tried to get to the library and then stay for more than an hour looking for a book on homeschooling curriculum only to find out it already has been checked out then you feel my pain. Now you can even check to see if the book you want is available thru the local library's website and some of them let you reserve it until you can drop by, pick it and leave in just under 10 minutes. Looking good now, that broadband connection has paid for itself in time saved already.

The Disadvantages of Home Schooling

“Home Schooling – Look Before You Leap”

Are you considering home schooling your children? While you may have focused on the advantages of this form of education, take a moment to think about possible disadvantages of home schooling. Consider the demands of home schooling before you take the plunge.

Answer the following questions with “yes” or “no” to see where you stand on readiness to home school your children.

1.) I am available to stay home and commit many hours to not only instructing my child, but researching subject material, curriculums, and assessments.

2.) I have effective teaching skills and know how to guide my child through the learning process.

3.) I convey accurate subject material.

4.) I understand the academic needs and abilities of my child.

5.) I can provide activities for my child to participate in that work on their socialization skills.

6.) I fully believe in home schooling and hold responsibility for my child’s education.

If you answered “yes” to all these questions then you have tackled the major disadvantages of home schooling. These disadvantages vary in intensity based on individual circumstances, but can be overcome through local support groups and educational resources.

Expertise in each subject area and the art of teaching are among the biggest disadvantages in home schooling. Certified public school teachers take several courses on teaching methods, strategies, and learning disabilities. Heavy content area specific classes are taken as well.

In addition they must pass the Praxis examination and adhere to state standards before they can teach in the public school system. As a home school parent, you are not required to go through these rigorous courses and examinations. Therefore, you must be honest with your self and accurately assess your abilities.

Time is another factor. Although home schooling schedules are flexible, the academic work must be accomplished one way or another. It is up to you as the parent to keep the learning train running and productive.

Lastly, you will need to deal with people that view home schooling as a lesser form of education. You will need to stick by your choice and feel confident that you are doing what is best for your child.

Home Schooling in Your Motorhome

At first glance the terms “hitting the road” and “hitting the books” might appear mutually exclusive. But if you home school your children and have access to a motor home, read on.

Your one room school house on wheels.

One of major concerns of parents who decide to home school their children is that their child is not exposed to the wide array of mental stimuli encountered by children who participate in a more conventional education. Children who go to public and even private schools are exposed to many different cultures, personalities and diverse beliefs. However, children schooled in the home sometimes are not exposed to a wide variety of other children. Co-operative home schooling, which brings a number of families together to share the work in educating their children, helps somewhat but home schooled children still, may not experience the plethora of mental stimuli experienced by their more traditionally schooled counterparts. One way to ensure that your child has access to these stimuli is to pack up your motor home and hit the road.

Math Class

As you head down the highway in your one room school house on wheels, opportunities for teaching abound. In addition to the regular daily lesson plan, you can incorporate trip specific lessons into the daily work. For example, the math lesson begins when you stop at the neighborhood filling station to top off your tank. Consult the owners’ manual of your motor home and find out the capacity in gallons of your fuel tank. If age and grade appropriate have your young student convert this measurement from gallons to liters. For younger children, a fun activity is to let them watch the pump through the RV window and count the gallons or even tenths of gallons that pour into your motor homes fuel tank. Of course with the current price of gasoline, this activity will be much more fun for them than for you.

Once you’ve filled your tank, get out the map and sit with your student to study your route. Consult your motor home’s manual again and find how many miles per gallon you can expect to get. Help your young student compose a formula to find how far down the planned route you’ll be able to travel before your motor home requires fuel again. You can help your child use the map to help navigate as you travel along. Plan a side trip at the spur of the moment. Ask your child to tell you how this side trip will affect your timetable and fuel bill?

History Lessons

Plan your trip so that you follow an historical route. Follow the Trail of Tears, maybe the Oregon Trail. Travel the dusty path the cowboys rode in cattle drives from Texas to Dodge City, Kansas. If you’ve got the time, follow the route of Lewis and Clark or, explore the vast expanse of the Louisiana Purchase. What ever path you choose to follow, make sure you have plenty of supplemental materials for your young student to study. Many motor home parks have high speed internet available to their campers. At the end of each day, have your child connect to the Internet and gather information about the history of the places you’ve visited.

Social Studies

Take a trip through Appalachia. Venture some distance from the Interstate into the heart of some small town. Stop at a small store or local diner. Observe the people who live and work there. Listen to their accents or, eavesdrop on a conversation. There is no better way to discover how other people live than to explore these microcosms of America. You might even want to contact local parents who also home school their children and arrange a visit to learn more about each other and compare home school curriculums.

Other Destinations

Many home schooling co-operatives hold events at various motor home parks to compare and refine home school curriculums and provide new experiences for their home schooled students. An Internet search for these home school meet ups will yield many entertaining and informative events. If you choose to make one of these trips, be prepared to have a good time and be sure to bring your favorite covered dish.

Exercises such as these are entertaining and exciting to your child and if properly presented, your young student may not even realize he is in school. But remember, as entertaining, exciting and educational as these road exercises are, they are not a replacement for the well planned curriculum and lesson plans available to parents home schooling their children.

The Added Advantage In African American Children's Education:Computer Homeschooling

We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit how 'bout you!

Parents and friends in our third article we championed using computers to homeschool african american children and prepare them for a future where computers will have an impact on every part of our society. In the final part 4 article we will complete the series by stressing the importance of making sure your computers and broadband Internet connection is secure from the daily attack of hackers, viruses and thieves.. oh my!

Lions, tigers and bears in digital form are being unleashed on the Internet daily, if not almost hourly. Now most parents would get the idea that if it's that bad then why use the Internet at all. If you take a closer look at the educational environment today, there are lions, tigers and bears already out there in public and private schools waiting to take advantage of our african american children each and everyday. It's almost become a challenge to just stay alive, let alone avoid drugs, teen pregnancy and other ills.

The difference between the two learning arenas is that while they are at home learning you have more control protecting them and more tools to defend against whatever comes their way. It's far better to have a daily defense for your african american children's learning, then to wonder what's going on at their school.

Now, let's get to looking at viruses (lions), hackers (tigers) and thieves (bears) to keep out of your computer and your home. Virus software is as important to your computer and the network it's connected to as proper nutrition is to your children. Both help to defend against having a healthy computer/child becoming sick or worse.

Make sure your virus software is up-to-date and that your computer's operating system is updated constantly. Run your virus software daily, yes daily and check for updates daily to make sure the software has the latest tools to protect your computer. Viruses, worms and other bad software code is being released near hourly at times, so running your virus software everyday and keeping it updated is a must. Teach your children about viruses and what to do to keep your computers safe and virus free

The Added Advantage in African American Children's Education - Computer Home Schooling

We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit how 'bout you!

In our last article our subject was finding resources to homeschool african american children using the Internet and other avenues. In part 3 of 4 we will champion the use of computers to teach our african american children and prepare them for the future where computers will be involved in almost every aspect of our society.

Recent news came out that John Singleton, director of Boyz N the Hood has joined the ranks of other high profile directors in game design development. Video games these days, like the ones your children are probably playing are not only big business, but they also have small movies in them. These directors are becoming involved in video game design because it's a natural extension of their talents.

I'm mentioning this because if your child is playing video games now, with the proper development in the coming years they could be prepared for video game development. The first step is getting them used to using a computer and then adding other skills in software programs that will help them in the future. An example is a powerful graphics program Adobe Photoshop, getting them to dabble now while they are young (and my 9 year-old nephew is better at Photoshop than I am) and exposing them to a formal class later (he had the class) will put them on the road to careers that are way above the pay at your local burger place.

That is just one career example with computers in the industry, it would take a book to show you the ones available today. In the not too distant future computers will be part of our society even more as the computers become smaller and smaller and faster and faster. Not exposing your children to computers now will only harm them and make sure they are left behind with the digital divide growing each day.

A computer homeschool will develop chidlren who are not only computer literate, but able to install software, learn new software, know how to use the Internet for research and communication, know how to keep a computer network secure and other numerous benefits

Computer Home-Schooling

We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit how 'bout you!

When it comes to computer homeschooling your african american children, african american parents have to enable themselves with the right spirit to support their children's unique educational experience.

To increase today's educational environment most african american homeschoolers should have computers and Internet access for research and educational support resources. Parents can now enhance that environment with a wireless home network to share a single Internet connection with the simple addition of a wireless broadband pc card, now your minority family has moved into the arena of computer homeschooling.

Some of the many benefits of homeschooling your african american children, is the added advantage of computer homeschooling to raise the bar even more. Homeschooling african american children gives their parents the ability to better support their children's education and develop their precious minds to be the best. An african american homeschool environment additionally has the uniqueness of insuring that our proud african american heritage is remembered more than just one month out of a year and their role models will continue to be representative of their parents views instead of some imagined stars or false heroes.

Remember homeschooling african american children is only for those parents who are committed to their children's education. Also their are resource and financial commitments, and these are easily answered by several affordable ways to properly educate your african american children. This subject is worthy of more than just one article and therefore will be covered in a 4 part series.