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Learning From
Home Internet contributor continues our series on homeschooling. Parents with Kindergarten aged children are planning for the fall and the start of their child’s official school years. But while some parents will enroll their children at the local school district and breathe a quiet sigh of relief, others will feel a sense of uncertainty. Not yet ready to give up their young child to the mandated public school system, they may wonder if there is another alternative. There is! Home-based learning can be called many things; home education, homeschooling, independent study. But, by whatever name, it is an increasingly viable alternative. The National Home Education Research Institute placed the number of children being homeschooled during the 1999-2000 school year between 1.3 and 1.7 million students, and it continues to grow. Parents considering such an option are faced with a multitude of decisions to make. Questions can arise faster than the proverbial speeding bullet. Record keeping? Curriculum? Socialization? Too much? Too little? Can I really do this? Choosing to embark on this learning adventure may leave you wondering where to start. The good news is that while the surge in homeschooling is fairly recent, parents have been educating their children at home for years. There is a vast amount of information available for new home educators to select from. Whether your question relates to how to get started with this alternative type of education or the actual schoolwork itself, turn to the experts: experienced home educators. Other homeschooling families have experienced the uncertainty of their own early days as home educators, as well as the success of watching their children thrive in the home setting. Their experience can help to ease the early concerns that those new to homeschooling may struggle with. Some suggestions from those with experience: • Locate a local homeschool support group. • Check your local library for books and resources. • Visit online homeschool sites for advice and information. • Subscribe to a homeschool publication. Regardless of the curious questions you may receive or the hesitancy you may have in bucking the system, after doing a bit of research you will find that choosing home based learning has worked well for many a family. The closeness felt as a family, the opportunity to follow your child’s areas of interest and a chance to watch as your child comes to a greater understanding of the world around her make all of the challenges worth it in the end! Resources for those considering homeschooling- Books: The Unschooling Handbook; How to use the Whole World as your Child’s Classroom by Mary Griffith. This book offers ideas for incorporating learning into our daily lives. The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start by Linda Dobson. The first year is the most daunting. This can help guide parents through the sometimes difficult beginnings. Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense by David Guterson. A commentary on the viability of homeschooling. Publications: Right at Home Home Education Magazine Organizations: National Home Education
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