| Around the same time that most kids are packing | | | | classroom alone has to offer. They need to be |
| up their pencil boxes and heading for homeroom, | | | | around people of different ages, races, religions |
| a growing group of the families are preparing for | | | | and backgrounds. |
| a year of learning at home. | | | | The real world doesn't look like a classroom. I've |
| When I was a kid, home schooling was definitely | | | | never worked in an office where I experienced |
| counter-culture, and sometimes even illegal. But | | | | the kind of bullying, peer pressure and teasing |
| today, a growing number of parents are opting to | | | | that I saw in middle school, either. |
| educate their own children with varying reasons. | | | | Today, home-schooled kids can find a club or |
| Some do it for reasons of faith or to hold to a | | | | class for just about anything they're interested in, |
| certain philosophy. Other parents aren't happy | | | | from science workshops through Impression 5 |
| with their local school district or have children with | | | | Science Center to physical education at the |
| learning difficulties who do better with one-on-one | | | | YMCA. |
| attention. Still others simply prefer the | | | | Older kids can take advanced level science or |
| individualized learning their kids can do at home | | | | math classes or college courses. As far as sports |
| with the teachers who know them best: Mom and | | | | and other extracurriculars go, there are club |
| Dad. | | | | teams and community arts organizations. True, if |
| Though my sons go to school, we | | | | your child is headed for the NFL, playing on a high |
| home-educated the year before last. We blended | | | | school team might be a key part of his life plan. |
| books and other resources with packaged | | | | But let's face it: most kids have very little chance |
| curriculum and did the standards: reading, writing | | | | of becoming professional athletes. And |
| and arithmetic. The boys took art classes, played | | | | homeschooled kids can and do go to college, even |
| basketball and learned about DNA. | | | | Ivy League schools. |
| Far from being bored at home without enough to | | | | Psychology and child-development courses are |
| occupy our time, we found a steady stream of | | | | useful if you have to manage an entire classroom |
| workshops and other activities where we could | | | | full of kids. But a parent doesn't need a degree to |
| get together with other local home-schoolers. And | | | | know how her own child learns best, how to tap |
| it was a great chance to realize just how many | | | | into his passions, what makes him tick. Teachers |
| opportunities for education and enrichment there | | | | don't have to know everything to be effective, |
| are in community for home-schoolers and | | | | but they do have to know where to get the |
| non-home-schoolers. | | | | information and be committed to helping the child |
| Though home schooling is becoming more | | | | learn it. Most home schooling parents I know are |
| mainstream, home-schooled parents and kids still | | | | passionate about helping their kids learn. |
| face predictable, but often misinformed, | | | | I appreciate the hard work educators do every |
| disapproval. When I told people of our plans to | | | | day teaching my children and the majority of kids, |
| home-school, we got all kinds of unsolicited | | | | and think they deserve a round of applause. But I |
| criticism. | | | | also think home schooling parents deserve a |
| What About Socialization? | | | | round of applause, not only for taking on the |
| This is an often asked question. I'm not sure | | | | awesome responsibility of educating their children, |
| where we got the idea that putting 20 to 30 kids | | | | but also the courage to hold on to that |
| in a classroom together is the best or only way | | | | commitment in spite of nay sayers. |
| to learn about normal socializing. | | | | I hope that home schooling will continue to be |
| Think about it: when was the last time that you | | | | better understood and more accepted, locally and |
| spent the majority of your waking hours with | | | | nationally. In the meantime, I hope all the |
| two dozen people the same age as you? The | | | | homeschoolers are having a great year so far, |
| reality is that in order to be prepared for life | | | | and I hope to bump into you some of you in your |
| beyond school, all kids need more than what a | | | | classroom, the world. |