Our Family
And Home Education
March 2002
Our children range from 14-24.
In 1988, our new state home education law was passed and put into effect. We had been home schooling since 1986, but had public school experience, as well, during those early years. Our two oldest saw second and third grade. The desire to home school was a major factor in our life, but at that time, those who were home schooling faced much opposition.
The school that our two oldest attended in their second and third year, which would have been the school year of 1987- 1988, was a nice, little, country school. The teachers were great, and as far as public schools are concerned, this one was excellent. Without going into all the many reasons why I decided then to home school the children, I will simply say that it was what worked best for us. I will not say that the public school system is inferior, nor will I say that they have received a better education at home. I will simply say that this is what was best for us and it could be for you too. Also, the reasons we began home schooling are different from the reasons why we continue to home school.
As of this year, we have been home schooling for fifteen years-going into our 16th, though we did have that brief public school interruption. If you have read my testimony that is posted in this website ministry, you will know that my first marriage ended and I spend several years as a single mom, while still home schooling.
Later, I remarried and my step-daughter was added to the home school rolls.
We have seen the highs and lows of such an endeavor. We have dealt with A.D.H.D. with our youngest son, and have seen four graduate thus far. We’ve done the sports events, clubs, and activities that any public school student would have in their life. The social aspect, that so many worry about, of being "secluded and unsocialized" has not been an issue, and isn't for most home schooling families. Though, there are the rare few that society tends to focus on.
But more than that, we have learned how to weave education into our daily living. We have learned through trial and error that if they can complete ten math problems in fifteen minutes correctly and understand that concept, why have them focus on math for an hour?
We have seen our children integrate into society at an early age as reliable employees. We have also seen the many advantages for an A.D.H.D. student in home schooling. We feel that had he been in the public school system he would not have come as far as he has, and may have been eaten alive by the regime of a public school classroom. It has opened up his own creativity and he has soared in many ways. But the struggles have been there too.
My step-daughter, who did not do well in private school, also did not do well in home schooling. Schooling was not "her thing" and she managed to squeak by with many tears and did graduate, early in fact. Home education allows for that.
Home schooling has allowed us to adapt education to the specific needs and interests of each child. This, again, opens up their creativity. We learned early on that sitting down for a certain amount of time each day was not going to work for us, but it might work for you. We confront our schoolwork like homework, and much of the curriculum can be covered without constant adult supervision. We have found that once a child has good reading and reading comprehension skills, they can learn anything that they set their minds to learning. I believe the difference is that they are not spoon fed the dependency that a public or private school student would have on their teacher. They learn to be learning independent.
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Some home schooling families are leary about teaching the upper grades, while those who don't home school may think it is wrong for a parent to try to teach the upper grades.
What you need to know is that there are literally thousands of resources available to home schooling families.
But this is only one option. Many families belong to a local home schooling group. These groups may gather weekly for special workshops. Also, one parent may offer his or her skills in specific subject areas. {I have taught art classes of 20 or more students} Home school curriculum is designed for self learning and many times, parents will learn or re-learn right along with the students.
There is such a wide variety of resources that it is not likely that families can not tackle high school. If it is something your family truely wants, you can achieve it..
Home education can be expensive, there is no doubt about that. But, it doesn't have to be. If you want your child to take a complete schooling package from somwhere like Bob Jones University, or Pensacola {ABeka} it will be expensive. But, as I mentioned previously, I was a single mother and paying a lot for curriculum was not going to happen.
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