Q: What is homeschooling?
A: Homeschooling is simply parents taking responsibility of their own children's education. It can be in the home, or with supplemental classes or tutors. It can be very scheduled or very relaxed, or anything in between.
Q. What is the difference between "homeschooling" and "unschooling"?
A. Homeschooling is, as stated above, parents taking charge of their own children's education. Unschooling is one method of homeschooling. Unschooling is student-directed learning, rather than formal, by-the-book learning. It is based on the theory that children are naturally curious and will learn better when allowed to explore their interests naturally, rather than having learning artificially imposed upon them by "schooling".
Q: Is this legal?
A: Homeschooling is legal in all of the fifty United States. Laws vary from state to state and county to county. Contact your local school district for specifics to your location. Contact the Home School Legal Defense Association for laws specific to your state. Their phone number is 1-540-338-5600. Their website is at www.hslda.org
Q: What about socialization?
A: The charge that homeschoolers are isolated from the "real world" and don't learn social skills has been proved unfounded as more people are finishing their education at home and moving into colleges and the workplace.
Consider traditional schooling: A child is crowded into a classroom of perhaps (in a good school) twenty-five other children. All of the children are the same age. They all are learning the same thing at the same time. They have the same rules and are subject to the same authority figures. They are forbidden to voice their opinions or even use the restroom without approval. It is only in the "in between time", that five minute rush between classes, the forty minutes on the playground, that the children get to interact, and then only with children who share the same experiences.
Now consider homeschooling: Besides the many opportunities to be involved in group activities (sports, scouting, 4H, church, etc.), the homeschooled child has opportunity to regularly interact with others of all different ages, different experiences, different races and different beliefs in "real world" situations, as he accompanies his parents in their daily activities. The child may observe adult interaction, ask questions as they occur, and get a feel for what is and is not appropriate in a variety of situations.
This is not to say that children who go to school cannot learn appropriate social skills, or that children who are homeschooled cannot be isolated to the point of awkwardness. Parents instinctively know, however, that children learn primarily from their own families. Socialization is up to you.
Q: Do I need a special education to do this?
A: No. Did you need a special education to teach your child to use a fork, to tie his shoes, to speak your language? Home education is simply an extension of what you already do. It takes commitment, a willingness to experiment and learn on the part of the parent, and sometimes plain hard work. It doesn't take a degree. You are expecting your child to learn. You can too.
Q: Can my child go to college if he homeschools?
A: Yes. In fact, some colleges and universities reserve a portion of their enrollment specifically for home educated students. Children who have been home educated generally have the ability to think creatively, work independently, get along well with others, and are self-motivated. These are all desirable qualities for students, and places of higher learning are recognizing this.
You will need to find out the requirements for the college of your choice. One may require high SAT scores, for instance, while another requires a detailed portfolio. The sooner you begin, the better. Eighth grade is not too soon to start looking into this.
I would suggest keeping a good portfolio, even if your state doesn't require it, so that you have more choices when the time comes.
Q. How do I know if I'm cut out for this?
A. OK, to be fair, homeschooling is not for everyone. If you don't actually enjoy your children's company most of the time (we all have our moments...), if you have an anger management problem that would cause you to become verbally or physically abusive, if you are yourself illiterate, or you just really hate the idea, it probably isn't right at this time. Some, if not all, of these situations can be improved upon and homeschooling can come later, if you are so inclined.
But if you love spending time with your children, if you delight to see understanding come to their minds, if you desire to be your child's primary teacher, and/or you feel called of God to do this, you'll be just fine. We all have areas of weakness. That's just being human. God knows you and your child, and He put you together because it is the best thing for you both.
. "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9, NIV)
Q. I would really like to homeschool, but I have a special situation. (single parenting, working outside of the home, chronic illnesses, disabilities, gifted child, etc.). Should I give up the idea?
A. Absolutely not. If you really want to homeschool, you probably can. Pray about creative solutions. Sometimes the solution is as simple as an attitude adjustment. Understand that God has a plan for your child's education, and your situation is part of that plan. What can your child learn from this situation? Can a schedule change make a difference? Just abandoning the idea of "school at home", not trying to duplicate the traditional school setting; but rather "going with the flow," can be very rewarding.
Q. How can I teach my child a subject that I don't know myself?
This usually doesn't come up until high school, but it is not really a problem. First off, is it something you CAN learn, and have the ability to teach? You are expecting your child to learn it after all, so maybe you can just learn it first. Is it something the child has a good handle on, and can teach himself, given the proper materials? Is someone else (dad, grandparents, cousin) able and available to tutor that particular subject, or is there a class in your area that your child could take?
Just observing how you handle a difficult situation is a learning experience for your child. Do you give up, crying "I can't do it!", or do you search for creative solutions, work with your strengths, and find an answer? Little eyes are watching...
