Unfortunately, this can still be somewhat of a controversial topic (heck most of my posts could be I suppose). Homeschooling is a perfectly legal option for all 50 states. There is a breadth of ways to home school that is as varied as the people who select this option for their children.
Statistics show that these children turn out just as successful as their public school counterparts,
Statistics show that these children turn out just as successful as their public school counterparts,
"The home-educated typically score 15 to 30 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests. (The public school average is the 50th percentile; scores range from 1 to 99.)"
-http://www.nheri.org/-
-http://www.nheri.org/-
As the popularity of the home education model rises, so does the opportunity for more discussion of formerly debated topics such as "socialization"
"Socialization is actually meant to prepare children for the real world, which means learning to interact and deal with people of all ages, races, and backgrounds," says Diane Flynn Keith. "In this case, homeschooling actually does a better job of this because homeschoolers spend more actual time out in society."
Research supports this. According to Home Schooling and the Question of Socialization by Richard G. Medlin, "Home-schooled children are taking part in the daily routines of their communities. They are certainly not isolated; in fact, they associate with--and feel close to--all sorts of people."
-http://www.home-school.com/news/homeschool-vs-public-school.php-
Research supports this. According to Home Schooling and the Question of Socialization by Richard G. Medlin, "Home-schooled children are taking part in the daily routines of their communities. They are certainly not isolated; in fact, they associate with--and feel close to--all sorts of people."
-http://www.home-school.com/news/homeschool-vs-public-school.php-
All in all the trailblazers of the 70's and 80's did an amazing job with their children, they have learned from their experiences and begun to share that with the ever growing following they have in today's culture.
There are so many resources available to those who are looking at homeschooling. There is parent led curricula, digital computer based options, and even satellite schooling offered free of charge to parents who decide that this is the best option for their family.
There are entire homeschool conventions with hundreds of curriculum vendors. These vendors sell entire grade kits or individual subjects so parents can choose different grade level options for children who may excel in on subject but need further assistance on another one.
So how is this part of a more natural lifestyle you may ask? We naturally learn by watching others, doing hands on projects and really learning should be a lifelong endeavor, not something that you sit in a classroom for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. Children who are home schooled have a much larger window from which to learn. They can learn history from WWII veterans who lived it, they can learn home economics while cooking daily alongside mom or dad, they are free to pursue a topic until their curiosity is satisfied, not just until the chapter is over. This is an area that definitely fits the "more natural crunchy lifestyle," I realize that this is not an option for everyone, but it is one worth exploring!
Curious about why we homeschool? HERE is a post I did on that topic awhile back.
I am actually planning an E-book on this topic, please leave a comment if you have any interest in learning more about homeschooling, especially if you are concerned about navigating the waters.
There are so many resources available to those who are looking at homeschooling. There is parent led curricula, digital computer based options, and even satellite schooling offered free of charge to parents who decide that this is the best option for their family.
There are entire homeschool conventions with hundreds of curriculum vendors. These vendors sell entire grade kits or individual subjects so parents can choose different grade level options for children who may excel in on subject but need further assistance on another one.
So how is this part of a more natural lifestyle you may ask? We naturally learn by watching others, doing hands on projects and really learning should be a lifelong endeavor, not something that you sit in a classroom for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. Children who are home schooled have a much larger window from which to learn. They can learn history from WWII veterans who lived it, they can learn home economics while cooking daily alongside mom or dad, they are free to pursue a topic until their curiosity is satisfied, not just until the chapter is over. This is an area that definitely fits the "more natural crunchy lifestyle," I realize that this is not an option for everyone, but it is one worth exploring!
Curious about why we homeschool? HERE is a post I did on that topic awhile back.
I am actually planning an E-book on this topic, please leave a comment if you have any interest in learning more about homeschooling, especially if you are concerned about navigating the waters.
