You're considering homeschooling, but you're not certain it will work for you and your family.
Well, allow me to start with two seemingly contradictory comments:
1) Anyone can homeschool, and I believe that almost everyone should.
2) You are wise to ask as many questions as you can about whether or not homeschooling will work for you and your family.
Let me reconcile these two comments.
Yes, you can homeschool.
I've hardly ever met the family that could not make homeschooling work for them, even though it may require some interesting organizational gymnastics. And yes, you should doubt for a few minutes or hours, and ponder a bit, and question not just whether you should homeschool, but also how you would homeschool if you were to take that step.
In asking and getting answers to such questions, you will smooth the road for your homeschooling effort.
It's always wise to know what one is getting into. It's always a good idea to spend at least some time considering the drop before leaping off the cliff.
So let's consider the drop, and the reasons why you may wish to jump. And let's also take a look at that parachute you'll be wearing just in case, and make sure that it will work. (The “parachute” will be all the techniques you'll learn in this book.)
Should you homeschool?
I'd like to separate that question out for now from can you homeschool, we'll get to that shortly, and it is very important, obviously.
But for now, should you homeschool.
Should implies a value judgment.
Is it the right thing to do, the ethical or moral thing? Is it something you would be in the right to do.
I'd go farther, as homeschooling is a huge commitment you'll be making in time and effort, on your children's behalf. I'd go so far as to ask if you feel that homeschooling is a must, because it can be a pretty hard road.
Some of your friends and family who really don't know much about homeschooling may well council against it.
They will tell you that you're not qualified to teach. (You are, certainly more than any teacher in a classroom who doesn't know your child from Adam.) They will tell you that your child won't benefit from proper “socialization”, hanging around other kids at a school. (To which you should shout “Hallelujah!” More on that later, but believe me, you don't want or need that for your children, and you can guarantee them a sufficiently active social and creative life that they will be pleased and well-acclimated to the company of others.)
Out of loving concern in some cases, they will pile on more arguments. Their arguments will often be uninformed, but not always.
Homeschooling has not worked for everyone. (Of course, those who failed in the past did not have this handbook. Enough said.)
For myself and for my children, homeschooling was a must, and for many reasons.
That does not mean it is a must for you and yours.
However, these are some of the reasons I homeschooled:
There were other reasons, but these will, I think, suffice to get a discussion going.
There are very compelling reasons to not send a child to school, and to instead homeschool him. Safety! Money!
The subjects and materials the child is studying placed back under parental control! Time freed up for everyone!
Not to mention the time spent with my two children watching them grow more skilled and intelligent and knowing I've had a real hand in that! It was an easy call, if a bit frightening.
Frightening?
Why, you ask?
You (me, I) claim you are a teacher – that you've taught for over 40 years, teaching every age group at one time or another!
Well, okay, um, you're right, all of that is true and it was still intimidating to start homeschooling.
You see, it's one thing to teach others and their kids, and quite a different thing to teach one's own children.
And if you fail, well, need I say it...that spare bedroom you dream of turning into a combination rumpus room and aquarium when Junior moves out? Never going to happen.
So what factors should enter into this decision?
And remember, we're not yet asking can you homeschool – meaning have you the ability and resources to homeschool.
We're just asking whether or not you should.
I think that your answer largely depends on what you consider of importance to your family, your children.
Steven Horwich has been a professional educator for over 40 years, and a homeschool advocate and author of curriculum for 15. His K-12 secular curriculum, STEPS (www.stepsed.com) has been used by over 20,000 students worldwide, and includes world history, science, civics, creative writing, study basics, current events, and lots of arts.
Well, allow me to start with two seemingly contradictory comments:
1) Anyone can homeschool, and I believe that almost everyone should.
2) You are wise to ask as many questions as you can about whether or not homeschooling will work for you and your family.
Let me reconcile these two comments.
Yes, you can homeschool.
I've hardly ever met the family that could not make homeschooling work for them, even though it may require some interesting organizational gymnastics. And yes, you should doubt for a few minutes or hours, and ponder a bit, and question not just whether you should homeschool, but also how you would homeschool if you were to take that step.
In asking and getting answers to such questions, you will smooth the road for your homeschooling effort.
It's always wise to know what one is getting into. It's always a good idea to spend at least some time considering the drop before leaping off the cliff.
So let's consider the drop, and the reasons why you may wish to jump. And let's also take a look at that parachute you'll be wearing just in case, and make sure that it will work. (The “parachute” will be all the techniques you'll learn in this book.)
Should you homeschool?
I'd like to separate that question out for now from can you homeschool, we'll get to that shortly, and it is very important, obviously.
But for now, should you homeschool.
Should implies a value judgment.
Is it the right thing to do, the ethical or moral thing? Is it something you would be in the right to do.
I'd go farther, as homeschooling is a huge commitment you'll be making in time and effort, on your children's behalf. I'd go so far as to ask if you feel that homeschooling is a must, because it can be a pretty hard road.
Some of your friends and family who really don't know much about homeschooling may well council against it.
They will tell you that you're not qualified to teach. (You are, certainly more than any teacher in a classroom who doesn't know your child from Adam.) They will tell you that your child won't benefit from proper “socialization”, hanging around other kids at a school. (To which you should shout “Hallelujah!” More on that later, but believe me, you don't want or need that for your children, and you can guarantee them a sufficiently active social and creative life that they will be pleased and well-acclimated to the company of others.)
Out of loving concern in some cases, they will pile on more arguments. Their arguments will often be uninformed, but not always.
Homeschooling has not worked for everyone. (Of course, those who failed in the past did not have this handbook. Enough said.)
For myself and for my children, homeschooling was a must, and for many reasons.
That does not mean it is a must for you and yours.
However, these are some of the reasons I homeschooled:
- Safety.
The first responsibility of a parent. I did not feel that my children were safe in a school, even a private school.
That was over ten years ago. Today, I'd have no doubt that they would not be safe in a school. Just open a newspaper.
- The quality of education received.
Even though my children went to a fine small private school, they were not receiving what I would consider a quality education. (Except in the arts,the area in which I taught at their schools, if I do say so myself.) I thought that both the methods and the
curriculum used were not up to a level that would properly challenge or educate them.
I knew that even then, homeschoolers as a group scored higher in testing across the board.
- What was being studied.
My children are both artists. They and I felt too much time was wasted on subjects they were not interested in, and that they had no use for then or now.
- Financial.
My children went to private school. That's expensive.
I largely paid for their education by teaching at the schools where they attended. That was expensive in terms of time.
I decided that time would be better spent directly educating my own children. Basically, homeschooling is very inexpensive compared to most options.
- Schedule.
The school was a drive, and in rush hour (in Los Angeles), a long drive.
School hours, as is true of virtually all schools, were mandated and enforced. Homework was constant and enforced.
All my kids were doing was school. This did not allow them time to discover or develop their own interests. I didn't like that at all, and neither did they. And my own time was, of course, eaten up by teaching there, and driving there.
I could immediately see that homeschooling would, in our case, take up less of my time.
As we were homeschooling, there would be no need for homework.
I always felt that 4-5 hours of school was enough if it was structured well and productive. Homework seemed to me indicativeof the failure of the teacher and the school to get everything done in their alloted time.
I saw no reason then, and see none now, to allow a school to dictate anyone's time based on their own inability to get a job done.
There were other reasons, but these will, I think, suffice to get a discussion going.
There are very compelling reasons to not send a child to school, and to instead homeschool him. Safety! Money!
The subjects and materials the child is studying placed back under parental control! Time freed up for everyone!
Not to mention the time spent with my two children watching them grow more skilled and intelligent and knowing I've had a real hand in that! It was an easy call, if a bit frightening.
Frightening?
Why, you ask?
You (me, I) claim you are a teacher – that you've taught for over 40 years, teaching every age group at one time or another!
Well, okay, um, you're right, all of that is true and it was still intimidating to start homeschooling.
You see, it's one thing to teach others and their kids, and quite a different thing to teach one's own children.
And if you fail, well, need I say it...that spare bedroom you dream of turning into a combination rumpus room and aquarium when Junior moves out? Never going to happen.
So what factors should enter into this decision?
And remember, we're not yet asking can you homeschool – meaning have you the ability and resources to homeschool.
We're just asking whether or not you should.
I think that your answer largely depends on what you consider of importance to your family, your children.
Steven Horwich has been a professional educator for over 40 years, and a homeschool advocate and author of curriculum for 15. His K-12 secular curriculum, STEPS (www.stepsed.com) has been used by over 20,000 students worldwide, and includes world history, science, civics, creative writing, study basics, current events, and lots of arts.
