Home Base Ministry

Is There Something Missing?

Kathryn — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:38:11 +0000

My Sister-in-law keeps a family blog so the relatives on the other side of the country can keep up to date with their lives. It’s a very sweet gesture, and I love seeing my niece and nephew (and even their parents) even if it is only pictures.

The latest photos have been of my niece going to preschool. It puts that same knot in my stomach that I get when the kids on the sports teams all know each other from school and my boys are the odd men out.

Is something missing in their lives because I’m choosing to homeschool them?

If you were to ask me this question on most any day at any time, I would say no! In fact, they gain so much from being home schooled that there is really no comparison. How many kids got up at the crack of dawn to watch the space station fly over? How many get to spend the morning working in the garden with their grandfather? There really is nothing better for any child (or parent) than homeschooling. I firmly believe that.

But there is a moment when I can’t help but wonder if it really is fair to the boys. Are they missing out on life time friendships because I have kept them out of classes with the same people for 12 years? Seeing pictures of my niece and how much fun she is having does make me wonder – even if only for a second.

Deciding to homeschool can be a hard choice for the parents. It is completely sacrificial to give up all of your free time to be with the children. But the truth is that there may be some sacrifice for the children as well. Granted, the best friendships I had growing up were mostly made outside of the school (with kids in the neighborhood), but even those friends are rarely seen or heard from these days.

There are pros and cons to every decision that we make in life. As for homeschooling, there is no doubt that the pros of positive instruction, family bonding, and spiritual and emotional lessons far outweigh anything the “organized” educational system can offer.

The next time my SIL posts on the blog, I’ll be sure to stop in this blog and remind myself of where we are and where we are going as a family.

Homeschoolers Participate in Public School Activities

homebase — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 03:05:22 +0000

My children love sports and I love to let them participate. Right now they are young enough that the only team sports available are through the local recreation departments. But they are growing up fast. In just a few more years, the only sports that will be open will be through the local schools.

Currently, there is a move in Alabama to allow homeschooled children to participate in extracurricular activities through the public school system. Tim Tebow has helped this cause because he was homeschooled but participated in public sports. Still, I can’t help but wonder is this is the answer we are looking for.

1. Technically there is no homeschooling in Alabama. We are “church schooled.” There for our activities should come through our school system.

2. There are more than enough homeschool students in any community to form organized teams if we would all just quit hiding in the bushes.

3. Public school kids are exposed to different attitudes, elements, and ideas than most homeschooled kids and they WILL out number the homeschoolers on a given team.

Instead of looking to the government to fit our needs, there has to be a way that we can do that as a group. Maybe a church in each district could sponsor a homeschool cover and that cover could sponsor sports teams, debate teams, and even drama teams.

There is a lot out there that homeschoolers are missing because we aren’t coming together. Although I still have a few years before a decision has to be made, it is something that I think about almost every day.

How Much School Do Kids Need?

Kathryn — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 22:35:12 +0000

There are times when I worry that maybe I’m not teaching my children enough. The parents around me talk about the hours they spend “doing school” while our family is through before many of them get up. It doesn’t help when I read about children getting college degrees at the ripe ole age of 10 (my oldest is 11).

The easy way out of this is to send them to real school and let the teachers and administrators figure it all out. The social acceptable thing to do is to give the power to someone else. The RIGHT thing for our family is to trust my instincts and not be concerned about what “they” are doing.

All of my children are learning. Could they be learning more and faster? They certainly could. Would they be able to play outside, make up brier clubs, and build weed forts? There probably wouldn’t be time for all of that non-sense.

Which way is best? It all comes back to personal needs and desires. If the child wants to push and study and graduate college at 10 then more power to her. If the child wants to learn a little and play a lot then there is nothing wrong with that.

I will continue to give my children a small amount of “school work” and instead focus on the life lessons. We do our reading, writing, and math first thing in the morning and spend the rest of the day planting a garden, clearing the land, and doing puzzles.

They may not graduate college before they can drive, but they will have amazing memories of the times we spent together and that’s worth more than all the college degrees in the world.

Going Against the Grain

Kathryn — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:53:49 +0000

Several years ago, I called into a talk radio show to answer a question the host was asking. During the conversation, I said that I home schooled my children. The next caller said he felt sorry for my kids because I was stifling their imagination.

That conversation is one that I relive on a fairly regular basis. Right now, my oldest son is using old soda boxes to fabricate a costume (Cardboard Man) and the middle child is building a domino structure complete with Lego ramps. This is one of the days that I smile at the thought of my kids not having an imagination.

It’s not the first time that I dealt with a prejudice towards homeschooling, nor do I think it will be the last time. People have heard the few horror stories about homeschoolers (or any group for that matter) and that’s all that they see. The press doesn’t swarm all over the good stories. Even the positive press that the Duggars are getting is almost in a mocking tone.

When other people are putting you down it can be easy to get discouraged or even misdirected from doing the things you know you should be doing. That is why it is important to surround yourself with other people who will lift you up and carry you when “they” beat you down.

That talk show is now off the air – which is just fine with me. I’m sure that the person who thought my children were deprived still prays for their release from homeschooling prison – and he can keep praying until the cows come home. As for me, I learned long ago that going against what “they” have to say can be a fun and exciting adventure. I’m not about to stop now.

Some Curriculum Starting Points

Kathryn — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 04:53:59 +0000

After spending the day at a curriculum fair, I have come to the conclusion that there is no perfect curriculum available today. There are some amazing ones on the market – some of them even come with a script so that you don’t have to think about what you are teaching – but because every child is different and every year is different then none of the curriculums will ever be perfect.

Sonlight is a nice package with lots of reading, which is one of the fundamental learning activities my husband and I want the kids to use daily. There is a LOT of books in each program, which might be a problem for those of us with little (or no) storage space.

Alpha Omega has some pretty layouts, and its programs cover every subject under the sun. The subjects are set up in five day periods, but it seems easy enough to adjust them if you dance to the beat of a different drummer. It is a Christian based curriculum and the company offers print and computer based programs.

Abeka is another large, Christian based curriculum company. It is labor intensive, so probably not the best route for the freeschooler or unschooler. It is widely used in the Church schools and some private schools in our area.

These are just three of the major curriculum companies that were represented at the fair. What I found was that, for the most part, the curriculum is the same. Some of the books were colored. Some of the books came in hard back. Some of the books came with teacher’s manuals. Most of what I read was similar to what I have been doing with the kids all along – only using the internet and the library for my source work.

Do you have a favorite curriculum? Is there something that you just couldn’t live without? Share some of your favorite items with those of us who are curriculum challenged.

Starting a Homeschool Group

Kathryn — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:55:15 +0000

In Alabama, homeschool is whispered about like the names of diseases were in your grandmother’s generation. People are afraid that they may catch it (or maybe get caught). At least, that is the way it feels most days.

Even with the inclination to hide, I am determined to draw out homeschoolers and form a real community of support, opportunities, and shared resources. Some of my ideas are tried and tested methods for forming groups. Some of them are wishful thinking. All of them will probably have to be twisted and tweaked to get the results I’m after.

1. Have a play day once a month at a near by park. I can schedule the time for my own children and then if other families don’t make it I won’t be so disappointed. I will post the times on forums, chat rooms, and yahoo groups.

2. Find a building that can be rented by or maybe given to the group for activities. While using homes is great, some people are comfortable in that situation. A neutral location would be best.

3. Meet with other parents who want to start a community. Form a “club” or organization. Put together bylaws and formulate a plan. Elect or appoint officers. This gets you just a few filed papers away from being a 501-c corporation.

4. Open a checking account to hold funds for group activities (like rental costs). This may require that you actually incorporate your group, but that is not usually that expensive.

5. Don’t wait for other people to join in before making a go of it. Just start doing things, inviting people, and making contacts. The rest will happen – EVENTUALLY. Whatever else happens, never give up and never surrender.

I may not have found success yet in forming a homeschool group in my area. Even failure can’t stop me. I’ll try something new, something different, and maybe even something completely unexpected to get me to where I want to be.

What are the best suggestions you have for getting homeschoolers together?

Chaos in the Homeschool

Kathryn — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 21:33:58 +0000

It’s out of control. The day is half gone, no one has done any work (school, home, or otherwise) and tempers are already on the edge. I give up.

I know I’m not the only homeschool mom who has had a day like this. There have even been a few weeks that were like this. Instead of quitting, I decided that it all works out in the wash.

1. I don’t have to do school every day. Because there are 365 days in the year, and because my cover only requires 140 recorded school days, letting a day slide will not bring the earth to a stand still.

2. School isn’t just paper work at a desk or the table. School is first and foremost education – whether at the computer, at the television, or on a walk.

2. There has never been a day in the life of my children (if I was with them) that they didn’t learn something. In reality, we are always in school.

Sometimes life hits you hard and the chaos seems never ending. Relax! We have all been there and experienced that quicksand feeling. Have the kids go out and play, mark down “did PE,” and call it a day.

Finding the Right Homeschool Curriculum

Kathryn — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 12:08:10 +0000

The longer we homeschool, the more curriculum there seems to be. The massive amount of information can be overwhelming – even for a veteran. I can’t imagine how panicked it would make a new comer.

The best way to view a large amount of curriculum at one stop is to go to a homeschool conference or curriculum fair. It’s great to be able to physically flip through the material before you make the investment. Even still, there is no guarantee that the kids are going to like what you bring home.

In the past, I’ve used hand-me-down curriculum from other homeschool families to develop my own course outlines. It’s a labor intensive way to do things, but it gave me complete control on what we studied AND how we studied. I supplemented the lessons with library books – which the kids learned how to look up and find on their own.

As my career has started to take off, I have found that there is less time in the day than there was just a year ago. This year I’m going to make the investment in full curriculum for each of the kids. I’ve started slow – I spent a few dollars on Weaver spelling and penmanship.

The kids and I all like the way the curriculum is set up (although it’s pretty much what I was doing for them already – without the extra investment of time). I also got the Lifepac Electives for Art, but we haven’t even opened it yet. It’s designed for 7^th grade and up. My oldest will be going into 5^th. He’s a strong reader, though. I’ll probably start attempting it some towards the end of the month.

If you do buy homeschool curriculum that you and your children HATE, don’t force yourself to push through just because of the investment that you made. A fun experience with education if more valuable than the dollars you put into the curriculum. Advertise on some of the homeschool swap/sell sites. The system you hate may be the perfect match for another family.

Homeschooling is more of an art than a science. Finding curriculum is like finding the medium that best suits your artistic talents and tastes. Each child will be different. Each year will be different. Keep in mind that what ever you do, if you and the kids don’t enjoy it, you probably won’t do it any way.

Some Homeschool Definitions

homebase — Fri, 11 May 2007 13:42:42 +0000

I am a home schooling mom. Some people immediately picture a long haired, hippy chick who doesn’t shave under her arms. That’s not me. (Although that does describe my cousin) Other people probably are picturing me in a long skirt and a bun with a dozen kids trailing behind me. Again, not me. You could say I’m not the typical home school mom – mainly because there is no typical when it comes to home schooling. We come from every walk of life imaginable. Every economic or financial level is represented. Every religious and denominational background had been covered. Every age, size family, and type of family is firmly represented in the home schooling community, and the ranks are growing.

In 2003 there were an estimated 1,700,000 to 2,100,000 children that were benefiting from the home school experience. It continues to be one of the largest growing educational forms in the United States.

The reasons why people choose to home school are as varied as the kind of people who choose this life style. For some, the child is the driving factor, wanting to know more and know it faster. For some, it is the political elements of the school systems, what is being taught and why. For me and my family it was a prayerful decision that this was the best way to raise and educate the children (and mom).

On a typical day (as typical as any of our days can get) we start our school after dad leaves for school himself (he is a public school teacher – just one of the many things that keeps us from the ordinary). The boys each do spelling words, some math, some English work sheets, and a fun sheet or two. We also take time to read out loud from a history book, a science book, and an animal book. There is even time for Morning Prayer and a bible study.

On a not so typical day we do other things. Some times we take field trips to research or see what we have been studying. During hurricane Ivan, the boys tracked the hurricane on a weather map, plotting its direction, and learned the weather essentials for a hurricane. Recently, they took the time to watch the Robert’s nomination hearings (quite a sacrifice for boys of eight and six).

Actually school time is only part of our experience. At least once a week we gather with other families from around the community for a play day. The kids have free play where they can hike together, throw balls, run, jump, and just have fun. Some play days are at local parks, some are at gyms, some are at homes. Each outing offers new friends and new experiences.

There are even opportunities for the mothers to get together. Bible studies are held in homes, churches, and community centers around the area. It’s another time for the children to play, and it is a time for the mom’s to lift up and support one another. There are also Mother’s Nights, where we meet at a local restaurant or home to discuss up coming events and to help each other with any situations that might have come up (we’ve also been know to just enjoy ourselves).

There are many questions I get when people find out that the children and I home school. Often, women wonder how I spend so much time with the kids and stay sane. Sometimes I wonder that myself. After the boys do school, they have free time. They play board games together, cards, and build with blocks. They also take time out to read. If the weather is nice, they even spend time playing outside. They look for rocks, bugs, and creepy crawlers that we then identify (it all ties back to school).

“How can you afford it?” is another question that I’ve faced more than once. Giving up my income to stay home with my children full time was not an easy choice. Living off a teacher’s income is not always easy. The pay offs that I get by being with my children, learning with my children, and growing with my children is priceless. How could I afford not to do it? For the record, all home schooling expenses are paid for out of pocket. There are no tax incentives, write offs, or supplements. Every cent we pay in taxes is never seen in the home schooling forum.

Many people expressed concern about socialization, especially when I first expressed interest in home schooling. It was even a concern I had myself (and it still manages to creep up on me now and again). I know that in a traditional school setting the boys would be surrounded by twenty or thirty kids their own age every day. In our setting, it is most likely the two of them. The play days, field trips, and other events give them opportunities to meet people they would never other wise encounter; people from different towns, different ages, and different backgrounds. The multiple age issue has been the greatest benefit I have seen. Watching kids ages 5 to 13 playing together and having fun is a real treat. The older ones hone their leadership skills by helping and teaching the younger ones while the younger ones learn about following and listening. This is a situation that could never occur in the traditional school setting.

There are more questions (there are always questions) and there are more benefits. Being able to take time to go into a court room and watch a local court case is not something every family can do. Having time to do Christmas crafts for friends and family is not something everyone has. Being able to schedule a vacation to coincide with a study book is not usually in most people’s plans. Knowing exactly what my child is learning, when, and how is the best reason of all that I have to take the time, money, energy, and patience to school my child at home.

So You Think You Want to Homeschool

Kathryn — Wed, 09 May 2007 13:35:23 +0000

When my children were just four and two, my husband and I first kicked around the idea of homeschooling. We had no idea what it was (other than an alternative to sending them to public school), but we had the internet. So we started surfing.

My sons are now ten and eight, and we’ve added another bright boy just last year. I’m still figuring out what homeschooling is (other than just educating my children at home). There are days when it’s structured like formal education. There are days when it’s free and more life skills. I do know that our hodgepodge life is working – for me, the boys, and for our educations.

What have I learned about homeschooling? Enough to fill a truck load of books, or at least it feels like that most days. Here are some of the top “aha” moments that I have experienced so far.

1.   Homeschooling is more than just school at home. It is an adventure for the whole family. It grows relationships between parent’s and children, helps parent’s be an active part of the formulating years of the child’s life, and brings patience and understanding to a whole new level.

2.      Homeschooling does not take nearly as much time as institutionalized education. Kids don’t have to spend time walking from class to class. Teachers don’t have to spend time calling roll and doing other red tap activities. And there is no time taken from the kids or parents for traveling to and from school.

At the early education years, school (the paper work kind) won’t take more than one to two hours. Even when you get into the high school year, you are probably still looking at only 3 to 4 hours. This means that any parent, single or working or whatever the situation, can still find the time to homeschool their children.

3.      Homeschooling does not isolate the children from the world. We’ve experience all types of people (the good, the bad, and the ugly) when we are in large groups. The boys have been picked on, and done their share of picking. The difference is that I’m involved with the activities and can teach my boys how to handle the situation in a better way.

4.      Homeschooling does not cause socialization problems. It encourages good socialization skills because it is moderated by people who want to grow good, positive, motivated people. According to one site on the internet, socialization is the conformity to beliefs, norms, values, and behaviors. I don’t know many parents who want their children formed by the beliefs, norms, values, and behaviors of other 8 year olds.

5.      Homeschooling has innumerable opportunities for socializing. Because most of the day is not taken up in the class room, children have more time to run and play. There are field trips, play days, study groups, cooperative classes, park days, PE days, skate days, bowling days, and on and on and on. Homeschoolers in most areas have the opportunity of doing something social at least once every day of the week.

6.      Homeschooling is great for any parent willing to spend some time working with their children. I had a friend tell me that the reason she started homeschooling was that the homework her son was bringing home each night was taking 3 hours anyway. Now, they spend those three hours in the morning and have the rest of the day for adventure.

7.      Homeschooling does not take special skills or education. With the popularity of homeschooling continuing to rise, publishers are paying attention. There is an unlimited amount of curriculum on the market today – from internet courses to traditional textbooks. There are even a lot of free opportunities, so the cost doesn’t have to break the checkbooks.

8.      Homeschooling does not take a patient, understanding mom (or dad). Being with your children ALL the time teaches the patience and understanding that you need.

The number one thing I have come to understand about homeschooling is that you can never start too early. As soon as the thought hits you, begin testing the waters. Look online for other homeschoolers, meet with them, and learn from them. Borrow texts and curriculum and try them out. You may be surprised to find that homeschooling isn’t just great for your kids, but it’s just as exciting for you.