Home schooling is many things to many people. One family may want to give their children the advantages of an education that they themselves determine based on their religious or cultural beliefs, a way of making sure their children are prepared best for life.

Some parents may be more concerned with keeping their children from the negative conditioning and beliefs that schools, even private schools, will impart to the student in their care. Some families want to avoid gang violence, peer pressure to smoke, drink alcohol, take drugs or experiment with sexual activities.

From what I have seen and read, its a rare exception that a family that home schools causes their child harm. Now, admittedly, it will depend on what you value and think is important to have children learn or what you call harm. To some parents, to let their child learn on their own time table (instead of learning "time tables") to love to learn, to be creative and spontaneous, is much more important than learning who Paul Revere is. To many parents, to see their child learn from internally motivated desire is just as exciting as watching their toddler take their first steps.

I was one of those parents, fascinated by how much children can teach themselves, yet at the same time, encouraging them to learn the basics so they would pass the yearly evaluation which would enable them to continue home schooling. It can be difficult when you believe in one kind of learning yet living in the rules of our state, had to make sure that the kids were taught enough of the basics, even if that teaching was distasteful to both the kids and myself.

The first picture above, was taken a long time ago, in 1988. I am not home schooling anymore, although I would if I could. Its a long story. I'll explain that in another area.

There are different kinds of home schooling too, in fact many families call themselves "unschoolers" which has a connotation of no forced learning, the children learning what interests them the most, with the parents guiding them by example, as opposed to sitting down every day, holding "school" in your home.

There are lots of people who do that, holding strict classes, with tests, and many of the procedures of schools and believe it best serves their children and follows their religious beliefs. Their reasons for home schooling may be to instill in their children religious values that schools don't teach, and because of a sincere belief that God is directing them to be responsible for the education of their children. Most, if not all of this type of home schooler, take this on in a very serious manner.

While I don't agree with that point of view, I have admiration for all the parents who give up years of their lives to follow their convictions, religious, or otherwise.

 There are people in between who are somewhat flexible, aiding their children and guiding them when they show interest, and nudging them when they don't. Its like a lot of belief systems, with home schooling you do what you feel is best based on your own education, feelings, and hopefully by observations of your children. Most of them have textbooks in the home, but don't force them on their children.

One thing I have found is that there is much more of a connection between parents and their home schooled children and between the children and their siblings. I have seen older home schooled children looking after younger ones, with no obvious signs of distaste or feelings of embarrassment. Many times I see the children, of all ages, holding their parents hands. I see more cooperation and less fighting for attention.

I don't know how qualified you may think I am, but I have been able to observe children at home schooling picnics, social groups for older kids, informal classes taught by parents on various non traditional subjects (such as quilting, yoga, sign language, outdoor science, cooking, and non competitive sports) in three different home schooling circles. I have home schooled my kids in Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas. (Funny, but that's also where my 3 kids were born!)

There is so much on the web these days to help out both the novice and experienced home schooler. I collected several links to other home schooling sites. I hope you will check some of these out.

Come on back, after you check out these links.
I have some more to say and another picture or two.

Some are generic, so to speak, and some zero in on a specific point of view. You will find here ones that are directed at various home schooling issues, supporting or explaining just what it is.   Besides the web there are a lot of places now to get help of various kinds, advice on what to teach, where to teach, how long to teach, legal problems discussed, issues of socializing, support groups, etc.

Okay, so you came back after looking at the links and checking some out. Good for you! Welcome back. Now I'll continue with my story.

The man seated in the picture below started a group called NCACS (National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools) and my son became involved with that group when he was living at a school that was a member. This group, as I understand it, supports small non-traditional schools in various ways and has yearly membership meetings.

 Sitting is Ed Nagel, my son, Eric, is standing, along with the director of a small Quaker boarding school, Kate Kerman.

This group, as I understand it, supports small non-traditional schools in various ways and has yearly membership meetings.

I guess I would describe these kinds of schools as somewhere in the middle, much as a birthing center is in between homebirth and a hospital setting. 
Ed is on the left, Eric, and Kate (At National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools meeting, in Virginia)

Eric was on the board of directors. I drove him there and then went on to North Carolina with his sisters and we visited some home schoolers. I made a page about that visit Trip to Raleigh Before I go any further, I offer this comment that was left in my guest book. 

This is from Barbara who didn't leave me an email address to write back to her. I offer it here to ask those of you reading this if I come across as negative as she seems to think. Following her comments I add a link to a page I made that answers her if you care to read it. She was also commenting about my home birth page so you might want to check that out too.

Okay so here is what Barbara left in my guest book.

Barbara
Website:
Referred by: Just Surfed On In!
From:
Time: 1997-10-18 21:49:00 Comments: I thought when I found your page that I had encountered someone who was open-minded and loving. However, I find that the reverse is true. I cannot believe that someone would so blatantly stereotype educators and doctors the way that you have done in these pages. Had it not been for a wonderful hospital and staff who provided immediate care, my beautiful daughter would not be here today. As for public education--I can match you word for word. In response to Mr. Shaw's words--Ben Johnson said, "For he that was only taught by himself had a fool for a master." Some others-- Keith Blue writes, "People who aren't in education just don't know what they're missing." John F. Kennedy: "A child miseducated is a child lost." I am praying for yours. Aristotle felt that "Those who educate children well are more to be honored than even their parents, for these only give them life; those the art of living well." I refuse to apologize for being a member of the most important profession in the world. "I teach with my heart and soul . . ." Jaime Escalante. I challenge you to leave this in your guestbook so that others can see what the other side of the story is.
My Answer to Barbara's comments

What do you think?

Email me if you want.

Since I live in Ohio now (again) I list here the Ohio requirements to be allowed to home school your child. I started home schooling my son in 1982 (unless you count the schooling that occurred from conception on) and in those days the rules were different in Ohio when it was relatively unheard of for a parent to keep their child home from school.

I had the Ohio regulations about home schooling sent to me when I made this page. I wanted to make sure they were the same ones that were in place a few years ago when I was still home schooling.

Ohio Home Schooling Requirements

If anything has changed, please send me any new
regulations and I will put it (them) on my web page.