If you want your homeschooling children to know about many cultures, to explore the way diverse people live, and to have an appreciation of how historical influences affect people, one of the best things you can do to achieve these learning goals is to read out loud to them. And if you believe being well-read is important, reading out loud will teach your children that books are an exciting way to learn about the world.

Looking back at my years of homeschooling, reading out loud is remembered as one of the best experiences we had together. I started reading to my children when they were very young. We went through dozens of picture books, but we had our favorites. Someone gave us a Mother Goose book by Richard Scarry that I read to all five of my children. By the time the first three children outgrew it, the book was worn out. I bought a new copy of the same book for the two younger children.

My oldest child learned to read by being read to. Every day I’d sit him in my lap and read several books to him. We read the same books over and over because he loved them. One day when he was four, he told me to be quiet and let him read for a change. I shushed, and he read. At first I thought he had it memorized, so I switched to an old encyclopedia I had in another room. He was able to read that too, so I realized he’d picked up deciphering skills from watching what I was reading in his favorite children’s picture books.

Picture books from the library were always a big help since we couldn’t afford to buy a lot of books. Two of the titles I remember enjoying with the children were If You Give A Mouse A Cookie and Good Dog, Carl, about a lovable rottweiler. And when they were very young, the children had a collection of books about Spot and Clifford, the Big Red Dog. But soon enough, they realized there were other books in the library, and my son, at the age of about five, found a mystery novel and wanted desperately for me to read it to him.

Reading that first novel was a challenge! After that, we read a few Goosebumps books that were much shorter while still having multiple chapters. I got used to the idea that part of homeschooling was reading novels out loud to my children. Though they were very young, they loved listening and usually I ran out of energy for reading before they got restless.

About that time I got the idea of reading novels from the Newbery list. In my enthusiasm I thought I might be able to read them all, but that wasn’t possible even though we homeschooled for nine years. However we read a lot of them, and I always had two raptly attentive children listening.

As the years progressed my daughter, the older of the two, learned to read well. She eventually started reading novels on her own but I read out loud to her until she was about twelve years old. My youngest child, a son, is dyslexic and never learned to read well, so I continued to read out loud to him through the teen years. We progressed to books for more mature people; he always wanted to participate by listening and retains information well.

I’m so glad I took the time to read out loud to my children during our homeschooling years. Of course we read a lot of non-fiction books, history and science articles, and magazines. But the novels gave us a great opportunity to study world cultures and different times in history, and we’ll always remember the warmth and closeness we shared during our novel reading time.

Michael Pakaluk wrote an excellent op-ed entitled A Father Asks: Should I Homeschool? It was published recently in the Boston Pilot. Pakaluk is a professor of philosophy in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Upon seeing the headline my first reaction was to think, “Of course you should homeschool - it is the best thing ever for kids. If you love them, you keep them close and teach them from the heart.”

But then I caught myself and remembered that homeschooling may not be for everyone. I’m not totally discounting the idea it could be for everyone. In my ideal dream-world, every parent is devoted enough to his children to spend time teaching them. In reality, too many parents lack confidence, or are distracted and too busy.

In his article, Pakaluk gives some well-reasoned points about homeschooling and I highly commend his article. Today I’m going to comment on only one thing: the expectations many homeschool parents have that their kids will excel and out-do public schooled kids.

Pakaluk started his article by writing that over two million children are now being homeschooled in the USA, and that they are doing well academically compared to their public schooled peers. While that is true in general, it was not my experience with my children. Both my homeschooled children were in need of special-ed type education. Though I think they got a great education for the unique and beautiful people that they are, and I’m proud and happy that I homeschooled them, they are not at the top of their classes by a long shot. So though I think having your child excel above other children in their age groups is a noble and idealistic objective, be aware it doesn’t always turn out that way. That doesn’t mean homeschooling is wrong for your kids; it only means that not all homeschoolers are top achievers so don’t be disappointed if your kids turn out to be more normal.

It is OKAY to be normal! Your kids don’t have to be THE BEST to be happy or to do well in life!

Does that take any of the pressure off? I hope so!

Homeschooling gives us an opportunity to bond with our children, to respond to their individual needs, and to help them be the best they can be. This “best” should be the ultimate goodness for each child; it should not have to be a matter of competition with others. Competition is a public school concept. Let’s leave it there and enjoy each day with the children we live with and learn with.

Should homeschoolers participate in public school extracurricular activities such as sports and athletics? That’s what a bill soon to be introduced to the Florida legislature will allow, if passed. The bill honors Tim Tebow, a homeschooler who is now a Florida Gators quarterback. While he was being homeschooled he was allowed to participate in a high school sports program.

However, whether other Florida homeschoolers will be welcome is still a matter of debate. Some say that homeschoolers might overwhelm the athletic system; they express concern about academic standards and costs such as liability insurance. Someone even brought up the idea that students ineligible for athletics would use homeschooling to get back on their teams.

“The whole objection is based on the fact that these students have chosen homeschool over public school,” Rep. Jeremy Oden said. “But our argument — and my argument — is that the tax dollars from these individuals’ moms and dads pay goes to these institutions.

Other extracurricular activities may be included, including music and arts programs. Homeschooled students in Florida must register with a legal umbrella that has curriculum approved by the state, so academic standards should not be questioned, according to Oden.

My opinion on this is divided. Though I’m totally in favor of the separation of school and state, I know from my years of homeschooling that entry into some public school programs may be a necessity for many students. Where I live, in a very small town, there are few other opportunities for children to do anything with other kids. Exclusion from public school programs, even the dances, was a real problem for us. Though I’d like to see all public schools disappear forever, it is a sign of the times that I’m in favor of this bill. So long as the society allows public education to dominate, homeschooled students should be allowed to participate in the programs their family pays for.

Source: Florida Homeschool bill revisited by Evan Belanger of the Cullman Times

Houston, Texas, April 3, 2007 - Curriculum choices, learning styles, teaching multiple ages—there’s so much for homeschooling moms to think about! In spite of those challenges, you might be surprised to learn what causes the most stress for these mothers. According to a study done by Doctor of Education Susan A. McDowell from Vanderbilt University the lack of organization and housework worries ranked as the most stress-inducing concerns, not the expected issues such as choosing curriculum, using good teaching methods, or children learning.

Marilyn Rockett, veteran homeschool mother and organization expert addresses this life-stress issue in her latest book, Homeschooling at the Speed of Life: Balancing Home, School, and Family in the Real World. Just released, Rockett’s book provides a “mentor in print” to both beginning and experienced homeschool moms. Having homeschooled three boys for fifteen years, she relates to the stresses of today’s homeschooling mom as she offers encouragement and practical strategies useful for any homeschool family. Marilyn noted, “Over the years, I have seen more women quit homeschooling because of a failure to balance their home and school than over academic concerns. I know that if I could homeschool successfully, other mothers can do the same.”

Organization in the home is such a needed topic that others are already praising Rockett’s efforts to come to the aid of the most important workforce in our society—moms at home. Homeschooling mom Deborah Cariker proclaims, “Marilyn has written this book on organizing, but she’s also written a ‘heart search’ that, when fruitful, shows up in a better organized home and school. I was convicted and encouraged.” Organization expert Debbie Williams of Organized Times loved the book, saying it’s “a reminder to slow down and focus on God as we heed the call to teach our children at home, by putting one foot in front of the other down the twisting road of life.”

The book includes a bonus CD-ROM with helpful tools for keeping up with busy homeschool moms’ activities and records.

In a heartwarming article about two homeschooling families in Pennsylvania, we’re told that ‘cyber school’ students are not counted as ‘homeschooled’ in state statistics:

“Since homeschooling was authorized by the state Legislature in 1988, the number of homeschooled students in the state showed a steady increase through the 1990s and early 2000s before topping off at about 23,000.

Though Pennsylvania’s numbers have leveled off, some observers see it as a signal of strength, because other states have declined significantly in recent years. Pennsylvania’s homeschool enrollment remains strong, experts say, because the state committed early on to a certification program — a recognized graduation/diploma provision in a variety of fields — “that still has (Pennsylvania) ahead of most other states,” according to a report on pahomeschoolers.com.

Also, cyber school numbers are climbing across Pennsylvania, and those enrollments are not included as homeschool enrollments, which likely reduced the overall homeschool figures.”

Source: Families change face of homeschooling - from the Meadville Tribune.