Are You Thinking About Homeschooling?

Are you thinking about homeschooling? If so, you're not alone. According to the United States Department of Education, there were 1.1 million children homeschooled in the year 2003. These estimates should be taken with a grain of salt, however, as the actual amount of homeschooled children in America is likely to be much higher than that. This is because each state has vastly different laws when it comes to homeschooling. So while in some states you are required by law to notify the school superintendent yearly of your decision to homeschool, other states don't require you to report your decision to anyone. Because of this, it is impossible to get an exact number of how many children are being homeschooled in America today.

One thing that you can be certain of is that homeschooling is a tradition that many people have used throughout the centuries, and with remarkable results I might add. Abraham Lincoln only received 18 months of schooling and was entirely self-educated. George Washington didn't attend school and Thomas Edison was taught at home by his mother. The eminent British mathematician and philosopher Bertrand Russell was taught at home entirely by tutors and family, and spent the rest of the time in his grandfather's remarkable library. Lord Russell later went on to receive his fellowship from Trinity College, Cambridge, and we can conclude from this that being taught at home did no harm in preparing him for his future. Indeed, as is evidenced by the large amount of people that have been homeschooled through the years and gone on to change the course of history, one can only conclude that an ability to think for oneself and to master subjects thoroughly can only be good for America's future.

Why do people decide to teach their own children rather than send them to school? There are many different reasons. Some parents want to give their children a strong religious education while others want their children to receive a secular one. All children learn in different ways and parents like the idea that their child can learn on his or her own timetable. Some students are gifted and would be bored in school if they couldn't advance at their own pace. Alternately, there are some children who have special needs and who thrive in a homeschool environment. Then there is the question of violence in schools and the bad influence of peers. These are but a few of the reasons why parents decide to take on the task of educating their child themselves.

If you are worried about that pesky 'S' word -- socialization -- don't. I can assure you that homeschooled children are some of the most socialized children I have ever come across. They are mannerly, polite, and can converse well with people from different backgrounds and of varying ages. Part of the beauty of homeschooling is that your child can experience life as it was meant to be experienced and can interact with people they wouldn't normally be able to interact with if they were sitting at a desk for 8 hours each day.

I think that the term homeschooling in some ways does this method of education a disservice. By using that term, it almost seems to imply that your child is stuck at home all day, when nothing could be further from the truth. Children who learn at home have the freedom to explore to their heart's content both indoors and outdoors, travel, join groups of other children who homeschool and participate in sports, dancing, music, or any other activity that they are interested in.

A lot of people worry about whether they'll be able to teach their children subjects that they found difficult as students themselves, such as math. This is completely normal, so please don't worry. There are many online resources available to help you and discussion groups, tutors and phone calls to professors at local universities are all avenues you will be able to take in the future should the need arise.

Also, please bear in mind that when it comes to math there are dozens of programs out there now for the homeschooled child. Two of the most popular are Saxon Math and Singapore Math, both of which can be ordered online. I would suggest when checking out math programs you visit homeschooling messageboards and read other parents' reviews of all the products out there so that you can determine which one will be right for your child.

Cuisenaire rods are marvelous and are excellent for teaching children mathematical skills such as fractions, division, addition and subtraction. These are not necessities of course as you can get creative and use other colorful objects found in your household. Or you can really have some fun and use candy instead! Such are the joys of teaching at home that you have the freedom to teach in any way you choose.

Whatever course you decide to embark upon, I hope that you enjoy watching your child learn and grow.