| Do you know what these famous people have in | | | | that you are here reading this article says |
| common?Alexander Graham BellGeorge | | | | you are curious. Perhaps you honestly don't |
| PattonAlbert EinsteinBenjamin FranklinWinston | | | | know the answer yet?and that's ok. The |
| ChurchillAgatha ChristieGeorge Bernard | | | | remainder of this article is going to try to |
| ShawWill RogersIf you guessed that they were | | | | help you start to find those |
| all homeschoolers, you'd be correct. This is | | | | answers.Homeschooling is legal in all 50 |
| a very short list of famous and successful | | | | states, but each state has it's own set of |
| people who were educated at home. If you | | | | laws that must be followed. Compulsory (how I |
| would like to expand this list, do a search | | | | hate that word) education here in Washington |
| on the Internet for ?famous homeschoolers.? | | | | State starts at the age of 8. Even though I |
| There are many websites that list these | | | | had been homeschooling him from birth, to |
| people and some provide detailed biographies. | | | | stay legal once my son reached 8-years old, I |
| There is even a book called, aptly, ?Famous | | | | was required to become ?certified.? That |
| Homeschoolers,? by Nancy and Malcolm Plant. ( | | | | meant I either had to have two years of |
| point here is to get into the mindset that | | | | college education, or take a ?certification |
| people can be educated and become successful | | | | class.? I met this requirement by taking an |
| adults without attending public school. And | | | | independent correspondence class, during |
| because I can almost ?hear? what you are | | | | which I was asked to put on paper my goals, |
| thinking, no, it is not necessary to have a | | | | philosophies and reasons for wanting to |
| high school diploma to go to college.So what | | | | homeschool. I'd like to help you do the same |
| is homeschooling? In the broadest sense, | | | | right now.Start a page--either the ?tree? |
| homeschooling is educating your children at | | | | kind or a file on the computer?and title it |
| home. You, as parent, become teacher. Parents | | | | ?My Educational Beliefs.? List what personal |
| homeschool for more reasons than you can | | | | beliefs you have about education?especially |
| imagine. Some want to avoid having their | | | | the education of your own children. Get as |
| children exposed to violence and peer | | | | detailed as you can here--the value is in the |
| pressure. Some homeschool so that they can | | | | thinking process behind the list. Take your |
| make sure their children's education adheres | | | | time, I'm in no hurry.As an example to get |
| to their religious beliefs. Some live a | | | | you started, I'm going to share with you what |
| different lifestyle?perhaps they travel a | | | | I wrote on my list nine years ago.My |
| lot?and want their children's schooling to be | | | | Educational Beliefs1. I believe my child's |
| flexible enough to fit around that life | | | | attitude about learning should be:One of |
| style. And some, like me, simply enjoy being | | | | continual curiosity and seeking of |
| with their children. They don't want the | | | | knowledge.2. I believe my child's learning |
| public school to interrupt and weaken the | | | | should lead towards a lifestyle that |
| parent/child bond that they have been working | | | | is:Rural, physically active, creative.3. I |
| hard to create for the first five years of | | | | believe these basic values should be part of |
| their child's life.Just as there are many | | | | my child's learning:Respect for othersLoyalty |
| reasons to homeschool, there are many methods | | | | to family and friendsHonestyGenerosity4. I |
| of homeschooling. All the way from | | | | believe children learn best:Through hands-on |
| ?un-schooling? (learning by doing, learning | | | | learning experience, reading, workbooks.5. I |
| from life, not using textbook type materials) | | | | believe a teacher should:Provide side-by-side |
| to ?school at home? (using textbooks at desks | | | | assistance and direction.Interact with the |
| set up in a schoolroom at home) and | | | | child.Provide the structure within which the |
| everything in between. It's very easy to find | | | | child may explore, experiment, study and |
| hundreds of homeschool Websites by using a | | | | achieve.Provide a good example of excitement |
| search engine, but just to get you started, | | | | in learning.6. Other beliefs:I believe my |
| try:Jon's Homeschool Resource Page I decided | | | | child should grow up to be self-reliant and |
| to write this article, I thought hard about | | | | occupationally secure in a field of high |
| what I could offer that wasn't being | | | | interest to them.Now, that wasn't too bad, |
| displayed on thousands of Websites on the | | | | was it? Don't give up on this until you have |
| Internet. I realized that the only thing I | | | | at least something written down, but don't |
| have to offer anyone interested in | | | | agonize over it either. You can come back to |
| homeschooling is?my experience. So everything | | | | it later if need be. Next, start a paper or |
| in the article below comes from my fifteen | | | | file titled ?Life Goals For My Child.?I want |
| years of experience homeschooling my four | | | | you to write down what kind of person you |
| youngest children. I hope it is of some use | | | | envision your child being as an adult. What |
| to you.Deciding to homeschool your child may | | | | are your hopes and dreams for him/her? What |
| be one of the most important decisions you | | | | educational gifts do you hope to be able to |
| ever make as a parent, and it will take a lot | | | | help them find that will serve them their |
| of thought and soul searching. To the | | | | entire lives?I'll share mine from 9 years |
| newcomer, it may seem impossible, | | | | ago, just to get you started.?Life Goals for |
| overwhelming and very, very lonely. But like | | | | My Child?7. Be literate.8. Be |
| most huge obstacles, once it's broken down | | | | self-reliant.9. Compete well in their chosen |
| into smaller pieces, it becomes manageable. | | | | field of occupation.10. Appreciate art, |
| We'll take it one step at a time, in small | | | | music, and literature.11. Be creative.12. |
| enough chunks to get a hold of. So, if you're | | | | Be inventive and resourceful.13. Be |
| game, roll up your sleeves and let's get to | | | | healthy, mentally and physically.14. |
| work figuring out if homeschooling is for you | | | | Co-operate with others.15. Maintain a |
| and your child.First things first. | | | | strong sense of self-worth.16. Maintain a |
| Organization is the key. Get a three-ring | | | | life-long curiosity, seeking knowledge as a |
| binder (homeschooling parent's LOVE | | | | way of life.17. Look to the future with a |
| three-ring binders) and put a label on the | | | | sense of excitement and adventure.For the |
| front. (If you've made the transition to | | | | last exercise, start a third paper titled: |
| digital record keeping, you can just start a | | | | Why We (I) Am Going To Homeschool Our (My) |
| folder on the computer. But it's not as much | | | | Child? (Yes, single parents can successfully |
| fun.) Label it something serious, like ? My | | | | homeschool their children.) You may not have |
| Homeschooling Plans? or ?Homeschooling | | | | all the answers for this one yet either, but |
| Thoughts.? Put some paper in the binder, find | | | | just get something down. All of these ideas |
| a really comfortable ink pen, and sit down | | | | and beliefs can start getting mixed in with |
| somewhere quiet.Ready? Good. Now, let's get | | | | other people's opinions once we start |
| started.What are your reasons for considering | | | | educating ourselves in depth about |
| homeschooling? Even if you haven't actually | | | | homeschooling, and you'll be glad you have |
| made the decision to homeschool, the fact | | | | these lists tucked away. |