Homeschool-public school bonds growing

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/296689_homeschool21.html

Homeschool-public school bonds growing

More parents are supplementing lessons at home by embracing public school partnerships

Students at the tiny, nondescript public school building in North Seattle have no playground, no formal cafeteria, no sports teams, no bells signaling the end of class.

They come and go as they please, and the nearly 250 who pass through the halls don't even consider themselves public school students.

They're among the more than 20,000 children statewide who are thought to opt out of public schools each year. They and their parents are drawn instead to the flexibility and freedom of homeschooling.

In the two decades since Washington families successfully fought for the right to teach their children themselves, thousands of kids have been educated at their own kitchen tables. But in the last 10 years, homeschooling has quietly evolved.

Now, more parents are joining public school partnerships, or "alternative learning programs," to supplement their home lessons -- and more school districts are reaching out to them, offering such programs as the fast-growing Homeschool Resource Center in North Seattle.

This decade, the number of students using the center has grown -- and they represent just a fraction of those learning at home.

At the resource center, homeschooled students can drop by to use the computer center or library, or choose from a rotating menu of classes to attend, from math and science to quilting and robotics.

The allure for parents is obvious: "You can custom-build your education," said Polly Johnson, whose six children have been homeschooled and attended some classes at the center.

Besides helping her connect with other homeschooling families, Johnson appreciates that the center offers courses she and other parents might struggle to teach on their own, such as upper-level math or computer science. "It lightens the load for me," she said.

Debbie Kyllo, who is homeschooling four of her children, said she enjoys being able to play such an active role in their education. When they're at the Homeschool Resource Center, she's able to sit in on classes and discuss academics with teachers, without feeling like she's interfering or pestering them. "I don't know if I would be that involved if they were going to another type of school," she said.

Like many other parents who homeschool, Johnson started because she wanted to spend time with her young children and wanted to ensure they received the special attention they needed. Now, she's hooked.

"I've learned so much," she marveled. "My seventh-grader is doing stuff in math I have no recollection of learning ... you just learn along with them."

Former elementary teacher Sue Knapp concurs. Before she joined the Homeschool Resource Center as a teacher, she homeschooled her son and daughter. The experience helped her stretch her skills as an educator, to find lessons even in routine trips to the grocery store.

"There were days when it was overwhelming, there were days when the kids were being kids, and I'd wonder why I ever started," she recalled. "But when I look back, we had field trips, we had fun together. ... I don't regret it at all."

Families who homeschool say the practice has become more widely accepted since 1985, when the state approved it as another education option for families. There are more parent resources, support groups and curricula available today, making it easier than ever to homeschool children, said Janice Hedin, a member of the Washington Homeschool Organization advocacy committee.

Still, Hedin and others who pioneered homeschooling in the state during the 1980s are dismayed at the number of families shifting away from true home-based instruction. They worry that districts are offering hybrid homeschool programs simply to lure students back into the public school system, to boost their enrollment figures and to receive more money from the state.

"We've proven it works for the past decade," Hedin said. "And now the state is saying, 'We want you back.' "

Cynthia Barrientos, who manages the Homeschool Resource Center, said the goal there has always been to connect with and offer support to parents.

"It's a way to honor the families who choose to be the primary educators for their kids," she said. "We let them carry the ball as much as possible. ... We want to be allies and partners with parents."

She points out that almost every staff member homeschooled his or her children, or were themselves homeschooled.

Even the most ardent supporters of homeschooling agree it's not right for everyone. It can be a financial strain for some families to have one parent stay home with the children, though advocates say there are ways to homeschool on a shoestring.

Veterans say the biggest challenge is adjusting to being a full-time teacher for your children.

"It's stressful; it's hard work," Johnson said. "But I know when I'm done, I'll look back and be glad I homeschooled."

Hedin, who homeschooled her two children entirely on her own, said she's developed a presentation titled "14 Things I'd Do Differently." Tops on her list: "I would not worry so much about the end result," she said. "I'd enjoy the process more."

P-I reporter Jessica Blanchard can be reached at 206-448-8322 or jessicablanchard@seattlepi.com.

If you enroll you child in programs like this, you may not be eligible for HSLDA membership.

The public school system counts your child as enrolled in their district, and receives $ as a result, and your child is required to used the curriculum provided. There is also usually a minimum requirement for attendence based on hours spent at the school.

If you are a homeschooling parent who is considering these kind of options, I would be very careful as to what programs I enroll my child in. You loose a lot of freedom that you would otherwise have by doing it your self or joining a local co-op or something.

Strings.

First get used to a free government service. Then come the strings: That Christ-centered curriculum you've been using...it's got to go, if you want to continue to be enrolled in chess club, dance, theatre, latin, math counts, ...

Interesting. My wife is planning on enrolling our two oldest in a local program. For doing so she is being payed $400 (can't be spent on religious ed.) per child per year. And if she chooses to teach a class, she is to be paid $25 an hour.

I've looked at the classes offered and we personally, know, like and trust most of the teachers/homeschool parents.

My wife estimates that we could make as much as $2000/ year to homeschool. Time commitment is about 4 hours a week.

I'm failing to see a downside.

My wife is planning on enrolling our two oldest in a local program... I'm failing to see a downside.

Is it through the public school system?

We tried this in the Bellevue area for a year, and there were some aspects that we liked. However, we were required to be on site at certain times for classes, required to spend some minimum time at the location (I don't remember what it was, but 4hrs. per week sounds about right), and also received a stipend per child enrolled in the program.

The downside was a loss of freedom that we had become accustomed to (have class when we want, schedule day around other activities such as Dr. Appts, compulsive field trips, etc.). We found a majority of the other students to be a poor peer group consisting of a great deal of kids who were trying this avenue to avoid expulsion from public school. Also, we were now a part of the public school system, a system that promotes ideologies that we find to be incongruent with our family values.

You may find that it works for your family, and that the local program is much more congruent with your kids and your daily routines. However, keep in mind that you are indeed giving up some control of the curriculum and instruction to others.

Thanks. We have decided to only enroll our kids in classes where we know the homeschool parent who is teaching. On top of that we don't feel too restricted considering it's only a few hours, 2x's a week.

From what I've heard, the kids in these classes are almost totally homeschooled and most are being raised in a Christ centered household.

If for some reason we are unhappy with this program, we aren't bound to stick to it.

They lured the home school kids back to the government trough in Alaska with the bribe of a "free" computer, then put the screws to them a year or two later.

A bribe blinds the eyes of the wise. Accepting a bribe -- goods provided at my neighbor's expense -- is ethically dangerous. We start getting used to justifying our "entitlements," and we find ourselves back on The Road to Serfdom.

A bunch of FReepers have been involved with a distributed computing project called Folding@Home. We would like to expand it to include home schoolers.

Folding is tallied by points, grouped by a team. Folks could either fold as a family, a coop or as one enormous home school folding team.

Folding has strong applications in high level math, biology and chemistry, with a dash of computer skills thrown in. Most folks start with the GUI interface which allows them to view the molecules as they fold. On very fast systems computer modeling of the molecule is available, including on the PS3.

If grouped as a team the home school FReepers would quickly become the number 2 team with an opportunity to overtake Klutz dohanger as the top folder. If grouped by coops each would have the opportunity to become one of the top 20 folders.

I will be available over here if anyone needs help or more information!

Current Folding Thread

Thanks!

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


		Dan DeLong / P-I
	Seventh-grader John Kyllo, 12, concentrates on his next move during a meeting of the Chess Club at Seattle Public Schools' Homeschool Resource Center on Tuesday.


		Dan DeLong / P-I
	Kindergarten students Abby Johnson, left, and Isabel Ibrahim, both 6, dance with parents and faculty during a dance class at Seattle Public Schools' Homeschool Resource Center on Tuesday.