Posted on 07/20/2005 12:13:49 PM PDT by Little Bill
Why Homeschooling Continues to Grow
by Isabel Lyman — May 16, 2005
For evidence that the homeschooling movement is growing up, look no further than the crowd - and excitement - generated by the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships held in Oklahoma City.
The 2004 athletic event - in its thirteenth year - drew 240 teams from 26 states, featured over 600 games, and attracted college coaches eager to scout players. In attendance was Texan Debbie Verwers, the mother of Stephen Verwers, a homeschool graduate, who currently plays for Colorado State University’s basketball team. Upshot? The extracurricular athletic activities that exist for active home scholars is only one cultural indicator that homeschooling has graduated from its fledgling, countercultural beginnings in the 1970s into a more popular choice.
DOWN MEMORY LANE
The early days of homeschooling were not without their own buzz. Grant Colfax's admission into Harvard in 1983 (he was also accepted to Yale) attracted wide attention because he had been homeschooled by his bookish, hard-working mother and father - David and Micki - on a ranch in northern California. The teenager’s acceptance to the venerable New England institution was proof that a schooled-at-home (and homesteading) student could acquire the type of education necessary to gain entrance into one of the most selective schools in the world.
While home education wasn't a new phenomenon, young Colfax, as well as his adventuresome parents, served as the catalysts to awaken a sleeping giant. A generation of baby boomers, who were in the thick of parenting and who were dismayed at the bureaucratic mindset that had overtaken American public education, now had inspiration to take the educational road less traveled. The 'Colfax method' gained even more credibility when Grant's younger (and homeschooled) brothers - Drew and Reed - were subsequently admitted into Harvard.
Twenty years later the electrifying accomplishments of the Colfaxes have been slightly eclipsed by a new generation of homeschoolers, who are also crafting impressive vitae. For instance, when Calvin McCarter, age 10, a homeschooler from Michigan, won the 2002 National Geographic Bee, he became the youngest competitor to ever win the contest. Home scholar Kyle Williams has been a political columnist for WorldNetDaily.com, since he was twelve years old. After his book Seen and Heard was published, the then 14-year-old Williams weathered a media blitz that included television interviews with Bill O'Reilly, Pat Buchanan, Bill Press, and Judy Woodruff.
Besides winning academic contests and enrolling in Ivy League schools, homeschoolers have been elected to public office, managed successful businesses, played on national sports teams, made a mark in Hollywood, authored popular books, graduated from law schools, and served in the armed forces. They show no signs of resting on their laurels. For its 1999 competition, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation selected 137 homeschoolers as semifinalists, and their numbers have steadily risen each year. In 2004, there were 250 homeschooled students selected as semifinalists.
Even their small numbers, estimated by the U.S. Department of Education at approximately 1.1 million last year, only a cynic would find the achievements of homeschooled students unremarkable.
DEFINNING THE TERM
"Educating children under the supervision of parents instead of school teachers " (p. 1) is how Patricia Lines (1993), a home education researcher, has defined homeschooling. Brian Ray (2003), another veteran researcher, has written: "Some families organize homeschools like a conventional school, with structured daily activities. Others view all of life as an opportunity for learning and use a very flexible schedule. Most families provide educational experiences outside as well as inside the home.”
Homeschooling, like other grass-roots movements of the twentieth century, is largely a middle-American endeavor. Ponder this description of the 'typical' family: "…they are more likely than other students to live with two or more siblings in a two-parent family, with one parent working outside the home. Parents of homeschoolers are, on average, better educated than other parents - a greater percentage have college degrees - though their incomes are about the same. Like most parents, the vast majority of those who homeschool their children earn less than $50,000, and many earn less than $25,000" (“Homeschooling Here to Stay,” 2003).
Many families are are "kitchen-table" homeschoolers, which means that a parent, typically the mother, sits at a table or a desk helping the children with their studies. Some home educators think of their endeavor as 'family-schooling' or 'parent-funded' and want the practice to remain wholly independent of government money and control, an issue that is often debated by home education bloggers and activists.
But in an age of unprecedented technological innovation and mobility, one fact is clear: It’s relatively easy and cost-effective for a youngster to bypass institutionalized schooling and receive a well-rounded education. Online classes, homeschool cooperatives, tutors, internships, volunteer work, travel, home businesses, hobbies, sabbaticals, even the great outdoors - these serve as gateways to the examined, enriched life.
STRENGTH OF HOMEGROWN VERSUS MASS PRODUCED
One young Floridian - Jonathan Lord - has successfully combined several of these opportunities. The St. Petersburg Times reports, "Besides learning at home, Jonathan now takes math through a private tutor, creative writing classes at the co-op, chemistry through homeschooling classes offered at the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, and dual-enrollment classes in English and Spanish at Pasco-Hernando Community College" (Miller, 2003).
Other enterprising teens have used the flexibility of schedule to pursue extracurricular pursuits that range from the flashy to the altruistic. Emoly West, a homeschool graduate and college freshman, will be competing in this year‘s Miss Oklahoma competition. She has used past pageant prize winnings to pay for college tuition. At 17, Iowa homeschooler Kelby Fujan, passed the written test to obtain his airplane pilot's license while accruing almost 50 college credits. Sam Goodman, a young teen-aged homeschooler from Indiana, regularly volunteers at a community food bank and has earned an award for his service.
In contrast to public school students, who are grouped by age and not ability, who are expected to arrive and depart at particular times, and who are labeled “learning disabled” regardless of potential, homeschoolers can receive their instruction in a highly-individualized fashion, often beginning at an early age. Their parents have a clear idea where their interests lie and the style of learning most suited to them, without being hampered with worries about bullies, politicized curriculum, teachers’ union squabbles, or the air quality of the buildings.
Parents and students with a bent toward high achievement at the tertiary level have even come to view homeschooling as a ticket to success in college. Writing in Signatures, a publication of Anderson University, Maryann Koopman (2003) reports that the Indiana school admits a "fair number of homeschoolers each year." Jim King , director of admissions at Anderson, offers this: " ... homeschooled students are better prepared for the 'independent learning' atmosphere of college than the typical school student ...." (Koopman, 2003).
While these heartwarming stories have, no doubt, nudged families toward the school-free lifestyle, my own analysis of 300 newspaper and magazine articles revealed that the top four reasons to homeschool were dissatisfaction with the public schools, the desire to freely impart religious values, academic excellence, and the opportunity to build stronger family bonds. Those findings coincide with the reasons advanced by the National Home Education Research Institute, which includes “controlled and positive peer social interactions, quality academics, alternative approaches to teaching and learning, and the safety (e.g., physical, drug-related, psychological, emotional, and sexual) of children and youth” (Ray, 2000).
When it’s all said - and by now a countless number of articles, commentaries, and research papers have been written about homeschooling - perhaps the greatest lesson to be learned is how important the concept of liberty is to the delivery of education. Parents must have opportunity to do what is right by their children and not be limited by geographic location, punitive state laws, or societal prejudices. When freedom and choice peacefully exist, students thrive, and, ultimately, society benefits. As Dr. Lines (2000) has stated, "The hard evidence suggests that the vast majority of homeschooling families are more active in civic affairs than public school families."
It will be interesting to observe, in the coming years, what a generation of such civic-minded homeschooled individuals bring to the education reform debate.
References
Homescholing is here to stay. (2001, August 20). CBSnews.com. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/
Koopman, M. (2003). Homeschoolers pass the test and the torch. Signatures. Retrieved from http://www.anderson.edu/.
Lines, P.M. (1993). Homeschooling: private choices and public obligations.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Research.
Lines, P.M. (2000). Homeschooling comes of age. Discovery Institute. Retrieved from http://www.discovery.org/.
Miller, M. (2003). Homeschooling: drop the stereotypes. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved from http://www.sptimes.com.
Ray, B.D. (2000). Fact sheet IIb. National Home Education Research Institute. Retrieved from http://www.nheri.org/.
Ray, B.D. (2003). Home schooling. World Book Online Americas Edition. Retrieved from http://aolsvc.worldbook.com/ar?/co/ar260563.htm.
Cite This Article as: Teachers College Record, Date
What is "definning"; removing a fin?
Well said
As far as I'm concerned, government education is NOT an option. It's hard enough to raise up a child in the way he should go. Who needs the government trying to coax him in the wrong direction? So the gov't can demand my money and there's not much I can do about it. But they won't get my kid. No way! My child will not be taught by people proud to have no moral values.
I'm an area admin for a private ISP for homeschoolers. I have a few single parents schooling their children at home..quite successfully. :o) They have family and friends who help out so they're not the lone ranger.
"22.7% of all the statistics you'll see or hear in any given day are pulled out of thin air."
Some of that "air" isn't too thin, as it appears that the another 50% of the stats we see are pulled out of someone's a$$.
Start in vestigating and watching homeschool groups in your area. Depending on where you live there are many homeschool support groups that come together to provide those extra curricular things.
"scholar Kyle Williams has been a political columnist for WorldNetDaily.com"
I went and checked out the reviews for his book and the liberals had a good time writing nasty things about this young man.
Sorry .. I don't buy it .. just because someone has the "qualifications" doesn't mean they are a good teacher. Also - unfortunately for teachers they just aren't allowed to teach.
Someone said earlier that there is so much wasted time in school - and there is.. honestly sit down and TALK to some kids about what it going on... it's really very sad. There's so much time spent on the whole concept of "social skills" that there is very little time left for the kids to learn.
We start first grade on August first. My son loves homeschooling, and so do I. I can't help but think that because he's not reading (other than a few sight words) yet, my son would already be carrying a lable in public school. However, reading is just not going to be his "natural" strong point. The kid's adding more than one numeral in his head, loves science, and begs almost daily for a chemistry set. (He's 6, by the way.)
Thanks for posting a great read!
It has taken me a lot of time and observation to learn each of my children's different learning styles. Teachers with many students do not have as much time to learn the learning styles of each individual student and tailor the curriculum to them. With only five students, this is an advantage I have.
Most homeschool groups have lots of activities. In fact, with ours there's the distinct possibility of having too many. Beyond that, there are the city and county sports associations. My son played t-ball this summer, and is enrolled in soccer for the fall.
Have you seen this site?:http://www.starfall.com Also, you have a dog or cat? If so, when he starts sounding things out he might want to read to the pet. These are things that have helped my daughter. She is an auditory learner, so it has been more difficult for her to learn reading than for my oldest son. Yet, she can remember things in amazing detail.
Thanks for posting another wonderful article from Izzy! I had the good fortune to get to know her when I lived in CT.
We homeschooled my son back in the 70's and it was a wonderful experience. Unfortunately, I eventually had to put him in regular school when his Dad died but he already had been "formed" and didn't let any of the NEA scum teachers intimidate him.
Dear HungarianGypsy,
Homeschool at the high school level: Well, many homeschoolers choose to go back to more traditional settings for high school. It is a greater challenge to adequately homeschool once one gets past the elementary years. Unlike the caricatures and stereotypes foisted by the homeschool haters here at FR, the vast majority of homeschoolers aren't anti-schools. It is that we are anti-being-forced into cookie cutter views of education that may not work best for our own children, and we are anti-being-evaluated by entities that have failed in their own educational missions.
From our perspective, it is more reasonable that homeschoolers perform oversight over public school authorities than vice versa, in that homeschoolers nearly always succeed in their educational mission, while children in public school succeed educationally often in spite of their teachers, administrators, and higher-up NEA-goon muckety-mucks.
Be that as it may, homeschoolers can successfully pick and choose between the options available to them, and often go back and forth between their options, depending on the current needs of their children.
I know of a family with three children that homeschooled the older daughter through 5th grade, and then sent her off to a local public school in Montgomery Co, MD (a so-called good public school system). In retrospect, it was a mistake, because the local middle school wasn't that good. However, the high school was pretty good, and she is doing well there, coming up on her senior year. The family learned from this, and when the mother fell seriously ill, and could not continue homeschooling the middle child (the youngest isn't yet school-aged), they chose a nearby private Christian school, and are happy with that choice.
I've known other families that would homeschool a few years, use public or private schoos for a year or two, and then go back to homeschooling. Based on the needs of the child, rather than the needs of some bloated, overgrown, self-serving public school bureaucracy.
Anyway, back to high school and homeschooling, when we started homeschooling five years ago, we knew almost no one who homeschooled through high school. However, in those five short years, in our area, we've seen a dramatic increase in the number of families that decide to "go all the way." Available to us is a sort of "homeschool high school" where a number of families have pooled resources to provide for an informal schooling experience for their children. As well, the local community colleges and four year colleges are now welcoming of homeschoolers, especially once they're 16 years and older. Thus, homeschooling at the high school level becomes an issue of expanding resources and methodologies. And yes, it must be largely self-directed by the student. Thus, students who are unwilling to be self-starters may not be well-served by this approach. However, the proportion of self-starters among homeschooled students is high, so it is likely a worthwhile approach for most homeschooled students.
I notice this is already occuring in my own sixth grader's packaged curriculum (Calvert School). This year, it's his job to determine what are his assignments, and to work through them, rather than my wife, each day, spelling out his assignments in detail. My wife's job is more just to keep an eye on things to make sure he's doing what he's supposed to be doing, to teach the parts that need teaching, and to administer the tests, accept the assignments, and provide assistance where assistance is required. This year, our older son is much more on his own, much more responsible for his own education.
He was a little hesitant at first. But now, after a few weeks, he likes it a lot, especially in that he can set his own pace, and is now several days ahead of the curriculum schedule.
Our younger guy would like to homeschool through graduate school. ;-) I'm completing an advanced degree mostly on-line, and they view it that I'm homeschooling, too. Thus, the younger guy's question is, why can't I do that? Just stay home and go to college and grad school on-line? We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Anyway, yeah, your thoughts about homeschooling and high school are dead on. A child who is educated properly through the elementary years, who learns self-discipline and self-motivation, is an excellent candidate for a largely self-guided high school career.
sitetest
A big not-yet-coffee-filled BUMP for my typo: lable = label.
Really. I'm just now starting a second cup...
my husband and i offer our children Classical Christian education in our homeschool... it's rigorous and exciting... and we do not do "grades." i am sure if you have children, you have helped them learn something along the way without actually grading them... but you still assess where they are...
you know if they have grasped a concept or a skill... you know if they need further assistance or if they simply need practice... though we as parents may not hand out report cards to our children, the truth is, we still assess them in many areas of their lives...
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