04/02/06

Homeschooling growing in popularity

NORTH PORT -- When his seventh-grade daughter was being bullied by classmates, John McKay took her out of public schools.

" I (felt) that the guidance counselors favored the bullies more than the ones being bullied," McKay said. Instead, the North Porter opted for homeschooling.

Leslie Valeska said she first started homeschooling when she found her son, now 14, was not being challenged enough in public schools.

"He was bored and the classes were not intense enough for him," she said. "Now I've been homeschooling him for four years, along with my three other children."

One of the surprises she found was how much her children support each other. "They all get excited when one of them gets a difficult concept or does something spectacular."

Families may choose homeschooling for many reasons.

Judy Meents opted to try homeschooling when her daughter was missing many days of school due to illness, and the school demanded doctor's notes for an excused absence.

Some parents go this route because it gives them more quality time with their children, or they feel they can do a better job than public schools. For some, a personality conflict with a teacher or fear of a school bully might provide motivation. Others may be concerned about overcrowding in schools, or have religious reasons to teach their children at home.

Whatever motivates a family to homeschool, one thing is clear: it requires a significant commitment of time by the parent, or parents, who will be primarily responsible for the children's education. Usually, it's the mother who may give up a job to homeschool.

But fathers often take a more active role in their homeschooled children's education, even if they are not the main educator. They may take on teaching subjects in which they are stronger. Fathers may also find ways to take their children on field trips as part of the education.

Homeschooling requires that parents have both patience and ability. The family also has to be financially firm, because often the decision to homeschool means that one parent has to give up an outside job.

More Quality Time

Terri Champion of Port Charlotte has been homeschooling her children for 15 years. "They actually spend less time on their studies being homeschooled than if they were in public school," she said. "I think maybe that's because there's less to distract them."

Many parents who homeschool say it allows families to tailor a child's education to their own interests and learning styles.

"Some children may learn better by visual means, while others do better hearing," said Bud Johnson, who has been involved with home-schooling his children for 14 years.

In a conventional classroom, the teacher cannot adapt teaching method for a single child, but parents can fashion lessons in the way that's best for their children. Hence, a student may learn faster and better because the teaching method can target their own strengths.

Johnson added, "In homeschooling, you can take whatever time your child needs to learn something. If they're having trouble grasping something, you don't have to move on."

Leslie Valeska said that, with children ages 2, 4, 12 and 14, being homeschooled, "it's like a one-room schoolhouse."

But she notes that her 4-year-old is reading already, whereas her eldest son is almost completely independent in his studies.

Valeska's 12-year-old daughter enjoys homeschooling. She's interested in the medieval period and chose to read Robin Hood on her own because it challenged her. Valeska said her daughter finds homeschooling lets her explore a topic more deeply than she could in public schools.

Socialization Not Lacking

Some question whether homeschooled children miss taking part in school activities, or don't get socialization skills outside a conventional classroom. Yet homeschool parents are quick to contend that their children develop better social skills early because they spend more time in the world of adults.

"These kids are exposed to children of all ages, not just their own age," said Valeska. "Many times, homeschool families get together for special lessons and the older and younger kids do things together." At regular school her children are separated, but being homeschooled, they are not.

"One of the most rewarding things to me," Valeska said, "was the bonding between my children. The older kids help the younger ones, and when one child grasps a particularly hard concept, everyone is happy for them."

Valeska added, "I found that this also gives the kids a chance to do community activities. For instance, we helped out at a food bank this year." They could not have done that had they been in regular school, she noted.

Many public schools open some of their activities to homeschoolers. In Sarasota County, for instance, homeschooled children are allowed to compete in certain sports at the high school level.

Homeschooled families also get together to create their own activities. Judy Meents joined ENOCH, Education Network of Christian Homeschoolers. Through ENOCH, she and other parents can take advantage of different talents.

"One mom in ENOCH has the preschool kids do a play," Meentz said, "and another one set up a Frisbee golf tournament. One mother offers music lessons and leads a choir. And the kids do PE (physical education) twice a week, following the Presidential Fitness Award standards."

There are even proms for homeschoolers. For instance, there is a Junior Senior Homeschool Prom coming up April 28 in Clearwater.

John McKay said he was staging a surprise graduation for his eighth grade daughter.

Flexibility

Homeschooling gives families a lot of flexibility in how and what children will learn, and at what pace. Valeska said, "With homeschooling, we can spend as much time as we want or need on a certain subject."

She said she started one lesson for her young daughter based on the book, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." That led them to talk about healthy foods versus junk foods. "We made a giant cut-out tree on the wall and decorated it with themes from the book," Valeska said. They could also take a vacation during the school year and turn it into a lesson.

Bud Johnson said you also have flexibility to go to a museum or take other field trips whenever you want, on whatever topics you want to cover.

Read part two about homeschool requirements and resources in the Tuesday edition of the North Port Sun.

Resources for Homeschoolers

Florida Department of Education: www.floridaschoolchoice.org

Florida Parent-Educator Association: www.fpea.com

Bud Johnson, District 7 Director, (941) 761-7347

Florida Virtual Academy: flva.org

Florida Homeschool Network: www.notry.com/hschool/florida.htm

A+ School Supply: 787 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte, (941) 627-1460

www.aplusschoolsupply.com/

ENOCH (Education Network of Christian Homeschoolers): (941) 429-0965

Public Libraries

Home School Legal Defense Association: www.hslda.org

By SUSAN E. HOFFMAN

North Port Assistant Editor