Understanding Homeschooling

Perhaps those places do exist, but they usually end up in the news or on television shows about police raids on cult compounds.

Just kidding.

Anyway, we homeschooled our kids for a number of years, and it’s typically not like that at all. I say typically because somebody will always try to go out and find some rare exception somewhere that proves otherwise. Fine, whatever. However, in general, homeschooling is not like that. At all.

Just for ease of reference, and since some people will stop reading paragraphs by this point, here’s a list of some things from our experience in homeschooling:

• Typically, homeschooled kids are just like any other kids. They dress the same, act the same, have the same interests, have the same hopes and dreams, and they reflect the values of their families just the same.
• And if they do wear their pajamas all day, so what? People work from home doing the same thing. And having specific days for, say, a pajama party or other special day is great fun and can help a family bond. Of course, you don’t have to homeschool to take advantage of that!
• True, it can be easier to avoid picking up some bad habits and influences that are more readily present at regular schools, and to reinforce favorable habits and influences by like-minded people.
• And whom better for kids to bond with and be closer to than their own parents and family first? That’s how it was done since the beginning of time up until recent times. And they will still have their friends, too.
• As my friend pointed out, even safety is a consideration, since it’s far less likely for a homeschool to face active shooters and threats.
• Homeschooling often allows kids to have more opportunities, more experiences, more variety with farther and faster advancement due to its flexibility and adaptability directly and personally to the kids’ needs, wants, and interests without being dependent on other students. The students can go at their own pace.
• One thing my mom always liked was that often when the kids were studying a particular thing, we could find a place to go visit to give them hands-on experience. We could just stop right there in the middle of the discussion, get in the car, and go to the museum, facility, store, company, facility or whatever; just take a day trip somewhere to further explore and understand the lesson.
• Typically, homeschools are structured and follow regular schedules, just like any other school. Structure is important for the success of the student, and its flexibility allows it to be structured around whatever format or time works best for each student’s learning. Homeschool families with multiple children often will schedule different times and activities for each child, especially for age and grade differences. Which only makes sense, right?
• More and more brick-and-mortar schools are even offering online versions of their classes for homeschooling, though it is still more common for parents to order their own curricula from accredited organizations, both secular and religious.
• With that, no, parents don’t just have to make up their own lessons or struggle to teach things to their kids. They can if they want. But school books, resources, and lessons can all be obtained quite easily. Even other teachers.
• And yes, students get actual state credits and diplomas for their work.
• Nowadays, it’s even easier to do coursework with computers and videos or even livestreaming by a teacher or professor at an educational facility.
• Typically, homeschooling is done in homeschool groups that work together for activities, field trips, sports (that even compete against regular schools), dances, cookouts, and planning and teaching classes (my mom, a professional classroom teacher of 40 plus years with a master’s degree, is currently about to start teaching for a local group again).
• Often brick-and-mortar schools will even allow homeschoolers to use their science labs and other resources.
• And again, there are many activities and competitions that homeschoolers can participate in with regular schools.
• Every year there’s a giant homeschool convention with lots of activities, competitions, training sessions, teaching clinics, supplies and curricula to purchase, etc. Plus a number of events are held all throughout the year like Wichita Symphony concerts (for us locally), field trips, robotics competitions, computer science and programming classes, just to name a few.
• Homeschoolers are almost always in the top rankings for academic testing. I’ve known kids who have gone on to get full-ride scholarships to universities (like the Gore Scholarship at Wichita State) as well as win national competitions.
• Homeschoolers really aren’t any more socially awkward than any other kids. If they lack social skills, that’s usually more about the families themselves.

Homeschooling is not really what many people think, though it’s also not necessarily for everyone. There are good and bad ways of doing it, just like with any school. But this was our experience. Hopefully, this will give you some insights into something many don’t understand or know much about. And remember, parental involvement and support is a key ingredient to a child’s success with any school.