An interesting educational trend occurring today is homeschooling. In the United States alone, an estimated 3-4 million families are taking their children out of the traditional classrooms and educating them at home. When I first heard of this, I pictured a great little schoolroom set up in my spare bedroom, with maps and globes and tons of books, and a pretty little desk by the door where I would sit and "teach." Most people who haven't researched homeschool DO picture it happening that way, but I have found that there are as many ways to homeschool as there are to bake a chicken.

Some families embrace practice called "unschooling" where the environment of the child lends itself to endless exploration and parents exist to make sure the children's interests and curiosities are met with experiences, books, and people they can learn from.

Example- your child sees a jellyfish washed up on the beach and is amazed.

Hopefully you have a magnifying glass on hand, to look closely at it (I always carry one in my purse, no kidding!) You put them in touch with a ranger, lifeguard or aquarium staffer, so they can learn all about the jellyfish, then when you get home you can browse the internet, learning more about jellyfish (and consequently other sea life). You look at books about jellyfish, you notice a Discovery Channel special on jellyfish, you watch it together, you learn about a small equatorial village that eats jellyfish and uses them to dye their clothing. That's interesting, you find their country on the map and use the internet or library to explore other jellyfish dependent cultures. You find an English speaking child looking for a pen pal in that country. Your child's artwork reflects the growing interest in jellyfish and they begin labeling and drawing the "parts" you've been learning about. In their dancing and playing, they begin to "be" a jellyfish, and bounce up and down with imaginary tentacles. You might begin to talk about how many tentacles they have, and how much poison is contained in each one- How many jellyfish would it take to kill a 200 pound man, or a 1200 pound whale? How many jellyfish do you see in the picture, or how many jellyfish live in the Atlantic Ocean? How many varieties of jellyfish live in the water off of your beach, what is the probability of finding another one? How many jellyfish would fit in your swimming pool and what would you feed them (assuming your pool had ocean water in it). You might find your child compiling his list of jellyfish information into a little "book" or report on jellyfish, and this would be encouraged also. Eventually he loses interest in jellyfish, either to the allure of Jupiter, earthworms, or the entire Ocean. His village pen pal might turn him on to something of further interest (jellyfish and peanut butter sandwiches?)

That was Science, English, Math, Social Studies, Art and Physical Education, without ever cracking a textbook or doing a quiz or worksheet. AND- because the experience was self-initiated, the child has learned to seek information and follow his interests- instead of being forced to "consume" a limited amount of jellyfish information by a teacher who may or may not share his enthusiasm.

At the other end of the spectrum are families who (as in my first impression of homeschooling) sit at the kitchen table from 8am to 2 pm with a sprawl of worksheets, textbooks, timers and a schedule to stick to. They break for 20 minutes of play (and that's when they must also use the restroom), 30 minutes for lunch and it's back to work! The child wants to learn about jellyfish, and it's not in the science book until second semester, so today they must learn about magnets instead. They can explore their own interests on THEIR time, and "school" must go on. The telephone is turned off during school hours and often meals are prepared before school starts, so mom can devote her time to the children instead of the kitchen, thereby enjoying her "recess" as well.

Somewhere in between these two examples, are where most homeschooling families operate. Depending on their motivation (why they decided to homeschool) and their educational philosophy, parents will generally fall somewhere between the two extremes I listed.

There are many reasons parents decide to homeschool. Most unschoolers feel that learning and life naturally occur simultaneously. Every minute of every day is spent learning something and to put the child in a classroom would teach them that they're not capable of learning anything without an omnipotent "teacher". They also state that children's minds are so busy naturally absorbing everything around them that arbitrary "curriculums" that separate knowledge into specific "lessons" to be learned at regularly spaced intervals are absurd and further detrimental to the natural innate learning abilities of the child.

Parents who do NOT embrace unschooling also have several reasons for homeschooling. Several do so for religious reasons, with the moral breakdown of society, most people want more spirituality in the lives of their children, and plenty of parents are using the Bible, or other religious texts as a major part of their child's education. With concerns over the quality of education in public schools, many parents feel that more academics is better, and although they may STILL follow the interests of their children (as unschoolers do), they spend some time each day requiring the children to do each "subject". Some people homeschool because they live in rural areas, and the idea of traveling long distances to get their children to school each day is much more difficult than doing "school at home." Still others homeschool because the child has shown different learning abilities than his classmates, either a slower or faster learner, his needs weren't being met in the classroom. Some homeschool because their lifestyles simply don't accommodate attending regular classes. Perhaps the child has sun allergy, or the father (and or mother) works the graveyard shift, or mom (and or dad) work from home, or the "internal clock" of the child keeps them up until midnight each night. It's a common misconception that all homeschoolers are overprotective parents of wimpy children- I have met only one homeschooler in 4 years who has pulled their kids out of public school due to bullying or violence. The child was hospitalized for 3 days after a violent incident and the school refused to step in, citing "racial tension." I know a family whose sons are allergic to wheat, dairy, eggs, nuts and citric acid- they turn into wild animals whenever they eats these things. No school lunch can accommodate THAT sort of demand, and no teacher should be required to monitor such sensitivities.

Personally, One reason we decided to homeschool is because I love learning and life, and I want my children to share my enthusiasm. We constantly visit museums, galleries, state parks, and nature centers. We travel quite a bit as well. The world is our classroom. When we're home, We do worksheets and textbooks, although not on a time schedule, and not entirely against their will.

In addition to educational philosophies and each family's individual needs, the laws of each state play a part in how people homeschool. Some states have very stringent requirements regarding "time spent" engaging in "schoolwork." In our state, we must keep attendance sheets. It sounds ridiculous, but every month I must meet with the school district and sign a form stating she was "here." Most school districts across the country have independent study programs and charter schools. In California, we can send in a form declaring our home to be a private school, and we're still responsible for maintaining all their records and "attendance" forms. I have heard of states where nothing is required and states where the requirements are so stiff that people get discouraged and give up.

A quick internet search for your state's homeschool requirements is usually not that difficult, and along the way you will find much more information than I could fit here!

One resource we have found invaluable is the companionship and support of our homeschool "group." Many large churches offer similar groups, and a lot of charter schools will have some sort of PTKA (parent teacher kid association). There are support groups in EVERY state, sometimes finding them takes a bit of hunting! Ours meets weekly for field trips, park days and socializing (useful for moms as well as kids). In our group, all teaching and learning styles, all religious groups, everything is welcome. We were specifically looking for an inclusive group, but many parents prefer to stay in groups of their own religious preference or educational philosophy. There is room in the world for everyone, and homeschooled kids, regardless of their parents' motivation or "teaching style" consistently excel in academic pursuits.

There is no right or wrong way to homeschool, just as there is no right or wrong way to bake a chicken.

To visit the Global website for our local support group, and see if we have an affiliate chapter near you, please visit http://www.roserock.org