Make Your Kid A Genius!
How to Awaken Your Child's Innate Intelligence
| October 2002 |
Issue
#10
|
Irene Helen Zundel, Editor, artwhiz@greenepa.net
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IN THIS ISSUE
Feature Article: The Benefits of Homeschooling
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The Benefits of Homeschooling
by Irene Helen Zundel
Homeschooling is presently a national phenomenon gaining ever-increasing acceptance, and even praise and respect. It is estimated that four percent of the nation's children are home taught (roughly 1.5 million students) and the numbers are increasing in some areas of the country as much as 15% annually. Why? Because homeschooling provides children with an equal or better education than can be found in our nation's schools, with excellent side benefits as well:
Let's consider a few facts from recent (1998-1999) studies:
Homeschoolers go on to college as often as traditionally schooled children. Presently, they are accepted at over 1,000 colleges and universities in five countries---including, Harvard, Yale, and Stanford University!
They score higher on national college entrance exams than their public school peers. The average SAT score for a homeschooler is 1083 (67 points higher than the national average!) On ACTs homeschoolers have an average score of 22.7, while public school kids score a 21.
They outperform, by far, public school children in standardized achievement tests. A 1998 study conducted by Maryland statistician Lawrence Rudner showed that homeschoolers scored substantially higher in every subject, at every grade level. By eighth grade they were academically four grades ahead of their publicly educated peers.
By the way, Mr. Rudner, by his own admission, was shocked at the results of his study. His preconceived notion was that homeschoolers were a fringe element, isolated from society, and given sub-standard schooling by their parents. He has greatly modified his opinions since!
Critics of homeschooling often retort that home taught children must be reclusive geeks, and lack opportunities to become properly "socialized". This is a myth that has been disproved. Studies show that homeschoolers participate just as often in church activities, scouting, clubs such as 4-H, and sports like Little League, as often as their publicly educated counterparts.
More people are realizing that home taught children are socialized with far less risk and in a more emotionally secure environment. They don't need to worry about drug dealers, gangs, and mentally unstable classmates gunning down their friends and teachers in Columbine style rampages. They feel less peer pressure to follow popular trends. And they do not become latch key children, whom statistics prove are more likely to try drugs, alcohol, and premarital sex.
Why is it that homeschoolers learn so well?
They study in a less stressful environment.
They enjoy a far smaller student-teacher ratio.
They often have a curriculum that they helped design, and that reflects some of their interests, so they have a greater enjoyment and higher satisfaction in learning.
They have the luxury of spending longer on trouble areas, and accelerating their learning speed in easier courses, so they learn with less frustration and greater retention.
Parents can tailor their teaching methods to reflect their child's personal learning style, strengths, and talents thereby increasing their chances for academic success.
Is it difficult to homeschool?
Yes and no! Requirements that homeschooling families have to meet, vary from state to state. In PA where I reside, the National Education Association has a very strong lobby, and school districts tend to be stringent in their enforcement of the many rules they impose. Some states, such as Mississippi, are very lenient.
My personal experience is this:
Prior to the school year, I have to submit to the Superintendent an academic plan and list of courses I intend to teach, along with what books and other resources I plan to use. (I generally devise my own curriculum and buy my own books and supplies, but I can borrow the school's textbooks if I wish). I must submit an affidavit stating I have no criminal convictions related to certain crimes, nor is any adult residing in my home with access to my child so convicted. I must also agree to certain medical and dental exams and vaccinations, or claim exemption due to religious belief.
During the school year I must provide 900-950 hours of instruction (depending on grade level) spread over 180 days. I must teach a prescribed amount of English and composition, mathematics, science, social studies, history, health, physical education, and continuing fire prevention education. I must keep an accurate log of all daily activities, and samples of assignments and tests, graded according to the district's scoring standards.
At the end of each academic year, I must submit a portfolio containing my log, assignments, tests, and extra-curricular activities to a licensed psychologist or licensed and certified teacher in good standing for evaluation. They must agree that I have accomplished my said academic goals for my child, and that he presently is learning at or above his grade level. In third, fifth, and eighth grades, I must have administered to my child a standardized achievement test by a licensed teacher or psychologist.
I must annually meet with the Superintendent and bring with me my child's portfolio and evaluation, and my child if possible, for an interview. It is his final determination whether my child will be promoted to the next grade and I are authorized to home school for another academic year.
I generally give David the summer off. Sometimes he takes on special projects like learning website design, or works on drawing and animating his own video game. I spend the summer reading all his books and planning his classes. This past summer I quipped to friends that at 43 I must surely be the world's oldest tenth grader! I had to exercise my gray matter re-learning physics and geometry. I am pleased to report I suffered no nervous breakdown, nor did I take handfuls of aspirin...but I did experience a few days where I felt I had brain drain!
Is it worth all the effort? You bet! Homeschooling has been a positive experience for us both, and my son wouldn't change is educational experience for public or private school for love nor money!
Here are a few of the many reasons why David prefers homeschooling:
No homework!
Mom doesn't believe in it, and in homeschool, it really isn't necessary. By the end of the day I already know how well he has grasped the subject material. If he knows it well, practice would be redundant. If he needs a little more work, we will give it our attention the following day. We don't move on in a subject until everything in a section is mastered. When the material is truly learned it is learned forever and he has no weaknesses or problems later down the road. We follow a disciplined approach to learning, but not a regimented one.
We are not a slave to a schedule or a clock!
David rises when he feels rested, has a good breakfast, makes his bed, and does his personal grooming before he starts school. If he is ill or slept poorly the night before, we will take the day off, and make it up later on in the week. This way he is learning at a physically and mentally optimal state and we always manage to accomplish our school goals for that day.
He is allowed to do his classes in whatever order he likes and without a time limit on any class.
He works from a general outline of what I want him to accomplish for the week in each subject. I find this very effective for a number of reasons. First, he is interested in learning the material he tackles that day because he selected it. I don't need to cajole him to do his work, and we have no problem with negative attitude. Second, he can study as long as his interest is sustained. He doesn't have to stop his brain and move onto another subject, just because a bell rings, or a clock says it is time to do so. Sometimes he will spend half the day or the whole day doing a project or reading and researching for one class. This is learning by "immersion" and it is a great way to master a subject! Third, it makes his learning inner-directed, and not imposed from the outside. David finds this a more enjoyable way to learn. It is rather like letting a hound follow a scent all the way to the end of a trail, instead of calling him back half way through a hunt! ;-) Finally, it makes him learn and work without constant supervision, and yet accomplish the task that was planned. When he gets a job in the real world, this ability will be a plus for him.
He is allowed intellectual curiosity and freedom when he learns:
We DO NOT believe in the public school method of read, memorize, regurgitate the "facts" on a test and move on. For example, from age two through sixth grade, David had an intense interest in dinosaurs. He had visions of a career in paleontology. He was intrigued by two controversial questions floating around at that time. "Are dinosaurs reptiles, or are they more biologically related to birds?" and "Is it possible that Tyrannosaurus Rex was a scavenger, not a predator like traditional opinion suggests?" We tailored his science curriculum that year to answer those questions. He studied for three months the biology of reptiles, another three months the biology of birds, and the last three months about T-Rex, and different dinosaurs that were predators and ones that were scavengers. At the end of the year, he wrote an extensive paper with his findings and gave his reasons for the opinions that he formed. With regard to T-Rex, he felt he was a scavenger. He formed that opinion because of the structure of his jaw, the size, shape, and number of his teeth, the speed at which he was known to run, the length of his very short forearms etc...
In public school, textbooks declare T- Rex to be a predator. On a test, if the question were asked "Is he a predator or a scavenger?" the "correct" response would be predator. David's response of scavenger would be marked "wrong." But is it?
Dr. Phil Curry, noted paleontologist at the prestigious Royal Tyrell Museum in Alberta, Canada, shares David's views. We went to the museum for a field trip in hopes of meeting him, and to check out their wonderful work as well. If my son holds an unorthodox opinion, but can justify it through facts and research, should he be called wrong? I don't think so! Remember, Galileo was branded a heretic for his opinion that the world was round, and now we all accept it as a scientific fact!
Is reading a textbook, memorizing their data, and marking an answer on a test real learning? Or did David truly learn and learn more by his approach to studying and answering the questions he was interested in finding out?
That is one of the beauties of homeschooling. Learning is motivated by the heart, and the pursuit of information can be intense and pleasurable. It furthers a love of learning and fosters the ability to seek out information on one's own. It also helps children to independently form their own views, and broadens their intellectual horizons. They acquire an ability to "think outside the box."
I would encourage you to find out about homeschooling requirements in your own state, and to consider trying it for yourself! Listed below are some resources to facilitate your search:
Homeschooling Websites:
Hopeful Homeschooling...A Light At The End Of The Tunnel
an extensive site of every conceivable sort of homeschooling link. It has websites for homeschoolers of various faiths(Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Pagan, or Secular) correspondence and umbrella schools, sources for curriculum and standardized testing materials, organizations grouped by country, personal websites made by homeschoolers, e mail lists to join, and a lot of neat education, homeschooling, and learning webrings.
http://w.webring.com/hub?ring=hesn
Home Education Special Needs webring
The Home Education Magazine website.
A good source of information for beginners and seasoned homeschoolers alike. It includes legal issues, sources for curriculum, and much more practical advice.
School is dead, learn in freedom! One of my favorite homeschooling/unschooling websites. Lots of thought-provoking material.
www.montessori.edu/homeschooling.html
A website for homeschooling via the Montessori method from ages 3-18. It includes free Montessori E-books, Montessori educational products, and a list of related homeschooling groups.
Your virtual homeschool! Contains online courses and curriculum, message boards, support groups, a newsletter, and much more.
Helpful Books:
The Right Choice: Homeschooling (Christopher J. Klicka, Noble Publishers, 1995)
The Big Book of Home Learning (Mary Pride, Alpha Omega Publishers, 2000.
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Irene Helen Zundel
Freelance Writer
©2002 Irene Helen Zündel