By Mimi Rothschild
I thought I would point your attention to a few different news stories today, each focusing on how homeschooling meets the needs of those with debilitating health conditions.
First, the HSLDA’s Staff Attorney Michael Donnelly assisted a family with circumventing their school district’s special needs assessment programs. This was no easy task, as public school officials have a hard time understanding that parents are capable of caring for mentally or physically handicapped children. The kids are now receiving a level of care far greater than what they were receiving in the public school.
Next, The Cary News reports about how homeschooling was the perfect solution for one food-allergic child. I thought I had it bad having to suffer through mystery meat and questional green bean casserole as a kid. Many are not as fortunate. Poor Joseph’s life-threatening food-allergies prevent him from partaking in much of what school cafeterias offer.
A third story in today’s Clarion Ledger chronicles the struggles of children who deal with asthma and other breathing difficulties. The home is a perfect place for these kids to stay healthy, as humidifiers and air filters keep the air clean and breathable.
There’s a good metaphor here. Homeschooling meets the unique needs of each child. But you don’t need to have a severe health condition to need special attention. Each and every child is different. Therefore the needs of each child vary in terms of personality, learning style, skills, physical abilities, emotional maturity, and more.
Homeschooling provides an answer for these families, not because it provides a safe bubble, but because it enables parents to personalize the educational environment according to the needs of each individual homeschooler.
Making a child attend public school is like going to a store that only offers one size. Sure, it’ll fit a few of the kids, but the majority of them will be left with an awkward fit. Wouldn’t you rather provide a tailor-made education for your child?
By Mimi Rothschild
I found a fascinating article in my newsfeed. It’s short, but it had me thinking all morning. WHAM-TV declares that homeschooling among grandparents is on the rise. Offering only one example to back this claim up didn’t do a lot to convince me that this is actually happening across the country. However, the idea piqued my interest.
If you think about it, the relationship makes perfect sense. Some grandparents have little to do during the day. They are often lonely and despondent, with their best years behind them. Most grandparents would jump for joy at the thought of spending more time with their grandchildren.
At the same time, a lot of parents forsake homeschooling for financial reasons. Both mom and dad have full time jobs. Therefore the educational needs of children are pushed to the back burner.
This innovative educational relationship seems wonderful to me. Grandma or grandpa get to spend more time with the kids, passing down wisdom and experience that can only come with age. Mom and Dad have more free time. The children are benefited by the opportunity to spend more time with their grandparents. This kind of relationship is a fantastic way for grandparents to share love and wisdom with their grandchildren. What better way to learn history than from those who have lived it?
On year I had my two oldest children meet with their grandparents for an entire day. Armed with tape recorders, they interviewed them about a variety of different topics such as the Depression, World War II, the birth of radio and television, and the experience of raising yours truly. Both the children and grandparents were enriched through this priceless interaction.
If you have grandparents who live nearby, I would encourage you to think of innovative ways to include them in your children’s homeschooling. You don’t have to hand over the entire year. Perhaps they could teach a single course or take them to a WWII museum for a field trip. If only for a day, grandparents have a lot to offer.
By Mimi Rothschild
Kudos to Amelia Wigton for today’s Ozark Newsstand article. The mainstream media is often quick to call out homeschooling. They play on people’s paranoia and ignorance while portraying homeschoolers as a wacky fringe group hunkering down in air-sealed bunkers for the oncoming nuclear apocalypse.
Not so with Wigton’s balanced piece. She clearly portrays the struggles homeschoolers have entering the infamous “real world” and also highlights the advantages homeschooling brings them when entering college.
“The education I received didn’t merely prepare me for the next academic level, but also instilled in me responsibility, moral values and a love of learning,” he said. “Academically, the transfer between homeschooling and college was smooth. I found no gaps in my education. Like everyone, I struggled in some areas more than others. However, even in the areas in which I struggled, the accountability and desire to learn provided by my homeschooling background, combined with the expertise of professors, helped me to improve quickly.”
Citing the “Homeschool Grows Up” survey, Wigton states that 92% of 5,000 homeschoolers polled affirmed that homeschooling has not only been a happy experience but has given them an edge over non-homeschooled students in in the post-graduate world.
This kind of exposure is vital for today’s thriving homeschool community and does a lot to bring legitimacy to our way of life. Thank you, Ms. Wigton, for not giving in to the temptation to resort to hack journalism. There’s no room for saucy headlines and paper tiger arguments against homeschoolers. Thank you for stating the facts instead of resorting to empty accusations.
By Mimi Rothschild
Those of you who keep up on homeschooling news will recognize that Germany has been particularly hostile to homeschool families over the course of the last few years. Although homeschooling is entirely legal in the EU, Germany lags behind with a Hitlerian law prohibiting students from learning at home.
“A Nazi-era law requiring all children to attend public school, to avoid “the emergence of parallel societies based on separate philosophical convictions” that could be taught by parents at home, apparently is triggering a Nazi-like response from police.”
Imagine that, a fascist government wanting to keep their citizenry within government-controlled schools to prevent independent, potentially subersive thought! It’s interesting to note that conservatives in America are often mislabled as fascists due to their status as right-wing. In reality, today’s liberals most closely resemble WWII fascists with big government, high taxes, and inefficient social programs.
The family was approached by police officers who forcibly removed the children from their home and escorted them to school. This report comes hot on the heels of other stories from Germany detailing the unfortunate discrimination against homeschoolers with hefty fines and even jail time. Most of these homeschoolers have attempted to circumvent public education due to their Christian faith. The German schools, not unlike their American counterparts, are full of godless teaching and immorality.
You can read the full story at World Net Daily.
By Mimi Rothschild
There are some questions that homeschoolers can never seem to get away from. The main reason is that people have the temptation to devolve into an hour-long debate rather than offering simple answers that cut to the quick. I’d like to share with you my personal fail-proof answers that will not only prevent drawn-out arguments of epic sociological import, but will help your detractors understand why you have chosen to homeschool. Here are the Big 3 questions I receive the most. I hope that you find the following information helpful.
Q. What about socialization?
A. Any readers of this blog should recognize this as a no-brainer. I think the best way to handle this one is to call attention to the fact that you don’t want your kids to be socialized to disobedience, rebellion, vulgarity, secular knowledge, and moral relativism. If that doesn’t work, try explaining that your kids get all the socialization they need in church groups, athletic organizations, and whatever activities in which your homeschoolers participate.
Q. What makes you think you can teach?
A. This question is somewhat understandable. After all, you don’t have a teaching degree. I’ve found that a good way to approach this question is by explaining that no one loves or cares for your child like you do. Sure, teachers are committed to their students, but they can’t meet every unique need of every child in the classroom. All kids have different learning styles and learning levels, how can we expect a mass-produced textbook education to triumph over a specialized home education? You can also point out the declining test scores of public school students, illustrating the widespread failure of well-educated teachers.
Q. Can a homeschooled child get into college?
A. Of course they can! Colleges are more accepting of homeschooled children than ever before. In fact, according to recent studies, colleges are actually beginning to seek out homeschoolers given their high performance on standardized tests and ability to learn autonomously. It’s just a different process.