Choices. We all love them! Home education is a wonderful choice from the educational options available, but it is also extremely diverse within itself, within each state, within each family and even in any given season. The flexibility and diversity can be both beautiful and overwhelming! The rise of options within other educational choices can add to the confusion.
Our first year home educating, my husband and I attended a state convention complete with a stadium of curriculum vendors. Armed with curiosity and determination, despite being gripped by fear at the sight of the sea of people and media, we meandered through the vendor hall. I had hoped to make a decision, buy our curriculum for the year and start our homeschool journey with a clear direction of what best works for our family. Instead, I left with nothing except a couple of cool toys for our sons and a great deal of insight into the choices actually available to homeschoolers.
Fast forward 10 years and I have seen those choices explode at an exponential rate! If you add nation wide acceptance of home education, the internet and tech savvy families, public schools expanding their means and method of offering services, schools both public, charter and private competing for students and dollars, and families who want to navigate their own path, the sum is overwheming choice. We cannot possibly keep up!
If you are like me, you might be trying to orient yourself to your family's changing needs. If you are new to homeschooling, you might be trying to get your bearings and not sure what it all means. Maybe you are just looking to see what is available to you. Nonetheless, you are here so let's begin with clarification of which choices we have in education today.
Educational Choices:
1) Public school aka government school
Depending on the state, your choices in education may be broad or narrow, but you likely have some choice if you are in the United States. In North Carolina, we have traditional
public school, early college and alternative schools as well as a range of class levels for high school within that setting. New this year is
NC Connections Academy, a great new choice,in public school education. It is set up as a virtual charter school yet students login from home to 'attend' class. The public schools have had distance learning options for some schools and students within NC for several years, available to those who attend their local public school and accessible from the school itself. NC Connections Academy may be revolutionary because while not homeschooling as defined by law, it is indeed a home based education choice for families.
2) Private school aka tuition based schools
Most areas do indeed have
private schools. They may be religious schools, church based, classical or subject focused. However, one common thread is the tuition associated with the school. Private schools are a great choice in education but may be difficult to afford by many families and some may have requirements for enrollment that prevent some students from entering. This is another great option in education as it allows more autonomy in the administration of the school as well as the opportunity for more parental involvement.
3)Homeschooling aka private home education
In North Carolina, home schoolers are PRIVATE schools! The parents are the administrators of independent private schools. It varies from state to state how home schools are governed, but many states give the seat of authority to parents for homeschooling. This is an important concept when weighing choices in your child's education vs choices in homeschooling. The seat of authority or administration determines your schedule, responsibility, curriculum, course of study and requirements. While many are led to believe that homeschooling simply implies the location of education (e.g., home), it actually implies much more legally. Besides, who is staying home all the time for homeschooling now anyhow? The world is the classroom when you home school and I hope you are taking advantage of that!
The blurring of lines between homeschooling, private school enrichment classes and home based public education has been something worth considering. at least in North Carolina, and the it is wise to understand what you want for your children and family when evaluating the various choices available to you regarding their education. Our state support organization, North Carolinians for Home Education (
NCHE) recently published an excellent article to help discern the lines between some of these choices. (
Click here for article)
So, what is it you want for your kids? Which educational choice is the best fit for your family?
If you said, home schooling, then keep on reading!
Choices in Home Education:
If you have chosen the path of home education, then the choices become astronomical.
Educational method: Are you structured or laid back? Want a blend of both? Do you want school at home or no defined school spaces? You can be an unschooler, eclectic homeschooler, use unit studies, classical method, Charlotte Mason, Montesorri, school at home, mulitple intelligences and more. You don't have to decide which path to choose but it is helpful to read about the different styles and see how you and your children naturally fit. For example, we like classical education in theory but tend to be more eclectic in our administration of school. Read more about homeschool approach
here.
Materials and resources: Books, DVD, distance learning, paid services, free services, new book vendors, used book vendors, and more await you in choosing what materials you will use. Thankfully, many reviews exist on these materials. You can read real life reviews on amazon.com of many of these resources, join Facebook groups with other homeschoolers to ask around or email the other parents in your local support group to get their opinion. One resource I love for filtering through it all and to keep with what's available is
Cathy Duffy Homeschool Curriculum Reviews. You can find her work
online and you'll find descriptions, ratings, links to purchase, cost comparisons, and more.
Groups and support: In North Carolina, you can homeschool independently but there are also many support
groups and co-ops available across the state. You can belong to virtual groups for support from other mom's through social media. You can follow homeschool pages online or subscribe to publications such as
Practical Homeschooling. There may be seasons you need to be part of a group and seasons of needing to be independent. The ebb and flow of life continues through our homeschool years and the choices change as we all grow and change. Walking in community is a Godly concept and one that is wisely applied in the groups we find ourselves a part.
The choices we have are remarkable. The freedoms hard fought and treasured dearly. May God supply all your needs in your journey of educating your children and may we thank Him daily for the freedom to homeschool!
*Look for an article about free homeschool resources to be posted soon!*
