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June 15, 2008 By Dana 14 Comments

Congratulations goes to Melody is Slurping Life for being the winner of this Power of a Praying Wife giveaway!

Ten ways for fathers to maintain their presence through physical separation

August 11, 2007 we got the phone call we were dreading. “This is BNSF crew management. You have been force assigned to Denver, Colorado…” My husband would be moving five hundred miles away for an unknown period of time while I stayed home alone with four children and all the responsibilities of running a household. “We are fortunate,” we told ourselves. Military families must make these sacrifices every day. We always knew that becoming a railroad family would bring with it a hectic schedule. In fact, flexibility was one of the original attractions homeschooling held for us because it allowed time to be with dad even when his home time did not coincide with traditional school hours.

The importance of fathers in the education of their children is well-documented. In a study published by the US Department of Education, for example, children living with both biological parents were far more likely to earn mostly A’s and far less likely to ever be suspended than their blended family or single parent family counterparts. Resting on an increasing body of research, the US Department of Health and Human Services published a handbook in 2006 for caseworkers to educate them in the importance of fathers to the family unit. For the most part, it tells Child Protective Service workers what most Christians have known for a long time: “Fathers have a powerful and positive impact upon the development and health of children.” After all, it was God who instructed fathers to bring their children up “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

While we understand the importance of fathers in the lives of our children, practical applications can be elusive, particularly if the father is called away from the home for extended periods due to work, ministry or the military. Lack of physical presence, however, does not have to mean a lack of a fatherly presence. With a combination of old-fashioned letter writing and the advantages offered by modern technology, it is possible for fathers to remain connected to their families despite periodic separation.

Send letters and postcards.

Communication is perhaps one of the most important foundations for a relationship. While modern technology gives us a great advantage in the ability to stay connected even at a distance, there is something about writing and receiving letters that helps families feel closer. When my husband is on the road, he sends the children post cards which they carry about until they are too worn to decipher. My four year old ask me to read them until he has them memorized. Not only do the children have the words of their father, but they have something physical to hold and to remind them of their father’s presence. Email can be a good means of communication as well, but even my eight year old does not get nearly as excited over these digital messages as she does over letters in the mail.

Leave a message in a bottle.

Fill a bottle or other container with brief notes of encouragement and instruction for each child. Allow the children to read one each day their father is gone. Children can then write their own note back to dad to be collected in a special container. This can be read later when he returns, or even be taken with him on his next trip.

Take pictures. Lots of pictures.

Children love to see where their father works. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to make a field trip to daddy’s office to allow them to see for themselves, but pictures make it possible for them to get an idea of where their father is and how important they are to him. Digital cameras and cell phones make this especially easy. Do not forget the seemingly mundane: the desk where you write your letters, your stash of letters and drawings from the children as well as any interesting spot you know your children would want to explore if they were there. If you have an extra camera, allow the children to take pictures from their day. These can be sent in an email or saved until the father returns.

Cell phones and Skype.

Telephones allow anyone to “reach out and touch someone.” Cell phones can add to the convenience and make possible multiple, brief calls throughout the day. If both parents have access to the Internet, Skype is a free service allowing PC to PC communication with voice and even video. The first time my husband called the children via Skype, they were so excited to see him on the monitor that there was really no conversation. They just kept waving and shouting, “I see Daddy! Hi, Daddy!”

Play games.

Play is a powerful means of connecting with children, and there are a number of games that can be played together even from far away. Battleship is perfect and, since it is played on a grid as well, even chess can be played over the phone. With Internet access, the possibilities are almost endless, allowing families to play digital versions of some of their favorite games as well as try out some new ones. Invent games together as well. Children can be encouraged to go on a scavenger hunt for memories to share with their father when he returns.

Give presents.

While my husband was in Kansas City and later in Denver, he bought each of the children a souvenir which now ranks among their favorite possessions. These small tokens of affection do not need to be purchased, however. Interesting rocks, a fallen leaf or a rubbing from a plaque all demonstrate that you
were thinking of your children and will likely become treasured additions to a collection. It is not about the monetary value of the gift and regularly splurging would likely spoil a child. Small tokens let a young child know they were thought of without letting the gift become the focus of the reunion.

Maintain discipline.

When the father is frequently away, home time is precious. It is easy to excuse misbehavior by thinking, “They are just excited,” or, “We have so little time. I don’t want to take it up with discipline issues.” This change in expectations between the time the father is home and the time he is away is stressful for children, however. In the long run, it will make home time less pleasant and more chaotic as children increasingly take advantage of lowered expectations. It is better to invest time early in discipline, even if it seems like the home time is “wasted” dealing with minor behavior problems. This will help the children transition more smoothly and make home time much more pleasant for everyone later.

Take advantage of home time.

Make sure to set aside time just for family without other distractions. Try to have some amount of time devoted to each child. This does not have to be extravagant. Once a month, my husband takes one child out for a special day. Normally, this just involves running errands together and maybe picking up lunch or a snack. Sometimes an entire day is not necessary or may even be too much for younger children. My four year old son is ecstatic when chosen to accompany his father on a quick trip to the hardware store. When asked to go along to pick up a gallon of milk from the local grocery story, my two year old asked, “Me? Just me?”

Do not forget about mom.

Parents make a number of sacrifices for their children. Unfortunately, it is common to even sacrifice each other. Time with the children can become such a priority that couples can forget how important their own time together is. The foundation of the Christian family is a right relationship with God and this is seen most practically by children in the relationship of their parents to one another.

Remain positive.

It is natural for children (and parents) to wish that the situation were different and that the father were able to spend more time at home. Help children to understand why the situation is the way it is. Fathers make tremendous sacrifices for Christ, for country and for their families by choosing professions which take them away from home. Let children know the good that is coming from these choices.

Sometimes, the hardest part is remembering that you are not alone. Our churches rightly put a strong emphasis on the importance of the father’s role in the home, but this can also leave families feeling like they are not doing enough when the father is called away frequently. While this situation might not necessarily be ideal, it can be overcome. I always think back to the example of John Adams, Founding Father and second President of the United States. When he and young Abigail married, they did not realize they would spend more time apart than together during their early years while John Adams was busy fathering a nation. Concerned that he was away during the formative years of young John Quincy Adams, he wrote many letters, emphasizing the importance of the time in which they lived and giving general direction as to the books his son should turn his attention to. Reading his letters reveals the devotion of a father committed to family, despite the greatness of events he is engaged in and the distance which separates them. They also reveal the developing character of his young son. At the age of ten, young Adams writes to his father,

Dear Sir

I Love to receive Letters very well much better than I love to write them, I make but a poor figure at Composition my head is much too fickle, my Thoughts are running after birds eggs play and trifles, till I get vexd with my Self, Mamma has a troublesome task to keep me Steady, and I own I am ashamed of myself….I wish sir you would give me Some instructions with regard to my time and advise me how to proportion my Studies and my Play, in writing and I will keep them by me and endeavour to follow them I am dear Sir with a present determination fo growing better yours,

John Quincy Adams

The exchange of letters which ensued certainly contributed no small influence in young John Quincy Adams to eventually follow in his father’s foot steps as the sixth President of the United States. His father’s presence was tangible, even from a great distance, because of the commitment his father made to remain involved despite inevitable periods of separation.

This article was originally published in Home School Enrichment.

One of the most important ways a wife can support her husband is through prayer. You can pray for his walk with God, his professional life, his relationship with his children, his protection and much much more. All of the gifts that we have offered this past week have been masculine-themed, however this one is for you, the devoted wife, and we believe it will benefit him more than all the other gifts combined. For there is nothing stronger than the power of prayer. Stormie O’Martian says, “Prayer is a way to invite God’s power into your husband’s life for his greatest blessing, which is ultimately yours too.”

We are thrilled to offer you the opportunity to win a copy of The Power of a Praying Wife. To enter this giveaway, simply leave us a comment.

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June 7, 2008 By Dana 12 Comments

On April 24, Ellison Research released the results of a study revealing America’s opinions regarding different educational options. At the bottom of the list, public schools did not fare well. Homeschooling, it seems, has begun to take its place among recognized and viable educational options.

Americans see home schooling in a slightly more positive light than they do public schools. The average rating for home schooling quality of education is 3.14, with 11% calling it excellent, 37% overall having a positive impression of it, and 25% having a negative impression of it. Ellison Research

This is much better than the national opinions reflected in a Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll released in 2001 in which 54% of respondents indicated that they believed homeschooling was “a bad thing for the nation.” National opinion, it seems, is moving in the right direction.

With more attention, however, may come more scrutiny. While the public may be more favorably disposed to homeschooling, they are also more aware of its existence. The old question “Is it legal?” is giving way to a general surprise at how few regulations there are in some states. As “SAD” responded in the comment section of the Lincoln Journal Star blog:

You must be kidding! There isn’t a program in placr [sic] for the Dept of Education to assure; measure; and monitor performance of children home schooled? That is neglecting the value of education and children. Maybe Dr. Christensen has been delinquent in due diligence. What have Raikes and the Education Committee been doing? Who is looking out for the children? Thank you DiAnna! Lincoln Journal Star blog

While we have had occasional, ongoing battles in our state legislatures which have largely been successful at preventing increased regulation, we have also benefited from the public’s general ignorance and assumption that the state was overseeing the process, that homeschools were being held to the same accountability measures as public schools, and that we did have regular meetings with someone with a certificate.

How do we best deal with this? In the Homeschoolers United forum,* the moderator asked an interesting question:

How does homeschooling benefit society?

Other than the occasional list of historic figures who were homeschooled, most of the defenses I have read focus on how homeschooling benefits us and our children. But is there an actual benefit to society, one which even those who would never choose to homeschool themselves might recognize as valuable? The moderator shared an interesting story of another homeschooler who had attended a presentation by Sally Reed, national President of Friends of the Library.

She said something interesting that I think applies to homeschooling as well as libraries. Her comment was that when we advocate we don’t necessarily want people to become library users but library supporters. She said she had her own epiphany in a Rotary Club meeting where the speaker was presenting info about the city’s bus system. She was expecting him to get up and tell about how many bus routes they had and how many people rode the bus and how efficient it was and that sort of thing. Instead he got up and spoke about how much the bus system was saving the city in terms of reduced traffic; how many more parking lots and street lanes they would have to add if all the people riding the buses started driving, environmental impact, etc.

I believe homeschooling has benefited society by the mere existence of a successful alternative to public education. Not only do involved parents have an alternative, but the presence of homeschooling in the national education debate forces people to consider what education really is and who should be in control of it, as well as some pretty fundamental questions about the role the government should play in the private sphere.

But I doubt the average citizen will jump aboard for those kinds of reasons. In what other ways has homeschooling benefited society?

*Note: The Homeschoolers United forum maintains a “repost freely” policy in order to promote discussion on topics relevant to homeschool advocacy.

Dana is a fourth year homeschooling mom to three girls and a boy. In her column, “In the News,” she will be taking a look at homeschoolers who have affected the news and news that affects homeschoolers. Visit her blog, Principled Discovery.

Would you like to win a copy of Home School Heroes by HSLDA Senior Counsel Christopher Klicka (Forward by Josh Harris)? Simply enter a comment on any TWO articles in the June Edition of Heart of the Matter.

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May 7, 2008 By Dana 8 Comments

When reading essays and opinions criticizing homeschooling, it does not take very long to be confronted by a number of analogies. Judicious use of analogy can be an effective means of communication. It makes difficult concepts easier to understand, makes writing more interesting and tends to be more persuasive than a simple statement of facts. In the case of the myriad homeschooling analogies, however, they generally serve to better demonstrate the author’s misconceptions about education than any specific ideas about the failings of homeschooling.

Jack Lessenberry of Michigan Radio, for example, appeals to a rather common analogy between doctors and teachers in his essay on homeschooling:

If I announced I was going to “home doctor” my family and take my son’s appendix out on the kitchen table, the cops would be there pretty fast. Educational malpractice should be illegal as well. Jack Lessenberry’s Essays and Interviews

Other than the fact that it presumably takes place at the kitchen table, there really is no similarity between “home doctoring” and “home schooling.” But since this analogy is fairly common, and the same mistakes are made in most of the analogies involving homeschooling, let’s take a closer look at the problems with this analogy.

Education is to medicine as philosophy is to science.

Education involves the development of the mind and the character. It is not something which is quantifiable or measurable. Asking for a description of an educated person is, by its very nature, the beginning of a philosophical discussion. The appendix, on the other hand, can be described in specific terms along with the common diseases associated with it. Its size, shape, color and position in the body are documented and you can even take pictures of it. While there are certainly close relationships between the mind and the body, it must also be appreciated that one is a philosophical concept while the other is physical. The reach for an analogy is perhaps natural since the concrete is easier to understand than the abstract, but when the concept itself exists only in the abstract, concrete representations cannot do it justice.

The mind is to the appendix as a thought is to an organ.

If a doctor makes a mistake, it cannot be so easily undone. When my husband had his appendectomy as a child, for example, the doctor nicked his bowel. Small mistake, but it caused a great deal of scarring. Eventually, several inches of his intestine had to be removed and the pyloric valve (the passage between the large and small intestines) had to be surgically reconstructed. Compare this to the proverbial “gaps” in knowledge it is feared homeschooling creates in children. We know that colleges are having to restructure their teaching to adapt to the “gaps” in knowledge public high schools are producing, but what does this demonstrate? These gaps can be filled in at a later date as needed.

The mind is not an organ like the appendix in Jack’s analogy. It needs “nourishment” but this idea of nourishment itself is an analogy. Unlike the body, it does not need specific vitamins, minerals, etc. found in a varied diet but instead needs stimulation. This stimulation can take on a variety of forms, unique to each individual. It takes more than a simple “gap” to actually damage the mind. Failing to adequately cover analytical geometry in high school does not harm a person any more than the work required to make up the knowledge in college assuming college is even the goal.

Homeschooling is to abuse as medicine is to malpractice.

“Educational malpractice”, as Jack calls it, is meant to conjure up images of quack doctors performing surgeries they are unqualified to perform with potentially fatal consequences. But what is malpractice?

mal·prac·tice (ml-prkts)n.

1. Improper or negligent treatment of a patient, as by a physician, resulting in injury, damage, or loss.

Because education involves the development of the mind and the character, educational malpractice would have to result in injury to the mind or character. We are not talking about

failing to read The Catcher in the Rye with the rest of the juniors in the state, nor even lacking laboratory science upon graduation. We are talking about abuse. Real abuse, not allegorical abuse conjured up by those who cannot imagine education occurring outside the confines of a brick building. It is extreme, causes lasting harm to the victims, and has nothing to do with homeschooling. Certainly there are those who abuse their children while claiming to be homeschooling. But then there are those who abuse other people’s children while claiming to be babysitters. “Homeschooling” has no more to do with abuse than “babysitting.”

As flawed as they typically are, these analogies can be difficult to refute because they do not rely on facts but in perceived relationships. Still, those used to present homeschooling as education at the hands of unqualified “amateurs” tend to falter on the same points. Consider Greg Laden’s comparison to getting a pilot’s license, or the technical expertise of home-repair considered by head custodian Dave Arnold. They seek to illustrate their objections to homeschooling, yet succeed only in illustrating their own misconceptions about the nature of education and its delicate relationship to the art of teaching. It reminds me of another analogy, adapted slightly:

An educrat’s rhetoric is like a light breeze in the forest. Weak trees bow before it, yet the strong hold their position.

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April 8, 2008 By Dana 5 Comments

Homeschooling as a matter of public discussion

The biggest homeschooling news of the past month has, without question, been the reactive mess resulting from the ruling of the California appeals court which said in re. Rachel L. that there was “no Constitutional right to homeschool.” I say reactive very intentionally, and without any intention of sensationalism, for this case truly has acted as a catalyst to the homeschooling debate, fueling an unprecedented amount of coverage and analysis. As Valerie Bonham Moon of Home Education Magazine noted,

…the number of reports is a story in itself. HEM

In the fallout, we see everyone’s fears regarding homeschooling in America. After World Net Daily reported on the ruling, at least 119 blogs offered commentary with titles like:

There is a distrust of the state which is particularly noticeable among homeschoolers, stemming from a history of the state proving itself to be untrustworthy. This ruling seemed to evoke all of that tension in a flurry of postings to blogs and forums.

And there was, of course, the other side as well.

The Daily Titan, a campus paper of the University of California at Fullerton, published an editorial leading off with a bit of inflammatory rhetoric:

Homeschooling advocates, headed mainly by Christian zealots, are calling for Gov. Schwarzenegger’s protection of their fundamental right to teach their children to be bigots and idiots. dailytitan.com

Two professors emeriti from Cal Poly Pomona wrote an editorial for the LA Times where they revealed an odd opinion of homeschoolers:

The court’s decision means that home schoolers must be given some substantive instruction in social studies and not simply spend their time watching Fox with its strange assortment of oddballs pontificating on current events. LA Times

And argued for the certification of all homeschool parents. (I have a full rebuttal to this editorial on my blog.)

Email boxes, forums, blogs, radio programs, television programs and newspapers (local, national and even international) have all featured ongoing coverage of this case, something which could likely have far more effect on homeschooling in the United States than this ruling, which has already been vacated as the court readies itself to rehear the case.

People are interested. People who do not normally think about homeschooling. And while many do support greater restrictions on us, few want to see it made totally illegal or isolated solely to those trained in accredited programs, perhaps because Americans still have just enough latent mistrust of government to question an education system dictated entirely by the state. And, because of the interest, newspapers may be more willing than usual to publish an editorial or ask you for an interview if contacted.

Stay informed. Stay involved. And your voice may be heard by more than you imagine. Every challenge can also be an opportunity, and we now have an opportunity like never before to engage the public in discussion about what homeschooling really means to the many families which have chosen this educational option.

If you have never written one, this is a good description of the structure and goals of an editorial.

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March 8, 2008 By Dana Leave a Comment

In Shadows of the Past: Nebraska homeschoolers stand together

Nebraska, 1982. Homeschooling fathers were arrested. Mothers fled the state with their children. Small unaccredited schools operating near the border had escape plans including how to get the children across state lines and where to meet parents in case the state were to raid the school. The Reverend Everett Sileven locked himself and members of his congregation in the Faith Baptist Church in Louisville and held a several day standoff with authorities. He was arrested; the church was padlocked. It wasn’t the first time, nor would it be the last.

Eventually, in 1984, a governor’s panel would determine that the Nebraska law requiring certified teachers even in private schools was probably unconstitutional. Sileven appealed his sentence which was overturned by federal judges who ruled the sheriff had acted unconstitutionally in the arrests of several people in the standoff with the church. The legislature drafted a new law allowing for the existence of “unaccredited private schools” which has come to be synonymous with homeschools in Nebraska.

As one of the last serving senators to have been in office since this time, Senator DiAnna Schimek has not forgotten the controversy, nor the turmoil it caused in the legislature. Nor has she forgotten what she thought the legislature was creating with the new law: unaccredited private schools, something the legislature thought would be overseen through testing and occasional visitation. The thought of homeschools as we know them today was not entertained.

This can all be seen in the current law, with its use of the term “unaccredited private school” and the provisions for testing and visitation for which the Board of Education may adopt rules. The reason testing and visitation has never been adopted is not because of the law itself, but because of the changing nature of unaccredited private schools in Nebraska. No longer are we talking about small parochial schools operated by uncertified teachers, but about parents educating their own children in their homes. The Nebraska Christian Home Educators Association (NCHEA) clarifies (emphasis added):

Student Testing/Standardized Tests: While Section 79-1601(2)-(5) gives the State Board of Education the option to adopt rules and regulations for regular achievement testing of students and visitation of schools, these would have to be arranged with the consent the parents. An opinion issued by Nebraska Attorney General Robert Spire dated July 30, 1987, stated testing of students and visitations must be applied uniformly to all private schools and their students and must be arranged with the consent of the parents. To date, the State Board of Education has chosen not to test or visit private schools. NCHEA

This isn’t quite what Senator Schimek had in mind back in the early 80′s as she debated the new law. To correct this, she introduced Legislative Bill 1141 which would require annual testing of all homeschooled children or the submission of portfolios or lesson plans combined with samples of student work. If a certified teacher did not determine the child was on grade level and had made at least six months progress, then the child would be forced to attend an accredited school. This would be a drastic step from current law, and would place stricter accountability measures on parents than on public or private schools.

The basis? According to Senator Schimek,

There is anecdotal evidence of homeschoolers running around during school hours with little to identify truancy.

Anecdotal evidence and fear of what might be able to occur in homeschools where parents are not held accountable to the state. Her introduction to the bill and closing remarks during the bill’s hearing by the Education Committee on February 26, 2008 reiterated many of the fears regarding homeschooling I hear in conversations with people who have never really had much experience with homeschoolers or view it only through their experience with accredited schools.

I just want to make sure there aren’t some homeschooled students out there who can’t live in the real world.

Fortunately for Nebraska homeschoolers, this is a shortened session. Even if this bill makes it out of committee, it would lack the priority status to be debated on the floor. And with 1300 homeschoolers turning out to the committee hearing (in a state with just under 6000 reported homeschools), an impression was certainly made.

______

Photo of the Warner Chamber, courtesy

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February 11, 2008 By The Amies 5 Comments

We would like to wish our wonderful Dana a very blessed birthday. Please stop by her blog at Principled Discovery and leave her a birthday comment.

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February 8, 2008 By Dana 1 Comment

Freedom Is Not A Gift; Fighting For Educational Liberty

While the nation focuses on the campaign trail leading up to who will be our next president, it is important to take some time to get to know the candidates who will be running for state offices. Whether they are local legislators, judges or candidates for the state Board of Education, these are the men and women who will have far greater effect on the liberties of homeschoolers than the next president. While bills introduced in the House and Senate do indicate that we are headed toward a national curriculum and a decreased ability for states to direct their own education systems, there has been very little that would directly effect home schools in the near future. At the local level, however, home schooling liberties continue to be challenged.

In Washington, D.C., for example, the decomposing bodies of four children were found when an eviction notice was served to their mother, Banita Jacks. D.C. has very liberal homeschooling laws, requiring only a letter of intent to withdraw a child from school. Jacks did not even do that much and fell through the cracks of the social services system despite multiple reports. The New York Times did not look at the failings of the social services system, nor at Jacks herself to assess blame for the deaths of these children. Instead, it noted the lack of supervision of home schools.

The lack of supervision of the home-schooling process, some experts say, may have made it easier last year for Ms. Jacks to withdraw her children from school and the prying eyes of teachers, social workers and other professionals who otherwise might have detected signs of abuse and neglect of the girls. Ne w York Times

While everyone who ever looked at Jacks’ file in D.C. is now at risk of losing his or her job, Mayor Adrian Fenty has also turned a regulatory eye on homeschooling.

He also vowed to establish a system to track children who are home-schooled or who move from school to school. After Jacks’s daughters were withdrawn from D.C. charter schools, she sent word through a school employee that she would home-school the girls. The Washington Post

This fear of what could happen in a family that is “outside the public eye” is not unique to the nation’s capital, nor does it appear only in the wake of horrific abuse cases. Here in my home state of Nebraska, we are fighting restrictive legislation which would require the Commissioner of Education to “approve” our homeschool curriculum while homeschoolers submit to a choice of testing or turning in our lesson plans and student work to ensure that we are meeting state standards and our children remain on grade level. If this is not achieved, children would be required to attend an accredited school. Senator Schimek, who introduced the bill, asks:

How do we know what’s happening in home schools? Lincoln Journal Sta r

A more important question to ask is this: Why do we so readily accept that the state has a right…a responsibility even…to oversee what happens in the family? As Senator Fulton said in a letter to a homeschool family,

Parents have the primary obligation and responsibility for the education of their children – NOT the State. This bill smacks of arrogance and makes an erroneous presumption that the State is of higher authority than the parent.

Mississippi homeschoolers are fighting similar legislation with Senate Bill 2271, requiring the establishment of “student testing proficiency standards for promotion to grade levels for students in home instruction programs which are equivalent to requirements applicable to public school students.” Life on the Planet, a Mississippi homeschooler, has reported that the bill was killed in committee. And this comes a little less than a year after the defeat of another measure introduced in Mississippi to further regulate homeschoolers, marking the importance of staying informed about what is happening in local affairs.

Even bills which do not appear to directly relate to homeschooling can have an effect. In Wisconsin, virtual charters are suffering due to a lack of distinction from homeschooling. Back in December, an appeals court ordered the state to stop funding the state’s largest virtual charter.

The court found parents were the primary educators — a violation of a state law requiring public school teachers to be licensed. And districts who operate schools cannot receive taxpayer money for students who do not attend school within their boundaries under current law, the court said. TMJ4

Legislation is being drafted to save the virtual charters, and keep this option open to the citizens of Wisconsin. However, this debate is not without its consequences for homeschoolers. The Wisconsin Parents Association is keeping a close watch on the debate, and the National Charter School Watch Blog also shares thoughts on the importance of maintaining a distinction between government school at home programs and homeschooling.

While homeschooling enjoys broader acceptance and the support of many legislators at the national and local level, some of the most powerful voices in education remain opposed to this educational option. The general public also is increasingly accepting of homeschooling, but remains suspicious of the possibility of children not being educated properly outside of state oversight. The most important battles for education freedom will likely not be fought on a national level, but on a very local one, through public dialog and remaining aware of the stances of our local politicians.

“Freedom is not a gift received from the State or leader, but a possession to be won every day by the effort of each and the union of all.”
–Albert Camus,
Resistance, Rebellion and Death, 1961

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January 9, 2008 By Dana 1 Comment

Of Public Education, Politics and Homeschoolers

Kristin Maguire took her seat on the South Carolina Board of Education in 2000 after being elected by local legislators and was reappointed by the governor in 2004. She was voted chairwoman-elect in December, a position that likely would have not gained so much attention were it not for the fact that she homeschools her own children. State Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler said of the election,

Having Kristin Maguire chair the State Board of Education is akin to Dick Cheney teaching a gun safety course. What does a woman who home schools her four children know about South Carolina public schools? aikenstandard.com

Criticism seems to be focused on a perceived inability of a homeschooler to “support public schools.” It was her commitment to her position on the Board, however, that seemed to draw support from those who nominated her above Trip Dubard, the man recommended by the Board’s nominating committee.

Board member Rick Adkins, of Anderson, said he voted for Maguire because she is so well prepared to discuss agenda items at the board’s monthly meetings. He credited her with successfully pushing the board to approve more stringent math standards that require third graders learn their multiplication tables to 12, rather than to nine. “That hit me personally,” said Adkins, the father of third-grade twins. “Her personal views and what she does with her children is her choice.” Ibid.

The selection of a homeschooling mother to lead the South Carolina Board of Education is interesting for more reasons than the discussion about what role homeschoolers should take with regards to public education. The first governor to appoint a homeschooler to a state Board of Education appears to have been Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, a nomination which figures strongly into HSLDA-PAC’s endorsement of him as a presidential candidate.

Mike Huckabee, as governor, was the first to appoint a homeschooler to the Arkansas State Board of Education, and to our knowledge the first to do so in any state. He is adamantly opposed to the United Nations Convention on the Rigths of the Child and is committed to stopping the erosion of parental rights. He is pro-life. He supports traditional marriage. He believes that the Internal Revenue Service should be abolished and replaced with the Fair Tax–a move that we strongly support because it would greatly benefit homeschooling families. He believes and is willing to say that Islamic extremism needs to be understood as a theologically driven threat. He believes that our borders must be secured not only from illegal immigration but from the growing trend among American judges of “illegally importing” international law into our American judicial systems. HSLDAPAC.org

This endorsement has been received with both approval and consternation among homeschoolers. It drew homeschool advocate and popular blogger Karen Braun (Spunky) out of blogging retirement specifically to question Huckabee’s stance on education issues. The first in her series of postings looks at Arkansas’ “unique distinction of becoming the first state in the nation to add restrictions to its existing home school law,” as it is described by the HSLDA Court Report. One Mom, a homeschooling mother supporting Mike Huckabee, presents a “rest of the story” sort of post after a conference call with Huckabee in which she was able to ask him specifically about this law.

While the endorsement may be controversial among homeschoolers, even conservative Christian homeschoolers, it has been attributed to Huckabee’s rise in the polls from almost a complete unknown two months ago to the winner of the Iowa’s caucus. And this despite being outspent by former front-runner Mitt Romney who has spent three times Huckabee’s entire campaign budget thus far on television advertising alone.

Huckabee’s name is no longer a mystery to Iowa’s Republican voters, in large part because of an extensive network of home-schoolers like Roe who have helped lift his underfunded campaign from obscurity to the front of a crowded field. Opinion polls show that his haphazard approach is trumping the studied strategy of Mitt Romney, who invested millions only to be shunned by many religious conservatives such as Roe, who see the former Baptist preacher from Hope, Ark., as their champion. The Washington Post

While much of the reporting has presented a stereotyped view of homeschoolers, the ability of a few impassioned homeschoolers to affect Huckabee’s campaign so dramatically is a testament to their resourcefulness, creativity and organization.

Twin teenage boys from Oregon wrote a letter which got to Chuck Norris, prompting him to take a closer look at Huckabee and influencing his endorsement and the production of a successful campaign ad. Julie Roe, a homeschooling mother from Iowa launched her own campaign for Huckabee without the benefits of buttons, professional signage or glossy literature. Instead, she got out her paper and scissors as well as emails to her homeschooling group to craft her own campaign. While homeschoolers are far from unified on support for any candidate, the organization coming behind Huckabee is impressive.

“I would say it’s an informal network. It’s not a secret database somewhere we all go to,” said DeSaulniers, whose wife Diane teaches their children. “It’s regular, ongoing relationships.” Des Moine Register

It is the same kind of person-to-person, private organization that has helped liberalize homeschooling laws across the nation, protecting the rights of parents to direct the education of their children. It is this kind of grassroots activity that made Arkansas’ step backwards in homeschool freedom an anomaly in state politics, despite powerful and respected foes such as the National Education Association (pdf), the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Who ever could have guessed that placing a homeschooler on the Board of Education could have such far-reaching consequences?

Dana is a fourth year homeschooling mom to three girls and a boy. In her column, “Homeschool, In the News,” she will be taking a look at homeschoolers who have affected the news and news that affects homeschoolers. Visit her blog, Principled Discovery.

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December 1, 2007 By The Amies Leave a Comment

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November 16, 2007 By The Amies Leave a Comment

Amy B.

For Reference:
Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach
What Your Child Needs to Know When

For Bible Studies:
Bible Study Guide for All Ages
Josh McDowell’s Family Devotions 2
The Narrated Bible
Josh McDowell True or False Workbooks

The Basics:
Konos Orderliness and Obedience
Sequential Spelling
Prima Latina
Saxon Math 4
Singapore Math(Primary Math)
Easy Grammar

For Supplements:

Our Nation Under God
Mystery of History
Apologia Elementary
Answers In Genesis God’s Design For… Series
Spotlight on America: The Lewis and Clark Expedition
World Almanac Library of the States: Louisiana
With Art in Mind
Gee Art (online)

Amy S.

The Basics:
Phonics Pathways
Little Angel Readers
Spelling Workout
First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind
Math U See
Story of the World
The Story Atlas of the Bible
Little Boys Bible Storybook for Fathers and Sons
Trivium Academy’s Life Sciences

Supplements:
Kingfisher First Human Body Encyclopedia
History Through the Ages Timeline Figures
Lots of literature to correspond with history and science
Latin exposure through listening to the Bible in Latin
Magic School Bus books and DVD’s
Popular Mechanics for Kids DVD’s
Science Arts
Art
Piano lessons through the local children’s performing arts center
Chess practice with Fritz and Chesster

Dana (Principle Approach)

Singapore Math
Bible

Darnelle

Saxon Math for 1st grade through Calculus
Easy Grammar
Sequential Spelling
A Beka Science
Rosetta Stone – Spanish

Dianne

Konos
LifePac Math
SOS Math
Word Roots – Latin
Instant Immersion Italian
Wisdom unit from the Heart of Wisdom

Heather H

Math U See
Easy Grammar
Spelling Power
Diana Waring History
Encyclopedia In The Classroom

Kristine

Veritas Press for history and Bible
Shurley English
Saxon
Memoria Press Latin
Apologia Science
Vocabulary from ClassicalRoots -reading, handwriting, as well as various other things from their catalog.
Rosetta Stone
Courtship Series
Saxon phonics
Fallacy Detective
Westminster Catechism
A Reason for Writing
Visual Manna
Orton Gillingham Language tune-up
Sequential Spelling
Straight Talk speech therapy
Audiblox
Covenant Home curriculum and auditing service

Lisa

Tapestry of Grace for History, literature, some writing, geography and church history/worldview
Happy Scribe
Wonders of Old
History Scholar
Apologia Biology
Apologia Creation with Astronomy
Apologia Zoology
Math Saxon 65
Teaching Textbooks
Explorer’s Bible Study
Easy Spanish
La Clase Divertida
Analytical Grammar
United Streaming

Lori

Calvert curriculum – core
Rosetta Stone
Veritas Press – supplements History and Bible
Polished Cornerstones – Plants Grown Up
Heart of Wisdom
Purposeful Design
Art History Curriculum

MandyMom

We dont use any specific curriculum. Sometimes I stumble upon some really cool workbooks at the dollar store, and I pick them up, but we prefer to use real life curriculum, meaning- we use experiences to teach the children (cooking, museums, etc). Of course, as they get older, we might have to reassess. I make a lot of our “curriculum” as well… when they want to work on letters, we get out construction paper and have a little fun.

Marsha

Math U See
WinterPromise American Story 1
WinterPromise Language Arts 1 & 3 (coincides with AS1)
Getty & Dubay Italic Handwriting
God’s Design for Life: The Human Body by Answers in Genesis
Artistic Pursuits Book 1

And for my 3yo, Before Five in a Row

Rachel

Before Five in a Row
Homeschoolshare
Letteroftheweek

Supplements:
Educational programming — Word World, Between the Lions and Super Why
Little Einsteins
Music and Art appreciation
United Streaming
Letter Factory DVD
Books and videos from the library

Randi

Tapestry of Grace for history and language
Apologia Science
Daily Grams
Fallacy Detective
Saxon Math
Rod and Staff math – elementary grades
MCP phonics
A Beka readers
A Reason for Writing