The View from Homeschool
By Sarah Ford | Special to The Sun
During the 15 years I homeschooled my three children in Sonoma, we sometimes got curious looks as we were out and about on weekdays. “Home sick?” people might ask, taking a step back. Or, with a wink, “Playing hooky?” Understandably, they assumed that all kids are in school every day.
In fact, a growing number of local families are choosing to homeschool, for a variety of reasons, such as poor fit with a teacher or school, a preference for more flexibility, or a desire to travel or pursue a special interest. There are many pedagogical approaches, from following a packaged curriculum, to creating your own learning experiences and fostering child-led learning. There are online schools and homeschool charters, or you can create your own private school by filing an affidavit with the CA Department of Education.
Chances are you see homeschoolers around town, at the playground, and at the library, without realizing it. There are homeschooled kids on recreational sports teams, in art and performing arts classes, in summer camps, and doing volunteer activities.
This will serve as a little primer on homeschooling for those who are curious about what they actually do and how they do it. While not every family can or wants to homeschool, there are appealing aspects that can be adapted at home or in the classroom.
Certain questions regularly come up when people meet a homeschooling parent. One is: how do you know your kids are actually learning? Let’s remember that before the advent of widespread standardized tests, teachers managed to observe their students and assess where they were in various areas. Homeschooled kids wind up learning everything they need to, just not necessarily in the order schools follow, and not necessarily on the same timeline. In fact, they often learn particular topics or skills in great depth, thanks to schedules that allow hours of uninterrupted focus. Allowing kids to learn at their own pace, and to do so without grades and tests, are some of the most refreshing aspects of homeschooling. Learning from everyday life is another. When learning is fun and meaningful, it tends to stick.
Another common question is, can homeschool kids go to college? Absolutely, if they so choose. Some colleges and universities even have designated homeschool admissions officers, and the widely used Common App has a Homeschool Supplement. The transcript I created for my oldest, a college senior, had descriptions of the work he did on his own, including books he had read, as well as transcripts from places where he had taken classes—Soloquest, Stanford Online High School, and Napa Valley College. Many colleges look favorably on homeschooled applicants because of their self-direction. And because homeschoolers often teach themselves, they tend to have confidence in their ability to learn whatever they want to.
Finally, the biggest concern most people express about homeschooling is what we call “the S question,” socialization. When people asked me, “Aren’t you concerned about it?” I’d say, “Sure, that’s why I homeschool.” In other words, when you plunk a large group of same-age peers together in a classroom, and create competition in the form of grades, testing, GPAs, and class rank, along with a system of punishments and rewards that aim to keep kids in line, the growth of cliques and bullying aren’t all that surprising.
I view healthy socialization, which can happen in or out of school, as mixing with kids of all ages, having opportunities to be a leader and follower, and interacting with adults. It also means volunteering and being part of the fabric of the community. If kids spend all day in school, then do sports or extracurriculars, then tackle homework, there is often less opportunity for community involvement.
One local homeschool group, which is part of the Sonoma County Homeschoolers Nonprofit (SCHN), meets weekly at the Plaza, and sometimes at Divewalk Café for Open Mic, public events that have drawn students from the high school. The homeschool mom who organized the Divewalk events hoped to start creating more connections between homeschool kids and their peers in school. I have that same hope — to bridge the gap between homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers, and increase mutual understanding, to the benefit of both.
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The state of California offers one of the best varieties of opportunities for parents to provide independent learning to their children. Don’t be afraid to try something different there is plenty of support available. For Christian homeschool families there is a large group that meets every Friday at Rohnet Park at the Faith Community Church for classes and social group activities. As a homeschool mother to 4 children I have found this group to be a wonderful, caring inclusive group for my children. All ages welcome.