Home Schooling Is Hopping In Highland

Homeschooling has really grown in Highland over the past few years. There is no way to know the exact number of children who learn at home, but estimates are about several hundred homeschoolers currently in the Huron Valley area.

These local children are part of an estimated 2 million children being taught at home across the United States. The number of families choosing to homeschool grows at an estimated rate of 7-15 percent per year.

While homeschoolers used to be viewed as odd and anti-social, those who are connected to the movement know that the majority of homeschooled children absolutely thrive socially, physically, spiritually, and academically.

As homeschooling becomes more popular, there are more and more choices for homeschooling groups and activities in Highland. Below is a picture of some Highland area homeschoolers after competing in a Geography Bee sponsored by Holy Spirit Home School Group in Highland. This is the group my family belongs to, and we have grown from 3 to 30 families over the past five years.

The amount of information and research available on home schooling is overwhelming, but I will try to answer a few of the most common questions people have. I am not an expert, but can tell you about my own experience, as well as give you information regarding some groups and activities in the area.
 

NOTE: "homeschool" is now officially recognized as one word, whereas in the past was the only grammatically correct option was to use two separate words.

Why do people home school?

The reasons are as varied as the families and the children within those families. In a web poll taken by 989 respondents, 49% said religious conviction is the main reason they homeschool; 15% positive social environment; 14% academic excellence; 12% specific needs of child; 5% curriculum choice; and 5% flexibility.

Most families, including my own, homeschool for a combination of these reasons. We especially love the flexibility. For example, when I homeschooled both of my kids, we were able to take cross country trips off season to visit many of my relatives.

Home schooling may not be for all families, but it is an excellent option in many cases. I homeschooled both of my children for several years, but we evaluate all of our options each year. Currently my daughter Elizabeth is going into 7th grade at St. Pat’s in White Lake, but I continue to homeschool my son, who is now going into 8th grade. Steven loves homeschooling, and literally thrives in every area.

What are the laws? Do I have to be a certified teacher?

In the past several years, Michigan’s laws have become some of the more flexible laws in the nation.

In Michigan, there is no requirement for attendance, recordkeeping, testing, teacher qualifications or notice to the state. The only requirements are that you must teach your own children, and you must teach reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar.

If you want to teach other people’s children in your home, there are significantly more requirements. All of these laws are outlined on http://www.hslda.org, which is the Home School Legal Defense Association, a group of lawyers that specialize in homeschooling laws.

Michigan laws are flexible because many families have fought for homeschool freedoms in court. Courts have ruled that parents, and not the state, have the primary responsibility and authority to educate their children.

Academic Excellence

How do I know my kids will learn, and can they still get into college?

For starters, percentage-wise, homeschoolers receive about ten times as many academic scholarships as children from traditional schools. Also, you’ve probably noticed that many homeschoolers have been winning the national spelling bees and geography bees lately.

I have gone to college fairs and talked to almost every college admissions officer in the state. They all accept homeschoolers. Some require transcripts from accredited homeschool programs, some do not.

The statistics show repeatedly that homeschool children excel academically, no matter how educated their parents are. Again, check our http://www.hslda.org for many statistics that will convince you.

There are so many materials available to homeschoolers. You can buy an entire curriculum, where the curriculum company will give you day-by-day lesson plans, check your child’s quarterly work, and issue report cards. Many new homeschoolers opt for this method until they are more comfortable. Some seasoned homeschoolers choose a variety of books and materials, depending on their child’s needs and level.

Studies show that by grade 8, the average homeschool student performs four grade levels above the national average. Even though my son is not considered academically “gifted,” at age 13 he has tested “college ready,” as have most of his friends. This year, when his peers are all taking 8th grade courses, he will take both high school and college level courses through Lansing Community College, both online and with his friends at United Home School in Howell. These are all accredited courses.

Spiritual Advantage

There is no doubt that children thrive spiritually when they are homeschooled. My son is like many boys, as his temperament is just not suited to the typical classroom environment. He seemed to have no spirit when he was in a traditional school setting, and is very spirited in a homeschool environment.

Even more importantly, homeschool parents also like to be the ones to teach their children morals and religion. It is a lot easier to do that in a home environment when there is so much more time for personal connections with your children. It is also wonderful to be able to have a network of homeschoolers with similar spiritual beliefs.

Social Butterflies

The myth of the socially deprived homeschooler is a joke. Most homeschoolers have extra time for hobbies and friends, as they can finish their work quickly and efficiently without having to travel to and from school and wait for the teacher to teach 30 other kids at different levels. My son has a bigger variety of friends than most kids I know. He has friends through our church homeschool group, through his various classes and sports, and throughout the neighborhood. This year he will make many new friends in the classes they are now offering at United Home School. He plays two instruments, and has been in a home school band for years. He has many other hobbies far too numerous to list.

Here is another picture of the kids in our group. We often meet at local parks for Field Days and other activities.

 

Physically Healthier

Most homeschoolers are also involved in sports. The YMCA offers programs for homeschoolers, and there is a home school sports association in Howell. My son plays for Hi-White baseball and other area leagues, and has played basketball and other sports through the YMCA and Continuing Education. My daughter has danced for years, and when she was home schooled she had time to take a lot more dance classes.

Homeschoolers tend to be healthier, as they get plenty of sleep and eat healthier. At school, my daughter gets about eight minutes to gulp down her lunch once she gets through the hot food line or whatever she has to do. At home, my son has learned the art of slow and enjoyable dining which our country seems to have forgotten.

How difficult is homeschooling? How much time does it take?

Each family has different methods, but most of us have the goal of our children becoming independent learners. I spend less time on my son's homeschooling than I do transporting my daughter to and from school, dealing with school issues and activities, and working to pay the private school tuition.

Many of my fellow homeschoolers have large families and they find it much easier to teach them at home then to drive several children to all their various schools.

I could go on and on about this great option, but instead I will again direct you to the Home School Legal Defense Organization. This organization has all of the information about the legal requirements of home schooling. In addition, the website has some very impressive statistics on how well home schooled children perform. They also list a variety of curricula. Call (540) 338-5600 or log onto http://www.hslda.org

There is a myth that home schooling is not normal, and that children need "real" school to succeed. The truth is that homeschooling has been around a lot longer than public schools. Did you know that most of our founding fathers homeschooled? So did Abraham Lincoln.

LOCAL PROGRAMS

Groups

Holy Spirit Home School Group is the group at my church. We meet every Friday for Mass and then go on a field trip, go to the park or have supplementary classes. We welcome members of all faiths, though some of our activities involve our faith. More information can be found at www.holyspirit-highland.com.

SHARE is a local family oriented, homeschool group welcoming all homeschool families. They focus on field trips, unit studies and one time events that interest children. For more information, contact Heidi Pair (248)685-2874 or email mom2jc@yahoo.com.

High School and Supplementary Classes

United Home Schoolers is a group in Howell that has united several home school groups to provide a number of courses for homeschoolers. These courses include high school level courses, technical courses, and a variety of language, arts, computer and science for the younger children. There is also a partnership with Michigan Technical Education Center and Lansing Community College. Contact Lucy at (517)548-4602 or email UnitedHomeSchool@yahoogroups.com.

Sports

Howell Athletic Association of Christian Home Schoolers offers many different sports programs for homeschoolers of all ages. Go to their website, contact Kathie Marshall at marsh8@familink.com or call (734)878-0130.

Music Programs

Both Oakland County and Livingston County provide home school music that include group programs in band, choral, guitar, recorder and string instruments. Contact Yvonne Black (517)546-1969 for the Livingston County group, which meets one day per week in Brighton. The Oakland County group meets one evening per week in Waterford. Call (248)760-7864 or check our their website,www.oaklandhomeschoolmusic.cjb.net.

Dance

Modern Messages is a Christian dance studio in Highland, which is very popular among home school groups. Visit www.mmdco.org or or call 248 889-2499 for more information.