August 2013
SanTan
FAMILY FUN
1
Homeschooling offers flexible education option by Alison Stanton
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Pages 2-5
Students in the Chandler Unified School District went back to school in late July, however, for some students, learning does not take place in traditional schools filled with classrooms and desks and a cafeteria down the hall. For some, going back to school means settling in at the kitchen table and hitting the books with mom or dad. Heather Haupt, a Gilbert mom of four, homeschools her children: Xander, 9; Keegan, 7; Trey, 5; and Greta, 22 months. Haupt had such a wonderful experience with being homeschooled as a child, she knew from an early age that she would also homeschool her own children. “I wanted to be able to give them the best education that I could, and one that is developmentally appropriate for them,” Haupt says. “Also, when they were younger, I wanted to be able to be flexible in their preschool and kindergarten years, and make learning more active for them. They are all doing so well with their schooling and I love the relationships that my children are developing with each other.” As a young girl growing up in Ahwatukee, Haupt says her mom pulled her out of private school halfway through her first grade year to “ temporarily” homeschool her. “It was supposed to be a semester thing only, to help teach me to read,” Haupt recalls. As Haupt and her mom soon found out, homeschooling was a great option for their family. Haupt ended up being homeschooled for the remainder of her school years, and her two younger sisters were
TIME TO READ: Reading in and around a teepee is one of the fun perks of homeschooling at the Haupt home in Gilbert. Submitted photo
growing up. I would not have had the opportunity to do so well in college without homeschooling.” Haupt, who serves on the board of Arizona Families for Home Education (AFHE), an organization based in Chandler that strives to help and inspire homeschooling families throughout Arizona, says she uses a multi-level approach to her children’s’ learning, so that everybody benefits and works at their own pace. While her three sons are in a more organized homeschool program,
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Page 12 Just 4 Kids Sponsored by City of Chandler Recreation Division
WHAT IS THAT, DAD?: At the Haupt home in Gilbert, everyone takes part in the homeschooling process including Dad. Rich Haupt drills an emu egg while his three sons watch closely. Submitted photo
also homeschooled. Haupt went on to earn a full-ride scholarship to college, where she graduated summa cum laude. “Looking back, I had an unusual learning style that did not do well in school,” she says. “By homeschooling me, my mom was able to cater to my learning needs without giving me a label or any type of stigma
her toddler daughter, Greta, can come and go from the table as she pleases. She and her husband Rich, who is also on the board of the AFHE, teach their children different subjects. Although she knows other homeschool parents who use one specific homeschool curriculum program, Haupt says she prefers to use a mix of curriculums,
depending on the subject. “For us, by using a mix of curriculums for math and phonics and other subjects, I’m able to be sure my children are getting everything they need for learning,” she says. Haupt, who homeschools on a yearround schedule, says the school days typically begin at 7:30 a.m., with Xander practicing piano and Keegan practicing the recorder, which is part of a Kindermusik program he is enrolled in. “By 8 a.m., we have a formal start to our day. I make sure my kids are all dressed, just like if we were going out,” Haupt says. In addition to the formal learning that is taking place at home, Haupt says her children take part in physical education classes two times a week with other homeschooled children, and they have ample opportunities to socialize and play with children who attend traditional schools as well as other homeschoolers. While little Greta may not be part of the formal homeschooling program quite yet, Haupt knows from experience that she is definitely learning. Last year, while she was teaching her two oldest sons about the Revolutionary War , she asked them “Who said “Give me liberty or give me death?’” While Xander and Keegan were trying to come up with the correct answer, Haupt says Trey—who had walked into the room during the lesson—piped up with “Patrick Henry.” “It is just phenomenal what toddlers will get out of homeschooling,” she says. Parents or parents-to-be who are thinking about homeschooling their children can find a lot of information on the AFHE website, Haupt says, including in-depth and helpful facts about all of the rules and regulations pertaining to legally
See HOMESCHOOL, Page 5