Lehman’s has had positive feedback for the classes on social media and the size of the classes continues to grow, with students coming from Wayne, Ashland and the surrounding counties. Another local resource for families and home educators is The Wilderness Center in Wilmot, Ohio. Their primary home education days take place on Thursdays, with monthly programs designed for the entire family, covering a wide range of topics. Volunteer Educator Karrie McAllister lead a class in March with six sets of skulls. McAllister has been bringing her own children to The Wilderness Center for years, and now heads up the Critter Skull Identification (CSI) class. McAllister talks about the way we can look for clues in the environment around us, using our senses and then identifying which parts of the skull would be used for that particular sense. All of the homeschool classes at The Wilderness Center are geared towards Ohio Academic Standards. A more recent development has been to break the classes up into two time periods, the first one in the morning being for younger students and the second one in the afternoon for older students. During the entire time period, the family
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Wilderness Center Volunteer Educator, Karrie McAllister investigates a deer skull with students at one of the “Homeschool Thursday” programs, CSI: Critter Skull Identification. can be in the building, often times the older students are studying and doing school work in a room that is open to them during the day, while younger students are getting started with learning activities in the main room. Many of the homeschool participants are from Stark, Tuscarawas, Wayne and Holmes Counties. “We’re trying to reach all ages and stages,” said Lynda Price, Wilderness Center Education Manager. Price has been at The Wilderness Center for 15 years and she sees the sciences available at the center as a way to enrich the homeschool curriculum. “Parents can also come for enrichment on their own time,” added Communications Manager Sara Brink. “There are backpacks that we provide with different themes for families to take out on the trail and learn.” An annual family membership to The Wilderness Center is $40 and with that membership, the Homeschool Days are available at no extra cost. “I love seeing the kids exploring and learning,” Brink remarked.“Our members are our supporters. The Wilderness Center is actively working in land conservation with over 4,000 acres statewide and that is where the money goes– to the streams and woods in our surrounding counties.” On May 6th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. there will be a Homeschool Teacher Training Course at The Wilderness