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News & Reports p. 3-5
What it's like for a grown homeschooler to be homeschooling kids of her own
Letter from a College Admissions Officer p.
Challenges & Concerns p. f2-15
Finding the Right Schedule, Record-Keeping, Special Needs
FOCUS: Late Readers Turn Out OKp. 16-19 Interviews with two grown homeschoolers, now in college and working, who were considered late readers as children
from a Stay-at-Home Father p. 20-21 Watching Children Learn p.22-25 "Naughty and Disgusting" Math, Newspaper analysis, Mother's Involvement, Education vs. Entertainment
Annual lists of helpful teachers, lawyers, professors, psychologists, school districts, resource people, and
grown-up homeschoolers
#l
3l
15
gq/8
Fot'xono rs 1977 BvJoux Horr
Eomor - SuseNxen Ssrrrup o PuglrsHt:n - Pr\TRlcK Fa]{nNr;,t . CoNrtrrgurrNc; Enrrcx - DrxNl, Rrcuoux o Boorrl.npun & Eorlorual AssrsrerT - N4tnv l\4tt rrp . Orn<;t M,rNec;rn - D,rv F,qr.ENr;,A. r Susst;ruprroN l\4q,Nar;nn - Rqlor Klr,r.v. SsrpprNr; MeN,A.c;En - Purl Cntxsrrew o Cerer.ot; Onol:n Pnclcnsson - Srrw CoBa . CoN,rplrrun AolrrNrsrulon Grucsn FrrzsnruoNs . Orncr Assrsra.Nrs -JnNxrrnr. Frrz.srlruor'rs-
-
Geur;En. DawN Ll:,rsl:. Ma-nron WEesrrR
Hor-r Assot;rqrus Boano or Dtn"l<r.tons: MaunrnN C,urlv, Dev Feru,Nc.q, Parnrcr F.rxrNce orNr), Maxv Malren, SusaNN,ln SHrrrrn Auusons ro rnn Bo,rno:
Tou Menrn,
lVfq.rv V,q.l
Dtxlx,
(Conrrxut
Pnrsr-
NaNc;v Wru-r.ecr:
GWS L-r.usrneroNs nv Enrr.v Lrr*N Cor,'En puoro rs olJr-rr.rr: Mu-r.tn wlln PHrt.t-rt, (nlcttr) ,qNu SpENcnn. Sr,r Sl.corvn-Gl:NF-ILATI()i- Holr l:sr;Ho<tLl:ns, p. 6. Growing Without Schooling # I 1ir. !bl. 19, No. 6. ISSN #0.175-5110:5. l\rblished bv Holt Atsocixtes, 22611 Mass. A e .. Caril bri(lge l[A 021.10. S2ir/!. Datc ol issrrc: Fcbrrtar] I , I1]!17. Se c()nda lass postage paid at llost()n, N{A rild irt additional nrailing o{Iir cs. POSTMASI !lR: Send address (h^r)ges to (;WS. 22ti9 \'1rss. Ave, Carrrbridge, NtA. 021'10 ADVERTISERS: Spact'rescilation deadliilcs arc lhc lst ofrxld-[unrbercrl nronths. (irpv rlerrllincs are the l5th. Writc f()r rntes-
I
a late-reading
child often
l':ll5-n:':f u'f :ll-;J.T'X
so important.
Lists of Resources p. 26-29
IssuE
tion that
thenempha,;.a*,u,,"iff
Child-Run Groups p. l0-11
Men.,/APn.'97
Schoolingwas about two home-
schoolers who had just begun ro read at age 12. He described their rapid progress, made the observa-
almost certainly have been put into remedial classes and had all kinds of labels "stuck on them." He concluded by saying, "If children who start reading when they feel like it soon read just as well as or better than most people, what difference does it make when they start? So, if you have children who start reading later than most, tell us about them - and don't worry." John wrote that in early 1985, and in the twelve years that followed, people did continue to tell us about children who were older than 6 or 7 and not yet reading. These parents couldn't always followJohn's advice about not worrying, since the rest of the world found it hard to allow families to conduct such a daring experiment and not worry about the outcome. We've heard many painful stories about relatives criticizing homeschooling families for having a not-yet-reading child, of other children teasing or questioning the homeschooler, and, sometimes, of the children themselves feeling doubtful or frustrated about not yet being able to do something that everyone considers
8-9
Guidelines and thoughts about homeschoolers and the college admissions process
Book Reviews p.
n Ff \l/
, VJtUe
Second-Generation Homeschoolers p. 6-7
One of the last piecesJohn Holtwrore for C,rowingWiihout
Throughout the years, we've also been able to print stories of reasstrrance, from both parents and young people. Now in 1997, we're able to offer what I hope can serve as the greatest reassurance ofall: reflections from grown homeschoolers who are doingjust fine - in fact, exceptionally rvell - in college and in their chosen work, and who, as it happens, were rather late readers as children. Of the many interesting observations they both make, perhaps the most important is that if children are viewed in terms of their strengths rather than their weaknesses, the so-called weaknesses (in other words, the areas they don't happen to be attending to at the time) will take care of themselves. Luke stresses that in Boy Scouts, he was known as the one who was good at knot-tying and camping, not the one who was bad at reading. And caring about those other things eventually helped him want to work to read through the Boy Scout Handbook. Emily describes how her parents made sure she had opportunities to conclude she was capable and smart, opportunities that
didn't depend on reading - and again, it was eventually those other capabilities and interests that led Emily to discover what genuine place reading could hold in her life. Years ago, we printed a piece from a learning disability specialist who commented, "Our entire field is deficitdriuen." Let's let the interviews in this issue remind us that homeschooling, in contrast, can be strength-driven. When I read the confident, insightful reflections of these t'n'c-r grown homeschoolers, it {iightens me to think that they rnight ever have concluded they were inadequate as learners or as people. Luckily, they didn't have to.
-
Susannah Sheffer
Gnoursc Wrrsour ScHoor.ruc #115
. Man./Arn.
'97
lfaot E.y'lqortt Federal Government's Role in Homeschooling A publication titled "Serving Private School Students With Federal Education Programs," from the federal government's Office of NonPublic Education, includes the following comment about homeschooling:
All states allow homeschooling and consider it a legitimate option for meeting compulsory education requiremens. Regulation and support of homeschooling are carried out at the state and local levels. However, the federal government also plays an important role by disseminating research-based information to policymakers and others, and by supporting research on a broad range of issues affecting teaching and learning. A brochure entitled Home Schooling Resources for Parents and Children is available free while supplies last by calling ACCESS EzuC At 1-8OO-LET:ERIC.
Will Teenagers Vote? Amanda Bergson-Shilcock (PA), a grown homeschooler who has advocated for young people's right to vote, sent Lrs two articles from the Christian Science
Monitorabout
16-
and 77-year-
olds in the Cerman state of Lower Saxonv being given the right to vote in local elections. \{rhat was interesting was the contrast between the article that ran before the elections and the one that ran afterwards. In the frrst article, teenagers who were quoted seemed mostly uninterested in voting or doubtful that young people could make sound decisions. The second article, however, reports that the tllrnout among youl-lg voters was hisher than anyone expected:
voting Sept. 15, the turnout for and 17-year-olds was roughly 50
16-
percent. In the capital city of Hannoveq where the mayoral race drew nationwide attention, 'kid voters' turned out in almost the same numbers as the general population - 56.7 percent, as compared with 57 percent. " 'I've got to compliment the young people on their turnout,' Minister-President Gerhard Schroder, a Social Democrat, commented in Bonn. 'They thought through the issues, came up with a position, and voted."' (CSM, 10 / 2/ 96)
chance and see what happens.
What Intrinsic Motivation Means Amanda also sent another Christian Science Monitor article about a reading incentive program, called Earning by Learning, which offers children cash for every book they read (the article reports that the program has been tried in 17 states). The program's supporters say the money motivates kids to read, but others disagree: "... The program has drawn
widespread criticism from educators who see ethical and educational problems with paying children to learn. But proponents argue that incentives, from gold stars to the corporate-fi nanced pizza coupons awarded in some schools, have always beerr a part ()f the process,.just as teachers have always struggled to instill str,rdents with a love of learnins."
And frorr.r later on in
Cnolrruc Wttnour
S<:noor.rn-t; #1
Grades and approval, ribbons and prizes, are intrinsic motivators? It appears that an interest in what's in
the book, or a general curiosity about
In other words, you can't be sure what people will do, or how capably they will act, until you give them a
tl.re article:
"Adv<lcates of the teen franchise
r\'ere prepared to declare victorv if turnout reached oner-tl.rird of those eligible. But in the first ronnd of'
ing: winning a teacher's approval, moving to a higher academic level, earning a good grade. ... 'Generally, teachers feel that you don't instill the love of learning in a child by paying them to read a book,' says Charmayne Marsh, spokeswoman for the American Federation of Teachers. '\4rhy not give them ribbons or prizes, something that would make them stand out in the classroom?"' (CSM, I0/16/96)
"Monev is a pool irrcerrtire. critics 2lrglle , becarrse
it is divorcecl fi-orn the
intrinsic rewards of classroom learn-
l5 . M,rn.,/Apn. '97
the world,
is
just
loo
intrinsic for
people in schools to imagine. What would Alfre Kohn, author of Punished by Reutards, have to say?
Access to School Activities
in Maine Jan Emerson wrote a fan months ago the naosktter of the Maine Home E duc ati o n A s s o ci ati on :
in
For the past year, I've participated with a committee of diverse people whose purpose for meeting was to discuss homeschoolers' access to public schools. We began by assessing what the current level of access is. This was done through a survey we devel-
oped and mailed to all Maine school districts and another survey mailed to all homeschoolers in Maine. What we learned was that 80% of the school districts allow homeschoolers access to public schools. This access was in some cases as simple as the use of the library and textbooks when available and in other cases
included participation in sports. extra-curricular activities. \4'e also learned 20Vo of the districts classes, and
allow no access rvhatsoever. \4rith this information we began to dialogue as a committee on how to resolve this apparent inequity. ... Otrr mission became one of
.1.
writing legislation that would open the doors to 20% of the schools who offer no access. broaden the access in other districts, and encourage continued access to those districts who were
already offering Iit]. Our committee consisted of eleven people: representatives of the Maine School Boards Association, the Maine Superintendens Association, the Maine Education Asociation (representing teachers), the State Board of Education, the Maine Principals Association, the Maine Home Education Association, a homeschool parent, a homeschool support group leader, a homeschool student, Buzz Kastuck from the State Department of Education, and a chairperson who is an interim Superintendent. We were evenly divided between school personnel and homeschoolers.
Our discussions were. at first, tentative, with controversial issues being placed on the table with care. As we spent more time with each other and grew to know each other better, we were able to discuss controversial issues with great openness and express
Ntws & Raponrs.l.
concerns and desires from all points view. Through these discussions, we came up with wording for legislation
of
that was then reworded and refined. After three or four of these revision sessions, we felt we had a proposal to send to the Education Committee. We actually sent two proposals. One was very broad and general and the other quite specific and prescriptive. The decision for which would become a legislative piece was left up to the Education Committee. The committee chose the more specific piece. Marge Kilkelly presented Ithe proposed legislationl at a public hearing on a very snowy day in March. There were people in attendance representing all interested parties ... . AJl who spoke did so in favor of the bill. Since I became involved with homeschooling in 1983, I have not attended a public hearing concerning homeschooling where not one person was in opposition! We've been doing a greatjob as homeschoolers, and we've come a long way in being recognized and accepted for what we're doing. After the hearing, the Education
An Academic Alternative Kindergarten through &th grade Give your child the Calvert advantage. Calvert School offers 90 years of experience in home
instruction curriculum. Our courses are ideal for first time or experienced home schoolers. Our flexible, step-by-step lesson manuals provide a classic,
comprehensive Program that allows time for special interests. Language,art/ music, and reading enrichment courses are offered. All materials are included in your initial shipment.
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copy
ofPL
[SS:]
610.
We spoke
withJan Emerson at
the end of December, and she said that the nau law requires each school district to haue a
policy about homeschoolers'school access
by January I , 1997. The lau doesn't olfer specific guidelines regarding these policies, but it does state that although
in place
aary, each must allow and extracurricular actiuities. Jan said that on the whole, the process of working toward this lngislation uas aer) positi,ue, with "a lot of
specif,c policies nta)
access to textboohs, sports,
giue a,nd tahe and great undnstanding of the othsr side. Each side lzarned a lot about
what the other side's concerns were."
Office News [SS:] On November 27th, homeschooling mother Tammy Rosenblatt and I were guests on The Connection, a Boston-area NPR show hosted by Christopher Lydon. In the hourJong radio shorv, we were able to cover a fair amount, and several of the callers made important points as well (the host was particularly impressed by the articulate children and teenagers who called in). If you're interested in ordering a tape of the show, call WBUR at617-353-2790. Check the calendar. below, to see the many conferences at which we will be speaking and exhibiting books this spring. As always, we hope to see many GWS readers at these events. Subscribers frequently tell us, "People are always borrowing my GWS issues and I never have them when I need them." We used to say, "Try encouraging those people to get their own subscriptions," but sometimes we'd hear, quite understandably, "People are reluctant to subscribe until they've had a chance to read at least one issue." Now that single issues of GWS are available on many newsstands around the country (in bookstores where periodicals are sold, in fbod co-ops, and so on), there's an
ol'
Calvert School
Committee held some work sessions where they continued to fine tune the wording. On May 4, 1996, the bill became Public Law 610. If you would like a copy of this bill, call the Law Library and ask for a ^t207-287-1600
oo
. fax (410)366-0674 org ://www.calvertschool. http
(410)243-603O
option that will benefit all of
us.
Suggest that interested people look for GnowrNc
WrlHoul Sr;Hoot-Ilic #115 . Man./Arn. '97
.3.
.- o' GWS locally and purchase their own copy. Buying one copy is less of a commitment than a subscription for
people just thinking about homeschooling, and it's easier to buy a magazine locally than to send away for it. Meanwhile. subscribers won't have to lend out so many issues, and we at GWS will benefit from having the ne\,vsstand issues sold rather than
destroyed (most distributors don't return unsold issues). So, encouraging people to buy GWS locally is an easy way to help us and make it easier for readers, too.
*
Farenga doing workshops; books available for sale. For information: Manfred Smith (410) 730-0073 April 8: Talk by Susannah Sheffer
sponsored by Pathfrnder Learning Center in Amherst, MA. For info: Pathfi nder, 4lY25Yg 412. April I l-12: Harvest Home Educators Annual Conference and Curriculum Fair at Gwinnett County Fairgrounds in Lawrenceville (near Atlanta), Georgia. For info: 7704550449.
April 25-26: Wisconsin Parents l4th annual conference at the Univ. Center in Stevens Pt, WI. For info: Melissa Rice, 715-341-6378 or wPA,60&28&313r. May 22: Rethinking Education conference in Dallas, TX. Pat Farenga speaking; books available for sale. For info: Barb Lundgren, 817 -540-6423. Ma)' 3l: Pennsylvania Home
Assoc.
Calendar April 4. 1997: Six Flaes Over Georgia Homeschool Family Day in Atlanta Georgia. For info: Harvest Home Educators, 7 7 04554449. April 4: Six Flass Fiesta Texas Homeschool Day and Curriculum Fair in SanAntonio, Texas. For info: Harvest Home Educators, 770455-0449.
April5.
Nrws & Rnponrs
1997: Maryland Home
Education Association conference in Takoma Park, MD. Pat and Day
Education Nenvork conference at Geneva College, PA. Pat Farenga speaking; books available for sale. For info: Diana Baseman, 412-265-27 34.
-lune2lgg: The Link (Kid-
Lake, CA. Pat and Day Farenga doing workshops; books available for sale. AlsoJohn Gatto, the Colfaxes. For info: Mary Leppert. 805492-7373. Aug. &10: Conference celebrating Growing Without Schooling's 20th Anniversary, at the Westin Hotel in Waltham (near Boston), MA. David & Micki Colfax, John Gatto, workshops by veteran homeschoolers. For info: cws, 617-8643100. Aue. 23-25: Home Education Resource Organization conference in Columbus, OH. Pat Farenga speaking; books available for sale. For info: Chris O' Connor, 6l+852-7 926. Aus.22-29: Second annual international Not Back to School Camp, hosted by Grace Llewellyn, in Oregon.
Still has room for approx. 24 boys ages 13 to 18 (girls' spaces are filled). Register by 3/18. For info, send $l to PO Box 1014, Eugene OR 97440. We are h"ppy to print announcements of major homeschooling events, but we need plenty of notice. Deadline for GWS #116 (events in May or later) is March 10. Deadline for GWS #l 17 (events inJuly or later) is May 10. <)
Comfortable) Conference in West
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Founder/Director Dn Pat Montgomery is an authority on alternative education wi th over .fortlt vears' o.f
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For FR-EE information packet call
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GnowrNc WrrHour ScsoouNc
#l lb r Men./Apn. '92
. Algebra Colaborative Writing o Earth Science . World Geography o
. American
Government o Computer Networking . lntroduction to Small Bus.
.i
+I-!
.o-She helped me come up with what I
Second-Gengra,tion Homeschoolers ":;l;tr:,li
would
say,
and after practicing my
speech a f-ew times, I set off on my bike
ilil*i;
Julie Miller (OK) writes:
I am a 2lyear-old second-generation unschooler, with three boys, Phillip (6), Spencer (4), and Patrick ( 19 months). I notice a fundamental difference between myself and first-generation unschoolers. To me, learning is a way of life and is inseparable from life. When I first decided to unschool my children, to satisfy my own curiosity I researched how the school system separates knowledge into individual compartments. I had no idea which things would fit under which subject headings. I discovered, during this time, that I had learned more "school" stuff growing up than I ever realized. \Arhen I discussed this with my mother, she said that if she had told us something was school, we wouldn't have touched it with a ten-foot pole. After all my research, I have come full circle in my thinking and I understand why my mom made the choices she did. I now feel no need to fit things under subject headings. I remember the time I thought I wasn't very good at math and then I helped my public school friend who was failing algebra. She passed the class that year, after I helped her, and she understood algebra. I was never tested when I was growing up; as a matter of fact, the thought of being tested made me sick to my stomach. But it was experiences like that one with my friend that gave me added confidence. I had gone to public school until third grade, which was a horrible experience for me and also the reason I was taken out of school. The emotional and psychological damage was so great that I needed to deschool for a year before I could begin doing anything, and it was for that reason that my mother didn't openly label my activities as learning or schoolwork. When I was around 10, I was constantly complaining of being bored, and my mother kept telling me that boredom was inside myself and I was going to have to fix it. I decided I might like to volunteer at a veterinarian's office. Mom said if I wanted to be taken seriously, I would need to go down there on my own.
and rode about a mile to the local anirnal hospital. The vet was not in. and I was very nervous knorving I would have to come back later, but I did, and with very sweaty palms I asked the vet if I could volunteer in exchange for knowledge and information. He asked me if I was supposed to be in school, and I told him I was a homeschooler and my hours were flexible. He said it would be OK for me to volunteer, and I started out cleaning things and sitting in on the office visits. I soon was in charge of all the animals that were up for adoption; that entailed vaccinating them myself, checking them for worms after being shown how to work the nricroscope and properly iclentify the type of worm, giving them the correct wormer and dosase. and keeping accrrrate records ofwhat had been done to each animal. I also filed cards and cleaned and sterilized syringes and took care of the greyhounds the vet raised and raced. I regularly called rny parents for perrnission to stay after dark to assist in surgery. Tl"re people I worked with never treated me as a child. I was treated with respect and given a chance to prove my worth. I worked with thern for a year and a half until we moved to
another state. To meet new friends in the area, we enrolled in a soccer club. I took an interest in becoming a ref'eree, so I checked and found out that there was no ase limit. I studied the rules and took the state test along with the adults. I was very nervous because I was never tested at home, but I passed with flying colors (while some of the adults failedl). At 12, I was the youngest certified referee in our state at that time. I refereed and played soccer for several years. When I was 16, I went to the
Vocational-Technical school and took automotive paint and bocly. I enjoyed what I was doing very much. Nobocly sa\re me any problems fbr being homeschooled. I had a totrp;h time at first being the only girl in the class, but I quickly made fiiends and only ever had problems with one guy in the class. I met my husband in that class.
GrowrNc Wrruour Sc;uoolrN<; #l
l5 . Men./Apn. '97