Homeschooling and Military Life:

"Mom, can you please make her stop?" My daughter, ignoring her brother's plea, plunged into her fifth rendition of Beethoven's " Für Elise " on the piano. Another brother lounged in the recliner nearby, oblivious to the commotion while engrossed in his latest Hank the Cowdog book. My oldest son peered into a microscope in the kitchen, attempting to sketch protozoa in his lab book while obviously annoyed by the incessant piano playing. My youngest perched happily on the couch, eating cookies and sounding out words from her phonics cards, while taking frequent breaks to pet the dog sprawled beside her, who hoped to catch an errant crumb or two. Moms with children of differing ages can likely relate to the above busy family scenario, but the most unique part about it all is that it occurred mid-morning on a school day. I never planned to be a homeschooler. In fact, if you had told me before we started that I would not only homeschool our four children but keep at it for years and years, I would've probably fled in the other direction. The only homeschooling families I'd run across before that were a bit (ahem)...different. Yet here we are, two decades later, with three of our children graduated and the last one entering her junior year. Why Homeschool? The combination of our oldest child learning to read early, a desire for a faith-based education but lacking the finances for private school, and coming across several families who'd successfully homeschooled for years led us to consider this option when our oldest reached school age. We decided to try it for one year. Though it certainly wasn't easy, we found that the flexibility of homeschooling fit into our busy military life seamlessly. As more children came along and the moves more frequent, we continued homeschooling. And one thing that remained stable was the continuity of our kids' education. We also didn't need to worry about school districts or locations when my husband was given a new military assignment. How It's Worked for Us I am by no means a homeschooling purist who thinks it's the only way to educate children or that it's the best decision for every family. It's not. But as I look back over the years, I know it was the right choice for us. As we've been stationed across the world, homeschooling has taken on many different forms for us: co-ops, charter schools, dual enrollment, enrichment classes, and more. I love that there are so many educational choices and we can each select what works best for our particular families! Another benefit that I didn't foresee was the freedom to vacation during the off season, or simply having the flexibility to take a break when my husband took leave or came home for R&R during deployments. We can also pick up and move any time during the school year with our portable school, as we are not wedded to a school calendar. Common Fears about Homeschooling When I speak to new or potential homeschoolers, some common fears and concerns crop up. Is it legal? Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but each state governs homeschooling a little bit differently. Be sure to comply with the law in the state you're stationed, not your home of record. If you're living overseas, you usually don't have to worry about that country's educational laws since you'll fall under the SOFA (status of forces agreements). For instance, homeschooling is illegal in Germany, but this does not apply to U.S. military stationed there. Many people have misconceptions about overseas situations. Homeschool Legal Defense Association and The Center for Homeschool Liberty can provide more legal information, as well as membership. Socialization: How will my child make friends? Will he become a weird little hermit? Maybe. But, honestly, that is probably more to do with personality than schooling choices. I don't mean to sound flip, but homeschooling is no longer rare and opportunities have exploded. I submit that there are likely far more enrichment and educational activities than you have time to attend, and with that, the opportunity for socialization. Even the most remote bases we've been assigned to have had homeschooling groups and activities. I'm not patient enough to homeschool. Me neither. Seriously! If you're under the assumption that being a homeschooling parent requires perfection, then please drop that notion right now. One truth about homeschooling is that your kids will see you day in and day out, warts and all. It's taught me plenty of humility and the fine art of apologizing to my kids when needed. Now, if there are subjects you don't feel you can teach, know that there are loads of resources at your disposal. Which brings me to... I'm not qualified to teach ____(fill in the blank) . Don't let this stop you! Living in the technology era has its benefits. From online classes to Algebra on DVD (hallelujah), there are numerous options to assist the teaching parent. And as each of my children has reached high school, I've found myself becoming more of an adviser rather than directly teaching each subject. I'm a working parent . Can I homeschool? While it's certainly more challenging to work and homeschool, it's not impossible. I've known several families who've managed their work schedule around homeschooling. Personally, I've been a work-from-home mom the past few years and have juggled outside volunteer responsibilities as well. It can be done! Will my child be prepared for college if we homeschool? I will give this a resounding yes. Our homeschool graduates have won scholarships, adapted well to college life, and our oldest son is serving in the military. There is much evidence that home education prepares students with the independence and study skills required for the college environment. If you're looking for a different path for your family, live in a remote location, or are simply curious about homeschooling, please see the resource sidebar or visit my home education page on my site. And if you think you'd like to try homeschooling, let me encourage you that you can do this! When it comes to homeschooling, one size does not fit all! There are lots of options to choose from. (Links are for informational purposes only and do not signify endorsement or affiliation.) Some Popular Homeschooling Methods: Traditional: This is the system most of us are familiar with: workbooks, textbooks, and lesson plans. Companies provide traditional textbooks, online classes, or a combination of both. Some examples of companies utilizing this method are Calvert School and A Beka . Online learning: Many traditional curriculum companies are now offering online classes for a subscription fee. K12 is one example of this. There are also free tutorial sites such as Khan Academy or a la carte classes from providers like Time 4 Learning . Literature-based: With an emphasis on "real" books as the centerpiece of learning (i.e. literature, biographies, and non-fiction), proponents of literature-based learning maintain that reading whole books helps learning come alive, better holds students' interest, and helps with recall vs. memorizing rote facts. This may be an appealing option for those who enjoy family read-alouds or who have voracious readers. Some literature-based companies include Five in a Row and Sonlight . Classical Education: Based on the ancient model of the Trivium (grammar, rhetoric, and logic developmental stages), this method has experienced a revival in recent years. Much emphasis is given to "The Great Books," i.e. the classics, as well as the study of Latin and Greek. It is typically a systematic, rigorous course of study. Some resources: The Well Trained Mind and Veritas Press . Charlotte Mason Method: Utilizing the methods from British educator Charlotte Mason (early 1900s), the emphasis here is on treating the child as a whole person while using real literature, nature study, narration, and artist and music study. A saying made famous by Charlotte Mason is, "An education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life." There is some overlap between the Charlotte Mason method and literature-based learning. You can find out more at Simply Charlotte Mason . Unit Studies: Also called thematic or integrated studies, unit studies combine several subjects around one related theme so that all learning is integrated. For instance, when learning about pioneers, one might read a story by Laura Ingalls Wilder (literature and history), trace The Oregon Trail on a map (geography), and compose a 'diary entry' by a child from the era (language arts). Learn more about unit studies at The Homeschool Mom . Unschooling: This is also known as student-led or self-directed learning. The tools of learning are made available to the student who then studies what interests him, rather than following a pre-determined curriculum. John Holt was one of the first proponents of this approach. Eclectic Homeschooling: Many homeschoolers fall under the umbrella of eclectic learning (including me!), which they feel draws the best from each of the other methods. For instance, they may choose traditional curriculum for some subjects such as math and science, literature-based for history, online learning for language arts, nature study per Charlotte Mason, while studying Latin.

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