Our Family's Education

It's hard to believe we have been homeschooling for 5 1/2 years. When we started this journey, Sept. 2003, I don't think I thought it would be as challenging as it truly is. At that time Cassie was starting the 3rd grade and Zack had just started kindergarten and they were attending an elementary school in Pickerington. Cassie was bored and stalling when she should have been accelerating, but it didn't seem our concerns were being heard so we elected to home school so she could learn at her pace. The first year I thought I had to school the same time the schools were in session, but I gradually realized that flexibility is a huge perk of homeschooling. Now we home school year round and our school year corresponds with the calendar year instead of the academic year.

I have to admit the elementary grades of 3rd - 5th were not that difficult with Cassie. Number one she already knew how to read so it was just a matter of feeding her facts. It became more challenging once she entered 6th grade - she and I have more challenges now that she is an 8th grader and getting ready for 9th. Zack was a bit more challenging . . . I had to teach him how to read. At times I questioned if I was doing it right because he just didn't seem to read as fluently as Cassie. Family and friends kept reminding me that all children are different and they all learn differently. I have read several books over the years about homeschooling to see if I was doing it right. However, I don't think that any one's way is better or more right than another. It does come down to the individual child and what works best with his or her learning style. I used the same reading curriculum with Mackenzie that I started Zack on to teach her how to read and it worked with her, but it took different tools with him. Mark that down as another perk of homeschooling.

Well, when it comes to notification I have been fortunate enough to be allowed to utilize the third option rather than testing or paying an outsider to check a portfolio of work. I am not in favor of standardized testing because I don't think everyone tests well. My philosophy with the kids is if they get it we keep on moving, but if it doesn't click then we spend more time on it. Each of the kids have subjects they excel in, subjects that just grasp enough of, and others that are challenging. But another perk of homeschooling is as their teacher I can cater to their strengths and nurture their weaknesses.

Now I am faced with yet another challenge in our homeschooling journey. When we move to North Dakota, we will be moving to a state with some of the most restrictive and strict home school laws in our country. According to the North Dakota Century Code for Home Education, to home education in the state of North Dakota a parent must either be certified to teach, hold a baccalaureate degree, exceeded the cutoff score on a national teacher exam, or be monitored for two years. Well, thank goodness I have a bachelor's so that is one hurdle I won't have to jump.

The compulsory age in ND is 7 - 16 and they are required to be tested in grades four, six, eight, and ten. The current code says there must be a minimum of four hours of instruction "in the child's home" each day, for a total of 175 days, which is only 700 hours and we all know in the state of Ohio we are required to give 900 hours of education, but at least we are not restricted to the interior of our home. As we all know, the world is our classroom, learning takes place at the library, in a museum, at a park, etc.

I have to admit I am, well was, a little intimidated about the whole standardized testing. My kids can answer questions and discuss things they've learned, but when it comes to the tests at the end of a chapter they tend not to do as well as expected. Well, I decided it was time to give in to the whole standardized test and test them this year so they would get a feel for the timed test and then I have an idea of where they are academically according to these national standards.

All I have to say is . . . we were ALL ecstatic and very pleased with the results. Cassie took the 8th grade test and Zack took the 5th grade test, which I was a little concerned about since we were only in the third month of our schooling. Well, as it turns out Cassie's composite grade equivalent is 12.2. Yes, according to her results she is "a typical student in the twelfth grade at the end of the second month." I believe homeschooling works for her. Then there's Zack, who, if he could, skip school everyday and play video games or build with his Legos. He did awesome, for someone who really doesn't have an interest in school. His composite grade equivalent is 5.9 and he is a "typical student in the fifth grade at the end of the ninth month."

YEAH . . . I must be doing something right. I truly enjoy homeschooling the kids, but there were times I wondered if I was giving them everything they need. Well, I guess I can relax and trust that I am doing fine and they are learning.