Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Thu, 20 Aug 1992 22:19:50 EDT
From:         MKLINE%VDH.BITNET@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU
Subject:      Questions for educators at home
X-To:         christia%asuacad.BITNET@VTVM2.CC.VT.EDU

Subject: Questions for educators at home


Dear listmembers that are involved in education at home (or interested in this)


I am attempting to compile some information regarding the practice of home
schools (this is not official, nor to be used in any type of paper or
publication, but simply for my information).  Since I have had very little
luck finding persons involved in this in my area, I address my questions to
the listmembers that are knowledgable of the subject.  For those who do not
mind sharing their experiences, I am curious about the following:
MAKS> What is your area? Some of us might be able to do some asking and
      help find you an "official" contact.

1. What made you choose education at home over public or private education
facilites?
MAKS> It was many things. I think the straw that broke the camel's back
      was the local sex ed programs that came into our area. They wanted
      these shown to even the kindergarden children. That was it. Here
      it was called "Family Life".

      We had used private Christian schools before, and liked them, but
      with 4 children, the one here locally wants $2000 a child. You
      might get a $200 discount for multiple children, but still. This
      year, if so, would have been $2000+$1800+$1800 or $4,600. Home
      Schooling cost us about $400-700 in materials. We'll have the
      typical reading, writing and arithmetic. Rachel, and maybe the
      twins, I can't remember will get Latin. We've got the "Complete
      works of Shakespear" and the "Complete Works of Mark Twain" for
      them to use this year. We are currently searching for some books
      on the Arts as the last testing said they were shy in the areas.
      Price Club(like Sam's) usually has large books of art by many
      of the classic artists, but not so far this year. (Linda just
      returned with the "Complete works of Edgar Allan Poe".

      Oh, they will get "Creation Science" this year as well. The
      one book is "Creation or Evolution" by Richard B. Bliss. We
      also have "Streams of Civilization" Part 1 by Mary Stanton
      and Albert Hyma; Part 2 by Richard V. Pierarv and Robert G.
      Clouse.

      There was also the spiritual issue. The private school here is
      fine as far as I know, but when we were in PA, the Christian
      school was very reserved to the point of being paranoid. I can
      remember when they interviewd us. "Are you Charismatic?" "Why?"
      "I don't know, we're just supposed to ask." I said "We're
      'low-key' Charismatic." and they found that acceptable. They
      ran a local radio station that played the old scratchy hymns
      which are fine, but were drilling holes in Amy Grant's albums
      and trashing them. A bit overboard in my estimation. Still, they
      got a good education, a bit dry perhaps, but good.
         We wanted them to have a bit more. Their normal day includes
      the shared oral reading of 5 Psalms, and a chapter of Proverbs.

      Extra bonus: Linda had to answer this in an application for "Home
      School Legal Defense Association". She answered: "1)We believe it
      is the parents' responsibility for teaching their children. 2)We
      want our children to have a Biblically based education."

2. Who is the primary instructor for your children?  What, if any, is their
training?
MAKS> Linda does the training. I stay out of her way. I provide
      discipline when needed. With Rachel turning 14, I find myself
      having quite a few conversations any more about life, how to
      evaluate things and her exploring personal opinions, etc. The
      last one was about her liking Perot only because she liked how
      he looked. :-) We talked about looks shouldn't matter, but what
      is in a person's heart.

      We use the Konos ciriculum. Here in Richmond there are 2-4 shows
      for Home Schoolers. I think the last was held at the State
      Fairgounds. At those you have tons of vendors come and show how
      you would home school with their ciriculum. They show you their
      textbooks, teacher's manuals, planning guides, etc. They even
      have seminars. Linda took a "How to Get Started with KONOS".

3. Does the curriculum include most things that would be taught in an
average public high school, or are their exclusions (ie., evolution, some
books of literature, etc.)?
MAKS> All pretty much standard. As I said, they will get Creation
      Science, not evolution. Literature will be mostly the classics.

4. Does your child(ren) participate in extracurricular activities (music,
sports, etc.)?
MAKS> They went to gymnastics last year, hopefully again this year, but
      they've risen their prices. Not much, but we have 3 kids, so $4
      is actually $12 a month. Yeagh. They did pretty good. Rachel can
      do a split like nobody's business.
         Like I said, Rachel is in Civil Air Patrol, she's taken some
      gliding lessons, done some flying via the CAP program in a Cesna.
      The twins have expressed no interest. I'm also trying to find
      some place they might be able to ride horses for stable work. They
      are so "horse crazy" I could screem. I would like them to know
      horses do something else besides look good and it has to be cleaned
      up, perhaps adding a touch of "real life" to their expectations.
      They are tiny and thin yet, and I think they would both like to
      be jockys. But, who knows what size they'll be at 16-22? Oh well.
        Almost forgot, we occationally take trips to museums and this
      year the Home School Association is supposed to go to Colonial
      Williamsburg for the day. Linda will take the girls, dad will
      watch Joel. :-)

Many thanks to those that respond.  In order not to fill disk space for all
the listmembers, private e-mail is preferred.
MAKS> I find the info from other list members facinating, and would like
      to see it. I submit this "public" as I hope others find it the
      same.

Grace and peace,

                Renee Autry (SRAutry@Samford)

In His Love,
Maks
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