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##  Rural Home Schooling and Place-Based Education. ERIC Digest.                 

Place-based education, which draws from local culture, history, and             geography to create a meaningful curriculum, can occur in any type              of setting, but it holds particular promise for rural homeschooling.            Place-based educators use local particulars to teach universal                  concepts, engage students in community life, and involve people and             resources unique to the home community. This Digest identifies ways             that place-based education can counter common concerns about                    homeschooling so that homeschooled students--especially those living            in rural areas--receive academic, social, and individual                        benefits. HOMESCHOOLING IN THE RURAL UNITED STATESAccording to            the National Center for Education Statistics, an estimated 850,000              U.S. students were being homeschooled in 1999, comprising 1.7                   percent of the nation's school-age population. In rural areas, the              percentage of homeschooled students was 2.2 percent--slightly higher            than the national average. About one third (32.4 percent) of the                homeschooling population lives in rural areas as defined by the U.S.            Census classification (Bielick, Chandler, & Broughman,                          2001). 
Parents who commit to homeschooling do so for a variety of             reasons. Nearly half believe they can give their children a better              education at home; others have religious reasons (38 percent) or                consider the learning environments at their local schools to be of              poor quality (Bielick, Chandler, & Broughman, 2001). A small                    percentage (2.7) of parents indicated "transportation convenience"              as an important reason for homeschooling. A recent study did                    document long bus rides for rural students (about a quarter lasting             more than an hour each way), often over poor or mountainous                     roads (Howley & Howley, 2001). Regardless of the reasons, interest              and participation in homeschooling are increasing. PLACE-BASED                EDUCATION AND RURAL HOMESCHOOLINGRural parents who homeschool               have an opportunity to instill in their children an appreciation for            local values and places, and to integrate the local ecology and                 economy into the students' education. Orr (1992) gives several                  reasons for integrating place-based study into education: 
* to                join intellect with experience 
* to address problems of                       overspecialization in the world today 
* to help people learn how              to live well where they are 
* to strengthen understanding of the              significance of relationships among different places, both local and            global 
Through such an approach, which can be employed in schools             or at home, young people can learn more about how to live productive            and meaningful lives in their home communities (Haas & Nachtigal,               1998). 
Homeschooling offers opportunities to take different, more             individualized approaches to instruction and curriculum in order to             capitalize on students' interests and learning preferences and                  community learning opportunities. In other words, the flexibility               inherent in homeschooling can be used to students' advantage in                 various ways. 
Although studying homeschoolers is a difficult                  task (Hill, 2000), evidence reveals that homeschoolers do not always            grasp the opportunity to vary from traditional classroom                        approaches (Webb, 1990). Some stick to traditional educational                  practices (such as fixed schedules, structured study environments,              and standardized curricula and tests) whether or not these practices            serve educational goals (Whitehead & Bird, 1984). However, a study              of more than 1,600 families (Ray, 1997) showed that 71 percent of               homeschooling parents design their own curricula, compared with                 nearly 24 percent who purchase and use a complete curriculum                    package. HOMESCHOOLING'S EFFECTS ON SOCIETYOne concern                    surrounding the homeschooling movement is that personal independence            and self-sufficiency will take precedence over what is best for                 society at large. Critical observers of homeschooling argue that                those who practice this form of education are giving up on solving              common problems and that social stratification is a consequence of              their actions (Apple, 2000; Lubienski,2000). Underlying these                   concerns are commitments to the common school, including shared                 goals and strengthening community. 
In response, supporters--also              arguing from a critical perspective--contend that the current public            education system is defined more by national economic interests than            by local concerns and commitments (Davidson, 1996). People making               this argument view homeschoolers' exit from the public school system            as a withdrawal from political and business control, rather than as             a withdrawal from society and the common good (Van Galen & Pitman,              1991). 
For other supporters of homeschooling, withdrawal from                 society may indeed be one of the goals. Van Galen (1991) explains               that religious conservatives who have chosen homeschooling usually              want their children to learn a religious way of life and develop                conservative social and political perspectives. These parents                   establish homeschools to teach their children that "the family is               the most important institution in society" (p. 35). 
Public schools            may not be doing any better at creating societal cohesion than                  homeschoolers, however. Research has shown that graduates of large,             diverse public high schools are "less" likely than homeschooled                 youth to express tolerant attitudes, to volunteer time and money for            social causes, or to participate in community events (Hill,                     2000). HOMESCHOOLING AND SOCIALIZATIONBoth supporters and                 opponents of homeschooling emphasize the importance of learning                 necessary social skills (Webb, 1990; Whitehead & Bird, 1984). A                 major criticism of homeschooling is the social isolation of the                 student (Van Galen & Pitman, 1991). However, the public school                  process of sorting children by age and ability and isolating them               from their parents and siblings can produce its own forms of social             isolation (Howley, DeYoung, & Theobald, 1996). The tacit lesson in              such an arrangement can be conformity (Van Galen & Pitman,                      1991). 
Medlin (2000) separates the socialization issue into three             goals that can guide home educators: 
1. participation of                      homeschooled children in daily routines of their local                          communities 
2. acquisition of rules of behavior and systems of                beliefs and attitudes needed both during their education and later              in life 
3. ability to function effectively as contributing members            of society 
Attending to these socialization goals may help guide              parents in planning activities that encompass a concern for others,             whether they live in one's own rural community or in a distant city             or nation. ACADEMIC VALUE OF METHODS AND CURRICULUMAnother                criticism of homeschooling is that modern teaching methods and                  materials are not always used. Underlying this criticism is an                  assumption that professional educators generally know "what works"              to educate children--a much debated assumption. What is clearer is              that both groups of educators--public school teachers and                       homeschooling parents--can be overwhelmed by the number of subjects             that need to be taught. 
A growing number of educators in small                schools and homeschools have discovered that place-based                        methodologies can be used to integrate separate disciplines and                 subject matter with home and community projects. Student interests              combine with daily living activities and practical experience in a              variety of interconnected subjects to help children gain both                   practical and academic knowledge (Webb, 1990). 
Activities specific            to place-based education might concentrate on community themes,                 local occupations and hobbies, local government and history, or                 community concerns (Knapp, 1996). The homeschooled student can be               guided to collect, organize, and analyze relevant information;                  produce a worthwhile project or result from their study; and reflect            on and self-assess progress. 
A well-known example of rural                    place-based education is Foxfire, initiated by Eliot Wigginton in               the late 1960s (Wigginton, 1985). Youth interviewed members of the              local community, unearthing and publishing a multitude of stories               from the residents. Foxfire has grown into a teaching and learning              method used in a variety of educational settings. The method                    stresses 11 core ideals that include active learning; an audience               beyond the teacher; and connections among the classroom work,                   surrounding communities, and the world beyond (Foxfire Fund,                    2001). 
Another example of community-based learning is the PACERS              Small Schools Cooperative, initiated by the University of Alabama,              in which students have become community historians, scientists, and             artists (PACERS, 2001). Participating schools incorporate local                 needs into the curriculum, creating projects as varied as a                     community newspaper and a small business that builds computers for              local residents (Cedar Bluff School, 2001; Gaylesville School,                  2001). 
One innovative program, "Elders' Wisdom, Children's Song,"             encourages communication between older community members and                    school-age children. Students interview community elders and develop            songs, plays, public recitations, artwork, and publications based on            their stories (Community Celebration of Place, 2001). 
Although                rural areas may lack such homeschooling resources as museums,                   Internet communications, and expansive libraries, other assets                  abound, as these school-based examples illustrate. The knowledge and            experience of elders, the close proximity to the natural                        environment, and the skills and practical knowledge of rural                    residents who live without metropolitan conveniences can be valuable            resources for homeschooling. By utilizing these unique resources,               students may obtain practical experience in a variety of                        interconnected subjects. The community becomes not only the                     classroom but also the audience for the students'                               accomplishments (Knapp, 1996). SUMMARYHomeschooling parents               can guide their children in discovering and appreciating the values,            economy, history, and ecology of their home communities. At the same            time, they can provide for children's academic learning and social              development. These goals can be reached by planning activities that             combine real-life experience with academic learning; using an                   interdisciplinary approach; and working in cooperation with others              in the community to accomplish projects or produce useful products.             Rural homeschools offer unusual flexibility and opportunities for               practicing a place-based approach to education that can benefit both            the students and their communities. REFERENCESApple, M.                   W. (2000). The cultural politics of home schooling. Peabody Journal             of Education, 75(1 & 2), 256-71. 
Bielick, S., Chandler, K., &                 Broughman, S. P. (2001). Homeschooling in the United States:                    1999. (NCES 2001-033). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education,            Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for             Education Statistics. 
Cedar Bluff School. (2001). Home                        page [online]. Retrieved December 18, 2001, from                                http://www.pacers.org/schools/cedar_bluff/index.htm 
Community                 Celebration of Place. (2001). Elders' wisdom, children's                        song [online]. Retrieved December 18, 2001, from                                http://www.communitycelebration.org/elder/index.html 
Davidson, O.             G. (1996). Broken heartland: The rise of America's rural ghetto.                Iowa City: University of Iowa Press. 
The Foxfire Fund,                        Inc. (2001). The Foxfire approach to teaching & learning [online].              Retrieved December 18, 2001, from                                               http://www.foxfire.org/teachi.htm 
Gaylesville School. (2001). The             Gaylesville Enterprise Online. Gaylesville, AL. Retrieved December              18, 2001, from                                                                  http://www.pacers.org/schools/gaylesville/enterprise.html 
Haas,               T., & Nachtigal, P. (1998). Place value: An educator's guide to good            literature on rural lifeways, environments, and purposes of                     education. Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and            Small Schools. (ED 420 461) 
Hill, P. T. (2000). Home schooling and            the future of public education. Peabody Journal of Education, 75(1 &            2), 20-31. 
Howley, C., DeYoung, A., & Theobald, P. (1996). Rural              blues: How middle schools threaten rural communities. American                  School Board Journal, 183(4), 42-44. 
Howley, A., & Howley,                    C. (2001). Rural school busing. ERIC Digest. Charleston, WV: ERIC               Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools. 
Knapp, C.                 E. (1996). Just beyond the classroom: Community adventures for                  interdisciplinary learning. Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on               Rural Education and Small Schools. (ED 388 485) 
Lubienski,                    C. (2000). Whither the common good? A critique of home schooling.               Peabody Journal of Education, 75(1 & 2), 207-32. 
Medlin, R.                   G. (2000). Home schooling and the question of socialization. Peabody            Journal of Education, 75(1 & 2), 107-23. 
Orr, D. W. (1992).                   Ecological literacy: Education and the transition to a postmodern               world. New York: State University of New York Press. 
PACERS Small             Schools Cooperative. (2001). Tuscaloosa, Alabama: University of                 Alabama. Retrieved December 18, 2001, from                                      http://www.pacers.org 
Ray, B. D. (1997). Home education across the            United States. Family characteristics, student achievement, &                   longitudinal traits. Purcellville, VA: Home School Legal Defense                Association. Retrieved December 18, 2001, from                                  http://www.hslda.org/docs/study/ray1997/default.asp 
Van Galen, J.             A. (1991). Ideologues and pedagogues: Parents who teach their                   children at home. In J. Van Galen & M. A. Pitman (Eds.), Home                   schooling: Political, historical, and pedagogical perspectives (pp.             63-76). Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing. 
Van Galen, J., & Pitman, M.            A. (Eds.). (1991). Home schooling: Political, historical, and                   pedagogical perspectives. Social and Policy Issues in Education: The            University of Cincinnati Series. Norwood, NJ: Ablex                             Publishing. 
Webb, J. (1990). Children learning at home. London:               The Falmer Press. 
Whitehead, J. W., & Bird, W. R. (1984). Home                education and constitutional liberties: The historical and                      constitutional arguments in support of home instruction.                        Westchester, IL: Crossway Books. 
Wigginton, B. E. (1985).                     Sometimes a shining moment: The Foxfire experience. Twenty years                teaching in a high school classroom. New York: Anchor                           Books. 
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Rebecca Jaycox is an administrator in a small city             school district in southeastern Ohio. 
This publication was                    prepared with funding from the Office of Educational Research and               Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, under contract no.                   ED-99-CO-0027. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily                 reflect the positions or policies of OERI, the Department, or AEL.           **Title:** Rural Home Schooling and Place-Based Education. ERIC Digest.                 **Document Type:** Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073); **Available From:** ERIC/CRESS, P.O. Box 1348, Charleston, WV 25325-1348. Tel:                      800-624-9120 (Toll Free). For full text:                                        http://www.ael.org/eric/digests/edorc01-9.htm.                               **Descriptors:**  Active Learning,  Educational Strategies, Elementary Secondary                 Education,  Experiential Learning,  Home Schooling, Integrated                  Curriculum,  Interpersonal Competence, Parents as Teachers,  Rural              Education, Socialization                                                     **Identifiers:** ERIC Digests,  Place Based Education, Sense of Community                     
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