Part 1 — Develop a Welcome Letter
[I would prefer to use the video format for a welcome letter, so that my audience of learners will identify me with a real human being. But I also think a transcript of the video is helpful. A photograph is also important.]
This is a course to help you navigate the road in starting and maintaining a homeschool education. It is primarily for parents who have decided to forgo the public education system and want to bring their kids home to be educated. I began my homeschool adventure 15 years ago, and have successfully educated three of my kids.
When I began, I was unsure of where this would lead, or if I could pull it off, and see my kids with college degrees. Now, I am confident, as all three have been admitted to college. Two have bachelor’s degrees from prestigious colleges, and one of my kids has just started college. One will continue on with medical school.
But it’s not just a good education that you worry about when you pull your kids out of traditional school — it’s the social aspect as well. I have found out that kids are naturally sociable or they may tend to be shy.
It really has nothing to do with how they were “schooled.” In fact, I have noticed that homeschooled kids are more confident when they get to college, more motivated, and engage in classroom discussions. So, rest assured, your kids can still be socially adjusted citizens. There are outside activities such as sports, music, and religion that fulfill those needs.
My kids have gone to foreign countries to teach english, volunteer, and experience other cultures. My 23 year old homeschooled son is majoring in Chinese, currently volunteering in an orphanage in China.
Two of my sons competed in sports during their homeschool year. We were part of a club soccer program, and I found a way to include track and field at the nearby high school. All states have a different requirement when you decide to homeschool, and these rules are easily met. Today, there are more resources for parents who make the decision to homeschool. I am a believer that homeschool can work, and that there are numerous success stories.
I have an educational background in the sciences, received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California, and graduate studies in pharmacology at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. While I am not a credentialed teacher, I have learned how to learn through these studies. Currently I am completing my master’s degree in Education with an emphasis in eLearning. I have raised five kids, love to write, and keep an ongoing blog for homeschool.
I will be sharing the legal aspects of homeschooling with you, choosing curriculum, keeping your sanity, and anything else you may bring up.
As we are all adults here, trying to make the best choices for our kids, I hope to instill that atmosphere of learning where we can share our concerns with each other and respect our opinions. No one should make anyone feel uncomfortable or wrong for making the best decisions for their own family. Please review the need to polite and observe proper internet conduct in discussion boards, email and all conversations. This is a good video to help you remember to be kind:
Part 2 — Reflection
Examples:
Chittleborough, P., Maybery, D., Patrick, K., & Reupert, A. (2009). The importance of being human: instructors’ personal presence in distance programs. International Journal of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, 21(1), 47-56.
Maryland Online. (2011). Quality Matters Rubric Standards 2011-2013 Edition. Retrieved from http://www.qmprogram.org/files/QM_Standards_2011-2013.pdf