~ HOME LIFE NEWS ~ February, 2009
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Measuring Up!
Greetings!
Every year we like to remind parents how well home educated kids are measuring up. And this year there is more good news to report. Children taught at home are still measuring up quite well! But we don't mean just in academics. Social activities, such as sports and club involvement, are on the rise. Support groups and co-ops continue to form. Dual Enrollment with Colleges and Universities keep multiplying. And Churches everywhere are warming up more and more to the idea of parents teaching their own children. It's a good time to be confident in your decision and a great time to help your friends take the same leap you once did.
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HomeLife Academy & the ACT:
We are thrilled with the hard work parents are putting into preparing their students for the ACT. HLA's scores have been consistently higher than state and national averages for the last four years. In 2008, the national ACT average was 21.1. The state of TN was 20.7. And HLA's average was 22.5. Keep up the good work and plan ahead. Read through our ACT/SAT preparation materials , listen to our podcasts, and be sure to share your tips and tricks with the rest of us.
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Washington Times Op-ed-Homeschooling Popularity Grows: 1.5 Million Homeschooled Students in the United States in 2007
A 2007 survey estimates there are 1.5 million homeschooled
children in the United States, representing 2.9 percent of the
school-age population. This is up from 1.1 million in 2003, which
represented 2.2 percent of the school-age population. In 1999, there
were an estimated 850,000 homeschooled children, which means
homeschooling has grown 74 percent since 1999, and 36 percent since
2003. The top three reasons for home education are - Concern about the school environment: 88%
- A desire to provide religious or moral instruction: 83%
- A dissatisfaction with academic instruction: 73%
Download, view and print the report as a pdf file. (233KB) Brian Ray has
estimated that there were more than 2.0 million K-12 homeschool
students in the U.S. during the spring of 2008. HSLDA President, J. Michael Smith, writes: It is well-known that the average homeschooled child
scores well on academic tests. This is because, in part, homeschooling
parents can shape their educational program to their child. This
contrasts with a school setting where the child has to conform to the
educational program that is provided.
Some parents, especially as their children get older,
have been concerned their children might miss out on the
extracurricular activities available at the public school. Homeschool
networks across the country, however, have stepped up their efforts to
provide a wide array of extracurricular activities for homeschool
students. Sports leagues, band, drama, debate and many other activities
are now being provided for homeschoolers. Even football leagues are
available for homeschool students.
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State Control Does Not Improve Scores
A study (August 2008) by Dr. Brian Ray of the National Home Education Research Institue and Dr. Bruce Eagleson in the peer-reviewed Journal of Academic Leadership
finds no relationship between the degree of state control of home-based
education and the college SAT scores of the homeschooled. You may contact Brian Ray about this study. |
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Tips for Measuring Up
#1: Read lots of books:
Reading is really the best way to increase vocabulary, improve reasoning skills, and boost creativity. Read more about reading
 Exploring the Library
Content: A consumable study guide and workbook that encourages and inspires students to appreciate and enjoy learning. 62 pages.
From The Notgrass Company.#2 Play Reasoning Skills Games
Reasoning skill games abound. Just look for games which make you think. And yes, thinking games can be fun too!
#3 Keep Learning About Learning
No matter how many years of home education you have under your belt, keep reading new homeschooling books. The homeschool movement continues to grow and change. So tap into the new resources and hone your skills!
#4 Find New Things to do Together
Do not let yourself get stuck in a rut when it comes to education. Learning is a multifaceted and wonderful thing. So constantly ask yourself, 'What have we not done together?' Then plan it, build it, visit it, watch it, find it, bake it, play it, and record it in your scrapbook, because one day you'll look back and be glad you did!
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