How I Got Into Homeschooling My Boys

To All:

I have been asked on several occasions on how I got into homeschooling my two boys (ages 7 and 10), so I decided to put together this little reference post.  I think that this community will enjoy it.  All comments are welcome either good or bad.  My wife had been researching homeschooling for a couple of years before I finally got interested enough to go on a full on research bender and was thoroughly convinced that this was the right thing for our family.

There is something you need to know about me.  When I get into a subject, I read and study everything I can on that particular subject.  I will read/research 14 hours a day, everyday for months on end.  I will study Books, Blogs, Websites, Articles, Magazines, Online videos, DVD’s, Conferences, Seminars, Etc…  I keep researching until I either burn out or am thoroughly convinced that I have learned all that I need to know about a particular subject.  I’ve done this with:  Golf (turned pro in 1 year), Homeschooling, Nutrition/Diet (read my kindle book David’s Diet:  Lose Weight Fast–No Exercise Required; Just one man’s very opinionated opinion on diet and exercise), Strength & Conditioning (read articles here for youth, women and men, Mixed Martial Arts (freemmaschool.com), Self Defense (1LessonSelfDefense.com and RapeProof.com) and am constantly studying Economics/History/Politics/Investing.

Another thing you need to know is that I am just a resource and you are your own teacher!  Have fun reading and researching!  Coach David

Here is the question I hear the most, “but what about socialization?”  To everyone’s concern about “socialization”, here are a couple of good articles (click on the titles to go to the page and read):  My boys (ages 7 and 10) get to “socialize” in the real world and attend martial arts classes, go to the pool, go to summer camps, chess tournaments, socialize with adults on a regular basis, go to the library, go to restaurants on their own (I’m nearby watching, but they don’t know it), order and pay (with tip), and many, many field trips because we are not bogged down by a typical school year schedule.

Socialization: Homeschoolers Are in the Real World    ”Academically homeschoolers have generally excelled, but some critics have continued to challenge them on an apparent “lack of socialization” or “isolation from the world.” Often there is a charge that homeschoolers are not learning how to live in the “real world.” However, a closer look at public school training shows that it is actually public school children who are not living in the real world.”

What About Socialization?   ”Socialization is actually meant to prepare children for the real world, which means learning to interact and deal with people of all ages, races, and backgrounds,” says Diane Flynn Keith. “In this case, homeschooling actually does a better job of this because homeschoolers spend more actual time out in society.”

Homeschooling and the Myth of Socialization  “A family member asked my wife, “Aren’t you concerned about his (our son’s) socialization with other kids?”. My wife gave this response: “Go to your local middle school, junior high, or high school, walk down the hallways, and tell me which behavior you see that you think our son should emulate.”   Meanwhile, in public school, children are segregated by age, and have very little interaction with other adults, except their teacher(s). This environment only promotes alienation from different age groups, especially adults. This is beginning to look like the real socialization problem.

Research supports this:  According to Home Schooling and the Question of Socialization by Richard G. Medlin, “Home-schooled children are taking part in the daily routines of their communities. They are certainly not isolated; in fact, they associate with–and feel close to–all sorts of people.”

-What I do with my kids:  Basically reading, writing and math (everything else they can learn on their own).  I focus my efforts on teaching my kids how to learn.  If they know how to learn, then they can learn anything they want (educate themselves). My kids are their own teachers (autodidacts) and I am just a resource for them.  My curriculum is what is called “classical” or Grammar Stage, Logic Stage and Rhetoric Stage (look up and read about “Classical Education”).  I learned this from Chris Duane at http://dont-tread-on.me although I cannot find the particular article again to reference here (here it is http://dont-tread-on.me/?p=5247) .  There are also tons of experts out there that can teach for barter or a small fee.

Reading:  They read whatever they want.  If you require reading and force them to read certain books, then that will link reading with force and no fun.  (I try and “encourage” them to read certain books, but do not pressure, well not too much anyway).  I do require that they read classic nursery rhymes (I really don’t have to “require” because they love to read them anyway).  You would be surprised on how many modern books, movies, plays, etc… reference classic nursery rhymes, but you wouldn’t know it unless you’ve read them.

Writing:  They do a program called Spelling Workout and they also do “copy work” (open a classic and copy a paragraph or two) of the great writers just like in the old days.  This way they get to see how paragraphs and poems, plays, etc… are properly written, without them getting frustrated trying to write original content.  I also do a cursive writing program that you can see here:  http://www.memoriapress.com/descriptions/new-cursive.html.  We tried to do the Latin program, but the kids weren’t into it, so we stopped.  If they want to later, we will do it again.  We have hired Spanish tutors in the past and they both loved it.

Math:  I use Math Mammoth  http://www.mathmammoth.com/ .  I have probably looked at and tried 10 different math programs (including Kahn Academy) and have settled on Math Mammoth.  It is really good and not too expensive.

 Other Resources:

–memoriapress.com  (great site.  You could just get all your stuff from this site and you would have the smartest kids around.)
–tjed.org  (Great Classical Education site.)
–http://www.welltrainedmind.com/blog/  (We use her world history books, go to museums, travel, study maps, and also reference the internet/netflix for history and geography.  Isn’t it better to actually do things, than just read about it???)

-When they’re older I will have them go through Chris Duane’s Sons of Liberty Academy http://dont-tread-on.me/?page_id=70 and Tom Woods Liberty Classroom http://www.libertyclassroom.com/ to learn economics and “REAL” history.

–Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto and Thomas Moore (Feb 1, 2002)

–Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher’s Journey Through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto (Apr 1, 2010)

7 Keys of Great Teaching from tjed.org.  There are seven principles of successful education. When they are applied, learning occurs for any learning style or interests. When they are ignored or rejected, the quantity and quality of education decreases.

1. Classics, Not Textbooks
2. Mentors, Not Professors
3. Inspire, Not Require
4. Structure Time, Not Content
5. Simplicity, Not Complexity
6. Quality, Not Conformity
7. You, Not Them

Rules of Learning from Clark Aldrich

● Learn to be; learn to do; learn to know.
● Tests don’t work. Get over it. Move on.
● What a person learns in a classroom is how to be a person in a classroom.
● Animals are better than books about animals.
● Internships, apprenticeships, and interesting jobs beat term papers, textbooks, and tests.
● The only sustainable answer to the global education challenge is a diversity of approaches.

Here is just a small list of the books I have read on Homeschooling (attached).  Start with the Teenage Liberation Handbook, and then just keep on reading.  Anything by John Holt or John Taylor Gatto is good.

I can just give you the tools to start you on your journey…you need to pick them up and put them to use…  Coach David

8 attachments — Download all attachments

The Teenage Liberation Handbook.pdf 5361K   View   Download

An Underground History of American Education.pdf 2426K   View   Download

How Children Fail by John Holt.pdf 841K   View   Download

How Children Learn by John Holt.pdf 1285K   View   Download

Never Too Late by John Holt.pdf 1343K   View   Download

stop-stealing-dreams6print.pdf 962K   View   Download

Teach Your Own.pdf 1308K   View   Download

Everything We Think About Schooling Is Wrong John Taylor Gotto.pdf 69K   View   Download

Thanks for reading!  Coach David (check out my new site at RapeProof.com)