Local homeschooling parents, Tanya Wilbon and Megan Myers will share their knowledge and experiences during a library program, The ABC’s of Homeschooling, at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 11 at the Bradford Area Public Library.
Wilbon is an 11-year veteran of homeschooling, having graduated two of her children and is currently teaching one in high school. Myers is about to start her third year instructing her grade
school aged children. Both mothers will lay to rest many of the misconceptions surrounding homeschooling, ranging from lack of socialization for youth, to no oversight of the parent-educators.
During their program, Myers and Wilbon will discuss state regulations, standardized testing, and the use of parenting co-ops to help with the instruction of a variety of subjects. They will also offer an abundance of hard earned advice to parents exploring the homeschooling option for their families.
During the COVID pandemic, the US Census Bureau initiated the Household Pulse Survey (HPS) to measure the impact that the pandemic was having on our nation’s employment, housing, food availability and education. According to Census data collected, the 2020-2021 school year reported a historic surge in homeschooling numbers across the nation.
Pre-pandemic reports revealed that approximately 3% of school-age children were homeschooled. The U. S. Census Bureau reported the percentage of households with school-age children attending homeschool doubled from March of 2020 to March of 2021, from 5.4% to 11.1%. And the Home School Legal Defense Association estimates that today, 7-8 million children are being homeschooled.
Schools have reopened and children’s vaccines are now available, yet the homeschooling numbers are not plummeting. Those engaged in the homeschooling movement will claim a variety of reasons why their children are not returning to the traditional classroom. Many parents tout the benefits of one-on-one instruction where children can progress at a pace that suits them, and lessons are truly individualized to the student’s interests, learning styles and schedule. Other parents report a strong dissatisfaction with the public school curriculum, as well as the need to protect children from bullying and inequitable treatment of students. Department of Education data reveals that homeschooled children are often shielded from negative peer and social influences that frequently undermine students’ mental wellbeing and development.
While many parents engaged in homeschooling are not trained educators, they found themselves in that very role in 2020, as well as in 2021. Many children were struggling with remote learning, parents were working jobs, and were trying to reteach material to their children in the evenings. Parents were motivated to try something new, and discovered that homeschooling gives them the gift of time with their kids.
Is homeschooling the answer for all families? No. However, many are discovering that homeschooling is a perfect fit for their children. Attend, The ABC’s of Homeschooling on Monday, July 11 and see why.
