Education Without School

When it comes to history, often our memories stretch only a short distance toward past events. We assume this is the only time that a pandemic affected children’s education. This isn’t our first time, nor will it be the last. Truthfully, over centuries, education has evolved and should continue to do so for the sake of our children. Since 3000 B.C., our species has survived at least 20 terrible epidemics and pandemics and countless less severe ones. These plagues ravaged civilizations and altered the course of humanity. Pandemics are global outbreaks of disease that can affect millions of people. The most well known of such plaques is the Black Death. Also known as the bubonic plague, it occurred during the 14th century. It is believed to have originated in China and spread along trade routes, eventually reaching Europe in the 1340s. The most heavily impacted countries were those in Europe, particularly Italy and Spain, but the disease also spread to other parts of Asia, Africa, and th...

  Albert Einstein: famous physicist and Nobel laureate Benjamin Franklin: one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and a polymath. Thomas Edison: inventor and businessman who developed many important inventions, including the light bulb. Isaac Newton: mathematician and scientist who developed the theory of gravitation. Tim Ferriss: entrepreneur, author, and podcast host. Agatha Christie: famous mystery novelist. Charles Darwin: naturalist and biologist known for his theories of evolution. Lewis Carroll: author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: composer and musician. William Shakespeare: playwright and poet.

  The history of home education in America dates back to the colonial era, when parents often taught their children at home due to the lack of formal schools in many areas. However, the practice of home schooling, as we know it today, did not become widespread until the latter half of the 20th century. During the colonial period, many families lived in rural areas where no schools existed. In these cases, parents had no other choice than teaching children themselves, or, if wealthy enough, hire a tutor to teach them. This was a common practice among the upper and middle classes, who could afford it. The first known instance of homeschooling in America occurred in the early 1600s, when Puritan settlers in New England began educating at home. At the time, these settlers believed that education was a religious duty, and that children should be taught to read the Bible and understand religious doctrine. This emphasis on religious education continued throughout the colonial period, with...

  © Personalized learning: Home education allows for a personalized education plan that is tailored to the individual needs, abilities, and interests of the child. This can lead to a more engaging and effective learning experience. Flexibility: Homeschooling offers flexibility in terms of both scheduling and curriculum. This can be beneficial for children who have unique learning styles or who may not thrive in a traditional classroom setting. Academic freedom: In a homeschooling environment, parents are able to choose the educational materials and resources that they believe will be most effective for their child. This can allow for a broader and more diverse educational experience. Increased family time: Homeschooling can allow for increased family time, as parents and children can spend more time together. This can be especially beneficial for families with a busy schedule or for those who value spending time together as a family. Improved socialization: Homeschooled children ha...

  What does it mean to get an education, and does it require sitting in a classroom? I didn’t attend a traditional public school past the 5th grade. Despite the negative perception many have about home-educated individuals, I’m not sheltered and unable to function in society. In fact, I’ve worked professionally in educational assessment supervising projects for the last 11 years. So, how did someone who stopped going to school at 10 years old graduate from college and end up with a job in the academic testing field? I believe in learning and how it benefits children, but public schools are not always a perfect fit for everyone. Some kids will do well, and some won’t. I recognize that parents and families need educational options. So why was I homeschooled? My world revolved around competitive figure skating. Every day I would spend an average of 2–5 hours on the ice. And like many lower income kids, I needed to get a job to help my family, and so I could afford expensive ice time a...

                              I still remember, even today, the excitement I felt getting the 120 Crayola crayon box as a little girl. The newfound ability to design and draw with so many colors astounded me. I could color trees and leaves the way I saw them in various shades of brown and green, not just one. I sat on the cool tile floor in our living room with copy paper spread around me like a patchwork blanket covered in a multitude of colorful sketches.       My love for art and expressing my imagination through it increased as I learned more and took more classes. When I reached adulthood, expensive pens, paints, and other materials limited what I could create and how often. The bargain products that produced lackluster results were the ones that I resigned myself to using. At least this gave me the chance to put paintbrush to canvas, and that alone brought me great joy. I agonized o...

  John Lewis (UK) Annual Ad If you have been a follower of the famous John Lewis Christmas ads from the U.K. you will be sure to appreciate this year's ad with its focus on kindness rather than self-gifting: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/nov/13/john-lewis-christmas-ad-children-snowmen-pigeons-covid-tv-advert This feels really nice in the midst of what has too often been a fiercely contentious year. Enjoy!

  Science Knowledge Quiz If you'd like to add a dose of science into your stay-at-home or homeschooling this winter check out the Science Knowledge Quiz brought to you by the Pew Research Center: https://www.pewresearch.org/science/quiz/science-knowledge-quiz/ From the website: " How much do you know about science topics? Test your knowledge of science facts and applications of scientific principles by taking our 11-question quiz. When you finish, you will be able to compare your scores with the average American and compare responses across demographic groups. Our nationally representative poll of 4,464 randomly selected U.S. adults was conducted on Pew Research Center's American Trends Panel between Jan. 7 and Jan. 21, 2019. The analysis of the findings from the poll can be found in the full report, “ What Americans Know About Science .” https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2019/03/28/what-americans-know-about-science/ What better way to spend your pandemic self-quarantine...

  Local news media reports that: "......   thousands of CPS (Cincinnati Public Schools) students have fallen out of touch with district educators. More than 5,000 students were 'unreachable' as of this week. For an additional 5,000-plus students, attempts by educators to communicate occurred but contact wasn't made, according to data presented during a Saturday Board of Education meeting. About 13,000 students and their families were successfully contacted. The district enrolls about 35,000 students total." So, where are the missing 5,000+ students? Under Ohio law, they are officially truant. That means that they could be taken to court, forced to pay fines, pay bail perhaps, end up with a record, perhaps find themselves caught up with Ohio Child and Family Services. Not a good way to handle this relatively simple issue! Instead, these "missing" families should get in touch with us and learn how to notify their school district, how to inform them that th...

If you'd like to keep the day filled with interesting and challenging work, but don't want to rely on textbooks, check out the Daily Challenges from Brilliant.org. Each day you will find free challenges in math and logic, science and engineering, computer science, and many more STEM subject areas. You can sign up for a free trial and allow your students to choose from the following: see math and science in a new way; learn to think like a computer scientist; learn to think like a quantum mechanic. They say it's for ambitious and curious people, ages 10 to 110. With more than 60 courses to entice you and your students, you can try first, then, if you like what you find, sign up for monthly subscriptions starting at $12.49/month for their annual rate, or $24.99/month for their monthly rate. They also offer an annual rate of $299.88/year for groups of 3 or more.  Brilliant features: *A free preview of each course and new Daily Challenges in the Today tab *New Daily Challenges ...

  I recognize that many people think of 4-H as something for those who live in rural areas, who grow up on farms or ranches. Most have visited 4-H projects at county or state fairs. Few are aware of all the different learning options available through 4-H. I especially like the 4-H Self-Determined Projects framework that we, as home educators, can use for just about any project or course of study that our students might elect to pursue. We can borrow ideas from these project books and those found in 4-H literature for our own curricula, whether or not we choose to involve students in 4-H clubs and programs. And some families may choose to start their own homeschool 4-H club or to join other 4-H clubs that could display at the fairs.  Here is where you can look over the self-determined project book: https://ohio4h.org/sites/ohio4h/files/imce/365_Self_Determined_Project_Guide_2015%281%29.pdf Anyone can print out this five-page project guide and set up their own projects. Or can ...

Surprise, surprise, the answer is a resounding YES!!! The New York Times published an article back in 2011 titled, “To Really Learn, Quit Studying And Take A Test.” In this article the author, Pam Belluck, reported on research from the journal Science that found that after students read a passage, followed by a test asking them to recall what they had read, the students retained about 50 percent more of the information a week later than students who used two other study methods. Those other methods were: repeatedly studying the material, similar to what most students do in the classroom or when they cram for a test; or having students draw detailed diagrams documenting what they are learning. The latter method is one supported by many teachers because it forces students to make connections among facts.  The article goes on to give detailed support for the test-taking method of learning. Pam Belluck states that when students are later asked what they have learned, they can more eas...

More Than A Diploma -- Part III :  Study Resources For Credit By Examination Tests From those who have taken all the courses I have listed as high school equivalents, I’ve learned that the most difficult tests to pass for many are the CLEP History of the United States I and II.  Despite taking many practice tests, some students have found the actual test requires recall of many dates and names of events, a lot to memorize for the short-term study, and they often have to repeat these two tests before passing them.  So for these two courses, I recommend a longer study time with more study resources, aiming for a higher practice test proficiency score.   For example, EBSCO Learning Express, available free online from many public library research and study databases, offers four AP U. S. History practice exams, as well as CLEP combined practice tests for Social Sciences and History.   Ask your librarian if your library system subscribes to EBSCO Learning Expres...