During the last 20 years, increasing numbers of families in the United
States have chosen to educate their children at home or outside the
conventional school environment. Current estimates range from 500,000 to 1.2
million students (Lines, 1991, 1995; Ray, 1996). Of that number, a
significant percentage of families have chosen homeschooling as the
educational option for their gifted children.
Challenges and Opportunities
When families consider homeschooling, there are many issues to explore.
Time commitment
Homeschooling requires an enormous time commitment by at least one
parent. However, many parents of highly gifted children are already actively
committed to their children's education. Parents find themselves trying to
squeeze in extra hours for music, dance, and art. Frequently, their evenings
are spent enriching the classroom curriculum so their children will continue
to be academically challenged. These parents claim that homeschooling is a
way to tailor their children's education to specific needs and interests at
the appropriate academic challenge level, and to create an integrated
educational environment that includes a wide range of activities.
Talk together as a family to decide if this is the appropriate choice for
you. As with any educational option, homeschooling works better for some
students and parents than for others. Some find the demands and intensity of
homeschooling to be too stressful; others love the freedom and challenge.
Resources and financial considerations
Homeschooling parents use many resources and materials. These can become
expensive, but there are ways to defray some of the costs. Homeschooling
parents can borrow from each other, share resources, and make use of common
items in the house and natural environments for curriculum material. The
public library is a rich resource for books and videos. Many libraries offer
interlibrary loans and vacation-loan extensions to the public. The Internet
offers a wealth of highly sophisticated information, especially in the
academic subject areas. A computer in the house is an advantage, but there
are other ways to gain access to the Internet; for example, some public
libraries and schools offer access.
When considering homeschooling, explore resources and materials in
advance. At all levels, verify the type of support schools will provide. If
they have a gifted program, they may provide curriculum suggestions and
guidelines. Contact others who are homeschooling through your state's
homeschooling network.
Academic considerations
Homeschooling can offer increased flexibility and academic
challenge. Flexibility is particularly important since many gifted students
are uneven in their abilities. For example, a child may be several years
ahead in math, but struggling with reading or writing.
Some children excel in all areas and require academic challenges to
remain motivated in school. Many of these students sit idly, waiting for the
class to catch up (U.S. Department of Education, 1994b). A rigorous,
academically challenging curriculum offers the opportunity to insert depth
and breadth. For example, the use of primary or original sources and
advanced reading material may lead the gifted learner into critical thinking
about an academic subject area or an interdisciplinary approach to subject
matter. Projects, hands-on learning, and problem-based learning may provide
interesting approaches to academic content.
Gifted homeschoolers enjoy opportunities to develop in multifaceted ways
and pursue interests without time and curriculum constraints. Individual
learning, tutorials, and small group classes are some of the options.
Social considerations
Many people have expressed concern about the social life and
potential isolation of homeschooled children. Studies of social adjustment
and self-esteem indicate that home-educated students are likely to be
socially and psychologically healthy (Montgomery, 1989; Shyers, 1992;
Taylor, 1986). Homeschooled students tend to have a broader age-range of
friends than their schooled peers, which may encourage maturity and
leadership skills (Montgomery, 1989). Homeschoolers are not necessarily
isolated from others of their age; they meet and socialize with peers in
their neighborhood and at community classes and activities.
With concerted effort by families, most homeschoolers can find avenues
for social and intellectual interaction. When a student is interested in a
topic, efforts can be made to ensure that the student talks with people of
various backgrounds and viewpoints. A mentor working individually with the
student may add stimulation and challenge. Professional societies and
community organizations are a good place to start looking for people
interested in sciences such as astronomy, visual and performing arts, and
music. Libraries, museums, parks departments, historical sites, scout and
sport programs, local businesses, religious groups, and theater groups
expand homeschooling programs. Some homeschool groups have formed their own
sports teams, and participate in community leagues. Homeschoolers benefit
from volunteering in agencies such as hospitals, nature centers, museums,
parks, libraries, and businesses.
Legal considerations
Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, Canada, and many other
countries. Some states require that parents notify the local school district
of their intent to homeschool; others require parents to register with the
state department of education. Some permit a homeschool to register as a
private school. Many states require yearly proof of student progress. Some
states have additional requirements, such as the submission of a curriculum
plan or education requirements for parents. Except for yearly standardized
testing as an assessment of student achievement, services for homeschoolers
have not been routinely available from the states. A few states permit
homeschooled students to participate in public school classes or activities.
Many state education agencies have a homeschooling liaison to help families
understand state requirements. Federally mandated special education services
may be available to homeschooled students through the public schools.
Since states vary in their specific requirements, obtain a copy of your
state's homeschool law from your state department of education or your state
legislator's office. Local homeschool support groups are good sources of
information on complying with the local laws and regulations.
Ways to Homeschool
There are many methods of homeschooling; no single method is best.
Success often comes through experience, confidence, and willingness to
experiment. Many parents prefer the structure and security of a
correspondence or purchased curriculum in the first year, switching to their
own tailored program once they have developed experience and feel more
confident. Some parents prefer to use textbooks and commercial curricula;
others prefer to use a variety of resources. Some parents opt to teach all
subject areas to their children; others seek out classes or tutorials for
some or all of the subjects, especially for homeschooled high school
students. Approaches may vary with individual children and change over time
as demands and experiences alter their lives. Reading accounts of other
homeschool experiences and getting to know other homeschoolers offers
perspective, ideas, and appreciation for the many ways of homeschooling.
What Resources are Available to Develop or Assess the Quality of a
Homeschool Curriculum?
Testing and evaluations of subject area competencies can be useful in
planning an educational program and assessing its outcomes. A combination of
assessments normally provides the most complete picture of a child's
progress. Off-grade standardized testing and portfolio evaluations may also
be appropriate. Standardized grade-level achievement tests may be available
from your local school district or state department of education. These
tests can be used to ensure that students are keeping up with local school
district grade level competencies. Homeschooling families should plan for
objective assessment as part of the curriculum. Not only does objective
assessment document achievement, but the results should inform program
planning. To investigate the topic of assessment, contact the ERIC
Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation (1-800-GO4-ERIC).
Model content and performance standards are available in many of the
subject areas. Content standards define what students should know and be
able to do. They describe the knowledge, skills, and understanding that
students should have in order to attain high levels of competency in
challenging subject matter (U.S. Department of Education, 1994a).
Performance standards identify the levels of achievement in the subject
matter set out in the content standards and state how well students
demonstrate their competency in a subject (U.S. Department of Education,
1994a). By following the basic academic standards set by the states or the
national subject area standards, parents have a rich framework from which to
develop challenging curriculum. Homeschooling resources and information on
obtaining standards is provided in ERICEC Minibibliography EB18, which is
part 2 of this digest.
International, national, and regional competitions may be valuable
assessments of and incentives for achievement. Further, competitions may
provide feedback as to how the student compares with others who are
interested in the same area. Regional and national competitions can be found
in most fields, including math, science, computer programming, writing,
engineering, geography, environmental, art, music, and dance. Specific
examples are included in Homeschooling Resources (EB18). A selected list of
competitions and activities can be obtained for a fee from the National
Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
How Well Do Homeschoolers Perform?
One way to compare homeschooled students with peers who attend public
schools is to use standardized achievement test scores. A study of
homeschooled student scores on standardized achievement tests shows higher
scores than the general population (National Home Education Research
Institute, 1997). Galloway (1995) investigated homeschooled graduates'
potential for success in college by comparing their performance with
students from conventional schools and found insignificant differences,
except in the ACT English subtest scores. Homeschooled students earned
higher scores in that subtest.
What About College?
The later high school years should be structured with college
applications in mind. These years may be managed in a variety of ways. Some
students remain in homeschooling and receive no diploma. Others choose to
reenter public school during high school to align themselves with peers and
obtain a standard diploma. Others select a combination that will take
advantage of Advanced Placement courses or other academic and
extracurricular offerings.
Limited research suggests that the home educated do well in college
(Sutton & de Oliveira, 1995; Galloway, & Sutton, 1995). Furthermore,
homeschoolers may find the unique experiences and abilities gained through
homeschooling make them attractive to competitive colleges. Check with the
colleges of interest to determine if they have specific application
requirements for homeschoolers. When standard high school student
transcripts are not available, colleges may need other information to make
an informed decision. SAT scores may be given more weight, since they are a
way of comparing a homeschooler to the general college-bound population.
Transcripts from community college courses taken during high school years
can be useful. Letters of recommendation from persons who have worked with
the homeschooler in tutorials, apprenticeships, community service, and
social activities may prove very valuable. A detailed description of unique
homeschool courses, in-depth independent projects, competitions,
publications, and community service activities will help a college
understand the quality of an applicant's homeschool education and recognize
the student as a competitive applicant. An interview, when offered by a
college or university, is particularly important for homeschool applicants.
Where Can Families Get Information?
This digest has an accompanying bibliography (EB18) that provides a wide
variety of resources. The following resources and others cited in their
bibliographies are another place to start. There are many parent discussion
groups on the Internet that discuss homeschooling issues. Groups such as
TAGFAM and TAG-L are listed on the ERIC EC website /gifted/gt-menu.htm.
Or, seek out a local homeschool support group. You can find one by checking
with state organizations listed in some of the magazines and through some of
the Internet sites listed in EB 18. Other sources include libraries; state
and local boards of education, especially state or local gifted advocacy
groups; La Leche League; and religious organizations. Be sure to look for
groups that match the underlying philosophy that attracted you to
homeschooling.
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References
Galloway, R. A., & Sutton, J. P. (1995).
Home schooled and conventionally schooled high school graduates: A
comparison of aptitude for and achievement in college English. Home
School Researcher, 11(1), 1-9.
Galloway, R. A. (1995). Home schooled adults: Are they
ready for college? ED384297.
Lines, P. M. (Oct. 1991). Estimating the home schooled
population. Working Paper. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education,
Office of Research and Improvement. ED 337903.
Lines, P. M. (1995). Homeschooling. ERIC EA Digest
No. 95, ED381849.
Montgomery, L. R. (1989). The effect of home schooling on
the leadership skills of home schooled students. Home School Researcher,
5(1), 1-10.
National Home Education Research Institute, (1997). Strengths
of their own: Home schoolers across America: Academic achievement, family
characteristics, and longitudinal traits. Salem, OR: National Home
Education Research Institute.
Ray, B. D. (1996). Home education research fact sheet
IIb. Salem, OR: National Home Education Research Institute.
Shyers, L. E. (1992). A comparison of social adjustment
between home and traditionally schooled students. Home School
Researcher, 8(3), 1-8.
Sutton, J. P., & de Oliveira, P. (1995). Differences
in critical thinking skills among students educated in public schools,
Christian schools, and home schools. ED390147.
Taylor, J. W. (June, 1986). Self-concept in home-schooling
children. Home School Researcher, 2(2), 1-3.
U.S. Department of Education (1994a). High standards
for all students. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/studstnd.html
U.S. Department of Education (1994b). Prisoners of
time. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/PrisonersOfTime/
