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Whltby Free Press, Wednesday, August 23, 1995,PagO il . .....*. .. .*.... ........ .. *** ** *. .. .........: : : : .............. E . : E.EEE.E E:. Alternative to taiinlsy stem- By Jeunfer Lew Ask the average aduit about the gravitational pull of blackholos or the crocodiles of Zimnbabwe and the response would probably be unknown. But ask the same questions te, Reggie Simpson or Brian Wrigloy, both aged seven, and they'd be able te answer the questions ini great detail. They' re not cild prodigies, but they are able te follow their interests into great depth with the help of their parents who teach them at home. Carol Simpson and Kelly Greon are mombers - of the Home Education Alliance of Durham and Scarborough (HEADS), a non-sectarian-- organization for home -schoolers. The main cifferenco between PCHE and HEADS is that the fomer integrates Christian beliefs with education. Each home schooling family has individual resons for oping out of the publice chool systemi and a different pbilosophy on how te, educate cbildren. Green opted eut because sho did not want te see her son resent any Wkils, such as reading or writi.ng, in a classroom situation for wbich hoe would net have been prepared. "It troubles me that wo seem te have this idea that, everybody should learn te read by the age cf six years old when theres overwhelming evidence, especially in boys, that they may or may net," says Green who has studiod the. works cf ,various develepmental psychologists. Home education avoids teacbing cbildren in a structured or rigid fashion. Instead, cbildren can learn at their own paco and in a way that best suite them. Simpson, who teck lher son Reggie eut of the school system in Grade 2, says that "Wo ail have different ways cf learning. Some of us; learn by reading, others learn well by doing, and others learn very weil just by hearing. And in the home situation, you're able te, zero in on your child's learning style and accommedate that." Both parente have sons who are very physicaily active -and who aise learn btter on a one-on-one basis, whch isdifficult in aclass of 30idda. Home-schooled cildren do net work on a schedule, which beaves "lots of open-ended time for a far botter education," says Green. 'There' this intensef pressure te take advantageocf everytbing and 1 find cbildren are so over- programmred these days," says Green cf kd who have ne time left over after being at school and involved li a number of other lessons or clubs. Green expresses her conoern for these "stressed eut people" and says they no longer have a chiildhood. CHARLIE Simpson, 3, o perateshis train on Brian Green, 79 at a Whitby home sohool setting that is part of the Home Education Alliance of Durham and Scarboroug-h. PhotobyPter NMas, WhIty FroePros at home than at school, resulting li botter family cohesion. She bas aise, found thet cbildren educated et home are independont decison-makers, wherees cbildren ini the echool environment are accustemed te being teld what te do.- For home-schooled children, "learning is a continuous procese, net an ovent," says Simpson. 'They know they are responsible for their own learning," says Green. Her son Brian has chosen study tepics such as crocodiles, the American Civil War and Greek mythology wbile bis parents introduce other essentiels such as math and reading. Basebail and muâc are aise important te Brian. Reggio's tastes are just as ecbectic. Astronomy an d computerasoem to be bis favourite tepice and ho shows an interest in underweter life and art. Ho is alec learning how te, play chess. Both boys have multi-paged reports recorded by their parente detailing what they have studied, read, learned and -improved on tbroughout the year. One projeçt cen incorporate al subject areas and therýe are ne boundaries for home-based education. As any tepic may be introduced, home school parente make sure a network of resources are available te them. Thora are educetional catalogues, math systeme and computer software available te assist home schoolers in their curriculum. Other families cen help provide educetional information by sharing thoir expertise in a particuler field. Simpson has organized a home schooling astronomy club and planned activites include visite te the McLaughlin Planetarium, the Ontario Science Centre Skylab and a night watch et her home. However, it is net necessary for parente te be bigbly educated or te have teacher training. And it's a myth that cbildren from bigher incomne families are more successful as homne-echoolers. "A recent study by the Homne School Legal Defense Association cf Canada found ne strong link between parente' educational levels and children's acadeniic achievement and it alec found that total family income is not significantly related te children's acadeic achievement for home educated students," cites Green. "On average, children in faniilies of incomes of $20,000 are perfornilng as weil as children in famnilles with incomes of $50,00V. These findings contrast the studios of traditional school children. It is the desire and commitment of parriits to educate their children that is most important, says Green. Her family is enrolled in Pinewood Alternative School which has made "field trips, educational discoýimts, picnics and track days possible," lists Green. Alternative schools are voluntary for home school families and are designed ini such a way that parents must submnit report carda te the principal and attend a minimum number of meetings each year, yet are perniitted to teach at home. By registering under an Ontario private school, families can avoid rninistry or Durham Board of Education officiais who have made home visits in the past. "It is a way for families to say, no I don't really want to deal with my local board of education and I would prefer te deal with the principal of this private school," which Green insiste is a more insignificant part of being registered. Government intervention has become an important issue for homne-schooling parents. "Why should people who opt out of the- public education system be monitored?" quesions Green, who adda3, "you would have peoplo coming ini from schools from the Mjnistry of Education and putting their version of educationx on that family, which may becompletely inappropriate for that family." "If there was evidenco of that (abuse), home-schooled or otherwise, Fd be the first one on the phone te Cbildren's Aid, assures Green. The other issue connectod with the governmont is taxes 'or funding. "The idea that I like is that at income tax time we can put forward our expenses for home schooling and those expenses are taz exempt or rofundablo," suggests Simpeen. She es"mates, that home- schoolers spend approximatoly $300 te $400 per child each year deponding on their interests. "We've estimated that each home school child saves the province ovorali $6,000 a year. If ycu take 15,000 home school children," wbich Green insisteais a very conservative es"mate for the numbor in Ontario, "thon, wo are saving the province $90 million a year." Neither parent wants any money givon te them, but thoy would appreciate a tax credit of recognition because they are saving the government an expendituro and taking on the SEE PAGE 12 Learnîng at home becomîng9more popuar By Jennifer L..w For most kids, summer is anticipated bocause it means ne echool. There's fr-eedom from the classroom, homewerk and teachers. But for an increa *n numbor of cbildron, learming isa continuons process because an educational envircnment surrounds them at home. Many parente are now opting eut cf tho mainstream school system for the difficult task cf home educetion. Ini Durham Region, a support group, Parents in Christian Home Educetion (PCHE), made up of home schooling parente, was established lest September. The parents, cf PCHE work tegether in meetings, a multitude cf excursions and other events te educate their cbildren in different settingB with different techniques. Education in the Christian beliof and an empbasis on family unity are common geals of the PCHE. The support group aise werks te provide a wide variety cf social and educational settings te, benefit the children. Since the organizatien was established last year, "POIlE bas divided inte two. It's alreedy doubled ini size and we haven't even begun for neit year," says Sandra Flim McRao, a member cf the organization. Thora are several resens why se many parente have chosen te teach their cbildren at bome. Some parents are net satisfied with the education provided in mainstream echools. Penry Cleary, another member cf PCHE, opted eut due te, "some cf the agenda happening in the SNE PAGE 12 1. PARTICIPANT in a science fair held by Parents> in Christian Home Education. Photoby Petur M. . My Fmr» A # of homesohoolers in Canada 45,000-50,000 # of homeschoolers in Ontario 10,000 # of private schools (independent) in Ontario 500 # of private schools catering to home schoolers 25 Organizations: OFTP (Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents) Canadian Alliance of Homesohoolers, St. George, Ont. Il ý 1 1 = - ý - ý - qumffl-