Oh, What Do You Do....

I get this question a lot..."What do you do about homeschooling? What are you going to do about graduation? What about socialization?" It cracks me up that nobody asks, "What do you do about education? Are your kids learning better at home than at public school?"

I saw a fantastic shirt on a little boy at the library today. It read, "Unsocialized homeschooler...interact or communicate with at your own risk" with a warning sign look to it. I started laughing and wondered where I could get some for my kids so I found them at this website. I'm going to have to invest in some t-shirts I think.

Chris wears a shirt that says, "Homework Kills Trees...Stop The Madness!" He tells people it is a political statement. Most people who look at it think he is talking about public school homework, but he believes he is making a stand for homeschooling and that kids waste their time going to school all day, only to come home with an hour or more worth of homework. He tells people he can get all that done in 4 hours a day. Smart boy!

So, here are the answers to the top three questions I'm asked:

1. "What do you do for homeschooling?" - We read and study from "real" books, not textbooks. We focus on classics like Heidi, Robinson Crusoe, Charlotte's Web, Jane Eyre, Shakespeare, etc. We use fieldtrips, simulations, and life experiences to explore deeper into subjects and we allow our passions and zeal for learning to take us to new things to learn about.
2. "What will you do about graduation?" - Our children will attend a homeschool graduation where they will walk the isle and get a diploma. No, this one is not recognized by the state, but does that really mean anything anymore? For college entrance, they will take the same placement tests or ACT/SAT's that everyone else takes.
3. "What about socialization?" - My kids have so many social activities that we can't fit them all in! We have scouts, church events, homeschool group meetings, fieldtrips, enrichment classes, 4-H Club, Roots & Shoots, etc. Not to mention their family and friends.

Thank you for reading about my answers to frequently asked questions.