Fall Issue, 2008

Questions for the Candidates
from National Home Education Legal Defense

As November elections approach, homeschoolers should try to find out the positions of the candidates on the issues of most importance to parents. NHELD has compiled a short list of suggested questions. Whether you use our questions, or make a list of your own, the important thing is to pin down all candidates regarding what they stand for and why homeschoolers should vote for them. Make them specify their positions, don't let them equivocate.

NEW! Politics and Art by Sharon Jeffus (This is a PDF)

Today the media plays a powerful part in electing a candidate. Perhaps more than any timed in history, the media isplaying a large part in the outcome of elections. Read on and discover how you can be a part of this process through your artwork.

Homeschooling and the All Important Family by Rachel Gathercole

The homeschooling movement is absolutely exploding with growth. Since 2000, the homeschooling population has been growing at the astounding rate of at least 10 to 20 percent per year. Literally millions of families are homeschooling in the United States alone. What is it that draws so many people to this trend?

Take Control of Your Family’s Schedule by Barbara Frank

The doctor found Mrs. Smith sitting in his office, sobbing quietly into a tissue.
“Why, Mrs. Smith,” he exclaimed. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, everything!” She began crying louder.
“Now, now…” the doctor soothed. “Tell me what’s made you so
unhappy.”
“I’m just so tired all the time, and I feel so overwhelmed. Each day is harder than the last.”
The doctor’s look of concern eased a bit.
“Are you trying to do too many things? Many women today have that problem. Tell me, what’s a typical day like for you?”
“Well, I have three children, and I homeschool them. Every day we do school from 8 to noon, and then we grab a quick bite and head out to Spanish class, and then we go to…”

The Pleasure of Material Things by Dr. Renée Fuller

“That child is just awful. He’s unbelievable! I’ve never seen anything like him. He hogs all the toys howling ‘Dey’re MINE!’ We’ve had to put him in a separate room so the other kids can play.”

Slipping on the Meadow by Jon Remmerde

We cut and baled the hay from the ranch we took care of in the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon. Classes at the kitchen table, the formal part of our home schooling, wound down for the year.

Be Realistic About a Child’s Attention Span by Helen F. Neville

Convinced your toddler's attention span is no more than a few seconds? Guess what: you're probably right.

Although your face might keep a baby interested for a couple of minutes, a toy or book may hold your toddler's attention for as little as 30 seconds. If you're playing with the toy together or helping your child "read" the book, expect two or three minutes before it's time for something new.

Homeschooling: A Family’s Journey by Greg and Martine Millman

One of the most powerful educational reform efforts of the mid-twentieth century, life-adjustment education, aimed at removing traditional academics from schools altogether, at least for the majority of students. As one proponent of life-adjustment education wrote in the Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals: “We shall some day accept the thought that it is just as illogical to assume that every boy must be able to read as it is that each one must be able to perform on a violin … When adults finally realize that fact, everyone will be happier ... and schools will be nicer places in which to live.”

Children Need Grandparents and Grandparents Need Grandchildren by Linda Schrock Taylor

There must be thousands of families that would remove their children from public schools in order to homeschool them, if the parents had a better support system within their extended family unit, and especially if that support came from the grandparents of the children.

Don’t Let Family History Slip Away by Hazel Cole

Grandparents can to take the lead in helping younger generations preserve their family history according to Milford, Ohio resident Hazel Cole Kendle, the 88-year-old first-time author of the just-released Cole Family Christmas. This year's National Grandparent's Day marked its 30th anniversary on Sept. 7.

Homeschooling: Start school year with a wish list by Kate Tsubata

As the big yellow school buses begin to wend their way through the neighborhood again, most home educators are gearing up for a new school year as well.

Connecting Math and Art by Sharon Jeffus

Einstein said, Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics, I assure you that mine are greater.

When I read a quote like that, I have to smile. Math was always my nemisis in school. I skipped the 7th grade in school, and after that, I just seemed to shut math down in my academic career.

Your Child’s Uniqueness by Nigel Lane

Just like a snowflake or a fingerprint, every child is unique in their own Imagespecial way. Every child has a unique way of feeling, thinking, and interacting with others. Some children are shy, while others are outgoing; some are active, while others are calm; some are fretful, while others are easy-going. As a loving and nurturing parent, it’s your job to encourage them to embrace their uniqueness and celebrate their individual qualities.

Helping Your Teen Find a First Job by Nigel Lane

If you're the parent of a teenager, helping them get their first job is one of the first steps toward maturity and personal responsibility. Here are seven ways you can ensure that their job hunt is a rewarding one.

Family Daze: All in the Name of Science by Debbie Farmer

Hard as this may be to believe, I've intentionally become the owner of ants. Fifty of them. Give or take a few. Now some of you may be wondering what I'm doing with all these insects, but those of you with children will instantly suspect that a birthday gift from a well-meaning childless relative is behind all this. And you're right.

Let’s Write! • Working With The Narrative Voice Part 3

In the last essay we worked with the tense and how it might shift with justification. I introduced you to a refresher lesson last year in the attitude that an author can choose for his narrative voice, but I think this is so important it will stand repetition. This is an aspect of narrative voice choice that gives many young writers trouble. Part of the problem is the complexity of the abstraction and some young writers get carried away with showing their readers that their narrative voices care too much about what happens to their characters.

Wordsmith’s Corner - Student Submissions

The Long Walk Home by Danielle Varieur (age 10, ME)

The Moon is Like Cheese by Amia Courchaine, (age 9, ME)