Wednesday September 08, 2010


#185 Title:

Homeschool 101

Special Guest: Helen Hegener, co-founder of Home Education Magazine

Description:What is homeschooling? Why do parents choose to do it? Is it for your family? Learn the pros and cons based on one parent’s experience, Helen Hegener, who homeschooled five children and founded Home Education Magazine with her husband Mark.

Duration: 41:04

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Related Podcasts:

Homeschool 102

The Homework Hassle!

Simple Study Skills

Reading Matters

Show Index:
00:26 Intro: Homeschool 101
02:04 Common Questions from Parents
06:05 How Many Homeschool?
08:41 Diplomas and Testing
12:35 Homeschool Benefits
16:02 Being a Good Teacher
18:52 Homeschool Curriculum
24:41 About Home Education Magazine
26:08 Listener: Being Disciplined
29:30 Socializing Your Kids
37:52 Closing Comments
39:55 Closing Track: Justin Nozuka

Special Guest:




Music Spotlight:
rss Music: Justin Nozuka
rss Tracks: My Heart is Yours

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About Helen Hegener

Helen Hegener and her husband, Mark, founded Home Education Magazine in 1984, as the homeschooling movement was just gaining popularity and the national media was beginning to take notice of the fact that increasing numbers of parents were removing their children from public school and assuming the responsibility for their education at home.

The Hegeners were founding members of the American Homeschool Association, the National Home Education Network, and the National Homeschool Association. They have published many books on homeschooling and have contributed to dozens of books by other authors. They have appeared at conferences and symposiums from coast to coast, their articles have appeared in many national magazines (including a current article in Back Home), they have been featured guests on several radio programs, and they have been interviewed by the national press countless times over the years.

The Hegeners homeschooled five children, four boys and a girl, who are now grown and raising their own families and/or pursuing careers. When not editing Home Education Magazine or the books they publish through HEM Books, Helen enjoys spending time with family, canoeing quiet lakes, reading good books, and watercolor painting.


Quick Links

Home Education Magazine HOMEPAGE

Home Education Magazine BLOG

Follow HEM on TWITTER

Like HEM on FACEBOOK


About Home Education Magazine

Home Education Magazine (HEM) provides focused and extensive coverage of homeschooling and the issues of importance and concern to homeschooling families, advocates, and supporters. HEM has also been turned to as a source of information about homeschooling by legislators, educators, researchers, and the media.

Since 1984, HEM has brought homeschooling parents the most timely articles, in-depth interviews, and regular columns about the issues homeschoolers deal with; and the joys of a family life that homeschooling makes so easy.

Through the HEM blogs, forums, and social networking connections like Twitter, FaceBook and other social networking media, we take a dynamic and interactive approach to exploring issues of importance to homeschooling families, and networking homeschoolers for communication, support and encouragement, and HEM's respected presence serves as a point of reference and important information when homeschooling freedoms are challenged.

The HEM back issue archives provide an unequalled perspective on homeschooling's history, and a valuable collection of articles and columns on the topics homeschooling parents want their children to learn: reading, writing, math, history, science, nature, the arts, travel, world culture, socialization, technology and more. Selected articles and columns from 1997 through 2009 are currently online and available free, and we are working to digitize and move all of our content - from 1984 through 2009 - into our online archives for access with paid subscriptions. We welcome your comments and opinions as we work to develop this foundational archive of homeschooling's history. Read more.


Helpful Resources

53 Reasons To Homeschool
This was an online survey conducted by Pam Sorooshian for the National Home Education Network.

Lies My Teacher Told Me
As discussed on the show: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong

John Holt and Gowing Without Schooling
As discussed on the show: unschooling, magazine archives, FAQ about homeschooling and more.

Homeschool Diner
Here at the Homeschool Diner you'll find a full menu of articles, curriculum ideas, and links to online resources. You'll also find helpful suggestions, friendly advice,
and a little homeschool humor, on the side.

Spunky Homeschool
This blog is dedicated to the ramblings of a homeschooling mother of 6 in desperate need of a vacation. But since that is not currently available this blog will have to do.

Successful Homeschooling
Successful Homeschooling contains over 300 pages of FREE information written by an experienced home school mom!

Marty Layne: Mothering from the Heart
Information about mothering, parenting, children, creating a learning environment, building positive family relationships, books, education and more.

HomeSchool.com
Tons of helpful articles such as: How I Educate My Family and Friends About the Decision to Homeschool; 10 Things to Know When Choosing a Math Curriculum; Top Ten Homeschooling Books;101 Things To Do This Summer; and more.

Homeschool Central
Homeschool Central has been around for many years helping homeschoolers of all types. Whether you are just beginning or you are a pro, we have information that will make your job easier.



Favorite Blogs by Helen

The 10 Most Important Things You Need to Know About Homeschooling


1. Homeschooling is life changing. It creates personal growth for both the parent and the child. You (the parent) get a second chance to re-discover your own special genius, while you help your children discover theirs. Nothing you will ever do will have a more profound effect on your child and your family's future as homeschooling.

2. You are qualified to homeschool your children if... you love to read to them, love to spend time with them, love to explore the world with them, love to see them learn new things and, most important, love them.

3. Children love to learn. It is as natural to them as breathing. They have an inborn hunger to explore the world and examine what is interesting. They learn by following their interests, with one interest leading to another. This is the way we all learned as younger children and how as adults we learn after we leave school. Homeschooling families learn together and know that learning is a life-long process.

4. Homeschooling is legal everywhere in the United States, but homeschooling laws vary from state to state. The three basic categories for homeschooling laws are: home education laws, private school laws, and equivalency laws. The best way to find out what your state laws are is to contact a local support group in your area. To contact a representative from your state, please visit our list of local homeschooling groups. They are well versed in your states particular laws and regulations and can assist you.

5. It does not take six to eight hours a day to homeschool your child. Most of the time children spend at school consists of waiting. Design a plan that works for your family and be prepared to scratch it several times and start over. Don't sacrifice your family's happiness to "school" your children. There are many ways families homeschool; find what works for you and your family.

6. Your child will not become a social misfit. Children do not need to be socialized in a large group of same-age children to become well adjusted socially. Quite the opposite. Most parents want their children to learn their social graces from adults, not other children. Homeschoolers have healthy relationships with people of all ages, including the new mother next door, the retired couple who loves to garden, their friends at ballet, 4-H and Karate and, most important, their parents.

7. You will not have to teach algebra unless you really want to. It is not necessary to teach pre-algebra to ten year olds. When your teen decides to become a scientist, or is ready to explore the requirements of college admission, together you will explore the ways they can learn algebra: in a community college class, with a tutor, or through text books. After years of using math in their daily lives, homeschooled teens are well equipped to teach themselves higher math. Don't worry about it when they are ten.

8. You will question yourself a lot. Maybe several times a day in the beginning. This is normal. Find a fellow homeschooling friend. Support each other. Tell each other that it's okay to sometimes feel that your children didn't seem to learn anything on a given day. They did, and so did you!

9. You do not have to starve or live in a tent to homeschool your children. Thousands of homeschooling families are able to make the money they need and homeschool their children at the same time. While you create a family business or dream job, or restructure your current job, your children will learn the most important skill of all- how to create the life of their dreams.

10. Trust in your child. They learned how to love, smile, crawl, walk, talk, run, dress themselves, and understand their world before starting school, and they will continue to grow and learn without school.


Source: http://www.homeschool.com/articles/mostimportant/default.asp