Many moms (and dads) have encouraged and supported me in homeschooling. But two mentoring experiences have greatly influenced me during my 16-year adventure in home education.

First, I vividly remember sitting in the kitchen of a veteran homeschool mom as I grilled her with my three-page written list of questions as I contemplated educational choices for my then-4-year-old. Other parents told me it was just kindergarten and that I needed to relax, but I remember thinking they must not value education as much as I did. Of course, after completing that first year of homeschooling, I was telling mothers similar things — it really wasn’t as hard as we feared and was in fact quite doable.

The next picture I carry with me happened several years later, when my oldest was in sixth grade. I eagerly attended a local support group meeting where a veteran homeschool mom of four high school–age and college-age boys gladly expounded on what parents need to know about homeschooling during high school. I remember this mother also telling us that with thoughtful preparation, high school did not have to be a big, scary, awful thing. I found myself thinking that if she could do it, I probably could too.

We parents tend to worry that we aren’t doing enough, or we aren’t preparing our children well — you know the drill. Today when I counsel those thinking about homeschooling during the high school years, and now that my oldest is in nursing school, I find myself saying, “Relax — most of the things you worry about never happen.” With that in mind, here are some of the things I share when leading FPEA High School 101 orientations.

First off, I start by asking everyone to remember the feelings they had when they first began homeschooling. Then I ask them to recall how they feel now about all those issues they worried about way back then. I tell them it’s the same way with high school — you start out with the same trepidation and end with telling everyone that it really wasn’t that hard. Just like when you first started, there is new vocabulary and vernacular to get used to, but before you know it, you will be a pro. With other local moms, the Guide to Homeschooling in Florida, FPEA Florida Homeschool Convention workshops and a few well-chosen resource books, I knew I had the information that would guide me along the way.

Whether your child is in middle school and you’re looking ahead, or you’re just starting ninth grade, each family has four basic decisions to make about high school. It may seem overly simplified, but the first decision is whether or not you will continue to educate at home. Individual families must make the decisions that are best for them, but don’t make your decision based on fear, because as I’ve already said, a large percentage of what we fear never occurs, and there are plenty of people and resources to help us. Life is unexpected and we can’t predict the future, but if at all possible, one should try to do the high school years in a single setting. Going from home into public or private school, one must be aware of the amount and type of credits required to graduate with one’s peers. If going into public school from home, an important resource is a Technical Assistance Paper “Transfer of Credits Guidelines,” found at www.floridaschoolchoice.org. Going from public or private to home is probably easier, but one still must closely watch eligibility rules and deadlines, especially when dealing with the Bright Futures Scholarship.

Another thing to think about is what method of education to use during the high school years. Just because your child has started higher education does not mean you should change what has previously worked well. All methods of education, even those less formal, can be translated into a high school transcript (and I highly recommend that each high school student have a transcript, whether they plan on college or not.) There are many resources to help with documentation of a formal transcript or portfolio. I remind parents that those pioneer homeschool families that were being recruited by Ivy League schools did not use textbooks, because no one would sell to them back then. They got into college and continue to get into college because they don’t look like everyone else — they’re unique, involved in a variety of interesting pursuits and passions. So don’t think you have to change to an all-textbook approach just because you’re starting high school, unless it meets the goals and needs of your particular child.

The third decision to be made is whether or not to follow the home education law and register with the superintendent or follow the private school law and register with a nontraditional private school. According to the Home School Legal Defense Association, roughly 60 percent of Florida homeschoolers register with the county and 40 percent with a nontraditional private school. There are pros and cons of both choices. For some, this choice will boil down to whether or not they want a parent-generated transcript and diploma. For others it will depend on the costs and flexibility of one program over the other. Again, there isn’t a right way or a wrong way, only what is best for your family and your child. Just don’t let anyone scare you into thinking your child can’t succeed because he or she doesn’t have an “official” diploma and transcript.

The last thing to consider, but probably the most important, is what future you are preparing this child for. You’ll be structuring your high school years around this. It’s best to start your planning with the end in mind. For example, if you know your child wants to go to Georgia Tech and major in engineering, what type of educational experiences are required to get there? Is your child interested in college, or does she have the aptitude for a trade school, is he better suited to entrepreneurial activities, or is an apprenticeship or the military in the future? Or is your child not sure? In our home, we started by identifying what we knew our child didn’t like and then focused in on where her giftings, skills and interests lay. Extracurricular options also help in determining a child’s future plans.

In preparing for the high school years there are at least four basic questions to answer: whether to educate at home or not, the educational method to pursue, a method of accountability to use and what future to prepare for. Generally speaking, the more time one has to look into these choices, the better choices one makes. Fellow homeschool parents are an excellent source of information — they are real people who have been there and done that, and can share the good and the bad. So come by the Mentoring Moms booth at the Convention to talk with veteran moms, bolster your courage, brainstorm together, get ideas and get answers to your questions.

FPEA District Directors will present these and other insights during the High School 101 orientation/ workshop at the 25th annual FPEA Florida Homeschool Convention.

By Kim Coley. Kim served as FPEA District 5 Director for five years.

During a recent presentation on national and personal exceptionalism to a group of 5,000 business owners, I had one of those epiphany moments right there in the middle of the stage. It suddenly dawned on me that if America preserves its exceptionalism, it will be in very large part due to the investment of homeschooling parents across the nation. These parents refuse to settle for mediocrity or submit their children to the social experimentation of government schools that have failed miserably with their coddling, feel-good education mixed with “fuzzy math,” moral relativism and continually lower standards of achievement.

Before I continue, a description of American exceptionalism is needed, since so many people are using that term today. The phrase is not one of arrogance, as so many of those apologizing for American greatness seem to complain about. The idea of American exceptionalism has absolutely nothing to do with the worth, well-being, aptitude, intelligence, ability or any other personal characteristic of the American people versus other people. It is not about you or me personally. It is about the American way of life, its political and economic structures, and the philosophical foundations upon which those things were built.

This phrase, first coined by Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville in his The Republic of the United States of America (modern, redacted versions unfortunately are called Democracy in America), simply means that our system of freedom and our values have produced something exceptional — not perfect, not infallible and certainly not indestructible, but something exceptional, meaning different results than any other nation in history. Another way to say it would be to say that the American experiment in freedom has been extraordinary, which means extra-ordinary, or not ordinary, not normal, beyond normal … something different.

While statistics on wealth, power, freedom, and virtually every other category or measurement certainly prove that America is the most successful nation in history, I do not wish to belabor that point, but rather emphasize the importance of homeschoolers in preserving that exceptionalism.

Back on that stage in front of those business leaders, it was during the story of a frustrated homeschool mom that I realized just how capable the homeschool movement is of literally saving America even if we never grow to more than 10 percent of the student population.

I told the story of a talkative, inquisitive, hyperactive, 7-year-old boy who was labeled by his teacher as having a learning disorder. His courageous, dedicated mother pulled him out of public education after only three months and began teaching him at home. Her curriculum included the basics of reading, writing, arithmetic and the Bible, while the father encouraged him to read the classics. By the age of 12, this supposedly learning-disabled child had completed Gibbon’s Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, Sears’ History of the World and Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy. He had devoured The World Dictionary of Science and a number of works on practical chemistry. Wait a minute … 12 years old? Most of us have trouble with the titles, let alone getting through these tomes!

But lest you get the idea that this kid was a “poorly socialized” bookworm at home 24/7, you should know that at age 12 he convinced his parents to allow him to sell snacks, candy and newspapers in the community, and he had another business selling fruits and vegetables. By 14, he became a political activist and had his own newspaper with 300 subscribers, making the equivalent of $300 a day and using his profits to set up his own basement laboratory … at 14!

He was just getting started.

Little Thomas Edison went on to invent the lightbulb, the phonograph, the Dictaphone, mimeograph, storage battery, kinetiscope (silent film), talking pictures (The Great Train Robbery in 1903), and (his greatest achievement of all) a central power plant with the ability to distribute electric light, heat and power to the masses. He obtained 1,093 patents in his lifetime, and every man, woman and child on the planet has benefited from them.

Imagine a world without these things.

If it were not for the decision of his parents to homeschool Thomas and give him an environment of exceptionalism where he could pursue his dreams, he most likely would not have become the greatest inventor of all time. If he had been born in 1997 instead of 1847, he most likely would have been given a healthy dose of ADHD drugs, and his creative curiosity, along with his 1,093 inventions, would have been lost to the world.

Just as important as his parents’ personal decision to homeschool was the fact that Edison lived in a nation where he was free to follow his calling and be rewarded for his hard work. In other words, the crossroads of his personal exceptionalism in an environment of national exceptionalism is what allowed for his amazing inventions not only to take place, but also to quickly spread to the entire nation and then the entire world.

Even the amazing personal exceptionalism he experienced at 14 could not have happened in most places on the planet. What if government regulations had required all kinds of permits to sell his goods? Or what if there was no First Amendment, and the local authorities stopped him from having his own newspaper?

What if the Environmental Protection Agency had stopped him from setting up his basement lab? Just imagine how impossible it would have been for Thomas to have done these things in communist North Korea or Cuba or even the Chicago of today? Can you imagine a 14-year-old entrepreneur having to battle the union thugs and their control of transportation (he was selling his newspaper on local trains)? What if the teacher unions and anti-homeschooling truancy laws had prevented Thomas from leaving the house during the day?

The bottom line is that we need both an education environment that encourages exceptionalism and national economic and political structures that reward and incentivize that exceptionalism.

No group or demographic in America is better equipped to impact both personal and national exceptionalism than homeschoolers. Not only are we creating an environment of excellence in the education of our own children, but we have also become one of the most powerful, politically active demographics in the nation. So as we strive for personal exceptionalism in our own homes, we are fighting to revive the freedom formula that made America exceptional as a nation.

The results speak for themselves.

Homeschoolers are not only winning spelling bees and geography contests, they are also dominating speech and debate competitions and fielding athletic teams that win both on and off the field (meaning the life lessons learned on the field with coaches interested in character first). Colleges have gone from shunning homeschoolers to seeking them out and recruiting them. Candidates for public office covet homeschool endorsements and know that the most effective campaign volunteers and social networkers are supposedly “poorly socialized” homeschoolers.

Most importantly, the individual result of our own children being raised with our values in a positive environment requiring hard work is producing some of the most effective, successful leaders in virtually every single area of the culture and economy. This means that your hard work will pay off for generations to come.

Thirty years ago, when my mother would try to explain to someone why she was homeschooling us, they would often say, “Wow, what a sacrifice!” Her response was always the same: “No, it’s an investment.”

I believe that same investment by millions of parents in our generation will reap a tremendous reward for generations to come. With even a small percentage of the populace well trained and equipped, we can bring a revolution of traditional values that renew exceptionalism in America.

And who knows — one of us might end up homeschooling a talkative, hyperactive, inquisitive child who invents an even longer-lasting light bulb, something even better than the iPhone, a cure for cancer, or some other improvement that changes the world. And while there will be many individual stories of great exceptionalism, I firmly believe we can raise up a generation of patriotic, God-fearing, freedom-loving thinkers who save American exceptionalism.

By Rick Green, FPEA Convention Keynote Speaker.  For more information about Rick, visit www.rickgreen.com.

Check out this application on the App Store:

Link here to the App Store

As with any new project this new app still needs just a few more minor adjustments so please go ahead and download it and know that we will continue to add a few more pieces of information and updates over the next few days.

For our friends with Androids, we are very close to getting your version of the app posted too so please check back often for updates!

The word “legacy” comes from the Latin legare, meaning “to bequeath.” Of course, that generally brings to our minds an inheritance in the form of money or property. As parents, we are sure we will be bequeathing something to our children. Will it be of any more value than the material goods we have acquired? While it may be somewhat narrow in perspective, here is something to consider.

As you educate your students, can you say they are involved in concept development, or are they learning passively? Are they figuring things out for themselves, or are they learning tricks and shortcuts? Do they see the logic in what they are learning, or are they just memorizing information for a test? Are they analyzing their mistakes to find the reasons why they answered incorrectly, or are they just accepting their fate and recording a grade?

A legacy can mean many things, but helping our children learn to think may be one of the longest-lasting tools we can bequeath to our children. Of course, we need to carefully consider the educational materials we use to teach our children, and those materials need to be developed logically. Unfortunately, traditional mathematics instruction is often driven by programs that are developed topically instead of logically.

As we cover the traditional scope and sequence of algebra, I trust you will receive food for thought as you strive to leave an educational legacy to your child.

“Do two halves really make a whole?” seems like such a simple question, but is the answer that obvious? Not when it comes to high school algebra! And I’m not talking about some new way to add algebraic fractions. I’m referring to the age-old practice of teaching two years of algebra in high school, which presumably makes up a complete algebra course. They may have been called Algebra 1 and 2, or Beginning Algebra and Advanced Algebra. In either case, the implication was that each comprised one-half of a complete algebra course. However, if you look at the table of contents in any “second-year algebra” book, you will find that at least 50 percent of the book is a repeat of “first-year algebra.”

So really, there is no such thing as Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. These are courses (or names for courses) that came about as a result of school scheduling. Many years ago, when it was the norm to require only two math credits to graduate from high school, a study of algebra was a natural beginning credit. Of course, since it was generally taught “mechanically,” utilizing many formulas and rules, a lot of practice and repetition was involved and, in fact, the study was not even completed in one year. So, for another math credit, geometry was taught for a year. It was considered “another discipline,” involving a significant amount of logical reasoning and proof, and it gave students “another math experience.”

That took care of the required credits.

Then, the next year, students interested in going further in their study of mathematics were offered the opportunity to continue, and finish, their study of algebra. Of course, because of the “procedural” way it was taught initially, students simply didn’t remember much of that first year. So, they started over, re-studying many of the same things. This time, however, it was called Advanced Algebra. Something of a contradiction, don’t you think? In fact, the word “advanced” is a relative term anyway. Chapter 2 of an algebra book is “advanced” compared to Chapter 1, isn’t it?

This has been perpetuated through the years, primarily because of that traditional implementation. When you try to memorize rules, formulas, tricks and shortcuts without really knowing why they work, it will take a lot of drill and review just to remember the material for a test. Yet, even today, that approach is often considered to be the “normal way” to teach algebra.

Therefore, I suggest that one of the most fragmenting things we have done in mathematics education is to forcibly insert a geometry course into the middle of an algebra course. Algebra is a single, “complete” course, divided only by concept areas. It is the study of relations (equations and inequalities), and it develops by degrees (as defined by the exponents). It begins, very logically, with a study of first-degree relations (all of the exponents are “1”), and continues to develop by exploring other types of exponents. Included are higher-order relations (with integer exponents), rational-degree relations (with fractions as exponents) and literal-degree relations (when the exponents are variables, or “letters”).

As such, algebra is the basic language of all upper-level mathematics courses, including geometry. Not only is geometry not a prerequisite for advanced algebra (whatever that is supposed to be), but you really need a good understanding of algebra as a complete course before you can fully understand a complete geometry course. That means there is a disadvantage, from the viewpoints of instruction and subject integrity, when you study geometry in the middle of an algebra course. The analogy may be somewhat over-simplified, but it is a little like beginning to learn English, and before reaching a reasonable level of mastery in the structure and syntax of the language, being introduced to a study of classic literature. They are just not ready for that yet.

Of course, all this would be irrelevant if algebra were taught analytically, without dependence on rules and shortcuts. If students were taught the “why” of algebraic principles, less repetition and practice would be necessary, and algebra could be studied in one school year. Then, the two “halves” would truly make a “whole.”

 Thomas Clark is the president of VideoText Interactive and the author of Algebra: A Complete Course and Geometry: A Complete Course. His Convention workshops will go into greater detail concerning the effective teaching of mathematics. For more information, visit www.videotext.com.

To be a homeschool mentor is to have a listening ear and a willingness to share your homeschool experience.  Each of us, whether we’ve been homeschooling for one year or 21 years, has our unique experience to share. And each of our unique experiences are valuable and worth sharing. We can encourage and help to equip another homeschool mom if only we would take the time, and courage, to share with them.

I would like to share just a bit of my homeschool experience in the form of an acronym using the word “mentor.” I do hope you will find something encouraging, inspiring or thought-provoking here. Most of all, though, I hope you reach out to other moms and share your experience!

M is for music: Music is something I incorporate into each day. Whether it’s singing along to patriotic or folk songs while doing morning chores or listening to classical music while doing bookwork, it never ceases to be uplifting and to bring joy and harmony into our home. Music is powerful and, I believe, can help turn around a “bad” day.

E is for extracurricular: Extracurricular activities, chosen well, can help instruct and refine children in areas of interest and natural gifting. For us this has included music lessons, the study of ballet and theatre, gymnastics, and swimming, and most recently horseback riding and a 4-H Sharp Shooters club. What fun to see your children honing their skills and interests while learning important life lessons such as responsibility, respect for authority (other than Mom and Dad!), organization, attentiveness and the ability to get along with others!

N is for nature: Nature study is fun and rewarding! You don’t have to know it all; you simply learn along with the children. This is an area where their curiosity can lead you. Step outside, go for a walk and see what they find. Use field guides to learn all you can about the discovery. Have the kids sketch it to the best of their ability for a nature journal entry — you give it a try too! It is amazing how much the kids learn and retain with this simple activity. Should I mention that the first year we did this as our science, my kids’ standardized test scores in science skyrocketed?

T is for time: Time is one of the real and often overlooked benefits of homeschooling. Kids have the time to learn, to play, to “be” who God made them to be. They have time to build strong relationships with their parents and especially with their siblings. Not surprisingly, my children love each other. More surprisingly, they know each other well and like each other. They are not perfect — of course, they have their share of disagreements. But because of the time they’ve spent, they have an unbreakable bond that I believe will last. They are truly friends. And they are comfortable and confident with who God has made them to be, being far more grounded in their faith and in who they are than I ever dreamed of being at their ages (and possibly now)! All this is due, in part, to the time they’ve been blessed with.

O is for outreach: Outreach is a great thing to add into your homeschool. It can be as simple as praying for others as a family, helping a neighbor, gathering blankets for the homeless or buying a few extra groceries for a single mom. Outreach is a way to make loving others tangible and personal for your kids. It can be creative and unique to your family, and it can be fun!

R is for reading: Reading is one of my very favorite things to do with my children and on my own, being not only one of my true joys in life but also something I’ve continued to do right up through high school. There are so many rich stories out there: picture books and chapter books, fiction and non-fiction. We love reading for pure enjoyment and for learning purposes. My kids love to read on their own, to read to each other, and to listen to well-done audio books. When all other plans fail, you can always reclaim a day by reading! Books also are powerful and can open our minds and our hearts, change our perspective, and take us to times and places we can never experience any other way!

As I said before, I hope this has been an encouragement or an inspiration, or has at least created some food for thought. Please feel free to e-mail me at smbean3@juno.com with any comments or questions.

Now get out there and share your experience with someone!

 Stacie has homeschooled her four children for 17 years with the support and encouragement of her husband, Jonathan. She has helped serve at the Mentoring Moms booth at the FPEA Florida Homeschool Convention and in various local homeschool leadership positions.

We wanted to take some time this week to just go over a few details that one may tend to not think about until you are at Convention when you are standing there asking yourself … “Where, What, When”.

Parking

All parking is on-site this year, at Gaylord Palms. The hotel has acquired an additional 500 parking spaces for Convention this year. The cost of parking for hotel guests is $10.00 per day (18.00 for valet parking). If you choose to leave the hotel and you are not a hotel guest, please keep your parking ticket to gain re-entry to the parking area.

Please remember, there will be NO SHUTTLE to transport you from offsite parking to the hotel, as in previous years. It will be less frustrating for you to just plan on parking on site at the hotel.

Directions

If you need directions to the hotel please go to Gaylord Palms Resort website or please check page 12 of the Convention Program for directions from various locations throughout Florida.

Schedule

By now you should have received your Convention Program in the mail or downloaded it from the FPEA Convention website. We hope that you have had time to look it over and make a few lists of things you just can’t miss while at Convention. Don’t forget to bring your Program with you so that you will have it to reference for the Exhibit Hall, Vendors, Workshops, and other special events happening at Convention.

Also, don’t forget to check back here to get additional information about the Mobile App that will be available any day now for your Smartphone, iPad or tablet this year. You will be able to access all the Workshop Schedules, a map of the Exhibit Hall and real time updates.

Badges

All Convention badges will be picked up onsite this year at an expanded badge pick up area in the City Hall Lobby on the 2^nd floor of the Convention Center. Don’t forget to bring your photo ID with you when you present in the line of the first letter of your last name.

As always, please remember that if you have questions while at Convention please do not hesitate to locate the FPEA booth as you enter the Vendor hall. The FPEA Directors and Ambassadors will also have a table in the lobby near the Badge Pickup area for your convenience.  There will always be someone close-by to help answer any questions that you may have.

We hope you are getting as excited about Convention as we are — we look forward to meeting as many of you as we can this year!

By Roberta Underhill, FPEA Ambassador

When we signed up we were offered the opportunity to select optional shore excursions — things to do when in port. These activities ranged in difficulty from easy to challenging, and represented a wide spectrum from shopping to guided tours to parasailing to snorkeling.

Being the vacation planner he is, Davis made a selection. Now, I must say here that I would have chosen something like butterfly watching or shopping or maybe a guided tour, but I would not have wandered from the easy category.  Davis did. He also booked before he told me. In other words, instead of asking for my input, his plan was to ease me into the idea.

Davis made a reservation for discovery scuba. Now if you have gone scuba diving before, then you are probably going to think that this is silly, but I was apprehensive. From the very beginning I wanted to sit it out, content to watch and hear his report of the fish below. I was anxious. The whole idea made me nervous. What if I couldn’t get up fast enough? What if I couldn’t breathe? What if…?

The day of our adventure dawned, and I was doing better; I had a plan. I was going to make a good showing and then bow out. That way I wouldn’t spoil Davis’ fun and at least look like I had tried.

Our leader was from somewhere in South America and had a heavy accent. I could only understand about half of what he said. He was trying to explain it all, and the only thing I could think about was my plan of escape.

We donned our swimsuits and got help with our equipment: mask, weight belt, flippers and finally a scuba tank. It all weighed about 50 pounds. Now it was time to get into the water. When the water got just over our heads, they wanted us to practice breathing with our regulators, slow and deep, by putting our faces in the water and deflating our vests so we would sink. I dutifully practiced, but even with my plan, this was harder than I had predicted. I could stand there and practice, but the moment I was all the way under water, I would panic. Now panicking is not a normal or regular practice for me. In fact, I have often prided myself on not panicking. What was the deal — why couldn’t I get a hold of myself?

The instructor came over and watched me try to go down, but when I would get to the bottom I would inflate my vest and shoot to the surface all out of breath. At the surface, I would say, “I don’t think that I can do this. I just can’t seem to let go and relax.”

“Keep practicing,” said the instructor, “let’s try again.” But I didn’t want to “try again” — I just wanted to swim to shore and get out into the sun.

Now I must note here that this is when our instructor noticed that Davis was missing. Yes, my dear man had gotten the hang of this new skill and had taken off to explore on his own. But this was against the rules; he was supposed to stay with the group. I was not worried because I knew Davis. He would be fine. It was at this point that my determination kicked in. You see, at that moment I didn’t want to be beat. And two things flashed before my eyes: my recent 40th birthday and the faces of my seven children. In a flash I realized that it had been a while since I had faced a fear or challenge and overcome it. When would I have this chance again? And I wanted to be able to tell the kids I had succeeded. They would expect Dad to make it, but I wanted to say that I had not given into fear. I wanted to overcome!

My instructor sent over his assistant, who was beyond patient. She said, “You can do it. It is so beautiful down there. Your fear is all in your head. This is all about relaxing; just relax and breathe slowly. Let go; I will stay with you. I promise it will be worth it!”

She could not have known the mental and psychological battle I was fighting, but her words were just right. She extended her hand and we descended to the bottom — about 20 feet.

I was the first in line behind our instructor, a fact that amazed the rest of the group. I think they had all expected to give me a report when they got back to shore. But now I was in the lead, being amazed at every turn. We dove to the remains of a shipwreck, where a magnificent display of underwater life awaited with fish of all sizes, colors and shapes. The whole discovery lasted about 30 minutes. It was incredible!

When I came to the surface, there was Davis, waiting for me at the dock. I had done it! I had let go of my fear, I had relaxed and trusted, I had pushed past the initial sense of panic, and been greatly rewarded by an up-close encounter of creation.

With vacation over, I found myself back on the home front with laundry, grocery shopping, e-mail and so much more. Here I am faced with another challenge. And just like when I was on the scuba discovery, I have the option to go deeper or stay on shore, to take His hand or give into my fears, to trust His plan or revert to my own, to panic or relax.

Homeschooling is an adventure of a lifetime — a challenge that can often begin with fear or panic. Yet it is an opportunity for discovery like no other. So relax, persevere and enjoy your family and the blessings of home education.

 By Rachael Carman, 2012 FPEA Convention Speaker. Rachael is a board member with North Carolinians for Home Education, for which her husband serves as administrative vice president. In 2003 she started Real Refreshment Retreats for homeschool moms. Her latest book is How to Have a Heart for Your Kids. For more information, visit  www.apologia.com/apologia_family.php.

The Holts have been homeschooling for the past three years, but this is their first year having registered with their local school district (their older son is now 6). They are also beginning preschool with their eager soon-to-be-3-year-old son.

At this relatively early stage in her homeschool journey, Aislynn sees herself as her biggest challenge. “I forget that I have a 6-year-old in first grade who has already done first-grade material,” the Wauchula resident observes. “I let my planner of expectations get in the way of his natural learning. When my checklist hasn’t been completed, I start thinking, Did I teach enough? Did we cover everything? I’ve also learned that the 2-year-old I once thought would be too busy to do school early is a boy eager to do it. I’m learning to readjust everything I originally planned. Planning this year has changed our method of homeschooling altogether.”

That’s when Aislynn reminds herself of the basics. “My philosophy is simple, really,” she explains. “I want a home that nurtures our boys, in that each thing I plan is geared to who they are. I thought my 2-year-old would hate sitting at a table seeing his brother do school, but he loves the school day and wants to be involved. Our philosophy is to nurture them individually, and homeschooling allows this.”

Besides the annual Convention, Aislynn draws support for the journey through a homeschool cooperative group she helped form last year. “We saw the need with the growing numbers of homeschoolers in our area,” she says, “and we have been planning classes and field trips since. The beauty of my co-op mommies is that we have had great times to share what works and doesn’t, how we aren’t sure about this and that, and that we appreciate one another.”

She describes her FPEA membership as “a place of security, peace, and confidence. I have more confidence as a mom to do what I know the Lord is calling us to do. I also have a desire to give this same confidence to new homeschooling moms. The FPEA has created a strong advocate in homeschooling in me.”

To say the FPEA treated me like royalty would be an understatement — I never felt so welcomed and appreciated anywhere. Of course, the Gaylord Palms Resort venue was unlike any conference location I’d ever seen, and it felt like an undeserved luxury after years of Motel 6’s and Best Westerns. For my daughter it was practically a theme park in its own right, with live alligators in the indoor pools and free movies on the big screen under the moonlit atrium. Upon entering the huge exhibit hall, I had my first hint as to the magnitude of the event. People had warned me, “It’s big…,” but I really didn’t expect what I experienced.

Although I was no newbie to public speaking, I was used to groups from a few dozen to a few hundred and rarely experienced nervousness. But when I walked in to a ballroom set with 1,200 seats already packed close to capacity, I had to catch my breath. However, I found this group of happy, excited, ready-to-learn homeschool parents to be immediately receptive and grateful. When the whole room laughed at my first meager attempt at humor, I was set at ease, and with such a large, enthusiastic audience, I quickly felt it easy to be at my best. The hour flew by, and my daughter and I were quickly swamped at our booth pretty much nonstop for the rest of the weekend.

In those early days, not many people knew of our company, Institute for Excellence in Writing, and I held conservative expectations for sales of our video seminars and books, especially in a state where I’d had little exposure at that time. Needless to say, our four suitcases of product sold almost instantly, and we went home with over a hundred back-orders. Not only did Florida parents laugh well, they were ready to invest — seriously — in the education of their children. I still remember the amazement in my daughter’s countenance as she totaled the orders for the day and realized that we had sold many times the total of any other convention to date. That night, we didn’t have to feel too bad about paying the price for a nice dinner at the Gaylord!

Since that first Convention a decade ago, I have been privileged to be invited back several times, and have found the same warm, enthusiastic, energetic response. I’ve been blessed with many meaningful and lasting friendships with Florida homeschool families. Even more, I’ve been able to observe more closely what is clearly one of the best state homeschool organizations in the country. Not only does the FPEA run a convention that appears to be flawlessly well organized, it has a local support network that should be a model for state organizations. With an informative newsletter and a great website, the FPEA actively supports a wide range of home educating families. This is an organization that truly fulfills the high calling for which it was established.

I heartily congratulate the FPEA on its 25th Convention, and sincerely look forward to once again being there in 2013. God bless Florida homeschoolers!

  By Andrew Pudewa, Institute for Excellence in Writing

Single-Parents Scholarship

The FPEA offers a program designed to assist single parents as they tackle the challenge of homeschooling their children on their own. Through alliances with vendors such as Rainbow Resource Center, FPEA members who are single par­ents can apply for financial assistance in purchasing curriculum and supplies.

Each applicant is reviewed individually, and upon approval receives a credit from participating vendors toward the purchase of educational materials.

An application form for this scholarship may downloaded from the FPEA website. For more information, call 877-ASK-FPEA (275-3732) or visit www.fpea.com.

A SINGLE PURPOSE

Many people think it is impossible for single parents to homeschool. Someone has to work to pay the bills, right? The only options are outside the home, right? Maybe or maybe not. Regardless, single parents can homeschool! When I was seven months pregnant with my daughter, my marriage was destroyed in one fell swoop. That was 17 years ago, and I’ve been a single parent ever since. I was the one who taught her to walk, talk, eat with a spoon, dress herself and pump her legs on a swing. Why should that change just because she became school age?

I’ve worked at home and occasionally part time outside the home, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Working at home gives me tremendous free­dom with my time. Unfortunately, sometimes I end up working late at night or very early in the morning to meet deadlines because I’ve helped my daughter with her assignments or we went on a field trip. I enjoyed working in a clinic because I was able to dress up and go somewhere, but I knew I could never leave my daugh­ter for eight hours a day, five days a week.

My life sounds like the best of both worlds, doesn’t it? Homeschooling my child and earning a paycheck! It’s not as simple as that, but it is worth it. We’ve made plenty of sacrifices and difficult choices along the way. I could be making more money if I worked outside my home 40 hours a week and kept my daughter learn­ing at home under her grandparents’ supervision, but I’d be missing out on her life. Work will always be there; I won’t always have a child to raise and teach. I want to be the one she comes to with questions. I don’t want her to say, “My mom was too busy for me, but she always got her work turned in on time.”

How can you make single-parent homeschooling work? Here’s what I’ve learned:

Pray and pray often.

Pray for God’s will in the first place and keep praying all through each school year and as you approach new school years. Pray for vision, keeping the future in mind without losing sight of the present.

Get help and support.

Join a local support group and the FPEA. Go to the FPEA Florida Homeschool Convention if at all possible. We went for the first time last year, and I wish we’d gone sooner! Go to park days and field trips when they’re offered so you can get to know other families and make friends. I was blessed to have family members very close by who were able to babysit when I worked outside my home and who still help with academics.

Be discerning and eliminate unnecessary things.

If park days just don’t fit into your schedule, don’t feel like you must attend so that your child will not miss out. You have to have balance. We did park days for years and loved it, but for the last two or three years, it just hasn’t worked for us.

Know that there will be good days and bad days.

Sometimes we finish everything I want to accomplish in a day. Sometimes we don’t. Both kinds of days are fine. There are days when I’m on top of the world and want to tell everyone I meet how great homeschooling is. There are days when I seriously consider something different. On the good days and the bad days, enjoy your children and this very short window of opportunity to pour into them.

From the FPEA Guide to Homeschooling in Florida. This article was written specifi­cally for this manual by Michele Oswald Ervin, who lives in St. Pe­tersburg. You can contact her at jeweledreflection@ymail.com.