IN THE 1980S Karilee Valeriano read A Way Home by Mary Pride and it planted the idea of homeschooling in her head. Years later, after she had married and moved just north of Livingston, she met a group of people who were homeschooling their children. So impressed by the homeschooled kids, Valeriano decided to teach her own children. Her five kids, ages 7-15, have been homeschooled throughout thier entire lives. Like many homeschoolers, Valeriano sees it more as an extension of family life than a replica of a classroom.

Homeschooling may be the single fastest growing educational trend in the United States, and that trend is expanding worldwide. Dr. Brian Ray, a leading homeschool researcher, estimates that homeschooling has increased 15% per year over the past several years. While accurate statistics on the number of families homeschooling are difficult to come by, Dr. Ray’s estimates are supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Household Education Survey program.

In 1999 the Department of Education estimated that there were about 850,000 homeschoolers nationwide and that number had increased to about 1.1 million by 2003. Ray estimated there were between 1.7 and 2.1 million homeschoolers at the end of that period, and that currently, there are between 2.5 and 4 million homeschoolers nationwide.

Why Homeschool?
Every family has their own reasons for homeschooling their children, but there is one common thread with all homeschooling parents: public schools do not provide the learning environment that these parents want for their children. Some parents may want their children in a religious environment; others find that public schools are not meeting their kids’ needs. Some families wish to travel or have the flexibility to come and go without adhering to a traditional school schedule. Others find their children do not thrive in group settings.

The list of reasons for homeschooling are many:
• Parents are with their children all day.
• Parents know and understand their children, and are influential in their lives, even as they enter the teen years.
• Children are allowed to mature at their own speeds.
• Parents and other adults are the primary role models for homeschooled children.
• Homeschooled children are largely free from peer pressure.
• Homeschooled children are comfortable interacting with people of all ages.
• Family values and beliefs are central to social, emotional and academic development.
• Family life revolves around its own needs and priorities rather than the demands of school.
• Homeschooling promotes good communication and emotional closeness within a family.
• Each child’s education can be tailored to his or her unique interests, pace, and learning style.

Homeschooling Concerns
Like any major decision a family makes, there are many factors to consider. Can both parents work and homeschool or can the family afford to have one breadwinner? (In Bozeman there are homeschooling families where both parents work, one parent works and single parents.) Will a homeschooled child be able to get into college? (Many colleges are now courting homeschooled kids and have special applications to fit their unique schooling experience.) Will a homeschool parent go nuts spending so much time with their children? Will a parent know how to deal with a learning disability?

The number-one concern that tends to come up is that homeschooled children will not be properly socialized. To this, homeschoolers argue that their children spend their days in the “real world” interacting with a variety of people. They claim this is a better way to socialize than to be in a room with kids of the same age and similar socio-economic background all day.

Kathryn Hainsworth has homeschooled her two children (ages 12 and 10) for their whole lives and is a member of the Bozeman Homeschool Network. She believes the family is a more natural setting than the classroom. “My children interact with all ages from infants to 90 year-olds and they are very comfortable talking to people of different ages and different backgrounds,” she says.

Additionally, many local organizations such as the Bozeman Swim Center, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks and the Missoula Children’s Theater run programs geared toward homeschooled families that provide an opportunity for kids to interact with their peers. Of course, all non-school-associated sports teams are open to whomever wishes to participate. “One of the biggest issues,” Hainsworth says, “is learning to say no. There are so many wonderful opportunities around here and there are always things going on.”

Another concern parents may have is that they are worried they won’t know how to teach. Hainsworth has a degree in education and found that she spent many years “unlearning the things I learned in college.” Instead she had to figure out her children’s learning styles. For parents who like a little structure or educational backup there are lots of homeschooling curricula available for purchase.

How to Homeschool
In Montana parents must file an intent to homeschool with the Superintendent of Schools and keep track of the hours they spend homeschooling each day. Everything else is up to the parents and the needs of their children.

The philosophies of homeschoolers vary widely. Some people are more comfortable purchasing a curriculum and running their household more like a traditional classroom. On the other end of the spectrum is unschooling: also known as interest driven, child-led, natural, organic, eclectic, or self-directed learning, which is generally thought of as homeschooling that doesn’t use a fixed curriculum and in which the child decides what, how and when he or she wants to learn.

Most homeschoolers fall somewhere in between. Hainsworth’s children use a math curriculum and read every day, but the rest of their lives is dictated by their farm. “We live pretty cyclically,” she notes. Valeriano uses a “hodgepodge of curricula” in combination with other real world experiences. Her children, as well as herself, all run home businesses where they learn about budgeting, sales and all the other aspects of running a business. “Life skills are important,” she notes, “even if they aren’t taught in (traditional) school.”

To find out more about homeschooling check out www.homeschoolfacts.com or google “homeschooling.”

Melynda Harrison is a freelance writer and the mother of a 1.5 year-old son who schools her everyday.

WHEN KIDS GO back to school, parents must think about desk supplies, new shoes, bus schedules and plagiarism. Plagiarism? Yes. The Internet has made it so easy for students to “borrow” the work of others that this particular form of cheating is showing up as early as elementary school.

Ironically, teachers often introduce children to this bad habit. Eager to get them off to a good start on the computer, teachers encourage children to do Internet research before they can actually read and digest the materials they find. Learning to “cut and paste” on the computer is a valuable skill, but many kids quickly jump to the conclusion that the best way to complete a report is to assemble a collection of quotes from other sources.

Even college teachers now complain that students aren’t prepared to do the hard work of thinking and writing that has always been central to education. Many professors are forced to use sophisticated software to identify papers that have been lifted from online sources. When they’re caught, students often claim to be surprised that they’ve done something wrong.

Many school districts are initiating programs to help students understand plagiarism and policies to punish those who cheat. Parents also have an important role to play. First, take plagiarism seriously. You knew it was wrong to copy word for word from the encyclopedia when you were in school. Lifting words from an Internet site is just as lazy. You’d be appalled if your child hired another kid to write his papers. Buying a paper from a website like academypapers.com is every bit as reprehensible. Keep in mind that kids who plagiarize put honest students at a disadvantage. More important, stealing the words of others makes it less likely kids will learn to think and write for themselves.

The best way to steer your child away from plagiarism is to talk early and often about why education is valuable. Help your child understand that the goal of going to school isn’t simply to finish assignments as fast as possible but to understand the ideas and master the skills behind them. If kids learn early to take pride in doing their own best work, they’re less likely to succumb to the temptation of plagiarism. Here are other steps parents can take:

• Check for a plagiarism policy when you look at the school’s handbook at the beginning of the year. If there isn’t one, talk to school administrators. Students who struggle honestly to do their own work should be protected from students who cheat.

• Talk to your child about stealing. Even little children understand they can’t simply take what they want from a store. As your kids get older, explain that taking credit for words someone else has written is just as wrong.

• When your child is assigned a report, ask how she’s expected to handle source materials. Even young children should create a short bibliography showing what books and Internet sites they consulted. Older children should have detailed information about using quotes and creating footnotes for Internet sites as well as books. If your child isn’t clear about what she’s supposed to do, ask the teacher for clarification.

• Help your child manage time especially when there’s a big writing project. Often kids copy other people’s work because they get behind and can’t see any other way to get the assignment finished in time.

• After your child has done his research, encourage him to close all the books and web sites and tell you, in his own words, what he has learned. Summarizing the important points from memory makes it more likely that he will use his own words when he starts writing.

• Read what your child writes. If you’re used to reading her work, you’ll recognize her natural style and be able to identify vocabulary that sounds too advanced and passages that just don’t sound like her. Ask your child to share her research materials with you and encourage her to show you early drafts.

• Acknowledge that writing is hard. When you go over your child’s homework, be gentle about pointing out errors in logic or grammar. Praise your child for doing his or her own work. Many kids cheat because they feel that they can’t possibly live up to the standards of the adults around them. Make it clear that you value the effort as well as the results.

In the Age of the Internet, kids need, more than ever, to be able to do careful research and reflect on what they’ve learned. They must be able to generate new ideas and express them effectively. Plagiarism undermines all these skills. Parents who expect their kids to know the difference between right and wrong have to start early so their kids will value the Internet as a resource instead of using it as the latest way to cheat themselves out of a genuine education.

Carolyn Jabs writes Growing Up Online, a nationally syndicated column that helps parents raise children who are as responsible online as they are in the real world. Go to www.growing-up-online.com.

NEW BOOKS, BACKPACKS, bus schedules… There’s a lot for parents and kids to think about as a new school year gets underway. But here’s one less to-do list you’ll have to create. We’ve checked with children’s health experts and created a back-to-school health checklist that will have your kids ready to kick off a healthy new school year.

Schedule a checkup. Most states require only two well-child exams for school enrollment: one at the start of kindergarten and the other at the start of high school. Some states vary from this schedule, so check with your school. An additional examination is often required for participation in a school sport. Of course, you’ll want to check with your child’s health care provider regarding how often to schedule additional regular well-child check-ups.

Make sure your child is up-to-date on all immunizations. Ask your provider for a copy of your child’s immunization record. You may need this to prove his immunization status for school. Visit the AAP’s Childhood Immunization Support Program website at www.cispimmunize.org for lots of helpful information, including:

• The AAP’s 2008 Childhood Immunization Schedule (for infants through teens) and a catch-up schedule for children who may have missed a scheduled vaccination.

• Information on vaccine safety.

• Information on vaccines that are temporarily in short supply.

• Frequently asked questions about childhood immunizations.

The AAP’s 2008 immunization schedule includes the following changes from last year:

• A single dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (to protect against bacterial meningitis) is recommended for all healthy children ages 24 to 59 months who haven’t already been fully immunized.

• The lower age limit for use of live-attenuated influenza vaccine in healthy children has been reduced from five years to two years. (A live attenuated vaccine is one that contains bacteria or viruses that have been altered so they can’t cause disease.)

• The time interval for administration of the second dose of live-attenuated nasal influenza vaccine (when a second dose is indicated) has been reduced from 6 to 4 weeks.

• A single dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (to protect against meningitis in adolescents) is now recommended for all adolescents ages 11 to 18 if not previously administered.

Have your child’s vision checked. Basic vision screening should be performed by your child’s doctor at each well-child examination. If a child fails a vision screening — or if there is any concern about a vision problem — the child should be referred for a comprehensive professional eye examination. According to Prevent Blindness America, these recommendations have been agreed upon by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.

Get set for sports. For children who wear glasses, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends one-piece wrap-around polycarbonate sports frames for all contact sports, including soccer, field hockey and basketball. All children wearing glasses need sports frames for gym class.

Have your child’s hearing tested. Most states now mandate hearing tests for infants. But many school-age children have not been tested. If your child is listening to the television or music at a very loud volume, or tends to favor one ear over the other when listening to you speak, it may be a sign of hearing loss. Talk with your doctor about having your child’s hearing tested.

Communicate about medications. Does your child receive medication on a regular basis for diabetes, asthma or another chronic health problem? School nurses and teachers must be made aware of your child’s needs, especially if they are the ones who will administer the medicine. Speak with them about the prescribed medication schedule and procedures, and work out an emergency course of action in case of a problem.

Schedule testing if you suspect a learning disability or dyslexia. If you feel that your child may not be processing information as she should, speak with her teacher and her doctor as soon as possible. Your child’s doctor can provide a referral for testing.

Plan now for brain-power breakfasts. Studies show that children who eat breakfast are more alert in class. Also, be sure that your child eats a balanced, nutritious lunch, whether it is one you send or one provided by the school cafeteria. If your child is allowed to bring a snack, try to avoid junk food and focus more on fruits, veggies and other healthful food.

Update emergency phone numbers. Are your current emergency phone numbers on file at school? Make sure the school and your child know how to reach you or another caregiver at all times.

Choose the right backpack — and use it safely. Look for wide, padded shoulder straps. Narrow straps can dig into shoulders, causing pain and restricting circulation. A padded back increases comfort. The backpack shouldn’t weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the student’s body weight. Remind your child to always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles and may increase the chances of developing curvature of the spine. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments to distribute weight more evenly. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. Even better: Use a rolling backpack. Visit www.aap.org/publiced/BR_Backpack.htm.

Review school-bus safety rules. Designate a safe place for your child to wait for the bus, away from traffic and the street. Teach your child to stay away from the bus until it comes to a complete stop and the bus driver says it’s OK to enter. Make sure children are aware of their surroundings when getting off the school bus. Many drivers do not obey school-zone speed limits or other rules of the road concerning buses.

Create a healthy sleep schedule. Children ages five to 12 need 10 to 11 hours of sleep nightly, and teens need eight- and-a-half to nine hours, according to the National Sleep Foundation. That can be a tough prescription to follow, with the increasing demands on kids’ time from homework, sports and other extracurricular activities this time of year. As they get older, school-aged children become more interested in TV, video games and the Internet (as well as caffeinated beverages). This can lead to difficulty falling asleep and sleep disruptions. Poor sleep can lead to mood swings, behavioral problems and cognitive problems that affect a child’s ability to learn in school. To help your child get a good night’s sleep, teach healthy sleep habits, emphasize the need for a consistent sleep schedule and bedtime routine, create a good environment for sleep (dark, cool and quiet) and keep TV and computers out of the bedroom. For more information, visit www.sleepfoundation.org and click on “Sleep for All Ages” for tips specifically for children and teens.

Learn how to avoid burn-out. Back-to-school time can be stressful for parents and kids alike. It’s easy to get caught up in the “pressured parent phenomenon,” according to Wendy S. Grolnick, Ph.D. and Kathy Seal, co-authors of Pressured Parents, Stressed-Out Kids (2008; Prometheus Books; $17.95). We hear parents comparing their kids’ accomplishments, we feel anxiety over getting our children into the “right” school or the best after-school activity and we stress over grades. And so do our kids. This book explains how to help children thrive and excel while avoiding the burnout that afflicts so many kids — and parents — in our highly competitive society.

Sources: New York Presbyterian Hospital, American Academy of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Prevent Blindness America, National Sleep Foundation

Kathy Sena is a freelance journalist who frequently covers children’s health issues. Visit her blog at www.parenttalktoday.com.