Homeschooling in the Shoals

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Crooked Pines Ministries"><U><IMG SRC="040bf930.gif" border=0 width="191" height="147" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Glance at Reading Readiness"><U>A Glance at Reading Readiness</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id65.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Look at Peppermint and Slippery Elm Ba"><U>A Look at Peppermint and Slippery Elm Bark</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Pleasing Palette"><U>A Pleasing Palette</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Treasure So Fine!"><U>A Treasure So Fine!</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Amazing Grace or Flaming Rebellion"><U>Amazing Grace or Flaming Rebellion</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aunt Bettys BBQ Sauce"><U>Aunt Betty's BBQ Sauce</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id146.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Back to School"><U>Back to School</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Beginnings of Habit"><U>The Beginnings of Habit</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id68.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Being Poured Out"><U>Being Poured Out</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Broccoli Chicken Casserole"><U>Broccoli - Chicken Casserole</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Building Habits on the Dry Bones of Educ"><U>Building Habits on the Dry Bones of Education</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id144.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Choosing Curriculum for the new year"><U>Choosing Curriculum for the new year</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Comforter: the Fabric of Our Lives"><U>The Comforter: the Fabric of Our Lives</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dwelling in Safety"><U>Dwelling in Safety</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fall: The Season of Change"><U>Fall: The Season of Change</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id77.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fighting Burnout with Scriptural Promise"><U>Fighting Burnout with Scriptural Promises</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id63.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="For the Love of Ginger"><U>For the Love of Ginger</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="From Claddagh, Ireland to Florence, AL "><U>From Claddagh, Ireland to Florence, AL - A Covenant Journey Part 1</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="From Claddagh, Ireland to Florence, AL "><U>From Claddagh, Ireland to Florence, AL - A Pure Vessel Part 2</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Get Ye unto Your Tents... and REST!"><U>Get Ye unto Your Tents... and REST!</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id58.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Habit of Dawdling, The Cure"><U>The Habit of Dawdling, The Cure</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id78.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Happy is the Mom Who Puts Her Trust in t"><U>Happy is the Mom Who Puts Her Trust in the Lord</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id72.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Have You Been Working Out?"><U>Have You Been Working Out?</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="His Love"><U>His Love</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id118.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Home Educators and their Books"><U>Home Educators and their Books</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id83.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Homeschooling... 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Woodis</B></U></A></div> <div> Homeschooling in the Shoals</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.hisimage.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hisimage.org"><U><IMG SRC="05193950.jpg" border=0 width="147" height="149" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> Homeschooling In The Shoals </div> <bR> <div> By: Mary E. Woodis </div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>      I am Mary Woodis and my husband, Jessie, and I lead a support group in the Florence area called “The Northwest Alabama Christian Home Educators Association”.  We are the proud parents of three children that we are currently educating at home - </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Jessica 15yog, </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Emily 12yog and </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Parker-Daniil 7yob. </div> <bR> <div> We have been doing this since 1997. </div> <div>  </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Why home school? </B></div> <bR> <div> There are as many reasons to homeschool as there are homeschoolers. Here are a few of those reasons: </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> 1. Religious -  </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Deuteronomy 6:4-7  “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” - many believe this is a mandate from God to educate their children at home. This allows the children to be firmly grounded in God’s word before being challenged by the world. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Parents can impart a specific belief system without the confusion of multi-culturalism. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Parents can shape the character of their children, instead of their children’s character being shaped by a classroom of their peers.</div> <div>  </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">God has equipped each child with a specific gift, talent and purpose. When we educate our children at home we can hone the skills they will need to accomplish their God given goal. </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> 2. The Second Group we call Escapists - </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Some families have joined the homeschooling movement because of bad publicity and dangerous situations in the school.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Sometimes a family comes home as a result of teacher/student incompatibility </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Parents have brought their children home to be educated because of negative peer pressure. </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> 3. Educational Reasons -  </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">This is a great advantage because Children can work at own pace and in their own area of expertise and talent. They are not held back by the slowest child in the class, nor are the pushed ahead before they have completely learned the material. Curriculum can be designed to fit the needs of the child, not the child trying to accommodate herself to the curriculum. </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> 4. Health Reasons - </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Children with depressed immune systems can realize time to heal when away from classroom environment. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Children with contagious or long-term illnesses can continue their education at home. </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> 5. Children with Special Needs -</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Children with ADD/ADHD, behavioral or other special challenges excel when learning in a controlled atmosphere that is designed for their unique learning style. They are not required to sit at a desk for long periods and they receive the one on one attention that they need. </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> 6. Those who homeschool because all their friends do. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">This is the group of parents that are so peer dependant that they homeschool because all their friends do. These families struggle mightily. Their homeschools are just a miniature of what is done in the institutional classroom. Strife quickly develops in these homes and relationships are damaged. </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> 7. There’s never been a better time! </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Wide variety of curriculum available </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Parents can work from home - computer networking, home business. The homeschool community is known for its cottage industries. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Homeschool leaves the family free to travel with the working parent. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Business community recognizes homeschooling as legitimate and offers educational tours and free tools to all teachers. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Internet opens world of information and contact with sources </div> <div>  </div> <div>  </div> <div>  </div> <div>  </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>"How many families are homeschooling in the Shoals?"</B></div> <div>  </div> <bR> <div>      There are approximately 700, that is a rough estimate - and we are growing! It is difficult to come up with a precise number </div> <div> because enroll is a revolving door. The Escapists, those who </div> <div> are homeschooling because of peer pressure and the in and </div> <div> out homeschoolers don’t last.  </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  </div> <div> <B>Who Homeschools? </B></div> <bR> <div> Home educators come from all walks of life -  </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Doctors  </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Business Owners </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Teachers </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">TVA Employees </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Truck Drivers </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Ministers </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">City Workers </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Plant Workers </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Retirees </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Disabled Workers  </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Law Enforcement Officers</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Postal Workers</div> <bR> <div>  </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Do we do Field Trips? </B></div> <div>  </div> <div>      Yes! Yes! Yes! - We love field trips! These can be done as a </div> <div> family, they can be Church/School covering specific or as a </div> <div> large group including homeschoolers from all over North </div> <div> Alabama. </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> In the last calendar year we have been to: </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Moundville Indian Festival </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Pettus Museum - several times for Mr. Pettus’ wonderful workshops. </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Tennessee Valley Art Center </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Children’s Museum </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Norton Auditorium and Ritz Theatre for plays </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Amish Country Tour </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Camping trips </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Ranger and Naturalist led Hiking Trips </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The Saturn Auto Plant </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Space and Rocket Center </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Birmingham Zoo </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A local Cotton Gin </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The Animal House Zoological Park </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">To see the Helen Keller Home and Play </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> We have many Regular Monthly Activities as you can see on </div> <div> the newsletter you have. Our calendar is often times so full </div> <div> that we cannot possibly do everything. We encourage </div> <div> families to choose only those activities that in tune with their </div> <div> children‘ interests. If you are out socializing too much, you </div> <div> have no time for schoolwork. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  </div> <div>      Homeschoolers have the unique advantage of being able to </div> <div> take classes and appointments when other children are still </div> <div> in the classroom. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  </div> <div> On a regular basis we offer local homeschoolers: </div> <div>  </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A Shakespeare Club </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The Nature Club </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A Son Seekers Group - Which is like Scouts (earn badges) </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">An Education Co-op that meets twice monthly at Heritage Christian University</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Park Day on Fridays </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Mom’s Night Out! On the first Tuesday of every month </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A Food Buying Club that orders once a month and picks up once a month </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Also a lot of the Church/school coverings have On Campus days that meet on a weekly basis </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The Florence Area Swim Team is now comprised of mostly homeschoolers </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">There is a Kay Arthur - Precept Bible Study that meets weekly and Heart to Heart with Cindy Rushton that meets once a month </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">There are 4-H Clubs made up of home schooled children </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A Speech/Debate Club that went to national finals last year</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Several Spanish classes </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Music and dance classes </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b7011800000000.png" HEIGHT="19" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Horseback riding lessons taught by a homeschooling mother </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>A Wide Variety of Curriculums Available </B></div> <bR> <div> Text Book/Work book - A Beka, Bob Jones Press, Alpha </div> <div> Omega, Christian Liberty Press, Key Curriculum Press </div> <div> Calvert School, Truth Quest, Saxon Math, Math-U-See, </div> <div> Making Math Meaningful, Miquon Math, Apologia Science</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Unit Studies - Beautiful Feet Guides, Green Leaf Press, </div> <div> [incorporate whole books, i.e. - biographies of historical </div> <div> figures (patriots, soldiers, inventors, scientists, writers, </div> <div> missionaries,artists, composers)literary classics, poetic masterpieces.] This enables a family to center their whole curriculum around an area of interest be it: Alabama History, trains, Laura Ingalls Wilder, American History, World Geography, the animals of North America, Space exploration. You name it, someone has done an unit study on it. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> There are more curriculum companies than I could list for </div> <div> you today. Let’s just suffice it to say, we have a wide range of </div> <div> resource to fit every family and learning style. Look in <B>Our Garden of Links</B><B> </B>to find links to some wonderful resources.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> <B>Homeschoolers greatest challenges or fears </B></div> <div>  </div> <div> 1. The number one fear of all homeschoolers is that they will be turned in to DHR (The Department of Human Resources). Not because they are doing something wrong that needs to be hidden, but because others don’t understand what they are doing. Ignorance of the legality of our educational choice has created devastating and heartbreaking circumstances. Every new homeschooler is provided with a copy of Alabama Law to ensure that they are within legal guidelines. There is also Homeschool Legal Defense membership available through our support group to give families an extra sense of security. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> 2. Burnout and Discouragement - Losing sight of our ultimate goal and/or reason to continue. New homeschooling families are encouraged to write out their educational goals for their children. We then encourage them to review this occasionally to renew their vision and their purpose. Mom’s Night Out! Has become a great help for this problem. This gives moms time to come together and encourage one another. Also, every month in the newsletter “A Note from Home” I include an article to help parents with this problem. All of these resources help to fight burnout and discouragement. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> 3. Gapitis - the fear of leaving major holes in our children’s education, of not covering it all. The fear that they are not on the same level as their public school contemporaries should they ever have to put their children back in institutional schools. Many Support groups and Church/School Coverings offer curriculum counseling to help fight this fear. There is also Standardized Testing available every year to gauge our student’s progress. As an added resource, books have been written to tell parents what their child needs to be taught in each grade. We all endeavor to teach our children to learn so that they can continue this process their whole life. In this way Gapitis becomes less of a fear because our students have the tools to fill all the holes that they find. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  </div> <div>      Home Educators in the Shoals area enjoy a rich and varied palate of opportunities. For some it is the answer to many prayers and the fulfillment of a dream. For others it is a season that will pass. For all it offers an opportunity to become acquainted with their children in a whole new way, to develop relationships and support structures in their families that will last a lifetime. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#_crooked_pines_publishing___________home" TITLE="Homeschooling in the Shoals"><U><B>Back to the top</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>This article is copyrighted by Mary E. Woodis. If you would like to print this article in whole or part in your publication please contact Jessie and Mary Woodis at </B><A HREF="mailto:jessiew@hiwaay.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:jessiew@hiwaay.net"><U><B>jessiew@hiwaay.net</B></U></A><B> for permission and more details.</B></div> <bR> <div> If you have any additional questions, please feel free to <A HREF="mailto:jessiew@hiwaay.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:jessiew@hiwaay.net"><U>contact us</U></A>. We will be happy to assist you in any way that we can.</div> <bR> <div> This page last updated: July 2004</div> </td> </tr></table></body>