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| There's
No Place Like Home Marcy Krumbine In the wake of surfacing school safety issues, more schools are under seige. Parents, educators, and the community don't know what to do. Is homeschooling the answer? Marcy Krumbine is the Chair of the Florida Parent Educator's Association. One phone call to a local newspaper, and she found that newspaper editors are more interested these days in the topic of homeschooling. She has submitted the following article for publication, and three daily newspapers in Florida immediately said yes, they'd publish it. When Dorothy said, "There's no place like home, " in The Wizard Of Oz, no one could ever imagine how applicable that sentiment would be today. The tragedy at Columbine High School and copy cat threats at schools in Florida are prompting parents of over one million home-educated children nationwide to thankfully say, when it comes to education, there is no place like home! Today, not only can parents choose to send their children to public schools, or pay for private schools, but they can also, legally and successfully, choose to educate their children at home. In light of the recent tragic events, the benefits are even more appealing. The safety factor is quickly becoming one of the main reasons parents choose to withdraw their children from public schools. In addition, recent studies have shown that home educated students score on the average of 20 to 30 percentile points higher on standardized tests. Finally, in home education, parents have the freedom to pick and choose their own curriculum. Critics claim that home educated students are isolated and protected. As a homeschool parent of 3, I would say along with thousands of other parents , "Thank goodness, I CAN protect my children!." Any parent would naturally keep their child out of harms way, if they had the ability to do so. The typical home schooled student is far from isolated. A recent study of 20,000 homeschooled children found that they are involved in outside activities an average of five times per week, including sports, dance, drama, music, 4H, volunteer work, scouting, church and more. Successful home education is founded upon the one on one tutorial created within the home. The individualized instruction, combined with a program tailored to meet a child where s/he is at, are key ingredients to a successful home education experience. Is home education for everyone? Not really! But it is a choice AVAILABLE for everyone. Because of the commitment in time and scheduling, home education may be difficult for the single parent household or those under an unusual amount of stress. There are support groups and organizations in Florida who are dedicated to encourage and assist new and current homeschoolers. The statewide Florida Parent Educators Association, has over 6000 families. Their Guide to Homeschooling in Florida is a FREE, informative publication. You can also learn more about home education by attending workshops and curriculum fairs. Floridians are fortunate to have one of the top U.S. homeschool events, which draws 3000 families annually, right here in Orlando. For more information about this event and about home education in Florida, go to www.fpea.com or call the toll free number (877) ASK FPEA (877-275-3732.) When it comes to education, there is indeed, no place like home! Marcy Krumbine Marcy Krumbine lives in Naples with her husband and three children. Home education has been their lifestyle for 11 years. Reprinted with
permission ÓHomeschool
Associates
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