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The telephone rings and upon answering it, I hear: "I am thinking about homeschooling my children, but don't know if I can do it. Can you help?" As the District 5 Director for the Florida Parent Educators Association (FPEA), I receive many such phone calls. One of my first responses is, "Yes, you can teach your children and it's easier than you think."

You know your children better than anyone else, and one-to-one tutoring has been proven to have advantages over a classroom where one teacher has to meet the needs of so many different learning styles and levels. At home, your child receives individual attention and has his unique needs met.  A child whose learning style isn't conducive to sitting at a desk all day has the freedom to experience more of a hands-on learning approach. A child who wants
or needs to accelerate his studies (yes, a classroom setting can, at times, slow children down) can do so. And a child who needs to slow down and go at his own pace will thrive in a homeschool setting.

Homeschooling also gives children time to explore new interests. My twelve-year old son wants to be an ornithologist when he grows up. When we go to the library, the majority of the books he checks out are about birds. He will sit outside for hours and listen, sketch, and take notes on the birds he sees. Because of the research he has done, he can see a bird flying in the air, or sitting in a tree, and can tell us immediately what kind of bird it is. He can hear a bird call another and tell us what kind of bird it is. He does internet research when he can't find the answer to some of the questions he has about birds. All this is a part of his "school work"!

To legally homeschool in Florida, parents may register their children with a private, "umbrella school" OR notify the district school superintendent. The private, umbrella schools are responsible for keeping the attendance records, as well as, other information. Parents who register with the superintendent are required, by law, to:

1. Send a notice of intent of your plans to homeschool to the district school superintendent. 

2. Maintain a portfolio of records.

3. Submit an annual evaluation for each child to the district school superintendent.

4. Submit a letter of termination upon completion of your home education program, enrollment in a public or private school, or if moving from the county. 

For a more in-depth look at each of these requirements, go to www.fpea.com. FPEA has a publication called "A Guide To Homeschooling In Florida", which is available to download. The "Guide" contains information on the legal requirements, different ways to homeschool, as well as, information about vendors who sell material and curriculum to homeschoolers.

"What about socialization?" is a question I hear many times. "Aren't homeschoolers isolated from the real world?" Homeschoolers generally overcome the potential for "isolation" through involvement in church, community activities, 4-H clubs, scouts, music and art lessons, sports participation, and regular involvement in field trips. The many homeschool support groups in the area allow parents to get together for monthly parents' meetings, arrange field trips, spelling and geography bees, science fairs, etc. to keep the students active and "socialized".

Home educated high school students are able to participate in the extra-curricular activities at the local high school, dual enroll at the local college, qualify for Florida Bright Futures Scholarships, as well as many other programs and scholarships that the public schooled student has available.

Yes, it takes time and commitment on the part of the parent, but homeschooling your child has so many rewards. It is well worth the time to investigate the possibility of homeschooling for your family.

For more information about homeschooling, go to www.fpea.com.

The author, LaWanda Sutherland, is the District 5 Director for the Florida Parent Educators Association, which is the largest state homeschool support group. She and her husband have homeschooled their three children for ten years.

(This article was originally published in July 2002)

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