Topic Three
Answers to Professor's questions
by Tanya Weller - Monday, 26 September 2016, 10:03 PM
Homeschooling – registered through the Regina Public School Board
1. What is 'alternative' in this space/school
I homeschooled four of my children for 9 years. The oldest of my homeschoolers was just finishing grade 4 at W. S. Hawrylak. That was my start. I registered our plan with the Regina Public School Board and completed yearly CTBS tests, you can do this as a homeschooler. That was the simplest method of evaluation that was acceptable to the Board.
Homeschooling is when the parents school their children themselves at home. It is interesting to note that children do not need to be registered for school until they are 7 years old. The Regina Public School Board will provide you with a lot of school supplies and a few hundred dollars/year for other school resources, which can include lessons for music, swimming, etc. They provide the CTBS tests that the parent administers. If you want you can use all their textbooks for all classes in the grade level you teach for your child, too. I hear the Separate School Board also gives an allowance for religious studies.
I researched all sorts of methods of schooling – Charlotte Mason, Traditional, Eclectic, Waldorf and many more. My homeschooling ‘bible’ was Mary Pride’s Big Book of Homeschooling – no longer in print, which was huge and filled with lots of resources and further reading references. I learned so much.
I registered with SHBE (Saskatchewan Home Based Educators) and attended their annual conferences for homeschoolers a few times. These conferences would feature guest speakers of some of the major curriculum providers for homeschooling or other famous homeschoolers, lawyers and other special interest persons. For the youth there would be forums for them to attend.
ARCHE (Association of Regina Christian Home Educators) is a local homeschool support group that we joined as well. They have groups and activities for the whole family, just the moms, only dads, and some just for kids.
2. What are the different ways students might experience school/learning in this space?
I was a bit overbearing because I wanted to do it all, and year round at that. That is the one mistake that was big. We did not take enough breaks. I, mostly, taught in a traditional manner and leaned heavily towards classical education. There was a lot of reading. Our days were full and varied day to day.
Most of our years homeschooling saw us using a mix of different methods and resources. There is a lot to choose from and the children could do a ton of work in their school week. My children enjoyed me reading to them and often we would take an hour a day and listen to books on tape like Moby Dick and Black Boy, etc. We did some unit studies that combined various subjects in one study unit.
When we cooked, baked or sewed we counted those as part of our lessons. When the children were in choir, took voice lessons, German dancing, took the Babysitting course, diving lessons, etc we counted those as part of our learning journey, too.
I loved to take the children on field trips to learn so much more. ARCHE provided many of these opportunities along with gymnastics lessons, swimming lessons, tobogganing, skating, baseball games, and Friday School – where a large number of us would meet at a local centre and have various classes for all ages from toddlers to upper teens. These activities included Games, Gym, Arts and Crafts, Cooking Classes, debate class, etc. Us parents would volunteer our time to teach these classes.
3. What connections are you making to your own beliefs about teaching and learning?
I believe I have lived some of my beliefs already. However, when I see how much teachers do in their classrooms and fit in field trips and other events as well, I admire them. They have 30 children and lots of distractions. The school classroom has not only 30 children but 30 different families and their 30 different dynamics as well. It is a huge responsibility before me teaching 30 children that are not my own. A lot of responsibility. I know I will learn new connections as I complete my field experience and further as I move into the teaching profession.
Re: Answers to Professor's questions
by Shaelyn K - Tuesday, 27 September 2016, 4:56 PM
Thanks so much for sharing! I find it amazing that you homeschooled your children for such a long period of time, which would take a great amount of commitment. It's awesome to hear about the benefits of homeschooling and your beliefs on educating children. I think it is a great way to raise your children personally and to educate them in a more one-on-one situation. It is also interesting that the schools boards will provide you with so much school supplies, I think that is a great idea and would help so many homeschooling parents in their process!
Answers to Professor's questions
by Tanya Weller - Monday, 26 September 2016, 10:03 PM
Homeschooling – registered through the Regina Public School Board
1. What is 'alternative' in this space/school
I homeschooled four of my children for 9 years. The oldest of my homeschoolers was just finishing grade 4 at W. S. Hawrylak. That was my start. I registered our plan with the Regina Public School Board and completed yearly CTBS tests, you can do this as a homeschooler. That was the simplest method of evaluation that was acceptable to the Board.
Homeschooling is when the parents school their children themselves at home. It is interesting to note that children do not need to be registered for school until they are 7 years old. The Regina Public School Board will provide you with a lot of school supplies and a few hundred dollars/year for other school resources, which can include lessons for music, swimming, etc. They provide the CTBS tests that the parent administers. If you want you can use all their textbooks for all classes in the grade level you teach for your child, too. I hear the Separate School Board also gives an allowance for religious studies.
I researched all sorts of methods of schooling – Charlotte Mason, Traditional, Eclectic, Waldorf and many more. My homeschooling ‘bible’ was Mary Pride’s Big Book of Homeschooling – no longer in print, which was huge and filled with lots of resources and further reading references. I learned so much.
I registered with SHBE (Saskatchewan Home Based Educators) and attended their annual conferences for homeschoolers a few times. These conferences would feature guest speakers of some of the major curriculum providers for homeschooling or other famous homeschoolers, lawyers and other special interest persons. For the youth there would be forums for them to attend.
ARCHE (Association of Regina Christian Home Educators) is a local homeschool support group that we joined as well. They have groups and activities for the whole family, just the moms, only dads, and some just for kids.
2. What are the different ways students might experience school/learning in this space?
I was a bit overbearing because I wanted to do it all, and year round at that. That is the one mistake that was big. We did not take enough breaks. I, mostly, taught in a traditional manner and leaned heavily towards classical education. There was a lot of reading. Our days were full and varied day to day.
Most of our years homeschooling saw us using a mix of different methods and resources. There is a lot to choose from and the children could do a ton of work in their school week. My children enjoyed me reading to them and often we would take an hour a day and listen to books on tape like Moby Dick and Black Boy, etc. We did some unit studies that combined various subjects in one study unit.
When we cooked, baked or sewed we counted those as part of our lessons. When the children were in choir, took voice lessons, German dancing, took the Babysitting course, diving lessons, etc we counted those as part of our learning journey, too.
I loved to take the children on field trips to learn so much more. ARCHE provided many of these opportunities along with gymnastics lessons, swimming lessons, tobogganing, skating, baseball games, and Friday School – where a large number of us would meet at a local centre and have various classes for all ages from toddlers to upper teens. These activities included Games, Gym, Arts and Crafts, Cooking Classes, debate class, etc. Us parents would volunteer our time to teach these classes.
3. What connections are you making to your own beliefs about teaching and learning?
I believe I have lived some of my beliefs already. However, when I see how much teachers do in their classrooms and fit in field trips and other events as well, I admire them. They have 30 children and lots of distractions. The school classroom has not only 30 children but 30 different families and their 30 different dynamics as well. It is a huge responsibility before me teaching 30 children that are not my own. A lot of responsibility. I know I will learn new connections as I complete my field experience and further as I move into the teaching profession.
Re: Answers to Professor's questions
by Shaelyn K - Tuesday, 27 September 2016, 4:56 PM
Thanks so much for sharing! I find it amazing that you homeschooled your children for such a long period of time, which would take a great amount of commitment. It's awesome to hear about the benefits of homeschooling and your beliefs on educating children. I think it is a great way to raise your children personally and to educate them in a more one-on-one situation. It is also interesting that the schools boards will provide you with so much school supplies, I think that is a great idea and would help so many homeschooling parents in their process!