The group I am a part of is a group of moms who meet once a month... away from kids who are home with dads and sitters. We discuss all sorts of things, mostly "homeschooling" issues, but more importantly we are there to make friends with other women who are also homeschooling their own kids each day. From these friendships relationships form and people end up doing various activings focused on learning together. It's like a sort of extended family in some ways, like school in others, but the best part is the friendship, concern and love. Overall, I find that we are a very diverse and independant group, which is why I am writing... to tell you what a "Homeschool Support Group" isn't.
These groups are often called, homeschool "support" groups, as if they are an addiction recovery type of psychological support system, but that is a bit of a misnomer. Homeschoolers are quite independent people who, like Americans' should, love freedom. They believe in truth and justice and live peacably with others.... whenever they can.... and they love their families and their friends. If you homeschool for any length of time you will soon discover how independent and how independently-thinking these people who homeschool really are.
Most homeschoolers figure out pretty quickly that they need to figure out what works for themselves and for their kids when it comes to homeschooling. At first some think they need "support," They think that someone needs to tell them what to do, but usually they figure out that they can tailor learning to each individual child... and they really do not want anyone telling them what to do, they just want to know if something someone else is doing might work for them.
Homeschool groups are places to learn more about what is out there on the book and multimedi shelves a place to consider what curriculum to use, and borrow stuff someone else will no longer use. When you think "support," remember that homeschoolers are often self-sufficient and very resourceful people. More often than not, discussing ways to protect homeschool laws, family issues and preserving parental rights for future generations is what these "support groups" do and in many instances, this is why they exist at all.
Think about it. The strength of family as an institution is the support homeschoolers have when they come together as a homeschool group. This stems also from the idea of parental love and a parent's natural desire to interact and teach their kids good things about life and the world., It is this that makes homeschooling work at all. Yes, homeschoolers tend to have an independent sort of mindset; and it is often quite separate and distinct from the state-run, performance-based, overcrowded, sold out to the highest bidder, overworked (and forever "underpaid" ) system of the public school. There is power in being a family, even if your family is lead by a single parent. Behind homeschooling is ultimately the power of love, and love is perfect for growing vibrant, happy, well-adjusted, thoughtful, inquisitive and well-educated kids.
This is not to say that "schools," even public schools, "are bad;" No, here in Spokane, there are good schools and bad. We have a lot of great schools where families are still the backbone of the comminuty, where people are valued and kids are more than simply a number on the page. There are good schools where teachers actually work, hard.... and they do it for more than just the pay. They love learning and they love kids; this is just to say that school can be a battleground, and all schools, like individuals are not the same. This is also to say that at the core, homeschooling really is about loving and educating kids, a loving home and a loving community is the focus. Hence the homeschooling group concept.... the homeschooling community.
When it comes to being part of a homeschooling "support "group, beware of the misnomer. It's never mandatory to be apart of these groups, and those who are in them are not there because the public school model they left behind is somehow lacking while in the home, No, it's because we are people in community. We already love what we are doing... being a family, raising and spending precious time with our growing kids, training them to do the right things and educating them in freedom.... being in a homeschool group is more to give support than get. It's a place to lend a helping hand.
There are several homeschooling groups that meet in Spokane. Each is unique and serves the homeschooling community in different ways. Some exist to create learning environments, like field trips, or playtimes, children getting the opportunity to associate with other kids. Some want kids to have interaction with other trusted adults or for their kids to try new things, make new friends , so parents offer to teach classes they would do already for their own kids (figuring that a couple more would make it more affordable and fun.) Some simply want to pool resources, hire a skilled teacher independently in order to provide a particular course of study or a class. Other groups exist for mailing lists, for phone chains and for keeping people informed of political issues that affect Washington state's homeschooling laws, and things like that. So, if you are homeschooling,or thinking about homeschooling, take a moment and contact these groups. Find one that is appealing to you or start your own.
When it comes to homeschooling "support" groups, remember, it's not about what the group is, but what it isn't These groups are not about getting "support," no, we are all quit independent! Homeschool support groups are about giving, finding out where YOU can lend a helping hand.
Homeschooling groups, in the world of homeschooling, are never mandatory...though they might need your commitment. They are not even necessary. but they are helpful and often they provide an extension of your individual family, a sort of love-based community where everyone is valued. If you are new to homeschooling you might consider being part of or starting your own homeschooling group, because in the end, this is another way that you and your homeschooling children can bloom and grow as you set out on your learning adventure (homeschool) together.
(LB)
