BY MARY KAY SWEIKAR
DANVILLE — The small group of eighth-grade graduates proudly accepted their diplomas with anticipation of starting high school in the fall.
But unlike most eighth-graders, these students never rode a bus to school, ate lunch in the school cafeteria, or raised their hands to be called upon. They also don’t favor one teacher over another because each of them will have the same teacher for all their elementary and high school classes.
These eighth-graders and a group of kindergarteners were part of the Homefires School Association graduation exercise held last month at Calvary Baptist Church. They are among the growing number of young people who complete their elementary education right at home, under the guidance of one or both parents.
Home-school parents are the first to admit that this type of education is not for every family. But the ones who have embraced the concept feel that they have definitely made the grade as teachers.
High scores
In fact, many parents who home school have five or more children. Once they decide that this alternative education program is right for their family, they home school all of their children ― to the apparent satisfaction of everyone involved.
“I’m acquainted with many home-schooled students who have scored as well or better than average on their ACT and SAT college entrance exams,” said the church’s pastor, Scott McCurdy, who also conducted the graduation ceremony. “This indicates that home-school parents are doing their job when it comes to teaching the curriculum.”
But home-school parents feel they give their kids a lot more than book learning.
When asked why they home school, parents’ answers were varied. But everyone interviewed said they wanted the freedom to openly talk about God and religion. They also appreciate the quality time they spend with their children, which brings them closer together.
Parents also feel they can expand on the basic curriculum with field trips and other projects that they can do together as a family.
“Home school isn’t over when we shut the books,” one mother said. “Home-school parents continue to teach their children 24 hours a day.”
Many benefits
McCurdy’s and his wife Susan’s eldest son, Daniel, graduated from high school in 2008 and will enter his second year this fall at Pensacola Christian College in Florida. He returned to Danville to watch his little brother Joseph (one of eight children) graduate from kindergarten at the Homefires ceremony.
Daniel also took the opportunity to tell the parents and students who were present about the benefits that he received from home schooling.
“I didn’t fully appreciate all the good that I got out of home schooling until this past year when I went away to college,” Daniel said. “Now I realize how close I have become to my brothers and sisters, since we were all home schooled together.
“I developed solid beliefs and values that will carry me through life,” Daniel added, “and I appreciate that home school always gave me the freedom to talk about Jesus. That was so important to me as I was growing up.”
Daniel said his transition from home schooling to a college setting was not difficult.
“I have to admit it was weird to sit in a classroom for the first time, other than my driver’s ed class at Danville High School,” he said, “but it helped that I’ve always had plenty of interaction with other kids through the social activities that went along with my education.”
“The Vermilion County Homefires group has about 35 families,” said Becki Hickman, a home-school mother of five. “There are also many home-school families in the area who are not part of the Homefires group, so it’s difficult to say just how many parents choose this type of learning for their children. But we do know that the number of home-school families is growing.”
Meeting standards
The State of Illinois requires no standardized tests for home school students to move from one grade level to the next or from elementary to high school. But most of the parents administer the California Achievement Test to their children right along, to make sure their kids are meeting standards. And in many cases, they exceed those standards.
“Homefires is good because it provides home school families with a support system,” Hickman said. “We get so much encouragement from each other, and we have developed so many extracurricular activities for our children. They have sports, music, field trips, and social activities.”
Hickman’s son, Luke, was one of the eighth-grade graduates, and he is the fourth of five children in her family that she is home schooling. Even though she wasn’t trained as a teacher, Hickman never doubted that she could do the job when she started home schooling her two daughters 16 years ago. Both daughters are now married and have babies of their own, whom they will consider home schooling someday.
Luke had always enjoyed doing science experiments and building things with his dad and grandpa, so those activities that he enjoyed were used to round out his classroom education. “That way, we all became involved in the teaching process,” Hickman said.
She also found that teaching her five children has provided her with a satisfying career. “I feel privileged that we are living in a nation where we are allowed to home school our children if we choose,” she said.
Tricia Downey of Danville is a single mom who has home schooled her two girls since they were in preschool. Her eldest, Caitlin, received her elementary school diploma at the Homefires graduation ceremony.
“I feel that home schooling allows children to explore many possibilities and find the areas that really interest them,” Downey said.
Staci Wright of Collison said that her 6-year-old son, Nathan, was excited to graduate from kindergarten. She is also home schooling her other children, who are ages 10, 9, and 4.
“With home schooling you can choose a different type of curriculum for each child to best meet their individual needs,” Wright said.
A social life
Ellen Stacey of Rossville will enter the seventh grade next fall in a home school setting. “I started out as a toddler in a private school,” she said, “but I’m glad my parents decided to home school all of us kids. It’s been comforting to me all these years.
“I haven’t missed out on socialization either,” Ellen said. “I almost have more extracurricular activities than I can handle.” She is into violin, singing and basketball, and she goes on lots of field trips.
Sometimes a parent who has a special interest in a subject will teach an enrichment class. Ellen enjoys the extra writing class that her mom teaches for a group of home-school kids.
McCurdy said, “Children are a gift from God to their parents, and home schooling allows parents the privilege to interact with their kids every day. I believe in ‘greenhousing’ kids,” he added, “and that’s what home schooling does for them.
“When we’re ready to send them out into the world, we can be certain that they have the core education and values not only to survive, but to thrive.”
