Lighting a Fire

In just five years, my sister went from a perfectly normal girl to our familys very own
vegetarian, homeschooling rebel. Intrigued with the idea of teaching my own children at home, I
joined her in 1988 and spent the next twenty-five years homeschooling my seven children.
Homeschooling in the 70s meant liberal educational reform. In the 80s, it evolved into
a conservative Christian movement. The range of meaning created a prickly reception for me and
my children. Every now and then someone would ask, Where do your kids go to school? I
would say, We homeschool. At that point, my childrens faces would become emotionless and
their body language would say, Lets move on, Mom! My kids could tell that homeschool was
not popular, because each time the subject came up there would be an uncomfortable pause and
the subject would be changed. I assume that the person asking in each case lacked an
understanding of homeschool or disagreed strongly with the idea.
Whats so wrong with homeschooling? The stereotype is certainly awkward.
Homeschooled kids get a bad rap for being absolute nerds that never comb their hair and only
hang out with their parents. Homeschool is often blamed for poor socialization; for example, our
attractive, blond-haired, blue-eyed daughter was born intellectually handicapped and struggled
with speech impairment and anxiety. When asked to address her church group upon receiving an
award, her speech caused some to mistakenly attribute her backwardness to homeschool. Like
other families, my childrens social skills ranged widely and changed yearly. My fourth child,
Thomas, illustrates that range of social skill. He surprised us all when the student body of the
local junior high elected him to be the Valentine King for an upcoming dance. He declined the

honor, explaining that he was a homeschooler and that his best friend had gained permission for
him to attend only for the day.
Furthermore, there is the idea that homeschoolers consist of families that have had bad
experiences in public schools and can't afford private schools; or that they are fear-driven, overly
protective parents. Maybe they are rebels who want to make a political point, or even religious
zealots. I did not homeschool my kids for any of those reasons; I simply wanted to give my kids
the chance to be brilliant and thought I could do it best at home.
Such is the case of some well-known homeschoolers like Theodore Franklin Roosevelt.
Roosevelt homeschooled because he was sickly; Robert Frost, because of his intense anxiety.
Venus Williams was homeschooled to pursue a tennis career; and Laura Ingalls Wilder was
home taught by her parents because her family moved so often.
So, what is homeschooling really like? Different families homeschool in many different
ways. Some travel in motorhomes so they can learn through experience. Some have milliondollar homes with beautifully designed schoolrooms, while other families are really messy and
appear to have forgotten to clean their home since they started homeschooling. Some stay busy
making volcanoes and dioramas and have projects that line every shelf of their home.
Meanwhile, other families join large groups with other homeschooling families, called co-ops,
where they gather and do hands-on learning with food, costumes, and crafts from various periods
of the world. And some homeschoolers, like me, do a little bit of everything.
Each year in my home, there would be a new adventure with the anticipation of an even
better year than the last. In the early years we tried unschooling, which is an interest-driven,
child-led form of learning without a fixed curriculum. We read, took music lessons, built
amazing LEGO creations and went on field tripsthe music lessons gave my second-oldest

daughter her foundation to become a concert pianist. One year, we paid teachers and created our
very own school with twenty children from the area; some of us needed a break! As our journey
continued, we created driveway sized maps of the world and historical timelines, cut out and
painted swords and shields, and created our own personal newspapers. My middle daughters
newspaper was called Hang with Janeshe now writes a newsletter as a BYU American studies
intern at the Utah State Capital. As the older children moved out, virtual classrooms, videotaped
lectures, and study groups were introduced with other families joining in. However, not
everything changed from year to year. We went on many adventures throughout: digging to
discover geodes, jumping in the sand dunes, swimming at the Great Salt Lake, and getting
cultured at the theatre and symphony.
Now looking back, my second oldest, Sarah, commented that she liked best feeling like
[her] brothers and sisters were [her] best friends. (Sarah, age 29, is currently pursuing medical
school). Daniel, age 27 and in his third year of law school, commented that he liked not feeling
forced to do things. James, my 14-year-old who chose to attend the local junior high (where he
plays on the school basketball team), said The best was when my brother and me homeschooled
together and we slept in until noon!
What did I learn from the education of my children? I learned the value of knowing how
to think instead of knowing trivial facts. I saw that the heart, not the brain, was at the center of
learning, and I witnessed the sacredness of the mind and the unfolding of genius as the sparks of
creation took place right before my eyes.

Lighting a Fire
In just five years, my sister went from a perfectly normal girl to our familys very own
vegetarian, homeschooling rebel. Intrigued with the idea of teaching my own children at home, I
joined her in 1988 and spent the next twenty-five years homeschooling my seven children.
Homeschooling in the 70s, meant liberal educational reform. Yet inIn the 80s, it
evolved into a conservative Christian movement. The range of meaning created a prickly
reception for my children and Ihile my kids were growing up., Eevery now and then someone
would ask,, Where do your kids go to school? I would say, We homeschool. At that point,

Commented [AJ1]: This revision is excellent; I suggest

you keep it.

my childrens faces would become emotionless and their body language would say, Lets move
on, Mom! My kids could tell that homeschool was not popular, because each time the subject
came up there would be an uncomfortable pause and the subject would be changed. I assume
that the person asking in each case lacked an understanding of homeschool or disagreed strongly
with the idea.
Whats so wrong with homeschooling? The stereotype is certainly awkward.
Homeschooled kids get a bad rap for being absolute nerds that never comb their hair and only
hang out with their parents. Homeschool is often blamed for poor socialization; for example, our
attractive, blond-haired, blue-eyed daughter was born intellectually handicapped and struggled
with speech impairment and anxiety. When asked to address her church group upon receiving an
award, her speech caused some to mistakenly attribute her backwardness to homeschool. Like
other families, my childrens social skills ranged widely and changed yearly. My fourth child,
Thomas, illustrates that range of social skill. He surprised us all when the student body of the
local junior high elected him to be the Valentine King for an upcoming dance. He declined the

Commented [sg2]: Wonder if it should read illustrates

that range" leaving out "of social skills" but i'm good
either way
Commented [AJ3R2]: I say keep this sentence as you
modified it. Specifying social skill here is great for
improved clarity.
Commented [AT4R2]: Okay

honor, explaining that he was a homeschooler and that his best friend had gained permission for
him to attend only for the day.
Furthermore, there is the idea that homeschoolers consist of families that have had bad
experiences in public schools and can't afford private schools; or that they are fear-driven, overly
protective parents. Maybe they are rebels who want to make a political point, or even religious
zealots. I did not homeschool my kids for any of those reasons; I simply wanted to give my kids
the chance to be brilliant and thought I could do it best at home. Though I graduated from a good
public high school, my experience and education was far from adequate. I was determined not to
let my own childrens education suffer.
Such is the case of some well-known homeschoolers like Thomas Edison. Edison had a
bad experience with public school and was kicked out because he was thought to be too dumb
and asked too many questions. Theodore Franklin Roosevelt. Roosevelt was homeschooled
because he was sickly; Robert Frost, because of his intense anxiety. Venus Williams was
homeschooled to pursue a tennis career; and Laura Ingalls Wilder was home taught by her
parents because her family moved so often.
So, what is homeschooling really like? Different families homeschool in many different
ways. Some travel in motorhomes so they can learn through experience. Some have milliondollar homes with beautifully designed schoolrooms, while other families are really messy and
appear to have forgotten to clean their home since they started homeschooling. Some stay busy
making volcanoes and dioramas and have projects that line every shelf of their home.
Meanwhile, other families join large groups with other homeschooling families, called co-ops,
where they gather and do hands-on learning with food from various periods of the world,
costumes, and crafts. And some homeschoolers, like me, do a little bit of everything.

Commented [AJ5]: I think this ought to be re-worded

by saying food, costumes, and crafts from various
periods of the world. It flows better that way.
Commented [AT6R5]: I agree, keep the heaviest for
last. I think its only were it is for its original order.

Each year in my home there would be a new adventure with the anticipation of an even
better year than the last. In the early years we tried unschooling, which is an interest-driven,
child-led form of learning without a fixed curriculum. We read, took music lessons, built
amazing LEGO creations and went on field trips. ThisThe music lessons gave my second-oldest
daughter her foundation to become a concert pianist. One year, we paid teachers and created our
very own school with 20 twenty children from the area; some of us needed a break! As our

Commented [AT7]: Would this be better after an em

dash just like the other one helping a reader visually see
that this is parenthetical without being so obtrusive and
removed as parenthesis?

journey continued, we created driveway sized maps of the world and historical timelines, cut out
and painted swords and shields, and created our own personal newspaper. My middle daughters
newspaper was called Hang with Janeshe now writes a newsletter as a BYU American studies

Commented [AJ8]: Did each child create their own

newspaper, or did you create one as a family? I only ask
because you talk about your daughters newspaper in the
next sentence.

intern at the Utah State Capital. As the older children moved out, virtual classrooms, videotaped

Commented [AT9R8]: It seems that way, so newspaper

should probably be plural here.

lectures, and study groups were introduced with other families joining in. There were many
adventures along the way: digging to discover geodes, jumping in the sand dunes, swimming at
the Great Salt Lake, and getting cultured at the theatre and symphony.
Now looking back, my second oldest, Sarah, commented that she liked best feeling like
[her] brothers and sisters were [her] best friends. (Sarah, age 29, is currently pursuing medical
school). Daniel, age 27 and in his third year of law school, commented that he liked not feeling

Commented [AT10]: A thought to improve the clarity

(as the paper goes from talking about the last years to an
experience over all of the years of homeschooling [if Im
correctly interpreting it]): However, not everything
changed from year to year. We went on many adventures
throughout: digging . .
Commented [AJ11R10]: This is a suggestion for rephrasing, so you dont have to use this exact wording.
However, I agree with Austins comments for improving
clarity.

forced to do things. James, my 14-year-old who chose to attend the local junior high (where he
plays on the school basketball team), said The best was when my brother and me homeschooled
together and we slept in until noon!
What did I learn from the education of my children? I learned the value of knowing how
to think instead of knowing trivial facts. I saw that the heart, not the brain, was at the center of
learning, and I witnessed the sacredness of the mind and the unfolding of genius as the sparks of

Commented [AJ12]: I think this re-wording is excellent.

creation took place right before my eyes.

Commented [AT13R12]: Agreed.

Lighting a Fire

In just five years, my sister had gone from a perfectly normal girl to our familys very
own vegetarian, homeschooling rebel. Intrigued with the idea of teaching my own children at
home, I joined her!
While my kids were growing up, every now and then someone would ask, Where do
your kids go to school? I would say, We homeschool. At that point, my childrens faces
would become emotionless and their body language would say, Lets move on, Mom! There
would be an uncomfortable pause and the subject would be changed.
But wWhats so wrong with homeschooling? The stereotype is certainly awkward. For
example, Ophelia, a homeschooled teenager, thinks homeschooled kids get a bad rap. People
picture absolute nerds she said, but she sets the record straight. Ophelia defines some
homeschoolers as those with an inability to converse with people their own age, a predisposition
to wear camouflage clothing, and an undue obsession with sci-fi and hanging out with their
progenitors (parents). Yet, she gives another view, a personal view, of being homeschooled,
[We] are pretty much normal human beings. Being that [we] have the ability to converse with
other human beings without making them feel awkward even though [we] may perform higher in
spelling bees and have a tendency for creativity.
Furthermore, there is the idea that homeschoolers consist of families that have had bad
experiences in public schools and can't afford private schools; or that they are fear-driven, overly
protective parents. Or mMaybe they are rebels who want to make a political point. Maybe , or
even religious zealots (D'Escoto, 2007). I did not homeschool my kids for any of those reasons; I

Commented [AJ14]: How many years have you been

homeschooling? Putting in a timeframe, either here or in
your later paragraphs about your familys experiences
homeschooling, will help readers better understand your
experience.
Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5"
Commented [AJ15]: Why didnt your kids want to talk
more about the subject? I think the readers would benefit
from better understanding the specific context of the
childrens unease.
Commented [AJ16]: Just from your kids, or from the
person asking you the question as well? I feel this is a
detail that would better help set the stage of who exactly
is uncomfortable with the idea.
Commented [AJ17]: In your previous paragraph, you
mention how your kids always wanted to change the
subject (at least mentally) when the topic of
homeschooling came up. If that reaction was because of
this negative homeschooler stereotype, then I think it
would be better for you to change the focus of this
paragraph from Ophelia to your kids.
Commented [AJ18R17]: For example, instead of only
quoting Ophelia, you can put here what your kids have
heard or experienced in relation to that stereotype, like
people assuming your kids arent getting socialization. Or
maybe even eliminating Ophelias words here and only
putting in personal/family experience in relation to the
stereotype.
Commented [AJ19]: Where does she talk about this? In
an article, in a Youtube video, or somewhere else online
or in print? That would be good to mention briefly.

simply wanted to give my kids the chance to be brilliant and thought I could do it best at home.
Though I graduated from a good public high school, my experience and education was far from
adequate. I was determined not to let this happen to themmy own childrens education suffer.
Such is the case of some well-known homeschoolers like Thomas Edison. Edison had a

Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5"

bad experience with public school and was kicked out because he was thought to be too dumb
and asked too many questions. Theodore Franklin Roosevelt was homeschooled because he was
sickly; Robert Frost, because of his intense anxiety. Venus Williams did it was homeschooled to
pursue a tennis career; and Laura Ingalls Wilder was home taught by her parents because her
family moved so often.
So, what is home schooling really like? Different fFamilies homeschool in many different
ways. Some travel in motorhomes so they can learn through experience. S; some have milliondollar homes with beautifully designed schoolrooms, while other familiess are really messy and
appear to have forgotten to clean their home since they started homeschooling. Some stay busy
making volcanoes and dioramas and have projects that line every shelf of their home.
Meanwhile, and other familiess join large groups with other homeschooling families, called coops,, where they gather and do hands-on learning with period food, costumes and crafts. And
some homeschoolers, like me, do a little bit of everything.
Each year in my home would be a new adventure with the anticipation of an even better
year than the last. In the early years we unschooledtried unschooling, which is an interest driven,
child led form of learning without a fixed curriculum. We read, took music lessons, built
amazing Lego LEGO creations and went on field trips. Later on, my second-oldest daughter
became a concert pianist. One year, we paid teachers and created our very own school with 20
children from the area; some of us needed a break! During the middle years, we created

Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5"

Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman
Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman

driveway sized maps of the world and historical timelines, cut out and painted swords and
shields, and created our own personal newspaper. My middle daughters paper was called Hang
with Janeshe now writes a newsletter as a BYU American studies intern at the Utah State
Capital. As the older children moved out, virtual classrooms, videotaped lectures and study
groups were introduced with other families joining in. There were adventures digging to discover
geodes, jumping in the sand dunes, swimming at the Great Salt Lake, and getting cultured at the
theatre and symphony.
Now looking back, my second oldest, Sarah, commented that she liked best feeling like
[her] brothers and sisters were [her] best friends. (Sarah, age 29, is currently pursuing medical
school). Daniel, age 27 and in his second year of law school, commented that he liked not
feeling forced to do things. James, my 14-year-old who choose to attend the local junior high
(where he plays on the school basketball team), said The best was when my brother and me
homeschooled together and we slept in until noon!
What did I learn from the education of my children? I learned the value of gaining
knowledge over gaining facts. I witnessed the sacredness of the mind and the unfolding genius as
the sparks of creation took place right before my eyes.

Commented [sg20]: I would love like Amber stated to

have the Yeats and Potter quote put in drop downs

References
Bailey, O. (2010, January 1). Homeschooled???? Retrieved April 17, 2015, from
http://www.tubechop.com/watch/5066744

D'Escoto, D., & D'Escoto, K. (2007). The little book of big reasons to homeschool B&H
Publishing Group.

Sherrie Goaslind
Lighting a Fire
I remember the first time I heard the word homeschool. It was from my sister Kathies
mother-in-law. She whispered to me, Whats this homeschool thing Kathies doing? I
responded, Whats homeschool? I didnt know what she was talking about.
In my own sheltered world of public school I had never come across a homeschooler. My

Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5"

oldest sister had never shown signs of being anything but a normal kid. She did what everyone
else didattended the local public school. In just five years, however, my sister had gone from
a perfectly normal girl to our familys very own vegetarian, homeschooling fundamentalist.
Little did I know that this was the beginning of a journey that I would be on for the next twentyfive25 years. We called it the Grand Experiment. In just five years, my sister had gone from a
perfectly normal girl to our familys very own vegetarian, homeschooling fundamentalist.
Sometimes it just comes out of my mouth in front of my husband and children. When
someone asks, Where do your kids go to school? I say, We homeschool. My childrens
faces immediately become emotionless and their body language says, Lets move on, Mom!
Theres an awkward pause and the subject is changed.
The chances of bumping into a homeschooler are slim, considering that only 4 percent of
children in the U.S are homeschooled. But it might be helpful to understand the language of
homeschoolers, what their experiences are like and the variety of reasons why they homeschool.

Commented [AJ21]: I think mentioning here that more

people are homeschooling every year would help
accentuate why your readers would find it helpful to
understand the language of homeschoolers.

Even the word homeschool actually means completely different things to different people. A
person that is homeschooled might refer to himself or herself as either homeschooled or a
homeschooler. Some think this is very different, like Ophelia, a homeschooled teenager on a

Commented [AJ22]: What do some and this mean in

this sentence? I think the sentence needs revising to add
clarity to your thought.

YouTube video that thinks homeschoolers gets a bad rap. People picture absolute nerds, she
says, but she sets the record straight on the difference between homeschoolers and being
homeschooled. Ophelia defines homeschoolers as those with an inability to converse with people
their own age, a predisposition to wear camouflage clothing, and an undue obsession with sci-fi
and hanging out with their progenitors (parents). In contrast, those who are homeschooled . .
.are pretty much normal human beings. Being that they have the ability to converse with other
human beings without making them feel awkward. Though they may perform higher in spelling
bees and have a tendency for creativity.(Bailey, 2010)..
Within the homeschool community, the words used to describe homeschooling vary even
more. You might hear words like home-taught, taught at home, unschooled, learning at home,
free school and school-at-home. Homeschool is a noun, a verb and an adjective. Next time
someone says theyre homeschooled, ask them what they mean because the range of what it

Commented [AJ23]: This whole paragraph could use

revising. I think it will confuse readers since there is not
much context. Not every homeschooler differentiates
between homeschooler and homeschooled, anyways.
Commented [AJ24]: What terms do you use to describe
homeschooling? I think this topic could be better
introduced by starting with what term or terms you use
specifically, then you could introduce other terms youve
heard from other people or other sources.

means to homeschool is wide and varied.

What people think homeschoolers do and what they really do might surprise you.
Families Different families homeschool in many different ways. Some travel in motorhomes so
they can learn through experience; some have million dollar homes with beautifully designed
schoolrooms while others are really messy and appear to have forgotten to clean their home since
they started homeschooling. Some stay busy making volcanoes and dioramas and have projects
that line every shelf of their home and others join large co-ops, where they gather and do handson learning with period food, costumes and crafts. And some homeschoolers like me do a little
bit of everything. Each year in my home would be a new adventure with the anticipation of an
even better year than the last. The structure and environment of each homeschool family is
unique. Some families have one child and others have ten; some love the arts, others prefer the

Commented [AJ25]: I like this idea where

homeschooling is an adventure each year. I think readers
would love to hear more specifics about what your family
does as a part of homeschooling (is there book work? Do
you go on field trips? What kinds of science/art/tech/etc.
projects do you do?). Maybe even focus on this point in a
paragraph or two.

sciences; some families face great resistance from friends and family, while others find great
support within their family.

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. (William Butler Yeats)

David and Kim DEscoto, veteran homeschoolers, used to wonder why anyone would

Commented [AJ26]: I like these quotes you put here,

but I think for the printing of the article in the magazine
we will put these in drop quote boxes rather that keeping
them in the text of the essay. Otherwise it could interrupt
the flow of the essay.

want to homeschool. They thought homeschoolers consisted of families that had had bad
experiences in public schools and couldn't afford private schools. Perhaps they were fear-driven,
overly protective parents. Or maybe they were rebels who wanted to make a political point.
Okay, the term religious zealot also came to mind. (D'Escoto, 2007). Yes, some homeschool to
escape the world, but others homeschool to explore the world and so much more.
Thomas Edison had a bad experience with public school and was kicked out because he
was thought to be too dumb and asked too many questions. Theodore Franklin Roosevelt was
homeschooled because he was sickly; Robert Frost, because of his intense anxiety. Venus
Williams did it to pursue a tennis career; and Laura Ingalls Wilder because her family moved so
often.
The reason I chose to homeschool? I simply wanted to give my kids the chance to be
brilliant and thought I could do it best at home. When someone tells you that they were
homeschooled, ask them what it was like for them. You might be surprised at how unique each
homeschooler is and what homeschool means to different people. Some will talk about the hard
tedious work and sacrifices and others will focus on the fun adventures of homeschooling. Each
homeschool creatormother and fatherdecides to embark on this crazy idea for very different
reasons.

Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5"

The things the kids remember about homeschooling have nothing to do with a textbook.
(Heidi St. John)

Commented [AJ27]: Another quote to keep for a drop

quote box

I have never asked my own children what was homeschool like for them until now. My children
shared how they liked feeling like my brothers and sisters were my best friends (Sarah, age 29,
currently pursuing a medical career). Daniel, age 27 and in his second year of law school, liked
.not feeling forced to do things James, my 14-year-old who now attends the local junior high
by choice, said The best was when my brother and me homeschooled together and we slept in
until noon! Perhaps that his sleeping habits is one of the reasons I as his mother got him
involved in football, band, and the school basketball team.

Commented [AJ28]: I revised this to what I think that

was supposed to mean, but feel free to change it if I
assumed wrong.

As one homeschoolerBeatrice Potter, a homeschooled author, exclaimed, Thank goodness my

education was neglected and I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the
originality. (Beatrix Potter)

Commented [AJ29]: I like this quote a lot, enough to

want to keep it in the text body. However, I think your
essays conclusion would be stronger if you added your
own thoughts to her words in another sentence or two
after the quote.

References
Bailey, O. (2010, January 1). Homeschooled???? Retrieved April 17, 2015, from
http://www.tubechop.com/watch/5066744

D'Escoto, D., & D'Escoto, K. (2007). The little book of big reasons to homeschool B&H
Publishing Group.

Sherrie Goaslind
Lighting a Fire
I remember the first time I heard the word homeschool. It was from my sister Kathies
mother-in-law. She whispered to me, Whats this homeschool thing Kathies doing? I
responded, Whats homeschool? I didnt know what she was talking about.
In my own sheltered world of public school I had never come across a homeschooler. My
oldest sister had never shown signs of being anything but a normal kid. She did what everyone
else didattended the local public school. In just five years, however, my sister had gone from
a perfectly normal girl to our familys very own vegetarian, homeschooling fundamentalist.
Little did I know that this was the beginning of a journey that I would be on for the next twentyfive25 years. We called it the Grand Experiment. In just five years, my sister had gone from a
perfectly normal girl to our familys very own vegetarian, homeschooling fundamentalist.

Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5"

Sometimes it just comes out of my mouth in front of my husband and children. When
someone asks, Where do your kids go to school? I say, We homeschool. My childrens
faces immediately become emotionless and their body language says, Lets move on, Mom!
Theres an awkward pause and the subject is changed.
The chances of bumping into a homeschooler are slim, considering that only 4 percent of
children in the U.S are homeschooled. But it might be helpful to understand the language of
homeschoolers, what their experiences are like and the variety of reasons why they homeschool.

Commented [AJ30]: I think mentioning here that more

people are homeschooling every year would help
accentuate why your readers would find it helpful to
understand the language of homeschoolers.

Even the word homeschool actually means completely different things to different people. A
person that is homeschooled might refer to himself or herself as either homeschooled or a
homeschooler. Some think this is very different, like Ophelia, a homeschooled teenager on a
YouTube video that thinks homeschoolers gets a bad rap. People picture absolute nerds, she

Commented [AJ31]: What do some and this mean in

this sentence? I think the sentence needs revising to add
clarity to your thought.

says, but she sets the record straight on the difference between homeschoolers and being
homeschooled. Ophelia defines homeschoolers as those with an inability to converse with people
their own age, a predisposition to wear camouflage clothing, and an undue obsession with sci-fi
and hanging out with their progenitors (parents). In contrast, those who are homeschooled . .
.are pretty much normal human beings. Being that they have the ability to converse with other
human beings without making them feel awkward. Though they may perform higher in spelling
bees and have a tendency for creativity.(Bailey, 2010)..
Within the homeschool community, the words used to describe homeschooling vary even
more. You might hear words like home-taught, taught at home, unschooled, learning at home,
free school and school-at-home. Homeschool is a noun, a verb and an adjective. Next time
someone says theyre homeschooled, ask them what they mean because the range of what it
means to homeschool is wide and varied.

Commented [AJ32]: This whole paragraph could use

revising. I think it will confuse readers since there is not
much context. Not every homeschooler differentiates
between homeschooler and homeschooled, anyways.
Commented [AJ33]: What terms do you use to describe
homeschooling? I think this topic could be better
introduced by starting with what term or terms you use
specifically, then you could introduce other terms youve
heard from other people or other sources.

What people think homeschoolers do and what they really do might surprise you.
Families Different families homeschool in many different ways. Some travel in motorhomes so
they can learn through experience; some have million dollar homes with beautifully designed
schoolrooms while others are really messy and appear to have forgotten to clean their home since
they started homeschooling. Some stay busy making volcanoes and dioramas and have projects
that line every shelf of their home and others join large co-ops, where they gather and do handson learning with period food, costumes and crafts. And some homeschoolers like me do a little
bit of everything. Each year in my home would be a new adventure with the anticipation of an
even better year than the last. The structure and environment of each homeschool family is
unique. Some families have one child and others have ten; some love the arts, others prefer the
sciences; some families face great resistance from friends and family, while others find great

Commented [AJ34]: I like this idea where

homeschooling is an adventure each year. I think readers
would love to hear more specifics about what your family
does as a part of homeschooling (is there book work? Do
you go on field trips? What kinds of science/art/tech/etc.
projects do you do?). Maybe even focus on this point in a
paragraph or two.

support within their family.

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. (William Butler Yeats)

Commented [AJ35]: I like these quotes you put here,

but I think for the printing of the article in the magazine
we will put these in drop quote boxes rather that keeping
them in the text of the essay. Otherwise it could interrupt
the flow of the essay.

David and Kim DEscoto, veteran homeschoolers, used to wonder why anyone would
want to homeschool. They thought homeschoolers consisted of families that had had bad
experiences in public schools and couldn't afford private schools. Perhaps they were fear-driven,
overly protective parents. Or maybe they were rebels who wanted to make a political point.
Okay, the term religious zealot also came to mind. (D'Escoto, 2007). Yes, some homeschool to
escape the world, but others homeschool to explore the world and so much more.
Thomas Edison had a bad experience with public school and was kicked out because he
was thought to be too dumb and asked too many questions. Theodore Franklin Roosevelt was

Formatted: Indent: First line: 0.5"

homeschooled because he was sickly; Robert Frost, because of his intense anxiety. Venus
Williams did it to pursue a tennis career; and Laura Ingalls Wilder because her family moved so
often.
The reason I chose to homeschool? I simply wanted to give my kids the chance to be
brilliant and thought I could do it best at home. When someone tells you that they were
homeschooled, ask them what it was like for them. You might be surprised at how unique each
homeschooler is and what homeschool means to different people. Some will talk about the hard
tedious work and sacrifices and others will focus on the fun adventures of homeschooling. Each
homeschool creatormother and fatherdecides to embark on this crazy idea for very different
reasons.

The things the kids remember about homeschooling have nothing to do with a textbook.
(Heidi St. John)

Commented [AJ36]: Another quote to keep for a drop

quote box

I have never asked my own children what was homeschool like for them until now. My children
shared how they liked feeling like my brothers and sisters were my best friends (Sarah, age 29,
currently pursuing a medical career). Daniel, age 27 and in his second year of law school, liked
.not feeling forced to do things James, my 14-year-old who now attends the local junior high
by choice, said The best was when my brother and me homeschooled together and we slept in
until noon! Perhaps that his sleeping habits is one of the reasons I as his mother got him
involved in football, band, and the school basketball team.

Commented [AJ37]: I revised this to what I think that

was supposed to mean, but feel free to change it if I
assumed wrong.

As one homeschoolerBeatrice Potter, a homeschooled author, exclaimed, Thank goodness my

education was neglected and I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the
originality. (Beatrix Potter)

Commented [AJ38]: I like this quote a lot, enough to

want to keep it in the text body. However, I think your
essays conclusion would be stronger if you added your
own thoughts to her words in another sentence or two
after the quote.

References
Bailey, O. (2010, January 1). Homeschooled???? Retrieved April 17, 2015, from
http://www.tubechop.com/watch/5066744

D'Escoto, D., & D'Escoto, K. (2007). The little book of big reasons to homeschool B&H
Publishing Group.