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Meet
Massachusetts Homeschoolers
Homeschooling:
The Adventure Never Ends
by Joanne Casiello
I'm
sure it was only yesterday that we began homeschooling our four
sons here in Worcester, MA, but when I glance around the house
I can't help noticing that I am the only one home. One of our
goals of homeschooling was to raise independent children who would
discover their gifts and go out into the world to use them. And
they do.
I'd
like to say that it was my infinite skill, wisdom, and patience
as a homeschooling parent that inspired my sons to become the
capable adults and nearly adults that they are now, but my sons
might read this, and they keep me honest.
A homeschool
support list member, impressed that my sons enjoy singing in choirs
and rock bands and play musical instruments, asked me how I had
accomplished this. I wrote about singing to them from before they
were born, always having musical instruments available, providing
music instructors, playing music together. Third son looking over
my shoulder said, "Um, if we were practicing music you wouldn't
call us to come do our math homework."
So my
four sons learned to be self-motivated, active learners because
as long as they looked productive, I didn't stop and make them
do something else. They learned rapidly that if they mentioned
boredom, I might suggest they clean their rooms. If they fought
with each other, I might decide it was a good time for a spelling
lesson. Small boys engrossed in building with Legos, writing plays,
painting pictures, designing science experiments, repairing bicycles,
reading books, creating costumes, editing videos, inventing mechanical
devices, or raising livestock were not interrupted.
From
their parents' example they learned what they loved and what they
hated. If you have parents who give you a quick lesson in drosophilae
gender identification and state of reproductivity when they hand
capture random fruit flies that happen to zigzag past the dinner
table you either grow up to be an animal science major like our
second son, or to avoid college bio classes completely by becoming
a software engineer like our first.
This
homeschooling adventure led us down paths I had never anticipated.
I carry snapshots in my head of sons halter training a camel in
the snow, bargaining in Spanish in a market in Honduras, singing
in a cathedral in England wearing the formal vestments of choir
boys, barefoot while picking tomatoes under the hot sun with a
woman from Cameroon. I shake my head in disbelief remembering
that while dressed in four layers of winter clothing I videotaped
a son in shorts and jersey playing a crucial soccer game in a
near blizzard.
Along
the way I learned that if a son said he could do something, he
probably could. Who was I to tell my fourteen-year-old that boys
do not learn to dance jazz tap in talent shows by watching old
movies, attaching metal plates to sneakers and practicing for
two months in the basement to Duke Ellington? He did it and his
act was a huge hit.
The
official homeschooling adventure is nearly over for us. John Paul
is married, living in Boston, a graduate of Northeastern University
working as a software engineer. Ben is a senior at UMASS Amherst
majoring in animal science and spending his summers working for
Heifer International. Damon spent the summer as an intern in an
engineering research and development department of St. Gobain.
He'll finish his associate's degree in engineering at Quinsigamund
Community College this year and transfer from there to a four
year college as he moves towards a career in either material or
bio-engineering, or maybe both. Gabe, at 16, the only one to officially
still be homeschooling, works as a lifeguard, swim team coach,
and makes training videos for lifeguard training courses. His
formal internships in carpentry began this year as he continues
to explore career options that mesh with his interests. The official
adventure may be almost over, but the thrill of finding the best
place and way to learn what you want to learn, I hope, will never
end.
Back to Fun.
The
information on this website does not constitute legal advice;
it is provided for informational purposes only.
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