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Feature Friday for November 17 - Donna Conner of "Homeschooling Only One"

Me, write a book?

By Donna Conner, author of Homeschooling Only One

 

If five years ago, anyone would have told me that I would write a book, I would not have believed them. I’ve always been drawn to language and have enjoyed writing; even in high school, one of my aspirations was to become a writer. It was not something I pursued, however. So, how did I end up where I am today?

 

My husband and I never planned to have only one child. We found homeschooling early on, however, before our firstborn was even crawling. We didn’t do anything special with Mike, since homeschooling didn’t need to start until he was 5 or 6, according to the “authority figures.” We read to him, played with him, and gave him answers when he asked them, showing him the world around us as we lived life. His brother came when he was 2 ½ years old. Richard was a special needs baby and was only with us for 2 years. I had heard that it was a good thing to delay formal teaching at least a year with boys, and so started “Kindergarten” with Mike when he was 6. He surprised us by learning how to read before we even opened any book, so we started our homeschooling journey at a higher level than what I expected. 

 

After our 4^th year, we knew we were homeschoolers until the end. I had been blessed with a wonderful support group before we even began the homeschooling journey. During our 8^th year in 2003, one of the ladies of my support group approached the organizers of a large, local book fair, to ask for a special fellowship for those homeschooling an only child. Since she was only in her first year of homeschooling, she asked me to co-moderate the fellowship with her. I agreed and was blown away by the turn-out. I knew that having only one student was rather rare in homeschooling circles, but I had no idea how many there were “out there.” We had standing room only the first day, and a full room the second with totally new people attending. I was so energized that weekend, seeing a need, a gap of information and fellowship in the homeschooling community for those with only one child, or with only one student. I kept repeating that “I could write a book!” and very quickly thereafter, indeed, started it.

 

I decided that the book needed to cover the beginning basics of why one homeschools, and what methods were utilized in the actual teaching. I chose to write to an audience with one student, regardless of family size. I realized that this segment of the homeschool population might have a lot of different stories, bringing them to the point of homeschooling only one. For some, they are teaching their eldest child while they have a baby or toddler not ready to start any formal teaching. They are many grandparents who are homeschooling a grandchild, as well as those who have one child by choice or circumstance.

 

In the book, I share information on the relationships between parent and child, emphasizing some of the treasures of such a relationship, as well as the stressors that are inherent when there is only one child. Some of the topics I present from the perspective of having one student are:  curricula concerns, outside activities, “socialization” (more of a concern when you only have one, but still not a big thing), balancing things when there are other children, and how to transition from an institutional setting to home. My readers can see what a typical day looks like at the various ages, learning that “school” doesn’t have to last from 8am to 3pm. I encourage finding and becoming active in a homeschool support group, and to be open to joining more than one if needed. I shared each of our first nine years curricula---what I used each year, along with my thoughts on each:  what worked and what didn’t, and why. In the appendix, I have listed trusted companies that I have used, and I list possibly all the books, programs, and materials in my homeschool library, with enough information to make them easy to find.

 

The book seemingly wrote itself, but I had so much help from my friends… several who helped to edit, another who took the photos for the covers and the author page, another did the formatting… The Lord put them all in my path long before I knew any book would be a reality. Even the printer came to me thru the help of a friend. The very next year, my friend and I co-moderated the second “Only Child Fellowship” and I was permitted to sell my book, hot off the presses only weeks before the book fair. And now, I find myself at various book fairs in my state, and have even gone one state out.

 

In addition to writing my book, and in order to support this segment of the homeschooling community, I set up my website (http://donnac.com) as a clearing house of information and support. I have a page defining the various methods of homeschooling with links to sites that either sell material or support each particular method. I’ve also created a message board so those with only one student can meet, support, and help one another. I’ve paid for it as part of a ministry mentality (and as it grows, hope I will be able to continue to pay for it myself), so that no one has to deal with pop up advertisements there. There are over 150 families from all over the globe presently represented. (http://share.donnac.com)

 

So although I would not have believed five years ago that I would write a book, I did, and I’m extremely gratified to have been a help to so many through both the book and my website.

 

Donna Conner lives with her husband, Glenn, their son, Mike, and their beloved dog, Lucia, and calls Fort Worth, Texas home. Donna and Glenn have been homeschooling their son since the beginning of his education. Mike completes his homeschooling within the next two years. Donna is an artist and has always enjoyed writing. She wrote Homeschooling Only One three years ago, after discovering that there were many other families homeschooling only one child. Her website is devoted to those with only one student in their homeschool, with listings of online resources. You can visit her website at http://donnac.com and read her blog at http://homeschoolblogger.com/DonnaC

 

copyright © 2006 Donna Conner

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