Thanks to Mike V. for posting this in the tmahomeschool yahoogroup!  It's an incredible video about the relationship between a father and son.... and God's relationship with us.  Yes, the father in the video is commendable, but Mike is so right in saying that "God is more to us than this."  So, so, so much more!

Team Hoyt - "My Redeemer Lives"

There are days when I think our homeschooling is not going anywhere...I've been going through more of those days lately since my helpers left us over three weeks now.  I am truly in awe of moms who homeschool and do everything else the family needs at home - cooking, dishwashing, cleaning, tending to the younger children, etc.  As expected, our homeschool is delayed due to my inability to cope with everything that needs to be done in a day.  Aargh!
Just when I begin to grumble & worry about all this, the Lord reminds me that I CAN do it through this video.  In relation to that, I'm also reminded of something I learned from a book called "Lies Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  There IS time in every day to do every thing that God wants me to do.  Obviously, homemaking & homeschooling are tops on my "To-Do" list.  If anything else comes up besides those two, & I run out of time, then those "To-Dos" will just have to wait till tomorrow.  No worries!  God, you are SO GOOD! =)

Here's an article published in the Manila Bulletin's "Moms & Babies" Section last June 15, 2008, written by Ivy P. Goze.  I hope this helps those of you out there who are thinking about homeschooling.  My inputs are bold, italicized & in green.

More and more families are becoming interested in homeschooling as tuition gets more exorbitant and the values espoused by popular culture become more questionable.

There is so much to learn about homeschooling.  Those who are interested will find many homeschooling families that extol the merits of this choice and even more inspiring stories about the homeschool experience.  It certainly seems like the idyllic way to learn.

Some of the commonly known advantages of homeschooling are the following:

GENERAL FREEDOM

Homeschoolers recognize the fact that they have a choice as to what to study and learn.  They are not confined to their seats and they are not inhibited by somebody else's schedule.  They have the liberty to express themselves and are not pressured to conform or to belong.  They are free to practice their religion and fortify their belief system.  Flexibility is the operative word.  They are not cowed into meshing themselves into a certain structure.  They know that they can look for ways that will work for them.  Learning can be tailor-fitted to the child's pace, capacity, and learning style.  Exploration is boundless.

Lani Sala, a homeschool mom, explains, "You can make a curriculum suited for your children and this way, you get to clearly see their gifts and talents.  You also have the chance to address whatever weakness they may have.  In a regular school setting, there are more students to deal with and a schedule to follow.  Homeschooling allows you to work on a certain area as long as you need to."

I love the freedom homeschool gives children.  Education is really all about helping an individual learn to learn & love to learn.  No human being will be able to gain all knowledge.  Furthermore, it's not what you know, but what you do with what you know that matters.  You may have gained a lot of knowledge, but if you don't use it for the betterment of others & society, and most importantly, for God's glory, then it would be useless.  As homeschoolers, my children are "free" from the "tyrrany" of a grading system and testing.  It is unfortunate that grades commonly seem to be the objective of most children in formal schooling nowadays, when in truth, grades and tests are just tools for both students & teachers to find out if, indeed, students have achieved the objectives set out by their teacher.  If a child scores high, then it simply means that he has achieved the objectives.  If he scores low, then it means that he still needs help to learn the lesson.  Low scores of students, in my opinion, mean that their respective teachers haven't done their job to the best of their ability.

CHANCE FOR FURTHER BONDING

Lani points out, "Homeschooling is a family experience."  It fosters stronger and more loving ties between family members.  It also makes it easier to adapt to changes or major events in the family.  Stressful occasions such as deaths, births, moves, etc. are easier to cope with sans having to deal with the unbending demands of regular school.  Carmela Santos, another homeschool parent, details, "The parent-child bonding is reinforced and the values (including eating habits and healthy diet) you wish to impart to your children are not contradicted by what 'teacher said' or what 'classmates do'.  The preschool kid is very impressionable, and peer/group pressure and authority figure of teachers are considerable at this tender age."  Another plus point is that homeschooling allows students to get a hug anytime they want one.

NATURAL AND RELAXED LEARNING

Parents should never underestimate children's capacity to learn on their own or the authenticity of their thirst for knowledge.  This is why a homeschool parent's teaching credentials are not really such a major issue.  Homeschooling ingrains a habit of self-teaching.  If nothing upsets this natural inclination for learning, the child will continue to love acquiring knowledge and will study for the sake of learning and not for approval or an ego boost.  Carmela narrates how her family got into homeschooling.  "It came naturally for me as a I was home-based (doing consultancy work and online jobs) and a full-time mom."

"A lot of learning activities were incorporated in playtime, and when the time came to consider formal schooling, I realized that our child knew the 'basics' that are supposed to be taught in school.  I am a breastfeeding mother too, so the interaction with the children was constant and 24/7.  Children are natural learners, they are curious about a lot of things, and you just find yourself engaging them in music and books, and the outside world from which they soak up in learning."

Natural & relaxed learning can only come from a "generally free" environment - freedom from stifling schedules, unreasonable work loads, & the demoralizing stigma of not being able to "keep up" with the other members of a class.  Learning needs to be a positive experience, for it to be effective & maximized.

MONEY FOR SPECIAL LESSONS

Here in the Philippines, if parents can afford to, they prefer to send their kids to private schools.  Education is definitely something they have to finance and it doesn't come cheap at all.  Homeschooling, depending on your game plan and how resourceful you are, may cost next to nothing.  You have to purchase supplies too every now and then, but you can recycle as much as you can without having to worry about other people's reaction to your economizing.  Money intended for tuition can then end up for trips, special lessons, equipment, etc.

I am of the opinion that nothing in this life comes for free, including homeschooling.  When it is free, my suspicious nature automatically starts thinking:  "Wait a minute...there's got to be a catch to this!"  In addition, since at least one parent needs to stay home full-time to homeschool (again, that's my opinion!) means that the family has to forego potential income from the teaching parent, so that makes homeschooling THE best, but most expensive, education one can give their children.
What I will say, though, is that it is possible to homeschool without having to pay for tuition fees, text books or other curriculum materials.  It can give you more control over how your education budget will be spent, instead of having to content yourself with the hired teachers & required textbooks of schools you'd be interested in.

HEALTHIER OPTION FOR THE KIDS

While homeschooling is especially suitable for those who opt not to vaccinate their children, learning at home is simply generally better for the kids' health.  Carmela expounds on this point:  "Their daytime [naps] (one in the morning, and one in the early afternoon) [are] not interrupted.  The value of sleep for preschool-age kids cannot be underestimated as they achieve growth and brain and immune development at this time.  Not to mention that in this time of climate change, the children are spared...epidemics of flu and virulent colds that [breed well] in the classroom environment."

I found this old online photo album we had on Google, & thought that you might want to take a look at them.  These were various pictures taken in the year 2006.  Enjoy!

My Family Pics by Maripi

Jamie - Our Most Photographed Baby!

7 year-old Lui is my niece, daughter of my brother, Geeno & his wife, Eloi.  Lui's birthday is a day or two after my son Timmy's, so we usually celebrated their birthdays together with the family.  This year was different, though, because it's her 7th birthday, so it had to be special!  Coincidentally, it's Timmy's 9th birthday this year, but since we couldn't throw him a party for his 7th birthday, we decided to give him one this year, thanks to the Lord's gracious blessings upon us!  So, we didn't have a joint celebration this year for Lui & Tim.  The result?  A fully-booked week-end for our family!  Eloi & I made sure our party schedules didn't conflict with each other.  Nag-unahan pa kami sa dates, he he!  We initially planned Timmy's party to be on April 26th, Saturday, after which would be Lui's party on the 27th naman.  A week after that discussion, Eloi asked me kung pwede sila na lang daw ang sa 26th, because a number of their relatives & friends couldn't make it on the 27th, so we gladly obliged.
Lui's party was the first Princess party I've ever attended, & it was fun!  Click on the link below to take a look at the pics & see for yourself!

Lui's 7th Birthday Princess Party!

Just a short addendum to Franki's Prom...in case you might want to see even more pics, click on the link below.

More pics of Franki's Prom!

Enjoy!

Talk about old!  Our eldest, fifteen year old Francesca Gabrielle Trinidad, a. k. a. Franki at home or Cheska in school, went to the prom last February 28, 2008!  I was somewhat still in denial when we went shopping around for her prom dress, which became a gown...even when I saw her try on about 12 dresses, it still didn't sink in.  It hit me hard when I brought her to the salon for hair & make-up, trying my best not to act like a "stage mother" hovering around her to make sure that the bading doing her hair & make-up would do a good job.  She metamorphosed into a young lady in front of my eyes, right there & then.  Waaaaahhhhh!  My baby is now a lady!
The young lady, however, quickly shrunk back into a little girl when she put on her high heels for the prom, & started to complain!  He he...she may look like a young lady, but she isn't quite there yet...
Time really goes by so fast...it seems like only yesterday when I gave birth to her...when I took her to meet my husband's family when she was almost a year old...the times we had to take her to the hospital for an emergency, or for confinement...when I brought her to her first day in school...when she had her 7th birthday party which she says she'll remember all her life...all of that happened SO QUICKLY!  So here I am now, wondering how it all happened so fast...
Believe me when I tell you, our relationship is not without it's problems, but by God's grace, we're getting there.  I'm just glad that I have the Lord as my refuge & my strength as I try to do my best to raise Franki in the ways of the Lord.  I'm also blessed that He gave me the opportunity to homeschool her for 2 years before she entered high school.  I realize that a lot of the apprehensions I have about Franki growing up in her teen years has a lot to do with my own "adventures" when I was her age, & you know how many sleepless nights I get, thinking she might be having the same "adventures".  Our good Lord reminds me that thankfully, my daughter & I are different from one another, & the most important difference is that Franki has the Lord now, while I didn't when I was her age.  So I can rest easy as I do my part the best I can...I praise God for my wonderful blessing of a daughter, FRANKI!

Homeschooling in the Philippines is really nothing new since it's been around for some time now, but I believe that the number of families choosing to homeschool is growing faster now, more than ever.  I have no clear idea as to how many homeschooling students there are in the Philippines, but its growing population is most probably attracting much-needed attention to home education as a viable alternative form of education.
Media coverage on homeschooling is also growing over the years, especially on print.  The reason for this entry is some good news!  Home education in the Philippines is getting television exposure as well!  Hey, it may not be as much as we'd like, but every little bit counts!  Click on the link below to view a  video of a news report on the Angs, a homeschooling family with 2 boys, Julian & Nathan.  The Angs, at the time of the news report, are enrolled under The Living Heritage Academy.  I hope this video helps!

Home Schooling in the Philippines

Our  "school",  The Master's Academy (TMA) Homeschool Program,  cordially invites EVERYONE interested in learning more about  homeschooling to its Summer Re-Launch this April 5, 2008.  In case you're interested to learn more, or you know someone who might be interested,  please contact Ms. Ani Torres at mobile no. 0917-800-8253 or tel no. 635-3410-17.  I will be attending this event as well, so in case any of you would like to meet then, email me so we can make arrangements.  Hope to see you there!


Intellimusic will be giving a FREE SEMINAR and PERFORMANCE by Mrs. Katherine Asis (MM Piano '03, highest distinction, from Towson University, Maryland; BM PIano '01, summa cum laude, UP College of Music) during the Summer Re-Launch.  Please see more details below:

No, I'm not talking about a secret recipe!

Over a year ago, I came across two articles in the Philippine Daily Inquirer by Dr. Queena Lee-Chua which talked about how & why public school students excel.  Just in case you have no idea who Dr. Queena Lee-Chua is, click the links below. 

http://www.globalpinoy.com/v2007/sections/achievers/?details&id=14
A Day in the Life of Scott Lee-Chua

In 2005, Dr. Queena Lee-Chua spearheaded a study on how achieving public school students in Marikina and Bulacan excel.  The abovementioned articles, entitled "What Makes Public School Kids Excel in School" & "Families of Achieving Students Use 5 Strategies, Study Shows", summarized the results of Dr. Chua's study.

So why did these articles catch the attention of a homeschooling mom like me?  This excerpt from the first article was what caught my eye.

“What is the secret of their success? The answer is family.
"Education, it is said, begins at home. Many Filipino families view education as the key to a brighter future. Students in the private schools, with adequate resources and well-trained teachers, may be said to have an academic edge.
"However, in the past few years, I have happily observed that several children from low-income families manage not only to stay in school but also to excel. Sometimes, in college and in competitions, they even surpass their private school counterparts.
"Poverty can be a hindrance, but it can be overcome. But how?”

See what I mean?

Homeschooling, in itself, is NOT EASY.  Many times, especially when I'm talking to curious parents who are seriously considering homeschooling their own kids, I whisper to myself that I need to temper my eagerness in convincing others to join our "bandwagon".   Misleading others, especially about something as wonderful & life-changing as homeschooling, defeats the whole purpose of encouraging them to undertake it.  What I WILL say is this:  Homeschooling is NOT EASY, but then again, so is anything that is worthwhile doing.

Having said that, I have to admit:  those may be wise words, but there are many, many times when I don't FEEL wise.  And it's when I start FEELING weak, inadequate or even incompetent that I need encouragement and affirmation.  Our good Lord is so gracious that He affirmed my choice to obey His call to homeschool my children through these articles.

According to Dr. Chua, the study shows that parents of achieving public school students make use of five strategies, namely "discipline, goal-setting, self-reliance, strong family bonds and a conducive home environment".  Hmmm...sounds very familiar to me!  Here are some interesting excerpts:

“Discipline is the first step to success, for it fosters a sense of responsibility.”  How true!  Generally speaking, the ultimate goal of our children's home education is character development resulting from an  unwavering love of our Lord Jesus Christ.  As we grow in love with Jesus, we bear fruit, which includes discipline, among other things.

“These parents have high expectations of their children—and just as important, their children are aware of such expectations.”  Totally!  However, I would take it up a notch - our kids learn that much is expected of them, not just by us, their parents, but more importantly, by our heavenly Father.  Our children become aware of these expectations because parents should communicate it to them clearly and in no uncertain terms.  Effective communications is a skill that can be learned through practice.  What better way is there to practice communications by actually doing it everyday?  Homeschool families can develop these communication skills because they spend more time together, as opposed to families where parents and children are physically apart from each other because of work and school.

“Most of the families in our survey believe that success is achieved through hard work, not luck or fate. They believe in God, but they also know that God helps those who help themselves.”  More than self-reliance, it is dependence on God that is key for our children.  Total dependence on God doesn't mean He does everything for us.  What it does mean is that we do what He expects of us, whatever is within our control, then surrender the rest to Him.  So what does He expect of our kids?  The best of what they can be.  Our children can become the best of what they can be.  It will be hard work, but it can be done!

“Most of the parents in our survey were the first and primary teachers of their children.  They did not complete college or sometimes even high school, but this does not stop them from tutoring their children in the early years and monitoring their homework until they are responsible enough to do so on their own.”  The first line of this paragraph says it all.  These parents acknowledged that they are the primary teachers of their children.  Cool!  What's cooler even is the fact that they “produced” achieving children despite the absence of a diploma, be it high school or college.  I don't know about you, but to me, that says a lot about these parents' individual character.  Seeing that kind of character in action is probably the best education any child, or person, can get.

“The parents supervise homework, provide guidance, do exam reviews, look for references (mostly secondhand books or those on sale) and try as best they can to financially provide for school.” Except for the homework, which is non-existent in homeschooling, this statement aptly describes a homeschooling parent as well.

The majority of the families of achievers are close-knit.  The parents are the primary caregivers of the chidren...Family bonds are strengthened through regular activities (which need not be expensive), such as cooking meals together, playing scrabble, or celebrating at a local fast-food chain.  Ditto for homeschooling families!

Based on current news reports, the public education system in the Philippines is at an all-time low.  But Dr. Chua's study shows that there still is hope.  Moreover, given these results and the onslaught of dismal test scores, scarcity of classrooms & the exodus of teachers especially, I believe that it also shows that, at the very least, homeschooling can be a highly viable alternative that should be explored by the government.  Personally, I believe that home education should be the rule, and not the exception, but I also don't wear rose-colored glasses.  Home educating our children is a calling that only parents can respond to individually.  Our government will do well in empowering parents who choose to answer that call, in order to maximize the family as the secret to success in education.

Hello again!  I explored further on my Google results about fractions & found another great resource called "Fraction Pizza".  Here's the link:

Fraction Pizza

Again, it's very intuitive for kids.  Attractive to children too, because the site's web designer used bright colors.  This will provide great practice time for kids to master fractions, especially for visual learners.

Timmy's reviewing fractions today, so I decided to take a quick look at what free interactive games/resources I will find on the Net.  Still haven't gone through everything on my Google results, but I used this one site right away instead of having Timmy do pencil & paper exercises.  Here's the URL:

nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_103_g_1_t_1.html

It was pretty neat & straightforward, very intuitive, so Tim took to this like fish to water.  He ended up doing many more exercises than he would have on paper.  He seemed tired of writing so I gave him this option.

You might also want to explore the home of this website too.  It's got lots of good stuff, virtual manipulatives for math, such as a number line, etc.  Happy surfing!

Hello, Friends!  It's been a long, long while!  For some funny reason, I was unable to log-on to homeschoolblogger.com for a long time.  Why that was remains a mystery to me to this day, even after I had consulted with & reported the problem to the very helpful homeschoolblogger.com folks.  What solved it?  My hubby got me a new laptop, ha ha!  The old PC I first used for this blog was decommissioned by my husband because we were encountering so many other problems with it, & he set-up a new one for our kids, & voila!  We could now access the homeschoolblogger.com site!  Weird though, I have no idea what really caused the problem in the first place...hmmm...but anyway, I'm glad to be back online on my blog now.  I'll try my best to keep it updated from now on.

I've just finished homeschool with Timmy, our grade 1 boy, & we've just started with consonant blends in language arts.  BTW, fyi, we use Alpha Omega Publications LIFEPacs, and we're quite happy with them because biblical teachings & truths are integrated into our math, language arts & science subjects.  It also simplifies my life while providing structure which I really need to keep me going & on track.  I just try to enrich my children's learning by complementing our lessons with different methods & activities that are designed for their learning styles.

Anyway, getting back to consonant blends, I embarked on a short "journey" on the web to find enrichment activities for Timmy.  Here's what I found:

http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/phonics/grade2_3/pg_106/blends.htm  (free online interactive)
http://www.atschool.co.uk/activity/activity4.asp?Act5Back=%2FSubject%2FSubject%2Easp%3FOpenLinks%3D8702%23block8702 (free online interactive or printable, your choice)
http://www.yourchildlearns.com/letters/blends.html (free online interactive with sound)
http://rbeaudoin333.homestead.com/initialblends_1.html (your choice of free online interactive or printable activities for initial/beginning blends)
http://rbeaudoin333.homestead.com/endingblends_1.html (your choice of free online interactive or printable activities for final/ending blends)
http://www.mrsmcgowan.com/reading/ref.htm#Consonant (reference)
http://www.spelling.hemscott.net/begin1A.html (printable activity)
http://www.spelling.hemscott.net/begin1B.html (printable activity)
http://www.spelling.hemscott.net/begin1C.html (printable activity)

I hope this helps your own children to master their consonant blends.  Catch you again soon!

Hi there!  So sorry it's been quite a long time since my last post!  Belated Merry Christmas & Blessed 2007!  We got bogged down with our school's Christmas Play.  It was a lot of hard work & sacrifice but given the educational impact it had on both my children & myself, the Christmas Play was well worth it!  Congratulations to all our fellow TMA homeschoolers & the indefatigable staff, Teacher Simon Ang & the very patient, giving & kind young man who played Psalty in our play!  I'm so sorry for not knowing his name, but he knows who he is & so does the Lord!  Our rewards are in heaven for sure!
Now onto my most recent discoveries of great websites!  Parents of Grade 3 students in TMA, this is for you!  Unit 404 in Science is all about Simple Machines.  I'm always looking for free interactive online materials I can use to enrich & supplement my children's learning, & boy, was I so pleasantly surprised!  Here are links to these great websites that you may use for your kids, whether or not they're finished with Science 404.  I consider websites like these as a great alternative to television because of their educational value which reinforces what they learn.

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/machines/simple_machines.htm
This is a neat website for an online game with animation that'll help children remember what they learn about simple machines.  Instructions are given so enjoy!

http://www.edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/
By far, I believe this is the best free online interactive site about simple machines I've found.  It takes kids to different parts of the home where they will encounter simple machines.  My sons had a fun time with this site, & now I plan to take them from the virtual to the real with the help of their dad to show them real live examples of simple machines!

There's a lot more out there, just surf with google or metacrawler & key in the words "simple machines", you're bound to get a lot more! Enjoy!

Hi! So sorry, it's been a long while since I last posted. I've been getting a lot of requests to share my links for educational materials online, and a number of those requests have come from moms of preschool kids. So to those mommies – you know who you are! - here's the first of many links/websites I have found helpful for my own kids.

Before I get to the first link, there may be some among you who have reservations about computer-aided learning and the internet. I'm not here to tell you that you should or shouldn't, because ultimately, it'll be your choice for your children. What I will tell you is that based on my experience, I've found our PC and the internet to be an indispensable tool for learning. Given the fact that both my husband and I are active members of the information technology (IT) industry, what would you expect?

There are concerns/issues regarding PC and internet use which I do believe are valid, so here are a few principles we practice:

1. Do not leave your children alone with the PC, especially preschool children. For kids who don't know how to use the computer, this would be a no-brainer since they will need you to do things with it. That won't be long, however, because children seem to take to technology like fish to water! When they do learn their way around, don't leave them alone with it. Use time with the computer as bonding time while your child plays educational games, does research, etc. You want your child to bond with you, not with the PC!

2. Our PC is in the living room of our apartment. While it's also because we don't have much room in our place, a public area in the home is the best place for a PC, so that your kids stay focused on using the PC and the internet for the ways you'd want them to use it. Surf the Net and you will find that this tactic is highly recommended by law enforcers fighting sex crimes over the web, to protect our children. My kids have whined about why we can't locate the PC in the bedroom like most kids they see in movies, but they quit complaining after telling us more than ten times about it. Our standard reply is: first off, we can't afford having one computer per child, and all that implies financially, i.e., electricity, internet access, software, etc. Secondly, even if we did have the money, it seems impractical anyway. Shared computer use amongst siblings will provide LOTS of opportunity for teaching character traits such as contentment, generosity, initiative, etc.

3. PC use for our young children is between 30 min. to 1 hour. It may be necessary to allow longer periods for older children, especially when they do research. However, we do not allow them to do network gaming. We limit their use of instant messaging or chat (Yahoo Messenger, ICQ, etc.) as well as email. As for blogging...well, that's one I don't have an answer to yet. It's something I'm still researching on as well. But since this post is mainly for mommies of preschoolers, this may not be a hot issue yet, since blogging is really more for teenagers, which includes my eldest! I'll tackle blogging in another post...

Off the top of my head, that's all I can think of for now. Will post the rest, if any, when they do come to mind. You might help me jog my memory by asking questions, if you like.

So for the first set of weblinks, this is for preschool mommies out there teaching math to their babies. Sooner or later, you will encounter having to teach your child to count 1 to 100, and usually, to teach that, you use a chart of numbers from 1 to 100. My son doesn't relish the idea of writing down 100 numbers for a long time, so I used these websites to warm him up to the idea. He loves to play with these free, interactive online games. I do hope you've got a sound card & speakers, which mostly come standard with computers nowadays. I hope you're kids will love these just like mine still do. Here are the links:

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/count/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/games/mend.shtml

Let me just remind you, in my opinion, these games do not replace the pencil & paper activities which I believe our preschoolers need to go through. What I did with my Timmy was use these games with him, then I follow-through with the number chart on paper with pencil. I think these games made him more confident about doing the number chart worksheet. If you're a preschooler's mommy from TMA Homeschool, you'll need to do the number chart worksheets in the AOP LifePacs.

A tip: If you're using dial-up access, these websites will take some time to load. But it'll be worth the wait! And if you're really penny-pinching, once loading is done, you don't need to stay connected to the internet as long as you don't reboot! Till next entry! Enjoy!

Most of you probably know this by now, but I will say it again:  I just love the internet for all the great freebie stuff you can get from it!  One fave site I have is the Homeschool eStore (link below).  They have really good freebies, a different one each week, mostly really great additions to homeschool for enrichment, etc.  I highly recommend that you subscribe to their free weekly e-zine so you never miss out on the freebies.  I have yet to buy something from them, but I'm getting pretty close!  The other great thing about this store is that all the products they sell are downloadable, so prices are kept affordable due to no need for hard copies, and no shipping charges to boot!  Check it out!

http://www.homeschoolestore.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1919&affiliate_id=758

A dear sister in Christ sent this to me a few weeks back.  May we all live our lives as Christians so others may come to Christ!

Christians - By Maya Angelou

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Share this with somebody who already has this understanding, as reinforcement.  But more importantly, share this with those who do not have a clear understanding of what it means to be a Christian, so that the myth that Christians think they are "perfect" or "better than others" can be dispelled.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU DECIDE TO HOMESCHOOL

A. Opposition

Because not very many know what homeschool is all about, you will find that there will be friends and relatives who will question your decision to do it. Do not be discouraged since this is a very normal reaction. If you persevere, you will find out later that they will be convinced about the benefits once they see the results on your children.

Because you are teaching your children the way of the Lord, you will find that Satan will be working to discourage you. It is therefore absolutely necessary to start each day with the Lord. Heart preparation is absolutely essential to getting through the day.

B. Adjustment

If your children are now in a traditional school, there will be a period of adjustment which may prove to be difficult. During my first week of homeschool, my children complained a lot. They said that all I did was talk and talk and talk- I cried a lot. Talk to other homeschoolers to get encouragement and to get tips. I found out soon enough that you need to be flexible and creative when it comes to teaching. It is also necessary for you to determine what kind of learner your child is so you can adjust your methods.

Preparation is important so that your children's interest is always aroused. You will find, therefore, that you will be spending a lot of time in the initial months on getting prepared and organized. It will sometimes be tiring.

You will have less time to yourself because the demands are daily, prepare yourself with the proper attitude so that you avoid disappointment. Focus on why you are doing it and draw your strength from the power of the Holy Spirit.

C. Choice of a Curriculum

Because there are so many available (see Homeschool.com for an idea), you will end up being confused, It would be good to choose a curriculum that someone is familiar with so that it will be easy for you to get support. Also, you will have the opportunity to buy the second-hand materials of your friends.

Because there is really so much material, you may also end up ordering so much and find out that you will not have the time to use all of it. I am sure those who have done it will agree with me that you will have the tendency to overbuy in the initial stage. It would therefore be good if you decide on a curriculum and then order the core requirements. Order the supplements once you see that your child is ready to take on additional work.

Most of the homeschoolers in CCF have either used Alpha Omega (see www.aop.com), Bob Jones (see www.bjup.com), or Sonlight (www.sonlight. coin). The website www.homeschool.com is very useful.

In order to help you get started, you may want to read the following homeschool books. They are all on the list of the top ten homeschooling books of homeschool.com.

1. So You're Thinking About Homeschooling: Fifteen Families Show How You Can Do It by Lisa Whelchel
2. The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas: 500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Ages 3-12 by Linda Dobson
3. Homeschool.com' s Homeschooling for Success by Rebecca Kochenderfer and Elizabeth Kanna
4. The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education by Grace Llewellyn
   
5. Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto
   
6. CarSchooling by Diane Flynn Keith
   
7. The Unschooling Handbook: How to Use the Whole World as Your Child's Classroom by Mary Griffith
   
8. The Homeschooling Book of Answers: The 88 Most Important Questions Answered by Homeschooling's Most Respected Voices Edited by Linda Dobson
9. Deschoolinq our Lives Edited by Matt Hern
10. The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook: A Creative and Stress-Free Approach to Homeschooling by Raymond & Dorothy Moore

You will also find that there are many approaches or methods to educating your children at home, The more you read, the more confused you will be. I would suggest that you start with the school-at-home approach. As you gain more experience in your child's capability and his learning style, you can start using different approaches depending on the subject and the topic you are teaching, Just remember that the objective is learning. If a method causes the student to learn better, then certainly adopt it.

These are the various homeschooling approaches 3. Each approach has its merits. Identifying your child's learning style, especially for new homeschoolers, is helpful. Is he or she an auditory learner, a visual learner, or a kinesthetic learner? Effective home teachers use lessons that vary the learning modalities.

School-at-Home

School-at-home is the style most often portrayed in the media because it is so easy to understand and can be accompanied by a photo of children studying around the kitchen table. This is also the most expensive method and the style with the highest burnout rate. Most families who follow the school-at-home approach purchase a boxed curriculum that comes with textbooks, study schedules, grades, and record keeping.

Some families use the school-at-home approach but make up their own lesson plans and find their own learning materials. The advantage of this style is that families know exactly what to teach and when to teach it. That can be a comfort when you are just starting out. The disadvantage is that this method requires much more work on the part of the teacher/parent and the lessons are not as much fun for the children.

Unit Studies

Unit studies use your child's interest and then ties that interest into subject areas like math, reading, spelling, science, art, and history. For example, if you have a child who is interested in ancient Egypt, you would learn the history of Egypt, read books about Egypt, write stories about Egypt, do art projects about pyramids, and leam about Egyptian artifacts or mapping skills to map out a catacomb.

Packaged unit studies are available on popular topics like the Little House and American Girl books and also for virtues like patience, trust, and obedience. The advantage of this homeschooling method is that it recognizes the fact that people learn best when they are interested in the topic. The disadvantage is that sometimes parents can be over-zealous and make a unit study out of everything, scaring the child off from talking about a new interest they might have.

"Relaxed" or "Eclectic" Homeschooling

"Relaxed" or ''Eclectic" homeschooling is the method used most often by homeschoolers. Basically, eclectic homeschoolers use a little of this and a little of that, using workbooks for math, reading, and spelling, and taking an unschooling approach for the other subjects.

The advantage of this method is that the parent feels that the subjects they believe are most important are covered thoroughly. This method also allows the family to choose textbooks, field trips, and classes that fit their needs and interests.

Unschooling

Unschooling is also known as natural, interest-led, and child-led learning. Unschoolers learn from everyday life experiences and do not use school schedules or formal lessons. Instead, unschooled children follow their interests and learn in much the same way as adults do-by pursuing an interest or curiosity. In the same way that children leam to walk and talk, unschooled children learn their math, science, reading, and history. John Holt, schoolteacher and founder of the unschooling movement, told educators in his book, What Do I Do Monday?: "We can see that there is no difference between living and learning, that living is learning, that it is impossible, and misleading, and harmful to think of them as being separate. We say to children, 'you come to school to learn.' We say to each other [educators], 'our job is to teach children to learn.' But the children have been learning, all the time, for all of their lives before they met us. What is more, they are very likely to be much better at leaming than most of us who plan to teach them something."

The advantage to unschooling is that unschooled children have the time and research abilities to become experts in their areas of interest. The disadvantage is that because unschoolers do not follow the typical school schedule, they may not do as well on grade-level assessments and may have a harder time if they reenter the school system. Unschooling books are available from the John Holt Association Bookstore (now operated by FUN-Books.com) at 1-888-FUN-7020.

Classical Homeschooling

The "classical" method began in the Middle Ages and was the approach used by some of the greatest minds in history. The goal of the classical approach is to teach people how to learn for themselves. The five tools of learning, known as the Trivium, are reason, record, research, relate, and rhetoric. Younger children begin with the preparing stage, where they learn basic reading, writing, and arithmetic. The grammar stage is next, which emphasizes compositions and collections, and then the dialectic stage, where serious reading, study, and research take place.

All the tools come together in the rhetoric stage, where communication is the primary focus. Popular books on the classical approach include The Well-Trained Mind: A guide to Classical Education at Home by Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer and Recovering the Lost tools of Learning by Douglas Wilson. Also available is the book Teaching the Trivium by Harvie and Laurie Bluedorn from Trivium Pursuit (1-309-537-3641).

Multiple Intelligences

"Multiple intelligences" is an idea developed by Howard Gardner and Harvard University's "project zero." The belief is that everyone is intelligent in his or her own way and that learning is easiest and most effective when it uses a person's strengths instead of their weakness. For example, most schools use a linguistic and logical-mathematical approach when teaching, but not everyone learns that way. Some students, the bodily kinesthetic learners for example, learn best by touching and not by listening or reading. Most successful homeschoolers naturally emphasize their children's strengths and automatically tailor their teaching to match their child's learning style. Successful homeschoolers also adjust their learning environment and schedule so that it brings out their child's' best.

Some children prefer structure and learn best when they are told what to do, others learn best on their own. Some children do their best work around the kitchen table, and others excel when they are out of doors. The goal for the homeschooling parents is to identify how, when, and what their child learns best and to adapt their teaching style to their child.

DVD/Video Schooling

This approach can be used with all different styles of homeschooling. Use quality educational titles to help your child learn Science, Physics, American History, World History, Religion, Preschool skills, Music, Art and more. This is not watching television. A powerful movie can inspire a new interest or help your child develop a solid understanding of a complicated area of learning.

Recommended Resources: Educational DVDs from quality producers like National Geographic, PBS, A&E, and The Discovery Channel are available from Homeschool.com's DVD rentals.

Internet Homeschooling

Harness the power of the Internet by accessing virtual tutors, virtual schools, online curriculum, and quality websites. You need never feel that you can't find the help, expert advice or resources necessary to homeschool your child. Did you hate math as a child and feel you can't possibly help your child learn math? Or what about (YIKES) Algebra? How about Physics? No problem. There is a wealth of cutting-edge online curriculum programs, private distance learning schools, homeschool support academies and more.

D. Physical Arrangements

Normally, setting up the place where children will be homeschooled is done as a last thought. However, establishing an environment for learning early in the homeschooling process supports your educational efforts in several key ways.

• It shows the child that the parent teacher is serious about home instruction, and that he or she will be required to meet expectations.

• The dedication of a space to the classroom reinforces the importance placed on the child's education.

• It helps to keep materials organized and available, which in turn makes it easier to select appropriate items for each day, as well as the materials to take on field trips and other excursions.

Creating a good educational environment is especially important for new homeschoolers, and for students who need additional help in focusing on the lessons at hand. The following helpful suggestions for building the right homeschool classroom were complied from conversations with the experts -- experienced homeschooling families.

Setting up your classroom:

If possible, assign a specific area in your home to be your classroom. This can be a spare room, the dining room, the kitchen table, or a den area. Ideally, this space should be employed solely for homeschooling purposes so the students associate it as an area for academic instruction. If that is not possible--as is frequently the case--then make sure when instruction begins, the area is clear of other, non-educational items, which could prove distracting. The classroom should offer storage space, such as a bookcase, and good lighting,

A comfortable chair and desk--or other workspace--is important. If homeschooling several children, study carrels are helpful. They provide private work areas for each child and limit distractions.

Having an easel, flip chart, or whiteboard available can enhance instruction. You will also want to have wall space available for displaying your student's work maps, and posters. Access to a globe, a dictionary, other reference materials, and a computer are helpful additions to the academic setting.

Establishing the rules:

In some homes, classroom rules come about naturally. In other homes, parents find they must establish rules. These rules of order might include what to wear for class or how to ask questions. If you establish rules, stick to them! For instance, if you are teaching more than one child and one of them is calling out answers all the time, you might consider having him raise his hand. You might even consider posting a list of your classroom rules.

Staying organized:

Develop a system for compiling, evaluating, and filing the student's work. Many experienced home teachers use folders or notebooks. If you have several children, try using a colour-coding system. Your students will quickly learn to look for their personal folder or notebook when an assignment is completed. Use your lesson manual to track your progress and to make notes concerning a need for review or other questions. In areas where local school officials want to see proof of your student's work these notes and files are invaluable.

Keeping to task:

Let family and friends know when school is in session. Keep interruptions to a minimum, and use the answering machine to handle unnecessary telephone calls. If possible, schedule appointments around the school day and resist the temptation to forego lessons for chores and errands. Remember that the decision to homeschool will provide you with more quality family time during, and after, the daily lessons!

Everyone can benefit from the creation of the proper "home school" environment. Most children thrive when placed in a proper environment for learning and when the guidelines for their behavior and expectations are clear. Parents benefit by not having to constantly establish order or create a space for schooling. Try including your children in setting up the classroom so that you both feel comfortable in the space.

Successful homeschooling occurs when you select appropriate lessons for your child and create a good environment for learning, and it is maintained by a parent committed to inspiring the best in a child.

E. Recognition of Work

Parents may eventually choose to enroll their children in a formal school after years of homeschooling. Many choose to bring their children back to a traditional school for secondary schooling. To be able to enroll your students in a traditional school, many will require your report cards and documentation from DepEd that your children have met the necessary requirements for promotion to the level you are intending to place them in. At the moment, the guidelines to be able to get the proper documentation are unclear. However, the steps are not impossible.

Generally, schools will require that you present results of a validation test or the PEPT test. For your children to take a validation test, it will be necessary for you to present proof of work. either in a report card and/or test and work sheets. Children are normally required to take a test for each level that they were away from formal schooling. The permit to take a validation test is issued by the DepEd NCR in Quezon City. The actual test is administered in DepEd, Pasig. Other parents have taken the option to take the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT). The PEPT is normally given to children who have been out of school for a considerable amount of time and do not have any record of any kind of study. DepEd itself is unclear as to which is applicable since the recommendations on which exams to take differ depending on the student and the person at DepEd. One thing is sure, however. Each homeschool student will need to take a test if he or she has been independently homeschooling.

In order to avoid the problems at DepEd, it is possible to enroll under the accredited homeschool programs of DepEd. There are a number of schools who have an approved homeschool program but the popular ones are The Master's Academy (TMA) and the Living Heritage Academy (LHA). Both institutions will give full credit for the studies accomplished at home and will issue report cards that are accepted in all local schools.

The other option, though more expensive, is to enroll your children with U.S. homeschooling institutions who will also issue the necessary report cards. You will then be considered to have studied in an American school. Bob Jones University is an example of such. There is plenty of information on the Internet regarding this option.

The choice of whether to enroll in an accredited program or to do an independent program is a decision that depends on the availability of time, the flexibility and the learning styles of your children. It should be a personal decision that should meet the personal circumstances of each family. I have known families who have been successful under both conditions.

D. The Ten Most Important Things You Need to Know About Homeschooling

This is the second of a three-part series of entries taken from the hand-out given during a “Homeschooling 101” Seminar held by the MILK Ministry of Christ's Commission Fellowship-Alabang last June 4, 2005.  To the ladies of MILK, I hope you don't mind my posting this here so that others may benefit from this information! God bless you!

1. Homeschooling is life changing. It creates personal growth for both the parent and the child. You (the parent) get a second chance to rediscover your own special genius, while you help your children discover theirs. Nothing you will ever do will have a more profound effect on your child and your family's future as homeschooling.

2. You are qualified to homeschool your children if you love to read to them, love to spend time with them, love to explore the world with them, love to see them learn new things and, most important, love them.

3. Children love to learn. It is as natural to them as breathing. They have an inborn hunger to explore the world and examine what is interesting. They learn by following their interests, with one interest leading to another. This is the way we all learned as younger children and how as adults we learn after we leave school. Homeschooling families learn together and know that learning is a life-long process.

4. Homeschooling is legal in the Philippines as provided for in our Constitution. However, the local Department of Education is unclear on their guidelines on how to handle homeschooled children who are not enrolled under a DepEd accredited homeschool program.

5. It does not take six to eight hours a day to homeschool your child. Most of the time children spend at school consists of waiting.  Design a plan that works for your family and be prepared to scratch it several times and start over. Don't sacrifice your family's happiness to "school" your children.  There are many ways families homeschool; find what works for you and your family.

6. Your child will not become a social misfit. Children do not need to be socialized in a large group of same-age children to become well adjusted socially. Quite the opposite. Most parents want their children to learn their social graces from adults, not other children. Homeschoolers have healthy relationships with people of all ages, including the new mother next door, the retired couple who loves to garden, their friends at ballet, 4-H and Karate and, most important, their parents.

7. You will not have to teach algebra unless you really want to. It is not necessary to teach pre-algebra to ten year olds. When your teen decides to become a scientist, or is ready to explore the requirements of college admission, together you will explore the ways they can. learn algebra: in a community college class, with a tutor, or through text books. After years of using math in their daily lives, homeschooled teens are well equipped to teach themselves higher math. Don't worry about it when they are ten.

8. You will question yourself a lot. Maybe several times a day in the beginning. This is normal. Find a fellow homeschooling friend. Support each other. Tell each other that it's okay to sometimes feel that your children didn't seem to learn anything on a given day. They did, and so did you!

9. You do not have to starve or live in a tent to homeschool your children. Thousands of homeschooling families are able to make the money they need and homeschool their children at the-same time. While you create a family business or dream job, or restructure your current job, your children will learn the most important skill of all- how to create the life of their dreams.

10. Trust in your child. They learned how to love, smile, crawl, walk, talk run, dress themselves, and understand their world before starting school, and they will continue to grow and learn without school.

1. Surveys show that children who are homeschooled do better on achievement tests and generally outperform their peers academically.
2. Studies of homeschooled families have shown that children score between the 70th and 80th percentile on standardized achievement tests.
3. Research also shows that homeschooled kids are more self-confident than their peers.
4. Homeschooled students can get through the lessons faster with a parent available for help than if they are competing with two dozen other students for their teacher's attention.

SCHOOL AT HOME

by Karen Galarpe

Good Housekeeping, Philippine Edition

January/February 2003

Two families share what it's like to have your children go to school right at home.

The Homeschool Nanay's Note: This article will help inform Filipinos who are curious or interested in homeschooling in the Philippines. A concerned father was referred to me by a member of our small group, inquiring about homeschooling, that's why I'm posting this now. To all homeschool-parent-teachers-to-be (that was long!), may you find this informative & useful.

School Fun at the Tan-Chi home

The sound of Mom's school bell a few minutes before eight a.m. meant classes would start soon in the Tan-Chi household. And so Carolyn Tan-Chi would race downstairs with older siblings Peter Jr., Joy, Paul, and Candy. the children would take their seats and, after a short prayer, each would open the booklet containing their respective lessons for the day.

For four hours, their mom Deonna would teach them subjects like Science, Math, Reading, etc., and check on their work, which were on different levels. At times dad Peter, a pastor of Christ's Commission Fellowship (CCF), would teach Bible and Math. There was recess and then dismissal at 12 noon. "After that, we had the time to play basketball, table tennis, and golf. We'd swim, ride bikes, and do other things like practice the piano," says Carolyn.

That was how life went when the Tan-Chi children attended grade school in their homeschool. Today, all of them are achievers:

• Peter Jr., 28, a management engineering graduate of Ateneo, works in the family real estate development company, Asiatic Development Corporation.

• Joy (now Mendoza), 28, finished English in Ateneo and during her college days was captain of the soccer team that played in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) games. She is now director of The Master's Academy homeschool program based in CCF.

• Paul, 24, finished business management at Ateneo and is now taking his master's degree in computer studies, also in the same school. Back in college, he was a member of the basketball team, which played in the UAAP games. He also works for Asiatic Development Corp.

• Ruth, 20, nicknamed Candy, is now in the US studying dentistry. At Faith Academy where she finished high school, she was named salutatorian, Most Outstanding Senior Female, and Most Outstanding Senior Female Athlete.

• Carolyn, 18, is a B.S. Psychology freshman at the Ateneo. She is also a member of the basketball varsity team that competed in the recent UAAP games.

"They're all achievers by God's grace. We have taught our children a sense of responsibility, and this included being responsible in their studies," says their mom Deonna. "We never forced them to study. As homeschooled children, they just developed a love for learning." Now how did she do that?

Why homeschool?

Deonna's eldest child Peter Jr. was in sixth grade at Jubilee Christian Academy in Quezon City when she heard about homeschooling from a missionary friend. "I went to her house and saw her homeschool room. I saw the impact of homeschooling on her children. And I felt I wanted to do that because my children left home early in the morning, were gone the best hours of the day, arrived home at five p.m., then had tons of homework. I was like a drill sergeant when they were home: 'Hurry up! Shower! Study!' I didn't want that kind of life for my children."

Besides, she says, in a class of 45 children, the kids still do most of the work at home. Deonna felt she could teach the kids herself. She was also uncomfortable whenever her children would question what she would say, telling her, "But teacher said..." She felt she was losing her authority.

Her husband Peter also realized that the benefits of homeschooling far outweighed the concerns. "Parents are supposed to be teachers. What happened was parents have become just providers," he says. "We don't impact our children because we don't teach them. And I was entrusting my children at the best time for them to learn to teachers I didn't even know."

Easy as 1-2-3

Deonna then went to Faith Academy, a missionary expatriate school near their home. She got their scope and sequence list---what a child is supposed to learn---and then went to National Bookstore to buy textbooks. She got a blackboard, transformed a room in their home into a homeschool classroom, made lesson plans, and started teaching.

"I was excited to study at home. I remember enjoying it. I don't remember missing friends. I was with the most important people to me---my family," says Paul. Carolyn also enjoyed the experience and became "best buds" with Candy. "Mom was a fun teacher. We were excited---not pressured---to learn," adds Joy. Peter Jr. had trouble adjusting in the beginning. "At first when I told him to open a book, he would groan, 'Oh, mom...' Later on he would study on his own," says Deonna. "He was transformed from a tired student to a student who was hungry to learn."

She adds, "Research for homeschooling has shown that homeschooled kids gain confidence by being with parents so they become leaders." The proof: When children got to high school, they were all accepted at Faith Academy, with some even getting accelerated. And they all excelled in both academics and sports. Getting along with schoolmates was a cinch as they had mingled with other families who homeschooled.

Now that they are all adults, Peter Jr., Joy, Paul, and Carolyn are one in saying that, in the future, they will also homeschool their children.

School Days at the Buizon Home

Felichi Pangilinan-Buizon was newly married to dentist Jojo Buizon and not even pregnant when she heard Peter and Deonna Tan-Chi talk about homeschooling in CCF. What really impressed her was hearing the Tan-Chi children share their experience. The children seemed different from other kids---they appeared to have a real passion for learning and a desire to live good lives.

Intrigued, Felichi did research on the Internet. "I got so excited as I discovered many things," she gushes. "For one, I learned that in the U.S., the homeschool in itself is an institution. And the homeschooling community there is known to excel academically. Research I came across showed that it doesn't matter what the mother has finished academically; children thrive and flourish in a homeschool setting."

Of course, there were fears initially---that of rejection and the lack of moral support, given that Filipinos put much importance on formal education. But to Felichi's surprise, she met a number of parents who were homeschooling their children and found the support she needed. Husband Jojo also backed her.

Felichi cherished what her own mom used to say: The first seven years of a child's life are the important formative years. "I said, 'Sige, kahit for the first seven years, we'll teach them what we know and pass on the values we want them to have."

Years at it

It's been six years since Felichi started homeschooling in the two-story Buizon home. Her eldest daughter Tahnee, nine, is already in grade four, while Joshua, seven, is in grade one.

Using the curriculum developed by the School of Tomorrow in the U.S., which she got from the Living Heritage Academy in Las Pinas, Felichi relates academic lessons to everyday life. When they were studying constellations in Science, they laid out a mat in the garden and gazed at the sky. For math lessons in fractions, they baked. (Joshua proudly says that he can bake a pineapple upside down cake. Tahnee can cook corned beef.) Just recently, they did a science experiment on the kitchen counter, adding vinegar to soda to make carbon dioxide.

PE classes means swimming in their grandparents' home in Antipolo, football at the University of the Philippines campus, and rollerblading inside their house.

Josh says school is fine. "What I like about it is I get to stay home." His favorite subjects are Science, Writing and Reading.

Tahnee agrees, saying she gets to stay home and play a lot. After the lessons for the day are over, she and Josh play house using chairs, pillows and cushions.

She also sometimes helps out Josh with schoolwork, and relishes affixing her initials on his papers as "Supervisor".

Confident children

Homeschooling enabled the Buizon children to learn at their own pace and in their own style. For instance, Tahnee loves music. Mom then used a preschool curriculum that taught phonics through song. "that helped her read at age four," says Felichi.

The children have also become more independent. They work on their assigned lessons independently unless parental supervision is recommended. Josh has even become a little handyman of sorts, even learning to clean the inside of a VHS player.

"I feel my children have grown very confident because they received the attention they needed. You see, in a classroom setting, they would have to compete for the teacher's attention. In homeschool, when they raise their hands, they get called," says Felichi. When last summer Tahnee joined Trumpets for an acting workshop, her teacher, actor Carlo Orosa, was very impressed with the child's confidence and attitude.

The Buizon children thrive and look forward to homeschool every day. In a few years, Kyla, their youngest sibling, will be joining their daily lessons. Well, she's actually sitting in already even if she's just one year old.

Inset: What Educators Say

Homeschooling is a nontraditional way of education. We asked two educators what they think about it. Rose Aligada is working on her Ph.D. in Reading Education (University of the Phils.) and holds an M.A. in Special Education (UP). She is president and co-founder of Learning Inn and is a parenting speaker of the Center for Family Ministries. Maricar G. de Ocampo has Ph.D. units in Counseling Education (De La Salle University), and an M.S. degree in Teacher Education (Bank Street College of Education, New York). She is an education consultant.

Q. What can you say about homeschooling?

ALIGADA: As a special educator, I am open to all alternatives to regular schooling. This will allow more people to be educated, especially in areas where there are only a few schools, or it is difficult for children to go to school for some reason, such as when children are sick or are in a war-torn area.

It's very attractive because it encourages bonding among family members and enables children to learn values directly from their parents. The homeschool program may also highlight the spiritual component, depending on the curriculum. In homeschool, learning is individually paced depending on how fast or slow a child learns.

The Department of Education (DepEd) would have children who homeschool still go to a regular school to get modules and exams. The base should still be a regular school.

DE OCAMPO: Homeschooling is one of the answers to many parents who are looking for alternatives to traditional education. It has been practed for a while (abroad) but only quite recently in the Philippines. I highly recommend it to students who have difficulty in adjusting to a regular school schedule. The DepEd has a curriculum and modules to be followed. Parents have to be committed to follow through with the education of their children.

Q. In your experience, how do students who have homeschooled fare compared to their peers who attended regular school?

ALIGADA: It's quite common in special schools like Learning Inn. Some children get sick for a while and cannot go to a regular school. Other children may have parents who travel for work; education gets disrupted. Homeschooling becomes an option for them.

DE OCAMPO: There have been students who have been homeschooled and are doing well in regular schools. They may be children who have been sick for while and have had to stay home. They are taught at home so that they will not be delayed for the next school year. Then there are children who have a hard time in transition situations like from a preschool environment to regular schools, or children coming from abroad going to regular schools here. Children who develop school phobia

because of a traumatic experience in their previous school may be homeschooled. That also goes for children who cannot really adjust to regular or traditional schools.

The most important thing to remember in homeschooling is that the parent is the teacher---he or she is the consistent mentor and tutor of the child.

Q. Would you recommend homeschooling? If so, under what conditions?

ALIGADA: For as long as the child is unable to go to school, I'm for homeschool. That is better than doing nothing at home. But parents should make sure the child does not lack opportunities to interact with his peers.

There should also be regular supervision given by a teacher in a regular school. The homeschool program should be approved and accredited by DepEd. One cannot move up the ladder of grade levels without DepEd approval. Parents should go through the proper channels.

DE OCAMPO: I would recommend homeschooling to parents who have really thought about the commitment and the work it takes to teach their children. They have to research thoroughly about homeschooling and its effects, and see if their children will benefit from this experience or not.