Apr. 3, 2006
Homeschooling in Augusta Seminar - Overview

 

Truthfully, I thought winter 2006 was going to last forever – physically and mentally.  The pages of my calendar just would not flip fast enough.

 

Then along came the Homeschooling in Augusta seminar featuring Ruth Martin.  She proved to be the promise of spring – the spring cleaning of my mind - which I needed!  As a veteran homeschooler, Ruth shared her wit and wisdom that seemingly has no end to her expertise and generous desire to encourage all homeschooling parents.  She wants every homeschooling family to succeed.

 

Having already graduated all three of her children from homeschooling, Ruth continues to be a strong advocate and support for Georgia homeschoolers.  In this seminar she not only advised and encouraged but was a HUGE inspiration that fell at the right time for me, among others I’m certain, to be rejuvenated during what is deemed a typical time of year when we all need a boost in our homeschooling morale.

 

Ruth opened with the history of homeschooling in Georgia, emphasizing our need to ensure that our autonomous legal obligations are met diligently and that we are careful to guard our homeschooling freedoms here in Georgia.  She then challenged us to revisit not only our reasons for homeschooling but also to ensure that our goals are kept in clear view while not comparing ourselves to public school standards.  A repetitive theme that wove throughout topic after topic was that of “what are the needs of your family, your children individually?” and “how are these needs and goals being met by: our homeschooling families’ care groups, umbrella associations, co-op’s, curriculums, extra-curricular activities…..?” – the list is truly endless.  She emphasized that our focus should be to keep our goals and needs clear and if they are not met, consider “cleaning house” and moving forward to meet those goals and needs, even if it means starting your own homeschool group.  She and the GHEA provide tools for homeschoolers to start new groups and want to be there for future support as well.

 

The sometimes controversial subject of “accreditation” was another highlighted topic -  one of which I truthfully have had flippant passing thoughts about – but nothing that lingered and I will expound on this topic in a separate post.  It is one worth recognizing as a not too all important issue in the education of our children.  I was amazed listening to the dissection of what this actually represents.

 

Likewise, Ruth brought the topic of co-op’s to the floor for open discussion, providing her personal opinion about these, yet returning to her day-long theme: what are the goals of each family’s homeschooling, what are the individual goals for your children?  Whether you choose to participate in a co-op or not, make sure these goals come first.

 

While Ruth also provides private consultations and testing, she continues to schedule a variety of workshops for homeschoolers statewide.  I look forward to a possible homeschooling high school workshop for the Augusta area soon.  Thank you to Jayne Crown, Susan Cady and the CSRA HEA for hosting this seminar opportunity!

 

 

 

Harriette K. Jacobs

Copyright © 2006

All Rights Reserved.

 

• Post a Comment

Apr. 3, 2006 - Ruth Martin

Posted by Mom4jdc

I missed the opportunity to go to a Ruth Martin seminar in Tifton a couple of weeks ago. I really wanted to glean a lot from her since I now have high schoolers who might want to get finished with high school and go to college in the future. I am so glad to hear that you learned a lot from her. Now I know that I do need to make it a priority to get to her next seminar.

Blessings,
Leslie

• Permanent Link