about community

Homeschooling is a community. It is a commonality amongst people (usually parents) who are like minded in a particular pursuit...that of educating one or more children (or teens) to the best of their ability....a heavy investment in another's life. We are held together by the security we offer one another in just knowing that there are others out there that agree with our hearts pursuit. We reinforce eachother in a process that is not mainstream and is often frowned upon by those who don't agree with it. This was even more true in the early days of homeschooling when it was very uncommon to do so. A homeschooling parent met with a great deal of criticism and skepticism from most of society, including loved ones and family members.

A person in the homeschooling community generally finds encouragement and support from others that agree with their values, but I believe the greatest cohesive factor found in this community is the understanding that we offer one another. Unless a person has been a homeschooling parent, it is difficult for one to relate to the particular struggles, sacrifices, and rewards that come with it. We enter the community for a myriad of different reasons but we all share the need for affirmation in our endeavor. One commonality shared amongst the members in the homeschooling community is the belief that for whatever reason (there are many and they vary for each family) an education at home will be more beneficial to their child/ren than traditional schooling. Another commonality is the willingness and ability to be able to provide this educational setting. It is not always a possibility for some who might desire it and most people involved in this community are grateful to be able to offer what they feel is best for a particular child at a particular time. Members also share a great deal with one another; mainly advice, ideas, and resources. It would be a great deal more difficult to homeschool without one another's support in these areas.

One of the greatest tensions that can arise in this community is a difference in ideology resulting in factions. This is common in any community I suppose considering that humans are humans regardless of where and how they commune, but it seems sadly unfortunate to have it happen in such a small, minority community that needs one another so much for success. There are different belief systems within the community. For instance, we have homeschoolers, unschoolers, and public/homeschoolers to name a few.

I fit into this group as a parent who has homeschooled my own children as well as other people's children. I have independently homeschooled, toyed with the idea of unschooling, and ultimately was one of the first parent/teachers involved in the opening of two different public school homeschool programs. I have been active in this community for the last 17 years and would never even have started homeschooling if not for the support and encouragement of existing members. It is a community that I admire deeply and am honored to be a part of. I believe in the endeavors of this community and have seen the positive impacts that it can have on young lives. Even though I am now a student myself, I hope to be involved in this community for years to come.