Welcome to the Carnival of Homeschooling! Down here in the South, all the stores are in a Back-to-School frenzy. Our city’s schools start back next week, and the rest are soon to follow. Having grown up in New York, where school starts back the day after Labor Day, I find this late July/early August return-to-school policy bordering on criminal. What about the hot days of August, when the grass is crispy and the pool water finally warm?

For our family, that’s just another huge reason to homeschool: we can make our own schedules. Whether you school year round, follow a traditional schedule, or take your “summer break” in October, you get to choose what works best for your family. And that’s what it’s all about.

We have some great posts this month, and scattered amongst the posts are photos of some of our family’s favorite things about summer. Because I am not ready to let go yet! Read more…

What do University of Florida football standout Tim Tebow, this year’s NFL Man of the Year Jason Taylor and tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams have in common? They are all homeschooled students who were able to participate in their local public schools’ athletic programs.
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Unfortunately, homeschooled students in Tennessee don’t have the opportunity to participate in public school-related athletics. State lawmakers recently punted on the issue, deferring a bill to provide homeschooled athletes equal access to public school athletics until next year. Read more…

The fictional story is more than a courtroom drama, according to Star Breeder Studios President Don Jarman of Franklin where other scenes were set for shooting this month.

At least two Marshall County residents have parts in the movie that’s based on the premise that the state of Georgia decided to outlaw home schooling. Marshall County Sheriff’s Detective Capt. Norman Dalton plays a truant officer. His character must arrest parents who decided to test a new law by continuing to educate their children at home. Read more…

Welcome to the Carnival of Homeschooling! Our theme this week is:

As Time Goes By: Reflecting on 25 Years of Marriage and 12 Years of HomeschoolingIMG_4033

In 2009 my family celebrates two milestones, our oldest daughter graduates from homeschool high school and my husband and I are celebrating 25 years of marriage (today!), so I’m reflecting on the passage of time.

Read more…

Alexandria resident Barbara Elkins had no idea how homeschooling her children was going to work out, but she was certain that she wanted to give it a try, and so she and her husband, Brian, gave it a shot.
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“We knew a lot of people who homeschooled, and we liked the way the children interacted with adults, how they interacted with each other as a family and that they enjoyed learning,” Elkins said.

Elkins has homeschooled her children for the past 13 years and, she said, she hasn’t looked back yet. Read more…

Perhaps poker’s next. But for now, Aylam Rosenthal is playing his cards pretty well in Pokemon.
“It has so many different strategies.”
Aylam’s strategies are clearly working.
In the last few months, the 11-year-old Providence boy has won the Rhode Island championship, the Massachusetts championship and, most recently, the national championship. All that’s left for this home-schooled Pokemon prodigy in his quest for world domination is, of course, the world championship. That’s Aug. 14-16 in San Diego. Read more…

California Teen Become Youngest To Sail World Solo

Only homeschooling could allow such an accomplishment at such a young age.

A 17-year-old U.S. mariner piloted his battered sailboat into a Southern California harbor on Thursday to complete a grueling 13-month voyage and become the youngest person to sail around the world alone.

Sandy-haired teenager Zac Sunderland arrived in Marina Del Rey aboard his 36-foot (11-meter) sloop Intrepid at about 10 a.m. local time. During his 28,000-nautical-mile (52,000-km) journey, he braved storms, equipment failures, close calls with freighters and a run-in with suspected pirates. Read more…

185th Edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling

This week the carnival is hosted at Tami’s Thoughts and Views.

Welcome to the 185th edition of the Carnival of Homeschooling. If you are new to the Carnival, WELCOME! This Carnival was started by the Cates family of Why Homeschool, and they have done a magnificient job with the administrative parts of keeping this Carnival going week after week. It truly is a labor of love. And it is such a fun way to catch up with favorite bloggers and meet new bloggers.

July is the time of year when most homeschool families are enjoying the freedom of learning while living. I know in our home, July is a time of year when we are enjoying some much-needed down time from a hectic schedule that always seems to be the norm during the regular school year. I am always amazed at how much children learn while playing, and that is a commodity that is short in the lives of many children. Read more…

Home schooling on the rise in Australia

Via the heraldsun.com.au

HOME schooling is on the rise, with thousands of mums and dads rejecting mainstream education.

As 842,000 Victorian public students return to classrooms today, more than 2200 children will stay at home to be tutored by their parents.

In the past year an extra 715 students have started do-it-yourself education over public and private schools.

Read more…

Carnival of Homeschooling - the Founding Fathers edition

Henry Cate Hosts the carnival this week at Why Homeschool. He has a patriotic review of the the founding fathers in honor of the U.S. Independence Day.

July fourth is when the United States celebrates its independence from Great Britain. School taught me the basic facts of the Revolutionary War. As I grew older I grew more impressed by the caliber of men and the momentous events that lead to the formation of the United States.

(The following images are from various US Federal Government web sites.)

Founding Fathers

The Founding Fathers were an amazing set of men. They created a new country on a foundation of freedom. For centuries most countries were lead by kings. The Founding Fathers organized a new type of government. They were wise. They put limits on government and separated the powers. These men often gave credit to their mothers. Read more…