It used to be that if you told someone you were homeschooling your children, you’d get strange and skeptical looks from people. Questions about being qualified enough to teach, providing enough “socialization,” and sheltering them from the real world, while still not completely outdated, were the norm. These days, when I tell people we are a homeschooling family I am surprised with how positive a response I receive. Many are from moms with preschoolers, and they are full of questions about how home education is working for us and confessions that they, too, are considering home schooling their child or children when the time comes. Quite often, we learn that families we encounter are also homeschoolers!

With homeschooling gaining in popularity and an accepted and viable option for families, you’ll find there are many opportunities and support networks available. Parents are considering homeschooling more and more. The economy is difficult right now, making private school unaffordable for most families. Additionally, with class numbers high and the student to teacher ratio so unbalanced in many cases, parents are worried their child may not be receiving the attention necessary to being a successful learner. Still other families have children with special needs and turn to homeschooling as an option to fulfill those requirements themselves.

Whatever your reasoning may be to embark on a home education journey, taking the plunge can sometimes be overwhelming and a little scary. Despite our confidence in our ability to be with and educate our own children, our perception of social pressures can bring some degree of doubt. This is the time to go online and read up on homeschooling. Not only will you find comfort in the advice from been-there families and the many homeschooling networks, you will see that you are part of a large group of people who are taking charge of their children’s education, and ultimately reestablishing your family as the main influence and foundation on which they will rest.

Our family was not set on homeschooling from the start. It sort of just happened. I had always belonged to Mommy and Me activities with my older daughter. When it came time to sign up for Kindergarten, it was obvious there was going to be a struggle as my daughter did not want to be apart from me. Her first week of Kindergarten was filled with meltdowns, loss of appetite, and a lot of stress for everyone. The teacher thought she was doing well in class and didn’t realize the difficulties we were experiencing. When my daughter told me she wanted to do school at home, I immediately called Etiwanda School Districts homeschooling program and asked if we could meet and learn more about signing up. I wanted my daughter’s learning experience to continue to be positive, and that meant she had to be in an environment that was safe and nurturing for her.

Starting homeschool with the Etiwanda Home School program was the best decision we could have made not only for my daughter, but for our family as a whole. The benefits have been numerous, but nothing is more important to me than the health, happiness and well-being of my kids. We are in our third year of homeschooling now, and couldn’t imagine our lives any differently.

Because Etiwanda’s Homeschooling Progam has become so popular and gained recognition for their academic success, they have started offering a informational event to discuss their program, the curriculum they are using, and to answer questions families have about the program and homeschooling in general.

Etiwanda Home School Information Night on Thursday, April 30^th, 2009 from 6-8 PM at the Home School Office on the Summit Intermediate campus 5959 East Ave.   Room S3 (Enter on Banyan)  PLEASE CALL TO GET MORE PRECISE DIRECTIONS… CAN BE TRICKY TO GET TO!  909 803 3319

We will be discussing the latest and most up to date news regarding home schooling in the Etiwanda School District.  We will be looking at the curriculum used, the lesson plans given, the social events planned, the teachers that will be directing the instruction, etc.

You’ll leave feeling empowered, knowing that you will be able to homeschool your child and that you will have enough support and guidance to be successful. The entire staff is beyond helpful, you will feel part of a warm and caring family with every person devoted to your child’s positive learning experience.

San Bernardino Homeschool Program and Curriculum
Contact: Michele Jacks
e.  Michele_Jacks@etiwanda.k12.ca.us
p.  909-803-3319

Community pick for tutors in Rancho Cucamonga:
Accent on Basic Skills Tutoring 
8560 Vineyard Ave. #507
Rancho Cucamonga, CA  91730
p.  (909) 980-5388
e.  accenttutoring@hotmail.com

During these challenging economic times, we must reevaluate our priorities, and it is important to understand that when a student needs help with their studies, tutoring is a necessity, it is not a luxury. One of the most important things is to recognize the difference between luxuries and necessities. A luxury is something that we can live without. A necessity is something we cannot live without, such as food, shelter, and clothing. It is vital to understand that education is a necessity because it is the means by which we are able to earn anything and everything. The best insurance for survival and a brighter future is a strong, solid education. If a student is having trouble in school, that means his or her entire future is in jeopardy. 

Almost everyone is currently feeling the pressure of a suffering economy. As we go about the task of trimming the fat from our lives, be sure never to hold back on whatever it takes to do well in school. Again, the best insurance for a secure future is to do well in school, and graduate from both high school and college with a strong Grade Point Average. 

To understand is to have control. If we wish to have control of our own lives then we must have comprehension and mastery of as many subjects as possible. The menu of life is greatly increased by one’s own understanding of how the world and society operate. If one door of opportunity closes, then another opens…provided one knows what is going on in the new room. It has been calculated that a college graduate makes about one million dollars more during his or her lifetime than one with only a high school diploma. Do whatever it takes to ensure your children’s—or your own—academic success. 

Everything is interrelated and interdependent. We must all assist each other in every way we can so that together, our country can unify and heal itself. Look around and see what you can do in your own neighborhood. Tutor the neighbor’s kids. Mow somebody’s lawn. Paint over some ugly graffiti. Volunteer at a nearby hospital or nursing home. Together, we will weather this current economic downturn. Just like I tell all my tutoring students: “Attitude is everything, and you must believe that you will succeed in order to put forth your best effort…failure is not an option.” 

MARCUS SOLOMON
ACCENT ON BASIC SKILLS TUTORING
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA

Community pick for tutors in Rancho Cucamonga:
Accent on Basic Skills Tutoring 
8560 Vineyard Ave. #507
Rancho Cucamonga, CA  91730
p.  (909) 980-5388
e.  accenttutoring@hotmail.com

 Community homeschool pick for Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino County:

Etiwanda Homeschool Program and Curriculum
Contact: Michele Jacks
Email: michele_jacks@etiwanda.org

Starting a new year of school can be exciting for kids, but may also cause some anxiety. They don’t call it the “first day jitters” for nothing. This is particularly true for kids who are crossing a milestone – Kindergarten, 1st Grade, first year of Junior High and the first day of High School. I remember even feeling a little overwhelmed for my first day of college at UC Santa Barbara. Mostly I think it’s not knowing what to expect, although other factors can come into play as well.

For my oldest daughter, going into Kindergarten was huge. This was going to be the first time she was “dropped off” somewhere without me. We had attended a really great Mommy and Me preschool for two years, so she was used to a school-like environment and academics were not a problem for her. She just wasn’t ready to be on her own yet, despite how independent she was at home and in her other activities. I was concerned about her transition and tried to figure out different ways to help her adjust.  We did the Back-to-School shopping spree, buying some very cute big girl clothes, the Bratz backpack she just had to have, a matching lunch tote, and school supplies. The end-of-first week pizza pig-out (John’s Pizza Co.!) would have been another great idea for us, but we didn’t get past the first week.

She enjoyed the shopping, but when it came for that first day, the new things didn’t provide her much comfort. I tried putting notes in her backpack and lunch box to give her something to look forward to. I even asked to volunteer each afternoon at the school to help my daughter transition, but the school’s policy didn’t start parent volunteerism until October. And I couldn’t see letting my little one stress out each day over going to school. I wanted her to have a positive experience, not one that caused her to lose sleep, her appetite and her wits. For more tips on helping your child adjust to school, read this article.

After talking with my husband and daughter, we all decided we would give homeschool a try. I had been a piano teacher for twelve years, had been a substitute elementary school teacher, and had taken my teacher credentialing coursework. I loved teaching children so it made sense for me to continue teaching my daughter at home. Home is where she felt most safe and would learn best. I perused the Etiwanda School District website and discovered that they had a Home School program. I made the call and this sigh of relief fell over everyone in the house. Homeschool was definitely the right choice for us.

I must admit, those first few weeks were daunting. I doubted my ability to teach my daughter “school.” At that time, I didn’t know much about Home Education, so it was helpful for me to belong with a school district like Etiwanda. The Etiwanda Home School program provides each family with the curriculum the school district uses. Weekly meetings with a California credentialed teacher are held to monitor the student’s progress and to answer any questions that may have come up during the week. The parent stays during the meeting and receives assistance with the upcoming lesson plans. All lesson plans are provided by the advisor who goes through each one thoroughly. In no time, we were in a routine and I found it went quickly and easily.

The rewards of teaching my daughter have been great. She excels in all subjects and has tested above grade level in every area, especially reading. Her confidence is high. In addition, she has had time to pursue her love – music. As homeschoolers, we finish our school work efficiently and have time to do extra kids activities: art, music, physical activities, and a lot of field trips. We have also connected with other homeschooling families at a weekly Park Day in Rancho Cucamonga where the kids can have some socializing time to make friends and play together like they would during recess in school. It is also a wonderful support network for moms.

Looking back at our last two years of home learning through Etiwanda School District, I couldn’t be more pleased with our decision to homeschool. As parents, we are our children’s first teachers. We need to trust our instincts and abilities to do what is in their best interests. Helping them to love learning is a great gift.

If you think Homeschooling is an option for your family, contact:

Etiwanda Homeschool Program and Curriculum
Contact: Michele Jacks
Email: michele_jacks@etiwanda.org