Home School Day at the Capitol, Tomorrow

By Micah Clark AFA-IN/IAHE Legislative Liaison

The annual Indiana Association of Home Educator’s “Home Education Day at the Capitol” starts tomorrow with a workshop at 10 am in room 120 of the Indiana Convention Center. Following an hour break at noon, there will be legislative and public officials speaking at the State House at 1 pm and a chance for families to meet their legislators. (However, as it turns out with the legislative calendar falling with a deadline today, many from outside central Indiana may be absent tomorrow. The event is still a great opportunity to learn more about the legislative process and to see your beautiful State House.) 

Speaking of home education, the Internet is abuzz with conversation among home education forums on an effort targeted toward what some describe as a “loophole” (though I don’t agree with that term in this case) allowing high school students to drop out and claim that they are home educating. Some schools appear to be encouraging this as a means of padding their graduation rates or word has gotten around that this is a way to drop out.

We have been working with Representative Bob Behning, the Department of Education and theHome School Legal Defense Association on this issue, which has reappeared in the House as an amendment to Senate Bill 384. There was some initial misinformation concerning our “support” for an amendment, which required home school parents of high school students to provide and education plan before transferring to a non-accredited private school setting. We did not support any new requirements for home school parents who have a fundamental right to direct the education of their child. 

The good news is that new language will be offered today which is very different from Amendment #3 adopted in the House Education Committee last week. There is some concern from HSLDA that this is a new requirement placed in Indiana Code upon home school parents, rather than a Department of Education policy. That is a legitimate concern. However, if the new amendment from Rep. Behning is adopted, the education plan language will be totally removed and replaced with a requirement that the school simply inform high school parents of the law on home education in regard to attendance requirements.  There is also an amendment filed by another legislator requiring state testing of all home educated children in Indiana.  Others may appear too.

We will continue to monitor and weigh in on this with any concerns as it develops throughout the day and into next week.  

Update on Previous Legislation and Your Action Requested

Information via Micah Clark:

Senate Bill 374, (which had language of concern to us  requiring parents of high school students leaving a public school in order to home school), was blocked in the Senate in January through a lack of action by the Senate Education Committee.

This language  has now reappeared in the House as an amendment to Senate Bill 384.  The House Education Committee adopted this amendment on Thursday, Feb. 23rd.   Your calls and emails to your State Representative expressing concern over the precedent setting legislation are needed.  Amendment #3  requires all parents to submit an educational plan to their local School Superintendent for approval or review. This punishes good home school families under the guise of addressing a drop out problem among students who are not interested in education anymore, but are claiming to "home school" in order to dropout and keep or still obtain their driver's license.

There is concern that as written that Amendment #3 of SB 384 is a step against our current home school freedoms.   Legislators need to find a way to address high school drop outs without harming home school parents who choose to educate their high school age child at home.

You can call the Indiana House of Representatives at: 1-800-382-9842 (Corrected phone number)

People remember:

• 10% of what they hear
• 15% of what they see
• 20% of what they see and hear
• 40% of what they discuss with others
• 80% of what they experience
• 90% of what they attempt to teach

What does this say about home schooling? A whole lot!

I don't know about you. But, when I'm pushed for time--trying to get through numerous subjects at numerous grade levels--the first thing I skip are the hands-on activities. The science experiments, the lap book ideas, the go-outside-and-find-a-something suggestions. Yet, if I truly want my children to learn, these statistics say the children will remember only 10% of what I read to them but 80% of the experiment. When pushed for time, I should do the experiment instead.

I know this is true. Every time we take the time to do the hands-on ideas, we not only enjoy school more, we all remember more. My seven-year-old still remembers the day we took a suggestion from our Mystery of History curriculum and snipped a lock of hair then burned it. As the putrid smell filled the house, I re-read the portion of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego where the Bible says there wasn't even the smell of smoke on them. To this day every time we read that story in the Bible, she exclaims, "God protected them so well their hair didn't even smell!" Now that's learning that sticks!

Further, these statistics suggest there may be more help for my overloaded days than I realize. I always save asking the older children to teach the younger children for a last resort. But, they remember 90% of what they teach. Perhaps I would do better for their education to include them more often in the teaching role.

I know this to be true as well. I love home schooling, in part, because I'm finally learning all I missed when I was in school. As I teach I have to explore deeply to understand. I find ways to make the information relevant. Answering questions forces me to focus my thinking. All these factors create real learning.

If you already focus on the hands-on and make opportunities for children to practice teaching--you have created a home of learning! If you're more like me, if you tend to skip over the hands-on or feel badly about having children teach--how about a challenge?

This week, choose at least one activity to do every day to complement the learning. If you're teaching fractions, cook a batch of cookies but have children double the recipe. Share the extras with a neighbor and work in community service at the same time! If learning about birds, take a half hour to watch the bird feeder and record the birds that visit. If you're learning about the Babylonian Empire--burn a lock of hair to experience the real miracle of no smell of smoke.

Let your children teach. Assign a family art project and give the older children free reign to oversee. After you work through a history lesson with your child, ask her to retell the story to her little brother.

We remember what we do. I'm learning that if I want real education in my home, I need to stop blowing by the hands-on and stop feeling guilty about asking older children to help. Instead I need to see these as the greatest learning opportunities of all.

Tess married to Mike Worrell and together they enjoy discipling their eight children. They are in their 14^th year of home schooling. Tess also writes and speaks to various groups on issues of marriage, parenting, and living as a Godly woman. Tess would love to hear your input. You can contact her at tess@yourfamilymatterstous.com or visit her website: YourFamilyMatterstous.com.

This Business of Loving

I've noticed something.  Sometimes we look at each other's families and think everybody but us has it all together.  Everybody else's families get along better than ours.  Their garden is more productive.  Their children are smarter.  We think other families don't struggle like we do.  We're the only ones with challenges.

That is just a pack of lies.

There is no perfect family.  Each and every family has areas they're still growing in, and the sooner we realize it, the better off we'll be.  If we can talk about it, we can encourage one another and build each other up.  So today I think we should talk about loving.

Let's just admit it up front.  Some people are easier to love than others.  For whatever particular reasons, some of our companions, maybe in the family or maybe not, have a more exhausting effect on our hearts than others do.

Over the years, I found myself, many times, praying for God to help me to love like He does.  After all, doesn't He tell us to imitate Him, as beloved children?  (Ephesians 5:1)  I have tried loving from my own limited resources and strength, and I have drained the last of them.  I don't know if I would have admitted it right out, but I was operating as if it were up to me to drum up all that love to imitate His love with.  It just wasn't working.  When I knew I should be loving, I felt more like retreating in frustration instead.  What was I to do?

Then the Lord, in His gentle way, reminded me of a truth that transformed everything--I'm dead.  That's right, I'm dead.

"I have been crucified with Christ;

and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;

and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave Himself up for me."

Galatians 2:20

So. . . It's not actually about me just trying harder to love like He does, or even Him as an outside entity filling me with His love.  The reality is that He, in me, actually does the loving!  What a relief!

It should have been no surprise that I had failed; the dead aren't exactly known for their amazing accomplishments.  How freeing to be reminded that His never ending love has always been up to the job.  My aim, as His beloved child, is to please Him, but the power to actually do it is all from His life in me.

One more thing still bothered me though.  Why did loving still have to be so challenging? Again, His gentle reminder,

". . .and the life I now live . . . , I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me . . ."

He loved me!  Me, who is needy.  Me, who messes up.  Me, who often fails to use her head.  Me, who just seems to 'not get it' sometimes.  He loves me. Why should I think that the ones He wants to love through me should not be this way, should not be so needy?

The ones He chooses to set His love on through me won't necessarily be easy to love or worthy.  Neither am I.  I'm realizing that all the loving He does through me is a picture of His love for me.  It's the same love, and we're all equally needy.

When He loves through me, He picks the object of His love; I don't get to do the choosing. When I might be turned off, put off, or repulsed, He can and does love the most unlovely. And He does it perfectly.  I must remember that it's not my life anymore--I'm dead--I'm His temple now, His hands and feet.  I'm here for Him to love through me.  When my old self resurrects, and I forget who's really alive here, I get frustrated, and I bristle at the task. But this business of loving will never be too much for Him.

His love endures forever!  His compassions never cease!

O Lord, as beloved children, our aim is to please you.  Transform our homes, dear Father, with Your truth, as You transform us into the image of your Son!

I pray, "That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory,

to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;

and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

may be able to comprehend with all the saints

what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know
the love of Christ

which surpasses knowledge,

that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God."

Ephesians 3:16-19

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Safe in My Mouth

“When someone loves you the way they say your name is different. You know your name is safe in their mouth.” Billy, age 4.

I use my children’s names countless times each day—to call, to scold, to direct. Do their names sound safe in my mouth?

I know for sure they tremble a bit when middle name is coupled with first—a sure indication that trouble is coming. What do they feel the rest of the time--when I bark an order, when I lose patience with slowness on a math assignment, or when I consistently call them a sibling’s name?

I remember the first time I ever used any of my children’s names. Lying in my arms moments after coming into the world, their eyes would lock onto mine. “Hello . . . ,” and as their name rolled off my tongue, all the love and joy of the meeting our anticipated child for the first time filled their name. I want every time I use my child’s name to reflect that moment.

As we home school, we have countless opportunities to call our children, talk with our children, direct our children. We have the chance so many parents miss—to fill days connecting with our children. Who knew it could be as easy as making their name safe in our mouths?

I know I often think too hard about the curriculum we use, the amount of time we are actually in the books, or how far behind I feel. This quote reminds me I need to think just as hard about the little things that become big—like how my children’s names sound. Is their name safe in my mouth?

Has Indiana Voluntarily Turned Over Education to the Feds?

This comes to us from the AFA of Indiana Weekly Email written by Micah Clark.

AFA-IN web site article link

Education in Indiana consumes roughly half of our state budget. The issue itself is an enormous one that can feel like trying to wrap your arms fully around a Volkswagen Beetle. Even when I served on the Governor’s Education Roundtable, the amount of information that we were given about education issues and reforms was enormous.

The sheer volume of information and all the connections tied to various agencies concerning education issues over the years has at times seemed to feed a lot of scare tactics and conspiracy theorists who bemoan the direction of education.

Yet, when a respected national leader like the Heritage Foundation warns that Indiana’s schools are being taken over by the federal government, all Hoosiers should take note. What is more concerning is that it appears as though we may be turning over our authority voluntarily.

The issue surrounds a program called “Common Core Standards” and Indiana is one of the states that have signed onto these standards in place of our own state standards. In fact, one high placed state representative in education issues made an off hand comment to me last week “with common core, the I-STEP test won’t really matter in a few years.” The state I-Step test is sacrosanct to many in state government. There seems to be disagreement among experts I have asked if these common core standards will, in fact, spell the demise of I-STEP in favor of a federally composed test. If it ever does happen, private schools taking vouchers are going to be in an interesting situation.

We have posted a must read Op-Ed from the Heritage Foundation that ties the Common Core Standards to the news you may have heard last week of Indiana receiving a “waiver” from the Federal Government concerning “No Child Left Behind.” Usually a waiver is a good thing, but under this administration, even a waiver seems to be an opportunity for more government control.

Two weeks ago, the Senate Education Committee rejected a bill by State Senator Scott Schneider to opt Indiana out of the Common Core program in favor of maintaining our own state standards. The bill failed by one vote after Dr. Tony Bennett, an ardent supporter of Common Core testified against the bill. Interestingly, education experts from various think tanks, including the Hoover Institute had flown in to Indiana just to testify in support of the bill and to warn us not to go along with this program.

This afternoon the Senate Education Committee is expected to pass Senate Bill 25, also by Sen. Schneider, which sets up a summer study committee to investigate the pros and cons of Indiana’s involvement in the Common Core Standards program and report back to the 2013 legislature. (I have questions out to some national experts in regard to how or if this program might impact private and home school freedoms.) In any event, you should take a couple of minutes to read the article on the front of our web site to learn more about this matter at http://www.afain.net

Listening To Their Hearts

I confess; I'm too often task-driven.  I find myself frustrated around those who are so wrapped up in their "to do" lists that they can't entangle themselves long enough to stop for a bit of conversation beyond the surface, yet I fear I subject my precious family to the same frustration at times, by my own behavior.

Recently, I read something that made me pause to re-evalute, as I often need to do, my modus operandi.  Our daughter, Vera, whom we adopted from an orphanage in Ukraine just before she turned fourteen, was working on a persuasive speech about adoption.  I would like to share with you a few lines from her first draft.  Speaking of math class at the orphanage, ". . .When you don't get it, and everyone else is waiting for you to finish, the teachers scream at you that you are dumb and will never get it.  Can you imagine hearing that almost everyday for four years?  You start believing that they are right.  No one in the orphanage sat down with me to lovingly explain to me how to get it done. . . .I was wishing that I could belong to someone who would call me theirs and not be ashamed of who I was."

My heart ached for what she must have gone through.  Wasn't there someone who would take the time to minister to her heart, to listen to her heart and to give, without reservation, the abiding reassurance, the safe refuge, the patient encouragement, and the tender love she so desperately needed?

She no longer lives at the orphanage.  She came home with us in 2006, to join a younger brother and sister.  We wanted to give what she needed, and we resolvedly rearranged our lives to attempt to supply it.

Yet real life can get awfully hectic, and in the hustle and bustle of life, I find I have to keep asking myself, "Am I still listening to their hearts?"  All three of my children's hearts have urgent and weighty needs every single day.  Every heart in every one of our homes does.

Do we really know what our children need most?  Are we tuned into their hearts enough to sense when they desperately need a tender encouraging word instead of a stern reminder from a task-oriented organizer?  Oh, Lord, give us Your eyes to see their deepest needs.  Show us how to minister to their hearts as You would.  Love them Your way through us!

Slow me down; sit me down, with a smile, and not a frown, that I would love with no reserve and no regrets.

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

when it is in your power to do it."

Proverbs 3:27

The Valentine Challenge

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37.

What is your prime goal for your schooling efforts? Is it to protect your children from the influences of the world? Is it to offer prime education so they can score huge scholarships for college? Is it to train them to follow God?

If the first two are your prime concerns--those are great, but you can skip this column. Look for later blogs.

If your top priority is to train your children to follow God--to love Him with all their heart, soul, and mind, then I have a challenge for you. Jesus knew that His followers could not love Him with all their hearts unless they first experienced Him loving them. So, Jesus came in flesh to live with His people. To eat with them, talk with them, teach them as they went through the day. He lived life alongside His followers to give them a daily experience of His love. In doing this He trained them to love Him back.

That sounds a lot like home schooling, doesn't it? We live each day alongside our children to teach them of God's love so they can love Him back.

Now, I don't know about you--but I sometimes lose track of this priority in the Algebra homework, the multiplication tables, and the phonics cards. I get so focused on the books, I lose focus on the opportunities to show love. Here's the challenge--take the next month to focus on showing love to your spouse and children.

Using the Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman focus during February on intentionally filling the love tank of every person in your home. Most people know the love languages: physical touch, words of affirmation, time, gifts, and acts of service. People generally like receiving all these—but individuals are wired so that only one really speaks love to them. Your son may enjoy getting gifts or having you rub his back, but when you make his lunch for school—that’s when he feels loved. The others are nice; the act of service convinces him you really love him.

On the other hand your husband is perfectly capable of making his lunch and barely notices when you do it for him. It’s convenient, but not necessary. Yet, the note you put in his lunch saying how grateful you are to have him in your life—that makes his day. Your words of affirmation assure him that he matters to you.

Yet, knowing the love language for each person, especially when they seem to enjoy anything you do—or when nothing you do seems to make a difference, that can be hard. That’s where February can help. The Valentine Challenge.

• Mondays—every Monday, write a note to each person in your home specifically listing one trait, habit, or act they do that you truly appreciate. Leave it on their pillow, in their lunch box, or tuck it into their pocket. At minimum, each person in your family will have a moment of affirmation that brightens their day. For someone—that moment will add to their love tank.

• Tuesdays—surprise each person in the family with some object you know will speak to them. Don’t worry about huge. Just give a tangible object you know will be meaningful to that person—an addition to a collection, a new barrette, a special snack.

• Wednesdays—choose one task you can do for each person in your family and surprise them with a fait accompli. Perhaps you take the trash cans to the curb for your son or wash your spouse’s car. Choose something you can finish and which they will notice.

• Thursdays—focus on the physical affection you show each person in the family. Small children get surplus physical affection from simply being carried and sitting on your lap. But, it’s easy to slide away from hugs for teens or kissing spouse as they return home. Purposely set out to hug, kiss, rub the back, or pat on the shoulder of each person in your house—warmly and with genuine affection.

• Fridays—set aside one-on-one time with each person in your family. Whether you take a child out for a soda, go into their bedroom at night for a chat, or plan a date with your spouse—invest intentional one-on-one time.

As you go through the month--note which days each person shines. This indicates you hit their love language--they truly experienced being loved. As they grow in confidence of your love--you also build confidence in God's love. As your home becomes a place rooted in expressing God's love to each other--your home becomes a training ground for everyone learning to love God back.

Tess Worrell is married to Mike Worrell and together they enjoy discipling their eight children. They are in their 14^th year of home schooling. Tess also writes and speaks to various groups on issues of marriage, parenting, and living as a Godly woman. Tess would love to hear your input. You can contact her at tess@yourfamilymatterstous.com or visit her website: YourFamilyMatterstous.com.