Ann Zeise’s New & Archived Homeschool Articles

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2023

A Handcrafted Education with Blair Lee and Ann Zeise
Secular, eclectic academic homeschooling often results in what I call a Handcrafted Education.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2016

Dear Homeschoolers, You Are Loved Here
Dear undocumented homeschoolers, In A2Z, there are no walls. You belong here. You are loved. Dear black homeschoolers, In A2Z, YOUR life matters. You are loved. Dear Muslim and Middle Eastern homeschoolers, We know you are not terrorists. You are loved. Dear Mexican homeschoolers, We know you are not rapists or drug dealers.

Educationese for Homeschool Reports
Educationese — or Teacherese — is the name sometimes given to the jargon too frequently employed by some of those who train our schoolteachers. It is characterized typically by its humorlessly abstract, Latinate, and polysyllabic diction and its convoluted, rambling, and frequently passive syntax. Fights are never “fights” and rarely even “quarrels.”

Family Library Organizing Tips
How do you best organize a family library? You have book cases in every room, even the bathrooms! Once you took a stab at organizing your books, but now there are so many more! What can you do? Build a small home library! This is going to have to be a family effort.

FAQs About Homeschooling High School
Homeschooling high school does take some planning, but can be a leg up on starting college or a career earlier than most teens. Can I homeschool just part of high school, but not all 4 years?

Gift Ideas for Homeschoolers
Homeschooling Gift Ideas If you want to know what real homeschoolers who love this site are getting their kids for Christmas, here is a list taken directly from my Amazon sales reports.

Homeschool ID Cards Template
Cards Updated for 2023-2024, with the new site link, and for newer versions of WORD. You can download a membership card template for this site in either .doc or .rtf format. The .doc one looks better, but you’ll need WORD or a program that reads WORD files.

Nasty Women Homeschool
“Get this, Donald. Nasty women are tough. Nasty women are smart. And nasty women vote,” Elizabeth Warren told a crowd of an estimated 4,000 folks bundled in jackets and vests on the campus of Saint Anselm College in Manchester, surrounding by blazing orange and red fall foliage.

Planning for Homeschooling is Like Planning a Vacation
Each family has their own ideas about the best vacation, and so they will for planning homeschooling, too. Q. I am overwhelmed about all the homeschool options out there. How do I plan what will be best for my family? A. Have you ever planned a family vacation?

Printing and Binding Classic Books for Homeschooling
Consider the cost of printer ink, paper and covers before you think of printing these as “Free” books. The cost may be more than buying paperbacks or buying a cheap Kindle for reading purposes only. I prefer to call them “Classic books” rather than old.

Sample Form to Request School Records
Some may want to have a copy of a past school records These records concern your child’s past grades, test results, and other items kept in their child’s cumulative folder. Do note that you will only get a copy, and that the original will remain at the school. Parents have a right to get and…

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2015

Car and travel games for kids – 11/19/2015
We are traveling for the holidays. How can I make a long car trip enjoyable for all of us?

Review homeschooling curriculum compared to public school – 11/13/2015
How does most homeschool curriculum compare to the curriculum from a public school? Is it better or worse?

How do I keep the kids motivated? – 10/16/2015
Both my children and I are frustrated. The children seem unmotivated, staring out the window or daydreaming when they really need to be hitting the books. Everyone is grumpy.

Music: A Magical Tool for Learning – 10/22/15
I want to share with you why music is so important to learning and some ideas on how to incorporate music into your child’s homeschooling experience.

Teaching handwriting and penmanship still needed? – 9/24/2015
Questions and Answers with Ann This Week’s Q&A Question: Is good penmanship still relevant? Do I need to worry about this? Answer: Excellent question! Look farther down the road – having clear handwriting is important in life.

Switching to homeschooling? – 9/21/2015
I am switching to homeschooling in a few weeks, but I have no idea where or how to start. Can you give me some advice?

I thought I could…school at home, what should I do? – 9/17/15
Can I really do this? I thought I could school at home and now that we’ve started, I am freaking out – what if I am making a mess of it?

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2013

Challenges In Homeschooling ADHD Children – 10/10/2013
Given that the ADHD child may be disorganized, messy and will not be able to stay focused for very long means that there are extra challenges for the homeschool parent.

How do I assign high school credits?
If your teen spent about 18 hours a month for 10 months doing something, anything in a typical course, then that would be 1 unit for the year.

How do I choose the best curriculum for my son?
Do it the other way around… Decide what is important for your son to learn. Ask him what he wants to learn about this year. THEN go find the curriculum that makes the most sense.

How to ease into Homeschooling
Teaching and learning happen every day when parents and children do simple things together. Start off simple by doing fun, learning activities together.

Homeschooling Programs and Public Virtual Academies Review
Online schools provide courses to take on your computer over the internet as either a complete grade-based or interest-based curriculum.

Homeschooling Methods
Some methods are very detailed and require a lot of structure and some don’t.

Working from Home for Homeschoolers
You have to look around and check things out but many moms successfully work from home while homeschooling.

Home School and Family Vacations and Travel
There are all sorts of things out there to interest every member of your family. Just imagine incorporating learning from what is around you in different places.

Finding a Home School Group and Starting One
I have a lot of information on how to start a home school group, and how to keep one going (for those homeschoolers who are already members of one.)

One Busy Down Syndrome Guy
By Barbara Frank. When I write about homeschooling and mention that all my children have pursued their own interests, I do mean ALL of them, even my youngest, who has Down syndrome.

Why Homeschooling is Bad?
At first I thought I’d comment on this article in ehow by Brittney Horwitz, but thought I’d respond to her here instead. The link to her article is at the end.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2012

Halloween Party Sounds – 10/14/2012
Been in iTunes today collecting sounds and music for our Halloween neighborhood bash. Here’s the list I have so far. Oh! Interesting! Did you know if you hit command-t when playing your iTunes you get a light show that bounces around in time to the music. Another command-t gets you back to your playlist.

The Importance of Free Time – 7/5/12
Free time was once the hallmark of childhood. But these days, many parents feel it’s their duty to keep their children busy. By Barbara Frank.

Tips for Teaching Music – 9/29/12
Music is the soul of life, it is entertaining, very motivating and can make a powerful contribution to a child’s development as I’m sure most parents would agree, but how do you go about it? By Gerald Crawford.

Uses for Old Calendars – 5/22/12
Calendars.com is having a huge up-to-75% off sale on their 2012 calendars. Who needs a calendar when the year is about half over, you might ask?

Children’s Choice Book Award – 4/21/12
The Children’s Choice Book Award winners will be announced LIVE at the annual Children’s Choice Book Awards Gala on May 7 at Espace in New York City as part of Children’s Book Week (May 7-13, 2012), the oldest national literacy initiative in the United States.

Apples and Oranges – Rocks and Pears, Schools and Homeschools – 4/19/12
Have you ever thought about what makes homeschooling such a unique approach to living and learning with our children? By Helen Hegener, HEM.

Roots of Homeschooling – 4/27/12
When people write about the history of the homeschooling movement there’s one name which comes quickly to mind: John Holt. By Helen Hegener, HEM.

Tale of a Bear in an Apple Tree – 3/24/12
As tourists, staying in Camp Curry one November, we heard that there was a bear up in a tree in the apple orchard nearby, so being tourists, we grabbed our kids and cameras, and went over to look.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2011

Bean Counting…Another Garden Metaphor – 7/16/11
We’ve all heard the nickname bean counters for accountants, bookkeepers, CPA’s. I have found in my many years of working with people and their money, that they often just need a nudge to stop and look at their situations a little deeper. By Elisabeth Donati.

A Winning Combination: Children, Computers and Time – 7/12/11
Based on their success, I believe it’s up to parents and the kids themselves, not the schools, to produce computer-literate children. Parents should provide the computer and the time. Given that opportunity, the children will take over from there. By Barbara Frank

National Geographic Education Launches New Site – 4/11/11
National Geographic Education today announces the beta phase of its newly redesigned website, NatGeoEd.org, inviting user feedback from all interested K-12 teachers, informal educators and families.

Public School or Homeschool? – 3/4/11
It seems that into many homeschooling families’ journeys comes a fork in the road; a time to decide between continuing on the homeschooling path or to travel the road that leads to public school attendance. By Linda Dobson.

Begin Homeschooling with Confidence – 3/3/11
My first thoughts were how on earth am I going to teach my children everything they need to know? It was overwhelming – and I just didn’t know where to start. By Julie Gilbert.

But I Want to Go to School! – 3/1/11
Some homeschooling parents reason that a teenager, especially one who has recently experienced both school and homeschooling, should have a say in how he pursues his education. By Cafi Cohen.

Creative Activities – 2/25/11
I would like to teach my children through creation, not books only. I want to make with them usable items, not crafts. Do you have any suggestions?

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2010

Let’s Play and Find Out About Slime – 11/15/10
Slime is easy for kids to make and ever so fun for kids to to play with. This ooey, gooey, slippery, and slimy stuff provides a perfect opportunity to guide kids to discover new things by applying what they already know. By Janice VanCleave.

Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits – 9/7/10
An interesting article appeared in this morning’s New York Times. It debunks much of what educators have been saying about how children learn, and seems to verify what unschooling families have known for years.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2009

Winter Olympics 2010 Unit Study – 12/7/09
This will be an ongoing resource through the Winter Olympics in Vancouver February 12-28, 2010. I encourage you to comment and add links of interest to those studying the Olympics.

Hot Gift Ideas for Kids Christmas 2009 – 12/3/09
A survey of friends of my daughter and grandson’s friends came up with repeated requests this year for the following gifts for the Holidays.

What is the best homeschool curriculum? – 11/17/09
I get this question so often and without any without any supporting information that I thought I’d post an analogy.

Unschooling With ADD – 11/3/09
Once these children are at home and have “deschooled” for a year or so, their parents begin to wonder if some large part of the learning disability they’ve been told about might not be school-induced.

Halloween Party Sounds – 10/28/09
Been in iTunes today collecting sounds and music for our Halloween neighborhood bash. Here’s the list I have so far.

Health Care Reform for Homeschool Moms – 10/26/09
As women, we can provide an important perspective in this debate, for in many ways health care reform is more important to us than it is to men.

Educationese for Homeschool Reports – 10/26/09
Educationese — or Teacherese — is the name sometimes given to the jargon too frequently employed by some of those who train our schoolteachers.

What do you do the first day of “not-back-to-school?” – 8/22/09
I mean the first day all the neighborhood kids go back to school, and your kids are, like, THERE waiting for you to “play teacher?”

Benefits of Dual Enrollment – 8/22/09
Dual enrollment the opportunity to challenge high school students with more rigorous college level courses for a dual benefit–they earn both high school and college credit.

May I homeschool someone else’s children? – 6/25/09
There are two scenarios. The person asking is a relative, such as a grandparent, older sibling, or other relative. They will be educating their relative at no charge. The second is someone unrelated to the family and who will be receiving compensation.

The Wild and Free Pigs of Okefenokee Swamp – 6/17/09
The parable of the pigs has a serious moral lesson. This story is about federal money being used to bait, trap and enslave a once free and independent people.

Media Guidelines – 6/16/09
By Holly Furgason. Be yourself and try to relax. Use your everyday speech. This is not the time to up grade your vocabulary. You’re doing a great job homeschooling and you want them to know it!

Starting a Homeschool Support Group – 6/16/09
By Holly Furgason. Groups can be as simple or as complicated as you want. Here are the basic steps to starting a simple group.

Indigo Children and Homeschooling – 5/7/09
By Sally Carless. Who are the Indigo children? How do you know if your child is one? And if they are–or if you’re not sure, but you know that their current schooling situation is not working for them–what do you do about it?

Homeschooling during the Swine Flu Pandemic – 4/30/09
As some schools are closing in Mexico and the US because of the outbreak of swine flu, some families are being forced into a few weeks of “accidental” homeschooling, and they just aren’t prepared.

How to Help Overcome Speech-Language Difficulties in the Home Schooled Child – 2/19/09
By Dr. Linda Kennedy. Speech-language disorders are common in children and are among the most difficult problems to detect, especially in a homeschool setting.

Patience – 2/10/09
By Barbara Frank. When people find out that I homeschool my children, they almost always say something along the lines of, “I could never do that. You must be a really patient person.”

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2008

Parts is Parts – Intelligence Revisited – 12/11/08
By David Albert. Most homeschoolers I know are partial to Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences.

Gift Ideas for Homeschoolers – 11/28/08
If you want to know what real homeschoolers who love this site are getting their kids for Christmas, here is a list taking directly from my Amazon sales reports.

Is the Economic News Going to Affect How You Homeschool? – 9/30/08
For the first time in the life of my website, I’m getting email from families who are turning to homeschooling because they’ve lost their homes in foreclosures.

Janice VanCleave Wants to Exchange Ideas – 8/25/08
I just need help in making my science ideas more useful in a homeschool setting. I am listing some of the ways that you can help me.

California Homeschoolers Win Landmark Case – 8/8/08
The California Court of Appeals had ruled in favor of homeschooling in our state.

New Term for Independent Study Programs – 7/21/08
Homeschool independent study programs now to be called PSPs or Private School Satelite Programs in California.

Long Family Case Development – 7/13/08
As you might have heard, there have been some important developments in the Long family’s case.

Kit Kittredge: American Girl – 7/4/08
Ann Zeise reviews the movie, and offers unit studies ideas to help chidren understand the Great Depression.

Rehearing at California Court of Appeal – 6/24/08
Keep in mind this court has an obligation to interpret the intent of the legislature, and it is a huge burden.

Keeping Mom Fit While Homeschooling – 6/11/08
Finding time to exercise with kids around all day every day can be a mighty big challenge. How other moms find time to get some exercise in each homeschooling day.

Am *I* going to pass along Parade Article? – 6/5/08
What I wrote back to Parade Magazine when I was asked to post a link to their recent highly inaccurate and biased article about homeschooling.

Amicus Brief Accepted by California Court of Appeal – 5/21/08
A joint brief filed by California’s three statewide homeschool organizations has been accepted for consideration by the California Court of Appeal in the case known as In re Rachel L.

What to Know Before You Join a Homeschool Co-op – 5/13/08
Carol Topp discusses some of the disadvantages of co-oping.

California Decision Vacated – 4/28/08
The In re Rachel L. decision handed down by the Court of Appeal of the State of California, has been vacated. California homeschooling back to normal.

A to Z Now Produced by Sunbeams – 4/20/08
Our homeschool business goes green. Solar panels installed April 2008. Other green improvements.

The Homeschooling Image: Public Relations Basics – 4/7/08
An ebook version of Mary Griffith’s The Homeschooling Image: Public Relations Basics, originally published in 1996. Updated in 2008.

Talking Points – 3/24/08
Homeschoolers Urged to Talk to Their Democrat California Assembly Members about supporting ACR 115.

Help the 10,100 Fired Teachers in California – 3/17/08
If we enfold these teachers into our midsts, let them see that we are fairly wise families with really nice kids, we could wind up with a huge resource of supportive people willing to help us out should our own current political problems grow worse.

Court ruling jolts home-school community – 3/16/08
A number of inaccuracies in this Milpitas Post article are corrected by Ann Zeise.

Schools Chief Jack O’Connell Issues Statement Regarding Home Schooling In California – 3/11/08
I have reviewed this case, and I want to assure parents that chose to home school that California Department of Education policy will not change in any way as a result of this ruling.

What’s the difference between a resolution and a bill? – 3/11/08
Resolutions allow the legislature to recognize people, events, groups, issues without actually making law.

Anderson’s Resolution Supported by Homeschool Associations in California – 3/10/08
Assemblymember Joel Anderson, a conservative Republican whose children are taught at home, has introduced a concurrent resolution in the California Assembly. If it passes, it will go to the state Senate for their vote. Act now! Call your California Assembly Person!

“In re Rachel L. Legal Representation Announced by Homeschool Associations – 3/10/08
Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, which is headquartered in Palo Alto, will be representing HSC. Baker & McKenzie, also with offices in Palo Alto, will be representing CHN.

“In re Rachel L.” decision – 3/5/08
The “In re Rachel L.” decision handed down by the Court of Appeal of the State of California, Second Appellate District, in Los Angeles County, on Febuary 28, 2008, has become too controversial to ignore.

Why Can’t Homeschoolers Play on School Sports Teams? – 2/15/08
Years ago there were major problems with ringers, or players who weren’t qualified, playing on teams in league sports.

Welcome to college. Now start an argument. – 1/19/08
Of all the advantages homeschoolers have over their public school friends, none exceeds their better understanding of the purpose of scholarship. By Stephen Combs.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2007

Speed Stacking – 11/6/07
Speed Stacking is growing in popularity among homeschoolers, who find the games easy to take to Park Days.

Kitchen Unit Studies – 10/9/07
Sample using Toll House Cookies as a unit study. By Peggy Baron.

Viral Learning: Reflections on the Homeschooling Life, by Mary Griffith – 9/19/07
Mary Griffith pulls no punches with her witty insights into her life as a homeschool mom, the making of herself into a “famous homeschool author,” and her part as a vital leader in the growth of homeschooling.

Truly Free K12 Homeschooling – 8/23/07
How to have a totally free K12 homeschool experience online and off.

May a Grandmother Homeschool? – 8/1/07
Yes, a grandmother may homeschool her grandchildren.

Homeschooling Green – 7/24/07
No one can do each and every thing that can matter to stop global warming, but if we can OVER ALL cut back even 10% each, the effect would be great.

Do You Want to Learn to Row? By Rick Pierson, Northwest Rowing – 6/25/07
How to find a rowing club and learn how to become part of a crew team.

How To Impress Science Fair Judges – 5/23/07
The first step to make judges take notice starts way before the science fair. It comes when you are thinking about what project to do.

Wikipedia Homeschooling is Highly Flawed Postcard – 4/11/07
Just what is the Wikipedia for anyway? I really thought it was about being a collaborative effort among those who know homeschooling? Apparently not.

Celebrating Jamestown – 3/21/07
Kids can get a feel for just how labor intensive it was to build during the colonial era by trying out an old fashioned tool called a pump drill. By Kris Bordessa.

A Different Drum – 2/15/07
My children, both with special needs, have been stared at, frowned upon, and pitied in their turn, and my home can feel much more like an open battlefield than a fortress at times. By Kerry Jones

Holistic Home – 2/5/07
The answer to holistic homeschoolers is to place the child’s individual spirit at the center of teaching and learning. By Lucie Smoker.

Losing Weight with Kids Around – 1/30/07
Losing weight with big kids around all day every day can be a mighty big challenge. Take time to include healthy eating and exercise habits in each homeschooling day.

New Year’s Resolutions – 1/1/07
Homeschooling doesn’t meaning just “winging it” with a bunch of half hearted hopes. Improving as you go along is part of the normal growth of your family’s homeschool experience – children and adults.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2006

Quickstart Curriculum – 12/20/06
Some books to order to just help families get started in their homeschool journey. Each selection is deliberately short and inexpensive.

The Twelve Math Days of Christmas – 12/11/06
Here are 12 great ways to combine math in your Christmas activities.

Homeschool Manifesto – 10/11/06
As you go out into the world, youthful homeschoolers, take this Homeschool Manifesto with you as you enter the cultures of academia and business.

Teaching Your Kids About Money – 9/20/06
Make financial goal setting and budgeting a family affair. If everyone in the family agrees on a goal, it’s easier for the whole family to do what it takes to meet that goal. By Elisabeth Donati.

Working from home on eBay – 9/7/06
How to succeed running your own sales business on eBay while also teaching your homeschooled kids how to help out, so you can afford to homeschool in the first place. By Lori Dake.

Tips for Frazzled Homeschool Moms – 7/19/06
Now that we are teaching the oldest two of our four children, my wife, Mary, has had to develop an intricate strategy in order to have a productive day. By Scott Stroud.

Independence Day – 6/26/06
“Independence Day” has a double meaning for homeschoolers. Not only is it a day to celebrate our country’s independence from tyranny, but also our own family’s liberation into homeschooling. By Ann Zeise.

Notebooking – 05/26/06
I became fascinated with notebooking a few months ago. According to what I read from the internet, it was kind of like scrapbooking. By Dana Sorrell.

Homeschooling the Older, Adopted Child – 5/18/06
While homeschooling is a wonderful option for all children, it may be the one thing that promotes lasting bonding, attachment and security when one adopts an older child. By Joanne Greco-Akerman

Hummingbird Nest – 5/8/06
It’s twins! Just feet from our front door. Come see the photos by Ann Zeise.

Bilingual Education – 4/18/06
Mr. Rodriguez would have us believe that sacrificing a relationship with his parents to fit in made him a better person, but to me his words told a different story. By Susan Crawford.

The Homeschool Alternative – 4/17/06
Home based education ­ legal in all 50 states — is a growing movement that offers parents and children alike the opportunity to grow and learn in a loving and supportive environment. By Kris Bordessa.

Helping Your Child Learn to Read – By John Edelson – 3/18/06
Learning to read is an exciting time for children and their families. For many parents, helping their child learning to read establishes a pattern for their involvement in their child’s academic education.

Hiking with Homeschoolers – 3/17/06
Hiking into nature provides the perfect environment for some whole learning that can cross the subject borders: physical education, science, history, social studies, literature, and art. By Sheri McGregor.

Blogs and Kids – 3/16/06
Blogs are an awesome tool. Just like any tool, you can take precautions to make it safe. By Tammy Takahashi.

Murphy’s Laws of Homeschooling – 3/6/06
Whatever you know a whole lot about, your child will refuse to learn it!

State of Affairs for LA Homeschoolers – 2/11/06
It’s just such a huge and terrible mess. I don’t think the news media really conveys how bad the situation is in some of the lower parishes, and in some certain areas of the greater New Orleans region. By Denise Deeves.

Valentine’s Day Unit Study – 2/6/06
A jam-packed e-book of fun Valentine projects for you and your children. A unit study to share with your friends.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2005

Homeschool Rooms – 12/30/05
Is it time to convert your preschooler’s playroom into a space for an older child to have all their educational resources handy in one space?

Teamwork for Homeschool Support Groups – 12/29/05
Whether yours is a new group just starting out or one that has been together longer, consider adding some fun team building activities to your next meeting. By Kris Bordessa.

Educational Things to do with Your iPod – 12/17/05
Homeschool families, especially those hanging around this site, are early adopters of new technologies. If there is a way to use a new tool for an educational purpose, they are willing to give it a try. Here are some ways to use your new iPod in creative ways.

Unspelling – 10/23/05
Unspelling™ works like this: one person picks a source word. Then, in turn, each of the players must spell this word incorrectly, but with a basis in a sound-analogy with the way another word (or words) is correctly spelled.

UC Riverside Admits Homeschoolers – 10/21/05
Applicants to UCR’s new admission program will have taken part in a nontraditional educational approach such as homeschooling or attended a nonaccredited charter school that uses innovative educational methods during the high school years.

Homeschool NonDiscrimination Act of 2005 – 10/10/05
While the intent of the bill may be honorable, the effect of the bill is potentially disastrous for homeschooling parents who want to remain free from government regulation. Text of this bill.

Christopher Columbus Unit Study – 10/8/05
This page is an attempt to help parents see all sides of the controversy so that they can better evaluate material they present to their children regarding Columbus and his times, according to the age and maturity of their children.

Holding Children Accountable – 9/29/05
Although I understand the perspective of children being accountable for their own learning, I don’t agree that it’s a child’s responsibility to show to other people that they are learning. By Tammy Takahashi.

Katrina Relief from Homeschoolers – 9/5/05 
I promise to donate all proceeds made on this site on Monday, September 12, to one or several relief organizations that promise to give the greatest proportion directly to relief and not overhead.

Motherhood – Smarter or More Anxious? – 5/7/05
Two books came out just in time for Mother’s Day 2005. One claims that motherhood makes us to be more anxious and the other claims motherhood makes us women smarter. Does one necessarily preclude the other?

Taking a Reading on Children’s Reading – 4/23/05
By Drew B. Saunders, PBS. PBS, in addition to creating great on-air programs like Sesame Street and Reading Rainbow to help young readers flourish, also has free online resources for parents and teachers all about guiding students as they learn to read and write.

Are We Done Yet? – 4/7/05
For homeschool families who choose not to go through an organized program or curriculum, coming to the point of saying, “Yes, we’re done and we’re going to graduate our teen from high school,” is not an easy task.

National Geographic Bee Contest Eligibility – 3/21/05
We have heard from a number of people concerned about National Geographic’s treatment of home-schooled children in our annual geography Bee competition because of an incident that recently occurred in New Hampshire.

FDR- A Presidency Revealed Eligibility – 3/11/05
The History Channel has decided to open the scholarship challenge to all homeschoolers (even in states where homeschooling is not considered “private” school) in addition to students enrolled in a private and/or public high school.

MacWorld SF 2005 Report – 1/15/05
I’ve been at MacWorld SF most of this week and thought I’d report back what I saw and heard that might most interest homeschoolers and homeschool webmasters.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2004

Homeschoolers Plan to Help Tsunami Victims – 12/27/04
David Albert organizes relief effort by homeschoolers to help orphans in South India. By David Albert.

Teaching Children to Give Back – 10/25/04
How to engage small children in caring about community and charity. By Ellen Sabin.

Teaching and Relating to Your Child’s Learning Style – 10/20/04
How to teach anyone to read once you have identified their learning style. By Lorraine Peoples, author of You Can Teach Someone to Read.

Homeschoolers for Kerry and Edwards – 9/28/04
Activities and lesson plans for children and teens to learn more about the election process by participating in the Kerry-Edwards Campaign.

High Interest Approachable Vocabulary – 08/30/04
A series of six short novels by Patricia Birtwistle that consists of exciting stories of intrigue and suspense for children ages 10 and older with reading difficulties. By Ruth Pell.

The Pinhole Camera – An Overview – 8/31/04
The drawbacks of the pinhole image forces you to become a better photographer and compel you use the principals of composition to craft a better image. Using a pinhole camera forces you to become a better photographer.

Democrats Homeschool, Too – 8/9/04
Many successful homeschool families are Democrats – including myself!

Avoiding Hotel Food – 8/8/04
How to survive at a homeschool conference with starving children in a hotel room where all the food is way too expensive for your budget. By Nancy Friedland.

Back to School – 7/23/04
Does that phrase make you and your kids feel like there is a party and you aren’t invited? By Connie Colten

Working from Home and Homeschool – 6/14/04
Replies to the question: Any suggestions from those of you that do work at home or know someone that does. I would like to have an honest business, something that I could be proud of!

Christopher Paolini and Eragon: A Homeschool Success Story – 5/25/04 
Like so many homeschoolers, Christopher tackles projects by educating himself.

Americans leave school to study with their parents at home – 3/23/04
The number of children and teenagers that are removed from school by their parents to be educated at home is growing. A psychologist says that the system does not work. By Mariana Leite. Published in the Diário de S.Paulo, Brazil.

Things to know before citing Case Law – 2/13/04
Did you know? When a phrase from a court case is quoted, it makes a big difference where the phrase was taken from the decision of that case? by Attorney Deborah Stevenson, Executive Director of National Home Education Legal Defense.

Acting Confident – 2/10/04
It all starts out innocently enough. I was probably more ditzy than most when we started. So many families spend months thinking about homeschooling, planning for it.

Theatre For Kids – 2/9/04
Theaters vary in level of accessibility, but calling around, or attending the ones in your area, will give you an idea of how friendly and open they are. By Peggy Burgi.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2003

Proms for Homeschoolers – 10/23/03
Several states are having state-wide proms for homeschoolers this year. Here are their announcements.

A Dark Side To Home Schooling? – 10/13/03
CBS Evening News tonight dredged up an old murder suicide story in order to once again sell fear disguised as a news story.

Homeschooling, by Patricia M. Lines – 9/27/03
Choosing to homeschool or to traditionally educate a child is often a difficult and confusing decision for parents and guardians. To help them make the best choice possible, this brochure answers basic questions about homeschooling and suggests other useful sources of information.

Internet Games – 8/29/03
For a balanced life, establish limits, but do not worry that your child is not learning anything useful when playing Internet games.

Childcare Co-Ops – 8/28/03
You don’t hear about childcare co-ops very much any more, but back in the 70′s, when I was a young mom, they were all the rage. I started one up in McMinnville, Oregon, that lasted for years, long after I had moved away.

How Natural Reading Happens – 8/25/03
Why did Matt learn to read all by himself? We hadn’t taught him, had we? It just sort of happened. By Susan Viator.

Not Back to School Savings At Amazon – 8/23/03
Friends, I need to sell only 2 more non-media products to nudge my Amazon commission level up a notch. So I went looking for things you might like.

Dispelling the Stereotype of Ethnic Prejudice in Homeschooling – 7/10/03
By Hank R. Kraychir. Homeschooling has become mainstream in many ethnic communities, with more people of color now choosing to homeschool their children.

Protection Online – 6/25/03
Children should never to give out their full name – in fact, let them make up a nickname to use online. Something other than “HotChick12!”

Homeschool Diploma Photoshop Template – 6/3/03
Updated for the 2020s. Diploma with gold lettering and no border. Edit in Photoshop to customize for your graduate. Print on certificate paper.

Summer Plans – 5/29/03
I suggest “educating” differently. Take a break from “schooling” and learn from doing things, lots of interesting things.

Comfort Zone for the Homeschooling Dad – 5/23/03 
Jeff was in torment. How would his children ever make a living as adults? How could his wife condone so much wasted time? Were the children’s minds sinking into quicksand? By Win and Bill Sweet.

Babysitting Class Online – 5/15/03
BabysittingClass.com would like to ask parents to take a few seconds to do the following safety check before leaving a sitter alone with your child.

Making Your Homeschool Support Group Website Special – 4/20/03
The very top support group sites do not try to duplicate the efforts of state association sites or comprehensive homeschool websites, but focus instead on what they know that the “Big Guys” do not: their local resources.

Boys And War Games – 3/20/03
Every night he’d line up his army just back a bit from our front door, ready for any invasion.

Online Shorthands – A to Z Home’s Cool Homeschooling – 3/6/03
OFL. My dh does that, too. CUL8R. If you need help with this lingo, look here.

Google for Homeschool Resources – 2/24/03
Google.com has become the search engine of choice. I use it to research homeschool information for my website and for our homeschooling. Here are some tips to make you a power user.

Falling Through the Cracks – 2/21/03
I have three children and all three of the are doing poorly in school this year. It seems to me that the system is failing my children. I would like your thoughts and opinions and maybe some advice.

Community College Dual Enrollment – 2/20/03
How we have managed to help our homeschooling teen take college courses.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2002

Early Days of AOL Homeschooling Forums – 12/12/02
December 2002 marks my 13th year online. Early days in Homefront Hall and AHEM chats and boards.

Other People’s Children – 10/28/02
Be REALLY careful of comparing your children and a friend’s children. Someone else’s children will ALWAYS know something that your kids don’t.

October Unit Study Ideas – 10/3/02
October is sort of an odd month, isn’t it? Ideas for unit studies.

Is Homeshooling Suddenly Illegal In California? No! – 9/8/02
Here is a statement that has been prepared by one of the attorneys on the HSC legal team. September 8, 2002.

Questions and Comments About Homeschooling – 8/27/02
An upset educator wrote me today. Her questions may be some you also have, so I thought I’d put them up online.

Learning Every Minute – 8/4/02
Our daily lives are teeming with opportunities for learning. If you look at your life closely, you will realize there are a myriad of teachable moments each day.

Light and Learning – 8/3/02
If you want to see an immediate improvement in attitude in your family, replace pink and cool white fluorescent lighting with full spectrum light bulbs inside your home, and spend more time outside near if not in sunlight.

Must I Be Organized?- 7/21/02
Contrary to what some perfectionist homeschool moms espouse, organization is one of the LEASTimportant factors of a successful school year.

Read In Remembrance – 7/13/02
A time for children, teachers, parents, and community leaders to come together and share books and writings that teach and inspire; words that celebrate and honor the bravery and spirit of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

Developing Your Online Persona – 6/30/02
As I look back over my nearly 13 years online, I realize that I have integrated into my real self the more interesting persons I was portraying online.

Car Games – 6/24/02
Playing games with kids can make a long car trip both pleasant and educational. Print this out to take along!

Off Topic E-Conversations – 5/10/02
Often through the “off topic” chit chat about daily family life, list members build a certain amount of trust.

Planning a Custom Education – 05/05/02
The real trick to homeschooling is, believe it or not, to forget what “they” have put in place of goals for your child.

Protecting the Gift – 04/18/02
When is it a good thing to have a little fear, a little wariness? How do we teach our kids to be “streetwise?”

Library Paddles – 03/23/02
Kids simply insert the paddle next to the book they want, pull out the book, sit down, and look at it or show it to Mom. By the Eigen Family.

Course Numbers and Transcript Details – 03/13/02
Important pieces that should always be included when preparing a transcript for a college. By Shirley Minster.

Testing Requirements Compared – 03/08/02
Twenty-two states require testing or offer testing as one of several assessment alternatives.

The Adventures of Charlie – Book Review – 2/14/02
My sister homeschools her 6 children and has had wonderful results with a book series by Rae Lowery.

Helping Gifted Children Soar – Book Review – 2/3/02
Very readable, well-organized, practical, on everything from dealing with pros and cons of special talents in the kids to responses that aren’t always supportive in the teachers, to advocating for one’s child. By Ruth Richards.

Using Content Standards – 1/31/02
Why have the government content standards on a homeschooling website?

Do You Yahoo? – 1/3/02
Yahoo is easy for any member of your support group or family who is even vaguely internet sauvy to set up what amounts to a full “community”-type website… and best of all it is free!

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2001

Sociability of Students in a Home-based Charter School – 12/8/01
The results of Craig Butz’s study indicate that students who are educated in the home-based charter school are not adversely affected in their socialization ability.

Christmas Gift Tags With Hints – 12/07/01
Just add a cryptic hint to a tag to get the recipient guessing what it could be!

Homeschool Word Scramble – 11/27/01
Print out and solve these scrambled homeschool words we commonly use.

Single Parent and Working – 11/21/01
Advice on how to homeschool if you are a working single parent. Applies to families in which all adults must work as well.

World Trade Center Crumbles – 9/19/01
Use It to Strengthen Learning Environments – Advice on how to help children and teens understand what happened September 11, 2001

Best Books For Kids Who (Think They) Hate To Read – 9/13/01
Advice on how to choose books that are just right for your reluctant reader. By Laura Backes, author.

The Magic of Musical Storytelling – 7/25/01
Humming, singing or whistling a musical chorus to the storyteller’s words summons joy. By Nancy Mellon.

Just For the Summer – 6/12/01
Your son or daughter didn’t do too well in school this past year and you want to help them catch up. Can you homeschool just for the summer?

No More Writer’s Block – 4/26/01
Using multiple intelligences to help young writers, By Laurel Schmidt.

Easter Egg Hunt
26 colorful eggs will be hidden throughout the Explorations section just before Easter each year and removed afterwards.

Integers Made Easy – 4/4/01
Using a village carpet and a small car, you can get across the concepts of adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers.

A Tax Write-off? – 3/14/01
Can I write off any homeschooling expenses on my taxes?

Bookstore Etiquette – 1/1/01
Here are some suggestions of how you can help so that a clean copy of the book you want can be found next time you go to the bookstore

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 2000

Journal of a Homeschooling Mom – 11/1/00
Learning happens so often outside our home, while on extensive vacations or just in town. By Anne Salazar-Dunbar.

Ghost Town – Bodie, California – 10/31/00
Homeschoolers haunt this historic gold mining town on a fine October day. An online field trip.

Foreign Service – 10/11/00
Let your children see the world! Consider homeschooling while posted at an embassy abroad.

Halloween Spook School – 9/30/00
Welcome to our homeschool for little spooks. Our haunted house needs to meet all the state requirements for being a haunted home school.

Web Writing – 8/31/00
Teri Brown writes on how to become a paid published writer on the web or for homeschool-related magazines.

Online Buddies Bash – 8/17/00
You’ve been corresponding for months online, and now you’d like to meet in real life. Here’s a way to organize a casual session during a conference so that you can meet in a safe environment.

El Cheapo Summer – 7/18/00
No money for camp? Not a penny for vacation? How will you and the kids ever survive the summer? By Annette Berlin.

Working With Museums – 6/18/00
Report from the Effective Strategies for Working with Homeschoolers session at the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM) Conference. By Debi Richter.

Other Countries – 6/12/00
How to advise families who want to homeschool in a non-English speaking country.

John Taylor Gatto – 5/28/00
Gatto was, at various times, Teacher of the Year for New York City or State. He currently speaks around the country about what is wrong with the public school system.

Conference Conundrum – 4/8/00
One way to learn about homeschooling and select curriculum is to attend a homeschooling conference, convention or curriculum fair.

Teachers Who Want to Tutor – 2/18/00
You want to break out of public schools. How do you enter the homeschool market

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 1999

Discriminating, Elitist and Racist – 12/11/99
How can you respond when someone calls you these things?

Millenium Cleanout – 11/9/99
I’ve caught a Millenium Cleanout Flu. Are you suffering from it, too?

HSLDA and HSLDA/F Consumer Information – 10/22/99
There are many different opinions about HSLDA. How to shop and compare, should you desire prepaid legal insurance regarding your homeschool efforts.

Home = Education Conference Photo Album – 8/28/99
Meet many of my online buddies, fellow homeschool web wonks, and favorite homeschooling writers.

Is It Just The Age? – 7/28/99
An overview of Erik H. Erikson on Identity and the Life Cycle, and how his theories may affect your homeschooling approach.

Undiscovered Country – 7/15/99
Samantha Gillison’s dark novel of an homeschooling family’s nightmare in New Guinea.

Local Site Wish List – 6/28/99
What homeschooling families would like to find on web pages from library, parenting, and community organizations.

Reading Level Assessment – 6/8/99
Two assessments to help you figure out the reading level of your child.

Free Social Project Management Tools – 4/6/99
Share your homeschooling plans on the web.

Spring Cleaning Your ‘tudes – 3/25/99
Sometimes it’s a matter of changing your attitude.

Educational Neglect – 3/17/99
New laws could make homeschooling “educational neglect.”

Building a Support Website – 1/26/99
Samples of styles used that get across essential elements.

Testing Homeschoolers – 1/4/99
Are the children learning? Should you test? Must you test? How to find tests.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 1998

Christmas Lesson Ideas – 12/9/98
A Christmas curriculum to fulfill every requirement.

Records and Reports – 9/26/98
An Excel spreadsheet from your guide and lotsof resources to help you plan, record and report.

Homeschooling Guide – 8/31/98
What is homeschooling? Why do it? Who does it? What do you do?

Kindergartners – 8/18/98
Homeschooling kindergartners is a time of exploring how the world works.

Ravage of Home Education Through Exclusion By Religion – 7/7/98
A White Paper by Raymond S. Moore, Homeschool Founder. HSLDA links included.

Outdoor Adventure – 6/24/98
Lessons in survival in the school of nature.

Unschooling All Summer – 6/11/98
Do you make your kids learn in the summer, too?

Mom Guilt – 5/8/98
Does your family really appreciate and understand?

Socialization: The “S” Word – 4/29/98
Ways to answer: “Aren’t you concerned about socialization?”

Where Do I Start? – 4/07/98
Where to start looking for homeschooling information and advice.

Homeschool Web Clip Art – 3/24/98
Artist Michelle Thoburn drew “homeschool is cool” graphics just for us.

Lucky You, You’re Homeschooling! – 3/17/98
Chase the snakes out of your home and think about how lucky you are.

Foundations for Successful Homeschooling – 2/18/98
Help homeschooling a multiage family of two or more children.

Home Educators’ Discounts – 2/12/98
Here’s how to get discounts typically given to public school teachers.

Homeschool Stationery – 1/26/98
Make matching calling card, letterhead, and perhaps a brochure.

Naming Your Homeschool – 1/19/98
If you haven’t already done so, consider naming your homeschool.

A to Z Homeschool Articles from 1997

Reading Lists – 12/29/97
Recommended reading lists and reviews of children’s literature online.

Living Joyfully With Children – 11/26/97
Win and Bill Sweet: maximize freedom and success, minimize fear and failure.

Curriculum To Unschooling – 11/11/97
From off-the-shelf to creating your own, to letting your child lead the way.

HeartMath and the Magical Child – 10/14/97
Your guide’s review upon hearing Joseph Chilton Pearce speak.

Fire Prevention Unit Study – 10/07/97
Fire Prevention Week provides lots of opportunity to discuss fire safety.

It’s so much fun, it can’t be legal – 9/22/97
Homeschooling is legal, and you can still have fun within the legal boundaries.

Care For the Primary Care Giver – 9/07/97
Prepare to homeschool by planning to get the Care Giver’s needs met first.

Going Our Own Way – 9/04/97
Your guide tells her family’s story about getting started homeschooling.

Getting Started, A Chat – 8/26/97
I was chatting with a parent who was considering homeschooling her eldest daughter.

Homeschooling Is Best – 8/19/97
Rebuttal to Tracy Pope who wrote “Classroom is Best” in the August “Bay Area Parent.”