Homeschooling Resources for Parents and Students

by Patricia M. Lines

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Finding the Right Homeschooling Resources for Your Child

This brochure highlights educational materials for parents who teach their children at home. Many of the journals, newsletters, books, and electronic sources listed here are available through libraries, public schools, government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and online services.

Resources not included below include a special annual issue of Growing Without Schooling ($6; 617- 864-3100) listing contact information for state associations, support organizations, and experienced homeschoolers; a list of state support organizations from the Home School Legal Defense Fund (free; 540-330-5600); the Homeschool Associates' bookmobile (East Coast only; 1-800-882- 2828); and the Educational Resources Information Center (1-800-LET-ERIC).

If you are new to homeschooling, other homeschoolers are an invaluable source of information. If you do not know any in your area, your state department of education will likely have the names and addresses of homeschooling contacts in your state.

Magazines and Newsletters

The following list represents some of the many periodicals now available to homeschooling families. Check your local library or bookstore for additional titles.

The Drinking Gourd: Multicultural Home Education Magazine
P.O. Box 2557
Redmond, WA 98073
206-836-0336
E-mail: TDrinkingGrd@aol.com
U.S.: $15/year for 6 issues
Multicultural magazine specializing in math and science information; includes catalog of software.

The Forum
National Homeschool Association
P.O. Box 157290,
Cincinnati, OH 45214-7290
513-772-9580
U.S.: $15/year for 4 issues
Newsletter for homeschoolers catering to anyone with an interest in alternative education.

Growing Without Schooling
Holt Associates, Inc.
2269 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-864-3100
U.S.: $25/year for 6 issues
Outside the U.S.: $40/year
Journal representing a variety of religious beliefs; includes contributions by homeschooling parents and students, book and resource reviews, readers' feedback, pen-pal listings, and information directories.

Home Education Magazine
P.O. Box 1083
Tonasket, WA 98855
509-486-1351
E-mail: HomeEdMag@aol.com
U.S.: $12/6 months for 3 issues; $24/12 months for 6 issues
Magazine representing a variety of religious and philosophical beliefs and educational approaches; emphasizes child-led learning and features articles and helpful notes.

Homeschooling Today
P.O. Box 1425
Melrose, FL 32666-9988
904-462-7201
U.S.: $20/year ($16 prepaid) for 6 issues
Canada: $27/year ($24 prepaid) for 6 issues Magazine with a Christian perspective; favors the unit approach and offers curriculum guides, lesson plans, and reproducible pages.

The Home School Court Report
Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 159
Paeonian Springs, VA 22129
703-338-5600
U.S.: $15/year for 6 issues
Magazine examining the legal aspects of home-schooling; provides information packets and curriculum guides for teachers and parents.

Home School Researcher National Home Research Institute
c/o Western Baptist College
5000 Deer Park Drive SE
Salem, OR 97301-9392
503-375-7019
E-mail: bray@wbc.edu
U.S.: $40/year for 4 issues
Peer-reviewed academic journal on homeschoolers' achievements, specializations, and demographics; discusses philosophical, historical, legal, and policy issues.

Moore Report International
The Moore Foundation
P.O. Box 1, Camas, WA 98607
206-835-2736
U.S.: $12/year for 6 issues
Canada: $25/year for 6 issues
Newspaper with a Christian perspective; special interest in informal learning for younger children and national and international homeschooling news.

NATHHAN News
National Challenged Homeschoolers Associated Network
5383 Alpine Road SE
Olalla, WA 98359
206-857-4257
U.S.: $15/year for 4 issues
Newsletter offering helpful information on homeschooling children with special needs.

New Attitude
P.O. Box 2250
Gresham, OR 97030
1-800-225-5259
U.S.: $15/year for 4 issues ($2 for a sample)
Outside the U.S.: $20/year
Magazine with a Christian perspective, published by homeschooled teens for their peers; discusses topical issues such as college preparation, peer pressure, and dating.

Options in Learning The Alliance for Parental Involvement in Education (AllPIE)
P.O. Box 59
East Chatham, NY 12060
518-392-6900
E-mail: allpiesr@aol.com
U.S.: $20/year for 4 issues
Newsletter exploring a wide spectrum of public, private, and home education options.

Practical Homeschooling
Home Life
P.O. Box 1250
Fountain, MO 63026
1-800-346-6322
E-mail: marypride@aol.com
U.S.: $15 for 4 issues; $24 for 8 issues
Canada: Add $10
Magazine with a Christian perspective; focuses on high-tech homeschooling, college opportunities, cutting-edge ideas, product reviews, and teaching methods.

Electronic Sources

Parents AskERIC: An Internet-based service helping parents and parent support programs. E-mail your questions on children's growth, development, and education to askeric@ericir.syr.edu

Listservs:
Internet-based discussion groups that enable participants to interact electronically.

CommNet. Members discuss general homeschooling issues; run by the publishers of Home Education Magazine. Send e-mail to Hegener@aol.com and ask to be placed on the CommNet mailing list.

Home-ed-politics@mainstream.com. Members discuss legal issues and U.S. law regarding homeschooling. Send e-mail to home-ed-politics-reque st@mainstream.com. Include "home-ed-politics (first name) (last name)" in your message.

Home-ed@world.std.com. Members ask and answer practical homeschooling questions and share ideas. Send e-mail to home-ed-request@world.std.com. Include "subscribe home-ed" in your message.

Hmedrsch@etsuadmn.etsu.edu. Members discuss research related to homeschooling. Send e-mail to hmedrsch-request@etsuadmn.e tsu.edu.

Taffie. Members discuss general homeschooling issues. Send e-mail to listproc@jsoft.com. Include "subscribe taffie (name)" in your message.

World Wide Web:
A graphics-oriented user interface for presenting text, video, and sound electronically. You need Internet access and special software to browse the Web.

Jon's Homeschooling Page. Contains bibliographies and information about paper-copy sources and allows access to several relevant resources on the Web. URL: http://www.midnightbeach.com/hs/ .

National Parent Information Network (NPIN). Specializes in full-text articles on child development, care, and education. URL: http://ericps.ed.uiuc.edu/npi n/npinhome.html.

Books and References

The following books are recommended by a broad cross section of experienced homeschoolers. Watch your bookstore and library for new titles.

• Colfax, David and Micki. 1988. Homeschooling for Excellence. New York: Warner Books.
  
  
• Guterson, David. 1992. Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
  
  
• Harris, Greg. 1988. The Christian Home School. Brentwood, TN: Wolgemuth & Hyatt.
  
  
• Hegener, Mark and Helen, Eds. 1995. The Homeschool Reader. Tonasket, WA: Home Education Press.
  
  
• Hewitt Educational Resources. 1992. Home Education Guide. Washougal, WA: Hewitt Research Foundation.
  
  
• Holt, John. 1981. Teach Your Own. New York: Delacorte Press.
  
  
• Hood, Mary. 1996. The Home School Resource Guide and Directory of Associations. Cartersville, GA: Ambleside Educational Press.
  
  
• Hood, Mary. 1994. The Relaxed Home School: A Family Production. Cartersville, GA: Ambleside Educational Press.
  
  
• Kaseman, Larry. 1990. Taking Charge Through Homeschooling: Personal and Political Empowerment. Stoughton, WI: Koshkonoong Press.
  
  
• Moore, Ray and Dorothy, and others. 1979. School Can Wait. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press.
  
  
• O'Leary, Jenifer. 1993. Write Your Own Curriculum: A Complete Guide to Planning, Organizing, and Documenting Homeschool Curriculums. Stevens Point, WI: Whole Life Publications.
  
  
• Pedersen, Anne, and Peggy O'Mara, Eds. 1990. Schooling at Home: Parents, Kids and Learning. Santa Fe, CA: John Muir Publications.
  
  
• Poteet, Howard G. 1986. We Succeeded Through Home Study. Washington, DC: Distance Education and Training Council.
  
  
• Pride, Mary. 1990. 1991. The New Big Book of Homeschooling. Vols. 1-4. Getting Started; Preschool and Elementary; Teen and Adult; After Schooling. Westchester, IL: Crossways Books.
  
  
• Sheffer, Susannah. 1995. A Sense of Self: Listening to Homeschooled Adolescents. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers.
  
  
• Soyke, M. Jean. 1991. Early Education at Home: A Curriculum Guide for Parents of Preschoolers and Kindergartners. Baltimore, MD: M. J. Soyke.
  
  
• Wade, Theodore Jr., and others. 1993. The Home School Manual, 5th ed. Auburn, CA: Gazelle.
  
  

Credits

Compiled by Patricia M. Lines, Senior Research Analyst, National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, Policymaking, and Management, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, and Barbara Reuben-Powell and Michael Heeg, Information Specialists, ACCESS ERIC, under Contract No. RR92024001. The opinions expressed in this brochure do not necessarily reflect the positions of the U.S. Department of Education.

TITLE: Homeschooling Resources for Parents and Students
AUTHOR: Patricia M. Lines
PUBLICATION DATE: Fall 1996