Homeschool

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Introduction

Why Homeschool?

Well, lots of reasons. And we'll get into them in a second. But first: don't be offended by this topic, dear educators who happen to be reading this. Just as people are compelled to become teachers...

The History of Homeschooling in the U.S.

Let's be realistic about this history thing. Since the first public high school in the U.S. didn't open until 1820 (Boston Public in Massachusetts), and the first truancy laws were not put in place...

12 Famous (and Famous-ish) Homeschoolers

Typical lists of famous homeschoolers are filled with early U.S. presidents and historical figures, but hey—we here at Shmoop are not typical. Besides, back in the homesteading, prairie days of U...

The 5 Biggest Challenges of Homeschooling

It's not all sunshine and rainbows, so let's just cut to the case.1. Swimming against the tide.As of 2012, the U.S. Department of Education's National Council for Education Statistics (NCES) report...

The 5 Greatest Rewards of Homeschooling

People do it for a reason. So let's find out why.1. Increased family time and interconnection.While most children who homeschool tend to participate in activities, classes, field trips, and gatheri...

The Top 6 Books Seasoned Homeschoolers Recommend to Newbies

1. Homeschooling for Excellence by David and Mickey ColfaxThe Colfaxes have served as models for generations of homeschoolers now, and the lessons in their book are still relevant today. While no o...

Part-Time Homeschooling

Homeschooling gets a bad rap. The students don't learn how to socialize, the parents aren't experts in chem or ancient Greek, everyone ends up sounding like the kids on Little House on the Prairie....