It seems odd to put this question above why we homeschool, but it or a variation is what we are asked most often. This probably has to do with a couple of factors.

One is the myth that homeschooling means being cooped up at home like hermits. This is far from the truth, at least for us and all the other homeschoolers we know. Actually, homeschooling frees up our schedule to be more involved in activities around the community.

The second factor is tied up in why we homeschool.      top

Ever hear of asynchronous development? If not, spend some time at Hoagie's Gifted Education Page. Enter either through the Parents or Educators links. This is the definitive site on the web for issues in giftedness.

Basically, my sons present problems for traditional public schools. They are very strong in some skills, yet lag in others. This makes homeschooling the ideal situation. We spend our energy meeting them where they are, nurturing the whole child, rather than battling school officials.      top

I've paired these together because they almost always come as a team, although the order sometimes varies. We plan to homeschool for however long it takes and suits us. We have no stone tablets around here--dry erase boards are more our style.

How long have we been homeschooling? That depends on your perspective. To me, we've been on our learning journey since our oldest son was born. Officially, according to school records, this is our second year.     top

Well, now. This is a question that has several different meanings, depending on who and how it's asked. I'm going to address the more positive interpretation.

What do you do. . .for schooling? As the name of our school implies, we use a variety of styles and methods. We are pretty much unschoolers. That means the majority of what we do and study is child directed.

I very much like the Montessori and Waldorf principles that play is a child's work. When living and learning are inextricably intertwined, curiosity and imagination thrive.

With Charlotte Mason and Classical Education, I appreciate their emphasis on real books and history. I really like Charlotte Mason's naturalist approach.

So what do we do? I follow my children's lead. I try to provide them opportunities and resources to pursue their interests. I can't say that I'm a complete unschooler, however, because I do some occasional tweaking.     top

The Meanings Behind the Symbols article from Fleur-de-lis Designs provided information that helped us choose the colors and icons for our logo.                (Emphases are mine.) Blue -- means "Truth and Loyalty" Gold -- symbolizes "Generosity and Elevation of the Mind" White -- signifies "Peace and Sincerity" Purple -- is "Royal Majesty, Sovereignty and Justice" Swan -- stands for "Poetic Harmony and Learning, or lover thereof; Light, Love, Grace, Sincerity, and Perfection" Meanings of other icons Cross -- Christian, as well as Balance Bible -- God's Word and Wisdom Dish Receiver -- Science, Seeking and Connecting Palette, Dancer, & Treble Clef -- the Arts and Creativity