Free Home School Information Session Shares Another Education Option for Parents
Have You Considered Home School? That is the question Homeschool Roster and Hardeman County Homeschoolers has for families in Hardeman County. If you are curious, considering, or currently homeschooling, or just have questions about home school, the free home school information session is one you should make plans to attend. The next session will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and Thursday, May 2, 2024, from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. at the Bolivar-Hardeman County Library to learn how you can homeschool in Tennessee.
“Homeschool dates to before the 1850s, so the idea has been around for a long time. It has been legal in Tennessee since 1985,” said Jennifer Smeltser who manages Homeschool Roster, a homeschool news resource for West Tennessee homeschoolers, and has been coordinating field trips and events for the same for more than 10 years. “Since that time, homeschool has evolved so much. Homeschoolers can pretty much participate in the same experiences their public school and private school peers enjoy.”
The Have You Considered Home School? Information session will include an overview of how to legally homeschool in Tennessee, home school styles, curriculum options, sports, local resources for homeschoolers, and an open time for attendees to get their homeschool questions answered. Ms. Smeltser has homeschooled her three children since they were in kindergarten. She has a son who graduated in 2023 from TCAT-Whiteville, a daughter who is a freshman in college, and another son who is a high school sophomore with HomeLife Academy (umbrella school). She hopes to bring clarity to a lot of stereotypes and misconceptions about what is homeschooling.
“A couple of years ago, public school and private school families across the country found their children receiving their education by sitting at home in front of a computer. A lot of people left that experience thinking that was homeschooling when instead it was public/private school at home, which is something completely different from what is home school,” said Ms. Smeltser who believes home school has been a great option for her family. “Home school has allowed my children the opportunity to learn math, science, and other typical subjects as well as pursue their interests, and nurture their creative side. Teaching them has not been limited to four walls, textbooks, or long hours in front of a computer. It has involved them learning by getting out of the house, hands-on-experiences, field trips, travel (domestically and abroad), deeper exploration, and more. I have enjoyed watching the relationships my children have with each grow stronger, and learning beside them. Although home school is not for everyone, it is a viable education option for families.”
Register to attend the free Have You Considered Homeschool? session.
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