June 26, 2024 – FREEDOM! It’s Why We Homeschool!

Hey, Mama!

Gena Suarez, Publisher of TOS

The Joy of Homeschool Freedom

“Homeschool freedom” is a treasure that allows us to tailor our children’s education to align with our faith, values, and unique family dynamics. At The Old Schoolhouse®, we’ve been fervent advocates of this freedom, and our latest project embodies this commitment.

The Schoolhouse Network is a wonderful initiative that connects homeschool families through local co-ops and shared learning experiences. It creates a supportive community where families teach and learn together, nurturing both academic growth and Biblical discipleship. The joy of homeschooling in a network like this is seeing our children thrive in a Christ-centered environment, surrounded by peers and mentors who uplift and inspire them.

ChurchSchoolhouse.com takes this vision even further by partnering with churches to host homeschool groups. These “Schoolhouses” provide a structured yet flexible learning space where parents can remain deeply involved in their children’s education. By using the comprehensive curriculum from a centralized platform, SchoolhouseTeachers.com, families benefit from a cohesive educational plan (covering grades PK-12) while enjoying the fellowship and support of their church community. It’s a beautiful blend of faith, education, and community support.

The Pastor Plan Initiative (PPI) is the charitable nonprofit driving The Schoolhouse Network. We collaborate with pastors and church leaders to start a Schoolhouse as a ministry of the local church. Find out how to get involved at www.ThePastorPlan.org.

In our journey as homeschooling families, we encounter many challenges, but we also experience the profound joy of seeing our children grow in wisdom and grace. The freedom to homeschool allows us to prioritize our children’s spiritual and academic needs, crafting an education that aligns with our deepest convictions.

As we continue to seek God’s face in all we do, I cherish the freedom we have to educate our children according to His will. 

With each day, let’s lean on Him, seek His guidance, and celebrate the blessings of homeschooling in freedom.

Keep pressing on, Mama. His hand is on your head today.

-gena

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Tracy Klicka

Freedom . . . the Bedrock of Homeschooling!

When you think of freedom in homeschooling, what comes to mind?

• Choosing the curricula and educational methods that best help your children learn?
• Utilizing learning approaches not found in traditional schools?
• Passing on your family values and beliefs?
• Giving them a safe, loving environment in which they can thrive?
• Providing opportunities for your children to excel in areas in which they are uniquely gifted?
• Letting your child pursue their passions?
• Fashioning positive and healthy social experiences for your children?
• Allowing your kids to learn at their own pace?
• Including real-life learning experiences?

Yes! I hope all of these freedoms come to mind. But there’s a freedom more foundational upon which all these other freedoms are built—the legal and legislative freedom to homeschool. 

For the past thirteen years, I’ve been privileged to help advance homeschool freedom and serve homeschooling families through my work at Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).

At HSLDA, we believe that children are a blessing from God and that loving parents are given the high duty and honor to love and nurture them, to prepare them for their life to come as adults and as citizens. 

We’ve seen (again and again) and personally experienced the deep and lasting benefits of a truly personalized education provided in a caring family environment. And that’s why we are dedicated to protecting and advancing homeschool freedom—for all families.

Although huge, precedent-setting legal and legislative battles may be less frequent than in the early years of the homeschool movement—when states were hammering out how to legalize homeschooling—there are still present-day challenges to that freedom.

Last year alone, HSLDA handled more than 1,100 discrimination cases. Officials still misapply and misinterpret the law. Employers still refuse to recognize homeschool diplomas. And homeschooled high school students still face unequal requirements.

Every homeschool family should be able to enjoy the freedom to engage in learning opportunities and take full advantage of the resources that best help their children flourish—without suffering the distress and disruption of unfair treatment.

The freedom to homeschool truly makes possible all the other freedoms that make homeschooling such a blessing in our lives!

To learn more about how HSLDA helps defend and equip homeschooling families, visit hslda.org.

About the author

Tracy Klicka, widow of former HSLDA attorney Christopher Klicka, is a homeschooling mom of seven adult children. Seasoned homeschooler and gifted writer/speaker for over 22 years, Tracy has addressed thousands at homeschooling conventions and women’s events, contributed to Christianity Today, regularly writes for national homeschool publications, and contributed to her late husband’s homeschooling books. She serves as the Director of Development for HSLDA, through which their Compassion Program helps families homeschooling through hard times.

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Stacy Farrell

HomeschoolAdventure.com

Freedom: It Comes with Great Responsibility

Throughout history, believers have sacrificed their freedom—and some, even their lives—to possess a Bible and share its message.

In America today we have freedom of religion, but how long will it last? Are we exercising our freedom responsibly? 

Perhaps we should ask these questions regarding homeschooling . . . 

More Than Academics

Homeschooling gives us the freedom to choose how we will prepare our children to fulfill the unique purpose for which God created them. 

Are we exercising that freedom responsibly?

We know that education consists of more than math, science, and social studies.  Consequently, we have the freedom—or should I say responsibility—to help our children develop: 

• A Biblical Worldview (Don’t be afraid to ask hard questions.)
• Good Manners (You can teach them with fun activities.)
• Godly Character (We’re free to teach personal responsibility—despite pushback from our culture for doing so.)

Be a Student of Your Children

You are free to choose what you teach, and you are also free to choose how you teach. What will best serve the unique needs of your children? 

• Do your children balk at being “chained” to a desk? Let them sprawl on the floor. 
• Do they love to doodle? Give them special notebooks where they can take short “doodle breaks” after completing each lesson.
• Do your children have a passion for nature? Plan educational outings to parks, nature reserves, or botanical gardens where they can learn about science, ecology, and wildlife in a dynamic and immersive environment.

Homeschool liberates us from replicating the public-school setting at home. We don’t have to recreate the rigid structure of traditional schooling—we can embrace the flexibility that allows us to nurture well-rounded, God-fearing, capable young adults.

You Are Investing in Our Future

What a blessing it is to see families like yours wisely exercising our freedom to homeschool.

Thank you for investing in your families and our future!

His love,

Stacy 

About the author

Surprised by Jesus, Stacy went from an unmarried, childless, thirty-something career woman to a Christ-following wife of more than thirty years with two sons she homeschooled K-12. Author of more than twenty books—including the award-winning Philosophy Adventure and Food Prep Guide: A Plan for Money-Saving, Self-Sustaining Abundance in Hard Times—she loves to equip and encourage homeschool families. Visit her at HomeschoolAdventure.com and at FoodPrepGuide.com.

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Pillar of Future

Adam and Dianne Riveiro

The Freedoms We Never Thought Possible

Let’s begin here: we never set out to be a homeschool family. Dianne and I were on staff at a Christian school for several years before the Lord led us to Massachusetts to start Liberty Baptist Church. If we’re being perfectly honest, we started homeschooling our girls out of duty, not desire. Public school was never an option (it never has been and never will be), and there was no suitable Christian school within driving distance at the time. So . . . presto! We became a homeschool family!

What we ended up realizing over the years was that homeschooling allowed us freedom that we had never thought possible. 

• The freedom to mix and match curriculums as we saw fit.
• The freedom to tailor the lessons to our children’s specific needs.
• The freedom to have grace and flexibility in our daily schedule at any time, for any reason.
• The freedom to take family vacations any time of the year without any stress or pushback from teachers or administrators.

Look, my point isn’t to make the case for why homeschooling is so freeing, but rather to remind you of how freeing it is. Listen, I get it. Homeschooling can be stressful, exhausting, and frustrating at times. But, don’t ever forget that there’s absolutely no substitute for the freedom that homeschooling affords! 

-Adam

About the author

Pastor Adam and Dianne Riveiro live in Easton, Massachusetts, where Adam leads Liberty Baptist Church. They’re the authors of several books, including Hope from Our Heart to Yours: A 30-Day Devotional Journey for Special Needs Families, available from their family’s publishing label at www.readyscribepublications.com. They have four children: Bethany, Kaylee, AJ, and Peyton. They’re passionate about helping their fellow special needs families find joy and contentment in Christ.

What significance does delving into early American history hold? How does comprehending America’s past contribute to contemporary society? Using reading, research, critical thinking, and analytical skills, students in our Early American History course unravel the responses to these inquiries. This SchoolhouseTeachers.com curriculum seamlessly integrates geography, historical narratives, artistic expressions, references to Scripture, formal writing exercises, and additional elements, tailored specifically for homeschooling students.