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[[Image:Homeschool.jpg|right|thumb|300px|A young homeschooled student]]

[[Image:Homeschool.jpg|right|thumb|300px|A young homeschooled student]]

'''Homeschooling''' consists of the practice of students receiving education from a parent or guardian, or instructors acting under the direction of a parent or guardian, rather than from teachers in a formal school setting like a [[public school]].  Virtually every area of the United States has local support groups for homeschooling, which often meet in church facilities.  Nearly 7% of college-educated parents homeschool their children.<ref>http://www.sagus.us/blog/blog_details.asp?ID=18&p=7&s=7&s2=7</ref>

'''Homeschooling''' consists of the practice of students receiving education from a parent or guardian, or instructors acting under the direction of a parent or guardian, rather than from teachers in a formal school setting like a [[public school]].  Virtually every area of the United States has local support groups for homeschooling, which often meet in church facilities.  Nearly 7% of college-educated parents homeschool their children.<ref>http://www.sagus.us/blog/blog_details.asp?ID=18&p=7&s=7&s2=7</ref> In the [[United States]], '''''an estimated one to two million students are homeschooled, or nearly one out of every 30 students'''''.<ref name="USA Today">http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-01-04-homeschooling_N.htm</ref> 

Homeschooling has grown by almost 75% in the last 8 years<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/09/educating-children-evolution-home-schooling</ref> and in a recent survey "the average homeschooled student scored at the 88th percentile" in the core subjects of reading, language and math.<ref>http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/washingtontimes/200908100.asp</ref>  The most successful [[mathematician]] in contests in history, Reid Barton, was [[homeschooled]].<ref>http://www.amstat.org/PUBLICATIONS/amsn/index.cfm?fuseaction=highlights0812001</ref>  The top college football player and the first to win the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore, [[Tim Tebow]], was homeschooled until college.<ref>http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/783999/heisman_trophy_winner_tim_tebow_puts.html</ref>  A Wimbledon tennis star, Melanie Oudin, chose homeschooling beginning in 7th grade: "With how much I improved in the first year at home, I knew it was the right choice."<ref>http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/kevin_armstrong/08/13/melanie.oudin/index.html#ixzz0VSMpJSxF (her twin sister remained in public school)</ref>

Homeschooling has grown by almost 75% in the last 8 years<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/09/educating-children-evolution-home-schooling</ref> and in a recent survey "the average homeschooled student scored at the 88th percentile" in the core subjects of reading, language and math.<ref>http://www.hslda.org/docs/news/washingtontimes/200908100.asp</ref>  The most successful [[mathematician]] in contests in history, Reid Barton, was [[homeschooled]].<ref>http://www.amstat.org/PUBLICATIONS/amsn/index.cfm?fuseaction=highlights0812001</ref>  The top college football player and now an NFL star, who was the first to win the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore, [[Tim Tebow]], was homeschooled until college.<ref>http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/783999/heisman_trophy_winner_tim_tebow_puts.html</ref>  A Wimbledon tennis star, Melanie Oudin, chose homeschooling beginning in 7th grade: "With how much I improved in the first year at home, I knew it was the right choice."<ref>http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/kevin_armstrong/08/13/melanie.oudin/index.html#ixzz0VSMpJSxF (her twin sister remained in public school)</ref>  Homeschooled students make up many of the top college and graduate students in mathematics today.<ref>For example, Princeton University math prodigy Arie Israel "never attended a regular school. His parents home schooled both him and his older sister, Rachel, allowing them to work at their own pace and discover their own interests. His dad, Benjamin, a computer programmer, helped him with math and science, while his mom, Rebekah, taught him English and history." [http://weblog.science.fau.edu/info/images/israel.html]</ref>

Homeschooling, like being self-employed, requires more self-discipline and greater initiative.  Many parents understandably give up or burn out after homeschooling for years, just as many people who try to be self-employed do also.  Without a rigid schedule and structure to the day, there are constant distractions and excuses to making the same effort that one makes when told to do something.  Initiative is required for homeschooled teenagers to meet other homeschooled teenagers, for example, and some return to [[public school]] for lack of that discipline or initiative.

 

Homeschooling, like being self-employed, requires more self-discipline and greater initiative.  Many parents understandably give up or burn out after homeschooling for years, just as many people who try to be self-employed do also.  Without a rigid schedule and structure to the day, there are constant distractions and excuses to making the same effort that one makes when told to do something.  Initiative is required for homeschooled teenagers to meet other homeschooled teenagers, for example, and many return to [[public school]] in the absence of that effort.

Homeschooling [[parent]]s oversee their children's education, usually providing some of the instruction themselves.  In addition, homeschooling enables them to mix-and-match other instructional approaches, including:

Homeschooling [[parent]]s oversee their children's education, usually providing some of the instruction themselves.  In addition, homeschooling enables them to mix-and-match other instructional approaches, including: