Typical Homeschoolers

                                                         4-H Speech by K.J. Hepburn

      My everyday life is basically the same as yours. I live on a farm like you, I have chores that have to be done like you, I'm in 4-H like you, and I do school like you. Yep, my life is just about like yours.

            Good afternoon honorable judges, ladies and gentlemen, and fellow 4-H members.

            There's one difference, though. That difference is that I do my school at home.

            Two common questions asked to the typical Homeschooling family are,''Why Homeschooling?''and, ''What's Homeschooling like?'' Well, here's the answers!

            There are many different reasons why families Homeschool, but I'll only mention a few. Parents' convictions, children's disabilities, adoption, and bullying. Some kids are traumatized by bullying and parents may want to prevent that. In some cases, there are no Public Schools near by, or parents don't care for what is being taught at the Public School near them. As you can see, there is a great variety of reasons, and I only mentioned a few!

            Now for the second question,''What's Homeschooling like?'' The shortest, summary answer almost all Homeschooling kids give is,''It's fun!'' Even though Homeschoolers do their school at home, we still have basically the same subjects as you, such as Science, Math, English, History, and Arts. BUT, our education doesn't stop there. In the eyes of a Homeschooler, everything we touch, hear, smell, see, and do is considered education.

             Also in the Homeschooling household, most parents want to focus more on their children's passions and interests while still making sure that they do their school work. Usually the reasons why the parents Homeschool their kids effect what they teach. For example, if the reason is adoption, bullying, or no Public School near by, the parents may use the Public School curriculum and teach it at home. If the reason is convictions or don't like the Public School system, parents can buy the curriculum they think fit or prefer at local Homeschooling conventions and suppliers. But if the case is disabilities, it may depend on how their child  can take in different information. If the parents want, they can buy other curriculum for some subjects and use the Public School curriculum for the other subjects! Homeschoolers have a wide variety of curriculum to choose from; therefore, leading to lots of flexibility. It all really depends on their children's learning ability or style.

             Before the school year starts in the Fall, the parents need to send in their 'Education Plans' of what they hope to learn and accomplish to their Region's School Board. Then at the end of the year in the Spring, the parents also need to send the School Board the 'Year End Reports' to show what their children had learned and accomplished throughout the year.

             Then when the time comes for graduation, Homeschooling doesn't effect the future education that the Homeschool Graduate is looking into, either. There is a variety of Colleges and Universities in Canada and in the States that allow Homeschoolers. They can look and see if there's anything the schools have that the Homeschool Grad wants to pursue as a career. But with Canadian Colleges, Homeschool grads may need to write an entrance exam or meet the school's requirements. College and University aren't the only options for future education. There is also Apprenticeship Programs and Entrepreneurial Enterprises. These options are also the same for the Public Schoolers.

              Homeschooling is really an adventure and those adventures vary with the parents' teaching style, the children's learning style, how many kids they have, where they live, and what kind of activities they're involved in. Each family's adventure is unique and different in its own way.

              Now here's a small taste of my family's Homeschool adventure! Our adventure focuses on the family as we carry out our different tasks and chores around our small, family, hobby farm. Our parents taught us four kids how to work and work hard. It's a great accomplishment to us kids that when we help weed the garden, pick veggies, feed the steers, gather eggs, and milk the cow, that we play a part in providing our family's table with food for the coming winter.

              I'm the oldest kid in my family, and we've been Homeschooling since my very first day of Preschool. At that time we lived in Asquith, SK. which is twenty miles West of Saskatoon. Then in August of 2008, we moved to a farm twelve miles South of Moosomin, SK.

              When I was 13, I started attending the SHBE Conventions with my parents. SHBE stands for Saskatchewan Home Based Educators. At SHBE, booked speakers, who are also usually Homeschooling parents themselves, will come to tell of their Homeschooling adventures and give pointers to the beginning Homeschool parents and advice or methods to the parents who have Homeschooled for a long time. Curriculum resources from all over Canada and the States will come to sell their curriculums and resources to the parents that want them. Homeschooling parents, who are SHBE members, and their teenagers, if they have any, will come from all over Saskatchewan to meet in either Saskatoon or Regina every February.

              Lots of people give our parents lots of comments, but the main one parents get is,''Oh, because you  Homeschool, your children will never be able to socialize.'' Well, at the convention and everywhere else we go, we come home talking about the new life long friends we've made.

              When I was 14, I went to McNaughton High School for Drivers' Ed during the Spring of 2010. It was then and there that I realized the great sacrifice our parents made for us.

              Some days were frustrating, but the majority were rewarding! When I was in grade 5 or 6 on one of those frustrating days, I thought,''Huh, I'm only half way done! At this rate the next six years are going to take a lifetime!'' After all that has happened since grade 6, it sure didn't take long, because now it's looking me straight in the face. This year I'm going to be a 2013 Homeschool Grad!

              I have chose not to pursue a college degree, but I'm still going to further my education. I'm going to stay home to serve my family and church while pursuing my interests. There are loads of online courses, videos, and books to look into now adays. My future education is all at my fingertips. I'm really looking forward to see what happens!

             Well, I hope you got a little insight on what Homeschooling is like. I love Homeschooling and if I get married and have kids, I plan on Homeschooling them, too. I want to give them what my parents gave me, and to continue SHBE's passion for Saskatchewan Homeschoolers!

                                                                                                           K.J. Hepburn