In the four years she has been home schooled, Miranda Warrick said she discovered there are many ways for children to learn. Learning what works for her four boys has been interesting, she says.
“My eldest, he loves working with his hands,” said Warrick, a resident of Chickamauga, Georgia. “And he doesn’t like to sit and work, like making books. But he loves going out and working with his dad in the garage.”
Another of her sons likes to sit and do homework, she says.
Scheduled for Saturday, Warrick hosted a seminar to offer information to parents interested in home schooling – as well as giving home-schooled parents an opportunity for support and community. The seminar will be held at the First Baptist Church of Chickamauga, 603 W. 7th St., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be several speakers, including blogger Jennifer Kish. Lunch will be served.
“There’s been a lot of talk about homeschooling since COVID and our society and all that, so I thought this (conference) would be a great opportunity to let our local community know what resources are available to them. in our own community,” says Warrick.
(READ MORE: Chattanooga homeschooling families discuss community changes amid pandemic)
Specifically, Warrick said many parents she knows worry about what is taught in schools, religious freedoms and how they want their child to be educated.
Resources are available for homeschooling parents, Warrick said, including co-ops where students can get that “collaborative learning” classroom environment for subjects like science, history, art and Mathematics. There are also opportunities for students to get together just for fun.
Some parents are unaware that in Georgia, home-schooled students can still participate in many public school activities, including high school sports.
Mindy Giles is the director of the Catoosa Homeschool Co-op. Established in 2002, she said her organization includes about 90 families, educating 180 or 190 children.
Homeschooling has become more common since his organization began, Giles said, and has recently attracted families beyond the Christian community.
“It’s being extended to more families who are doing it because it works best for their families,” she said, not just for religious reasons.
Giles said his co-op focuses on science, but also teaches history and writing. At the secondary level, her organization also teaches advanced math because it’s one of many subjects that can be “challenging” for parents, she said.
Although it’s a co-op, Giles said parents are charged for registration. The co-op is less expensive than many other programs in the area because parents are asked to help teach, as well as oversee lunch and recess. Most other homeschooling programs in the area have a more “drop-out” approach, Giles said, which works better for some parents.
For parents who want to learn more about what is available in this area, Giles recommended visiting the website of the Chattanooga Homeschooling Association of Southeast Tennessee or the Georgia Home Education Association. The organization is hosting a curriculum fair at Camp Jordan in July that gives parents options on how they homeschool, she said.
(READ MORE: Chattanooga-area homeschooling expo happening this weekend and more education news this week)
Georgia is a great state for homeschooling, Giles said, because there aren’t many requirements for parents. Since starting her co-op, she said state lawmakers rolled back homeschooling regulations, including making it easier for parents to homeschool without partnering with an organization. Tennessee has more “hoops to jump through” for parents, Giles said.
Warrick said homeschooling can isolate parents, so the seminar is a good opportunity for parents to come together and support each other. Homeschooling has always been what she wanted for her children, and she said the seminar will also be informative, to encourage other parents who want to learn more.
Contact Andrew Wilkins at [email protected] or 423-757-6659. Follow him on Twitter @tweetatwilkins.
