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Back to (Home) School:
There’s no place like home...for school, that is
Education/Lifestyles Feature Summary: As Colorado children return to school for the year, some families are taking an alternate route. About 1.1 million students nationwide are homeschooled, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). According to Anne Zeise, a national homeschool resource, an estimated 19,797 of those students are Coloradans, and about 40 different homeschool support groups meet across the Front Range. Tracey and Blake Tibbetts of Aurora, Colo., have homeschooled their two children for seven years and give an inside look at homeschool life.
Aurora, Colo.—Aug. 18, 2008—Connor and Aiden Tibbetts started their school year two weeks ago, but they won’t be changing classes at the bell, sharing lockers, or picking out new backpacks. The commute to school for them is no farther than their living room sofa.
The Tibbetts family began homeschooling seven years ago. “Colorado law is supportive of homeschoolers and we don’t take that for granted, especially considering recent homeschool issues in California,” Tracey Tibbetts said.
Her own motivation to homeschool stems from wanting to give her children a solid education and be involved in their lives. “I love the ability to be with my boys, understand them better and shape their lives.
“I received an EXCELLENT public school education—I was valedictorian of my high school class, a National Merit Finalist, and went on to receive my finance (summa cum laude) and MBA degrees from the University of Denver in a total of four years.
“Yet I am still amazed at all of the knowledge and fabulous literature I was NOT exposed to in the public school environment. Homeschooling with Sonlight Curriculum (the literature-based program we use) has been the springboard for me to learn even more than my great education taught me—and I get to learn right along with my husband and children!” Tracey Tibbetts said. “The books we read are fantastic—I think Sonlight offers one of the greatest educations you can find.”
Ten-year old Aiden is a competitive soccer player, and 12-year old Connor is already studying Algebra 2. Both boys enjoy reading and playing sports with friends from their various teams and church. They appear to enjoy their unique education.
“We ask the boys every year if they want to keep homeschooling, and they always tell me they love it and want to keep going,” said the boys’ mom, Tracey Tibbetts.
“I like that when you homeschool, your teacher works specifically with you, and if you have a problem, your teacher works with you to fix it. Also, there aren’t as many distractions as in public school with a ton of other kids around,” said Connor Tibbetts.
“I’d rather go to homeschool than public school because I like not having to come home after school and do what I should have already done at school! I get to be with Mom or Dad all day and I get to read a lot,” Aiden Tibbetts said.
The family starts school early in August because Aiden is a competitive soccer player and has to commit to a lot of practice and travel time. According to Tracy Tibbetts, a typical start to the day means the family gets up early and has a devotional time together. They then tackle math and written work “while the boys are fresh and paying attention.”
“Midday we usually go for a walk with the dog to give us all some exercise and a little break. We usually read lots of good books together through lunch and do whatever is left in the afternoon. We leave at 4pm for soccer practice, so we’re pretty much going strong all day,” Tracey Tibbetts said.
The family uses a four-day schedule so they can use Friday for piano lessons and art, field trips, and tests. According to Tracey Tibbetts, the boys always perform in the 98th and 99th percentile of national achievement tests (required in grades 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9).
More than academics, Tracey Tibbetts is proud to see her boys developing solid social skills. “In the last month, I have been flabbergasted that no less than five strangers have come up to me and specifically commented on my sons’ good manners. What they notice about Connor and Aiden is just common good manners, but, apparently that is not the behavior common among children anymore at all—and so my boys stand out.
“I really think homeschooling has a lot to do with this, because my husband and I can teach our sons how to behave as we work through our day. In our society, basic life skills training just doesn’t seem to be happening often outside the home context, judging from the general behavior of the children I have seen,” said Tracey Tibbetts.
“We are so happy with our decision to educate our children at home,” Tracey Tibbetts said. “Homeschooling is not for everyone, that’s for sure, but I think it’s a wonderful way to raise your kids.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For information about homeschooling or literature-based education, go to www.sonlight.com. Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd. specializes in literature-based homeschool programs. They provide complete curriculum packages and individual resources for customized Pre K-12 curriculum. Sonlight is based in Littleton, Colorado and serves customers in over 150 countries worldwide.
Contact: Laura Lee Ellis
(303)730-8193, X 164
Tracey Tibbetts
(303)766-0057
Anne Zeise
homeschoolguide@gomilpitas.com
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