It seems that – in our era of growing skepticism, apathy, selfishness and cynicism – Victoria never got the memo.

Victoria herself won’t talk about her accomplishments. She doesn’t look at them that way; she believes that the activities she pursues are typical behaviors…the way everyone should act, all the time. Once you understand the scope of her charitable works, you become amazed…and when you remember she is twelve years old, you feel a true sense of wonder meeting this soft-spoken, humble pre-teen.

Instead of buying a Halloween costume for herself one year – she stuffed her money in a UNICEF box.  At twelve, she’s an anti-bullying mentor for other girls in her neighborhood. She says, “Bullying is serious and I can’t stand to watch someone do it to someone else. It’s not right. I like helping others because it makes them feel better and feel like someone cares about them.”

Victoria gathers groups of friends together for anti-littering campaigns as well as toy and clothing drives for less fortunate kids. And she often donates her allowance to St. Jorge’s, a hospital at which she has received treatments.

“My favorite charity is Operation Smile. I felt so bad for those kids and it was so easy to help that I just decided to do it.” Going door-to-door, Victoria asked for just one dollar from everyone she met. She raised enough to change the life of two children forever – fixing two smiles and providing blankets.

Everything about Victoria is uplifting. The laptop she does her schoolwork on? A gift from Operation Homefront an organization which assists families while troops are participating in a tour of duty – as a thank you for her hard work.

Homeschooling: The Key to Flexibility & Charity

Victoria, who attended public school through fifth grade, has been homeschooling for the last three years. Her mother Consuelo mentioned that Victoria was always antsy in class and that the gifted & talented program didn’t meet her needs. Combined with daily medications for epilepsy, it was a smart choice to begin homeschooling. So what does Victoria say? Now she has more time for charity work!

When asked how homeschooling is different from her public school experience, Victoria responds “I get extra time to study and there aren’t any classroom distractions. I also have more time to do things. It’s not classes all day and homework until 8:00 at night. I’m done by 3:00 pm and I can do other things.”

What Victoria likes the most about homeschooling are the homeschool groups. “Well, I do like everything, but I really like the homeschool groups. A group of homeschoolers get together every week, we study and hang out.” And while she misses seeing her friends during school, “I still get to see them in the afternoon because they are in my neighborhood.”

And the future? She hopes to graduate from homeschool two years early, and is thinking about becoming a veterinarian. “I love animals…I have two Chihuahuas. They fall asleep if I’m not playing with them, so they’re quiet when I’m studying!”

Her latest charity venture is helping the families of the soldiers killed in the August 8th crash in Afghanistan. When she saw the newspaper article, she asked her mom to take her to Michaels, where she spent her allowance on canvases and paints. Victoria is painting a variety of beautiful images to raise money for Christmas gifts for the kids and families who lost a parent in the crash. She is looking for donations for her paintings and is headed over to the local Chamber of Commerce this afternoon to ask for their help.

Help Make the Holidays Happier!

If you would like to purchase one of Victoria’s paintings or donate to her efforts at making the holidays a little brighter for our honored service members’ families, please contact Consuelo or Victoria Porrata  at 787-232-6339. The Porattas would be grateful for your help!

Victoria is one special girl with a really big heart! Bridgeway Academy is so very proud to have her in our family.

How does homeschooling help you participate in your favorite charities?

The First Day of High School

The bus finally pulled up to my school and as I walked out I saw at least two hundred kids in the courtyard hugging and reacquainting themselves with their friends they haven’t seen in about three months. I walked over to my “crowd” of people who happened to be the football players, and on our way to class we talked about the girls we were going to date, homecoming, and the Nick’s game on Sunday. Luckily, my first class was German and several of my football buddies were in the class with me. By the end of the day everything seemed to be looking up; new friends, cool teachers, and plenty of pretty girls.

Unfortunately, it didn’t go as I planned during the months of October and November. The workload began to get overwhelming and I was failing tests left and right. On a positive side, my social life seemed to be booming. I walked down the narrow hallways saying, “Hello” and exchanging inside jokes, all while dodging juniors and seniors. At home, my parents started adding pressure on me to succeed…but it just made things worse. I found myself zoning out and talking in class. My seat was constantly changed due to talking and I cared more about my social life than my academics. In November, I finally started caring about school. But it seemed the harder I tried the worse it got. By January, I found myself skipping lunch and my free time just to keep up with all my schoolwork.

The Challenges of Learning

In the second grade I was classified with a mild learning disability, for which I needed more time and a little extra help. In the spring of eighth grade, as I was getting ready for my first steps into high school, I tested out of the Special Education program and was declassified. Even though I was ecstatic about finally being on my own, I was relieved when the high school counselors reassured me that I would have plenty of support if needed. As time went by, I realized all the help the teachers were promising me faded away. My school guidance counselor didn’t even know me; to them I was just a number in a sea of overachievers and failures. I saw my successful friends get extra help and rewarded by their teachers while I was completely ignored. Most of my teachers gave up on me; therefore, I gave up on myself.

One day after class a teacher pulled me aside to look at a chart. She explained that the chart contained three lanes; the 1st lane consisted of math courses that would guarantee me to get into any good college, the 2nd lane were courses that would knock 23-30 colleges off my list and then there was my lane. “Your lane’” might get you into a state school or an average school.” she snidely remarked. She made me feel like a failure before I even started and to boot, she said, if you start out in this lane you can never switch unless you earn a perfect score and that would be highly unlikely. The feeling was like a pinball machine where the balls fall into different lanes. My ball always fell into the last, never to come out. I felt like the school was going to just let me slip through the cracks and see how I ended up. They were focused on the high achievers – the ones who would most likely attend Ivy League schools.

Changing Learning Lanes

It was now March and I was excited about Saint Patrick’s Day coming up, even though the last several months had been very difficult. My parents were really concerned and decided to formulate a new plan.  Again, I found myself in a similar situation as before, with two lanes to choose from – I could continue to be miserable and lose all self-confidence (whatever was left) or I could be homeschooled. My parents went on to explain that this program is only temporary, it could reverse all of my grades, and I will be able to steer my education into whatever lane I chose. The only thought that went through my mind was, “Hey, let’s give it a shot.”

After I made my decision, my parents gave me a day to say goodbye to all my friends. It was pretty hard to do, especially since I knew I would be finding out who truly was my friend and who was not. It’s easy to lose friendships when you’re not in contact every day. The next morning I woke up at an early 10:00 and I began the first day of the rest of my freshman year. It was a hard transition, but I eventually got used to it.

Most of my grades were pretty bad in freshman year but I was able to redo it. I finally completed freshman year before August and I got my first glimpse of summer. Although my summer was extremely short, there was nothing better than earning a 93.8 grade point average! It wasn’t easy, but it was totally worth it. When I received my report card in August, I was elated and felt on top of the world and in my own lane…one where I have the choice to pass or not!

My future looks pretty bright now. I started playing a new sport – rugby – which has taken the place of football, and I like it so much more! As part of my educational plan, I have the opportunity to do things that I always wanted to do, such as take piano lessons and attend an art school to learn how to oil paint. My extra time has been spent working diligently on becoming an Eagle Scout, along with training for a two-week hike in Philmont,New Mexico. My decision to be homeschooled was a great one, after all, and I hope that my life will continue to look up for me as it has already!

It makes you wonder if some of those anti-homeschool types are just jealous of the relationship you have with your parents. After all, that parent doesn’t get to watch their kids grow; but your parents get to be there for you…cheering on your greatest triumphs and supporting you when you really need them. While an ever-shrinking number of people continue to worry if you’ve been placed in some sort of homeschool box, you wonder why those folks can’t see the bigger picture outside of the box. You’re not limited to connections by class size, because the entire world is your classroom and your parents are right there with you – along for the ride with you and any brothers and sisters you may have.

Not only is homeschooling a great way to build stronger bonds with your brothers and sisters, it also helps you build closer relationships with older relatives, like your grandparents. Many homeschooling families get grandparents and aunts and uncles involved, inviting them to teach you subjects with which they are familiar. Grandparents love to play an important role in your education, and they’ve certainly been witness to a much larger chunk of history than you or your parents.

And remember, whether your classroom is run by Mrs. Mom or Mr. Dad, both parents play an equally important role in your education. Having them both available to you – as a student – is critical.

So if you want to spend more time with family members (go on … admit it, you do…we all do), here are three things you can do as a homeschooler to strengthen those family ties with your parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and grandparents:

1. History Class

Grandma and Grandpa have seen it all, from Vietnam to hiding under their school desks during the Cold War to the rise of Asia, the beginning of space exploration and the fall of the Soviet empire. They are a valuable resource…and not because they give you an envelope with some cash on your birthday! If you love history, spend some class time listening to the people who lived it…and made it. Learn how your family was involved in world-shaping events.

2. Tutoring at Home

If you homeschool with brothers and sisters, tutoring is a great way to help them out and become closer to them. They’ll appreciate the help (and maybe cut you some slack the next time Mom is demanding to know who left the cookies out for the dog to steal). Spending time together with your siblings leads to stronger life-long bonds than if you attended traditional school with other kids.

3. Leave it in the Classroom

One of the most important things to remember about school is that it represents only a portion of your day (and your life!). Make sure you leave your relationship with the teacher in the classroom…and “come home” to mom and dad at the end of the school day. Healthy family relationships are strengthened in the homeschool classroom, but – at the end of the day – they are family, so make sure you have plenty of good old-fashioned family time!

Education is about more than doing coursework and taking tests – it’s also about learning and building connections. Who better to learn from than the people to whom you are most closely connected…your family!

Have any of your extended family been invited into your homeschool classroom to teach?

Maybe. Today’s homeschool student is in impressive company – from Presidents and military leaders to business leaders, famous authors, inventors and artists. And don’t forget, they also perform extremely well in spelling bees.

How well? While homeschoolers make up about 3% of the student population in the U.S., they represent about 20% of semi-finalists in national student competitions. That makes them about five times more likely to win than a public school student. In fact, in 2007 homeschoolers swept all of the major national competitions!

Homeschoolers who have achieved success share a number of similar traits:

• They have a tendency towards self-reliance
• They have a preference for self-employment
• They are generally happy in their chosen occupations and doing what they love
• Many are very talented in certain fields because they were allowed to pursue the interest as a part of their homeschooling

So who are some of these super-students, and what have they done? Homeschooler extraordinaire Abraham Lincoln may be old news…but here are six folks you’ve probably heard of more recently:

1. Christopher Paolini, author of Eragon, which is Book One in the four part Inheritance cycle. The book spent 121 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List and became a major release movie.
2 & 3. Venus and Serena Williams, both of whom have held the title of the world’s #1 tennis player and continue to dominate the sport.
4. LeAnne Rimes, country music singer and songwriter who released her debut single when she was just 13 years old and went on to sell over 37 million records worldwide.
5. Todd Lodwick, considered the most successful American Nordic skier in history, competed in over 143 World Cups, became world champion in 2009 and won a silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
6. Elijah Wood, actor, is probably best known for his role as the main character, Frodo, in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Wood has starred in over forty movies and has been nominated for – and won – numerous awards.

All of these kids dreamed big and reached for the stars. Homeschooling plays a major role in helping children become successful by giving them the flexibility to focus more time on those things they are passionate about.

Did you know that Alexander the Great (privately taught by Aristotle) is referred to as one of the world’s first homeschooled children?

Numbers on how many children are homeschooled in the U.S. each year can be difficult to nail down precisely, due to inconsistent reporting by individual states. Experts agree that between 1.5 and 2.5 million kids are homeschooled. This represents about 3% of the overall U.S. student population, and the number of homeschooled children is growing by about 10% each year. So, yes, there is a growing trend toward homeschooling. And it isn’t just an American phenomenon: Canada, the UK, Japan, Australia and many other countries report increases in homeschooling among their populations.

One reason the trend toward homeschooling is picking up steam is the rapidly fading stigma attached to it. What was once seen as a curious way to educate your child is now widely accepted, especially by other kids. Most of us in the homeschooling field agree that the growth trend will continue – at least for the foreseeable future – largely due to technology. The internet provides parents like us with significant resources- giving us access to support groups and invaluable information. Technology also makes homeschooling a more realistic option for families in the military or ex-pats working abroad.

So why do parents opt to homeschool their children? Well, there is a variety of reasons. For some, the decision is faith-based. Others choose to homeschool because of intense frustration with the local schools. It could be a feeling that a child wasn’t being challenged enough or the need to care for a special-needs child. Safety concerns, scheduling flexibility, and the opportunities for more family time are also strong reasons to choose homeschooling.

And if all of that wasn’t enough – we’re finding that adults who have been homeschooled are more likely to vote, get involved in community service, attend and graduate college, and share their parents’ values and belief systems.

Here are a couple of interesting facts about homeschool trends:

• Ten years ago, minorities accounted for fewer than 10% of all homeschooled students, but minorities now make up about 15% of homeschooling families.
• Homeschooled kids tend to score 15-30 % higher than public school students on standardized tests, and a study conducted by the National Home Education Research Institute found that the average homeschooled student generally performed 30-37% better than public school students across all subjects.

There’s no doubt that homeschooling is growing in popularity and in fact, may be the fastest growing trend in education these days. With recent state cutbacks in education, the ranks of homeschooling families may soon swell even further.

If you’ve never considered homeschooling your children, why not?

We have also heard the homeschool stereotypes, we have fought the “homeschool socialization” battle, and we have struggled with family who don’t support our efforts.

In addition, we have fielded the many questions from “Is that legal?” to “How do you do it?’ and “Don’t you think your kids should be in school with other kids?” to “What do you do all day?”

But that misguided perception of homeschooling is quickly changing.  College recruiters have long been seeking homeschoolers, more and more parents are seeing the incredible value of homeschooling and those who oppose homeschooling are losing ground.  With homeschoolers scoring significantly higher on standardized test scores, exceeding their peers in college and university, and earning greater and greater respect among college admissions officers and employers, there is little left to argue.

Combine the success of homeschoolers with the increasing decline in our education system and I think we will see homeschooling on the rise for many years to come.

So to all of you on the front lines of homeschooling, I have one thing to say . . . Keep up the awesome work!

I hear that question so many times.  Many times it comes from a parent considering homeschooling who has had to field that question over and over again; other times it comes from those who just don’t understand homeschooling at all. Read More

But ask any homeschooler and they will tell you the same thing: it is a misnomer to think that your child will not get the socialization he or she needs just because you are homeschooling.

In fact the opposite is true.  In homeschooling, your child will receive a stronger and much better socialization experience than their peers in school.  Why?  Because in homeschooling, “socialization” does not mean spending your day with a room full of kids the same age.  Instead, it means “socializing” with people of all ages and stages in life.  This is real life.  Where in life other than school do you ever spend all of your time with peers of the exact same age?   And how is that training a student for success?

When you homeschool your child you will likely get involved in a homeschool support group, a community club or activity, local classes. . . these will become part of your day.  And when they do, your child will begin to socialize with individuals of all ages.

That socialization will mean that your child will learn from those who are older, will be a leader to those who are younger and will have the opportunity to socialize in a much more realistic environment.

If you seek ministry and community service opportunities, your child will begin to work with adults as well as students of all ages.  If you get him or her involved with a local drama group, church, music school, etc., you will see many opportunities for “homeschool socialization.”  And you will begin to see your child mature as he or she takes on leadership roles and develops his or her talents and abilities.

Why “the homeschool way” for socialization is better

Did you know that college admissions officers say that homeschoolers are much more prepared to interact with adults and professors at an intelligent level than those coming from public and private schools?

Why? Because homeschoolers are interacting with individuals of all ages all the time!  Therefore it is nothing new when they move on to the responsibilities of college or university.  In addition, many have been leaders and mentors to those who are younger for so long that their leadership skills are already well developed.

And this kind of real socialization is making them more successful.  In fact, many business owners are actively seeking homeschoolers to help them succeed..

Chick-Fil-A is a prime example.  Did you know that this restaurant chain makes a concerted effort to hire high school and college aged homeschoolers?   Andy Lorenzen, who is in charge of recruiting front line workers for the chain of restaurants  says that his success depends on the quality of his hires.  That is why prefers to tap into homeschoolers.   “They’re smart, ambitious and very driven,” Lorenzen says of his homeschooled employees. “They have a high level of loyalty to the business, are diligent and have a good work ethic.”

Homeschoolers are also finding their niche in college and the workplace, in internships and entry-level professional jobs.  They also often become entrepreneurs.

Statistics verify that homeschoolers are far more prepared academically—in fact they score 25% higher on standardized tests than those who attend school.  But their success is in more than just academics—their unique socialization opportunities are making them successful beyond academics.

Bottom line–homeschool socialization is a non-issue–don’t let it become one for you

My answer: you don’t.

As a mother, you have been the primary teacher to your child from the moment the doctor laid that precious baby in your arms.  It was you who taught them to say “please” and “thank-you”; it was you who taught them to walk, to talk, to get dressed, to be respectful, to obey rules, to eat . . . You taught them how to accept disappointment and to handle victory.

Did you ever consider switching roles between mother and teacher then?  Of course not! It was all in a day’s work and it has been rewarding!

This is how you must approach homeschooling.

You are a mother.  And as a mother, you have been a teacher for many years.  Perhaps you wonder how you can be effective as an academic teacher without teacher training?  If so, click here and read my post on Homeschooling Certification. Bottom line is, you can do it because you have been doing it! And as you will see in the certification post, you can do it better!

• So don’t stress about switching between mother and homeschool teacher.
• Don’t plan to have them call you “Mrs ____” during homeschool hours;
• Don’t try to recreate a classroom as you remember it.

Just be you.

• Look for teachable moments throughout the day.
• Adjust to your student’s needs, interests, passions.
• Laugh with them and encourage them to keep trying when the going gets tough.

Remind them that you too struggled in school and don’t be afraid to share those struggles with them.

And most of all, remember why you are doing this.  For many of us it is to provide a solid foundation for our children in addition to strong academics.  For others it is to allow for a more flexible schedule.  Still others seek to ensure that their learning disabled student is getting the best education possible.

All all motivated by love and commitment. And when this is your motivation, you will not fail.

But I also develop a lot of techniques and ideas right here at home. And guess what?  Because I am working with the same kids year after year, I am much more effective.  I don’t have to learn the dynamics of my classroom each year; I don’t have to figure out who the leaders are and where the trouble makers sit; I don’t have to seek out the advanced kids or the strugglers and find ways to meet their needs.  I already know who they are and I already know what works.

So I can focus on meeting those needs and I can adjust to the fact that they are improving; they are getting stronger; and they are developing more and more skills each year.

So, did I need this certification to be an effective teacher?  Absolutely not!

And you know what?  Homeschoolers are always standing out among their peers so I can say with confidence that the parents out there who are teaching their children don’t need it either.

If you are faced with the certification question, pass on this article, which addresses the facts about certification and success and tell the questioner to read up on what the research says.

This blogger was once one of those fearful parents, and she has done an outstanding job of capturing the many reasons why parents are unsure that they can homeschool.

If you are struggling to make a decision, be sure to visit this link Your reason is more than likely listed.

Let me add my own encouragement–I have yet to meet a homeschooling parent who at first thought they couldn’t do it that cannot say, “I am so glad I tried it!”