NHEG-Magazine-November-December

www.NewHeightsEducation.org
As charter schools spread, they indeed innovated. Along with other charter networks like KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program),
Uncommon Schools has created a new model of education that is unofficially called the ‘High-Achieving’ or ‘No-Excuses’
charter model. It is strict and rote, yes, but it has forced a reconsideration of educational research and norms.
www.NewHeightsEducation.org
The Michaela School in England stands as another example of charter school-led innovation. It is a free school in London that
functions under a similar system to US charter schools, publicly funded but unchained from onerous regulations. It is unlike
any other predominantly poor school. The hallways are silent. Lunches are served and eaten family-style with students serving
each other. Demerits are given for infractions that are as minor as looking out the window during class.
Regarding its innovative impact, founder Katharine Birbalsingh has become a sort of celebrity both within and outside of education.
Teachers and advocates from across the world visit the school, and Birbalsingh herself spreads her message to tens
of thousands of Twitter followers. She advances a simple idea: children respond to and succeed within seemingly oppressive
expectations.
Countless other charter schools have innovated, but the impact of the work of Doug Lemov and Katharine Birbalsingh make
them the prime examples. They questioned the low expectations that schools place on poor students. They challenged the
now popular assumption that student-led project learning is the best practice. Perhaps most importantly, not only did they
question and experiment, but they also achieved success, and so others started to listen. Charters were created to innovate;
where traditional public schools are asking in response to mounting problems “what’s the solution?” countless charter schools
are actively seeking answers.
100 Reasons to
Homeschool Your Kids
From fostering creativity and freedom
to providing impressive educational outcomes,
homeschooling is an increasingly
appealing option.
Source: The Foundation for Economic Education (FEE)
102 102 NHEG | GENiUS Magazine MAGAZINE | November | www.geniusmag.com
- December
https://fee.org/
By Kerry McDonald
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Τhis is my 100th article at FEE.org, so here are 100 reasons to homeschool your kids!
1. Homeschoolers perform well academically.
2. Your kids may be happier.
3. Issues like ADHD might disappear or become less problematic.
4. It doesn’t matter if they fidget.
5. YOU may be happier! All that time spent on your kids’ homework can now be used more productively for family learning
and living.
6. You can still work and homeschool.
7. And even grow a successful business while homeschooling your kids.
8. Your kids can also build successful businesses, as many grown unschoolers become entrepreneurs.
9. You can be a single parent and homeschool your kids.
10. Your kids can be little for longer. Early school enrollment has been linked by Harvard researchers with troubling rates of
ADHD diagnosis. A year can make a big difference in early childhood development.
11. Some of us are just late bloomers. We don’t all need to be on “America’s early-blooming conveyor belt.”
12. Then again, homeschooling can help those kids who might be early bloomers and graduate from college at 16.
13. Whether early, late, or somewhere in the middle, homeschooling allows all children to move at their own pace.
14. You can choose from a panoply of curriculum options based on your children’s needs and your family’s educational
philosophy.
15. Or you can focus on unschooling, a self-directed education approach tied to a child’s interests.
16. Homeschooling gives your kids plenty of time to play! In a culture where childhood free play is disappearing, preserving
play is crucial to a child’s health and well-being.
17. They can have more recess and less homework.
18. You can take advantage of weekly homeschool park days, field trips, classes, and other gatherings offered through a
homeschooling group near you.
19. Homeschooling co-ops are growing, so you can find support and resources.
20. Homeschooling learning centers are sprouting worldwide, prioritizing self-directed education and allowing more flexibility
to more families who want to homeschool.
21. Parks, beaches, libraries, and museums are often less crowded during school hours, and many offer programming specifically
for homeschoolers.
22. You’re not alone. Nearly two million US children are homeschooled, and the homeschooling population is increasingly
reflective of America’s diversity. In fact, the number of black homeschoolers doubled between 2007 and 2011.
23. One-quarter of today’s homeschoolers are Hispanic-Americans who want to preserve bilingualism and family culture.
November - December 2019 | NHEG Magazine 103