The Next Step

On March 26, 2014, I published a blog post entitled “A Homeschool Business? Is It Possible?” in which I articulated my dream and plan for a Homeschool Resource Center and Consulting Business. I rented a small office in south Torrance and opened Tools for the Home Educator, selling gently-used curriculum, providing in-person workshops, and offering consultations in June 2014. In October 2018, I was able to move to slightly larger office space that was more centrally located, near the 405 freeway in north Torrance. As that lease neared its expiration and due to the declining profitability and numbers of in-person shoppers for used curriculum, I have spent the last few months selling off and then giving away the last of my inventory of teaching materials. But Tools for the Home Educator is still very much alive and now operating from my home.

So 9+ years later (October 2023), what is next for Penny Ross and Tools for the Home Educator with the time I used to devote to moving, pricing, and selling books?

• More consulting with an increased emphasis on homeschool coaching
• More training for homeschool parents through webinars, workshops, speaking gigs, and developing a digital course or two
• More writing for her blog and other sources

I’ve now homeschooled my own 3 children from kindergarten through high school graduation (18 years total), run a homeschool program at my church (11 years), and been an independent homeschool consultant (9 years) for over 35 years total experience in the world of home education. I’ve worked with hundreds, if not thousands, of homeschool families, encouraging them toward educational success with their own children. Dissatisfaction with the public school system seems to be at an all-time high, and different means of alternative education are rapidly evolving.

As I enter into the next phase of development for Tools for the Home Educator, let me know how I can help you!

Debunking Myths about Homeschooling High School

I was filled with fear and trepidation as the high school years approached! Though I loved homeschooling and it was working well for our family, I was not at all sure I could pull off high school. I worried that I could exterminate my children’s college admission plans and ruin their futures. Is this you?

As if your own fears are not enough, well-meaning family and friends often add to your anguish with thoughts of their own. However not all of your worries are legitimate! CHEA (Christian Home Educators Association of California) recently asked me to bust and debunk some of the common myths about homeschooling high school.

You can access my article at https://www.cheaofca.org/2023/11/06/homeschool-myth-busting-high-school-edition/.

But I’m Not a Teacher!

“But I’m just a mom! I’m not a teacher! Won’t I fail my child?” This is one of the most common fears I hear voiced by parents considering homeschooling. We are accustomed to the world of campus-based education, with “paid experts” filling the role of teacher. 

By default, we assume that a mere mom can not teach as well as someone with professional training. And this may very well be true in a classroom setting! But a typical homeschool environment is quite different from a classroom.

Is This Program/Class a Good Fit For Us?

Before you enroll in a group-type class or program for your homeschooled student, here are some issues to consider and questions to ask.

1. Why did you begin homeschooling in the first place? Does this class fit in with that objective?
2. Does the TOTAL NUMBER of classes planned for this particular student meet their individual needs and still fall within your reasons for homeschooling?
3. How much homework is required? If the class requires a lot of outside work, most students will focus on the work for the class rather than what they are doing for you at home.
4. What is the total cost? Is curriculum included? What other fees are required or costs will be incurred?
5. What is the worldview of the teacher? Does it agree with your family’s values? If not, is your student mature enough to handle differing options and viewpoints?
6. What curriculum is the teacher planning to use? Does your student’s learning style fit in with the planned teaching style? If not, are you prepared to supplement at home?
7. What is the role of the parent in this program or class? Can you sit in? Are you considered a partner or an intruder if you want to be involved? Are there volunteer requirements for parents?
8. How are student-to-student problems handled? Are parents involved or informed?

You don’t just want to evaluate the quality of the class. You want to investigate its rightness for your student at this particular time.

             

When is a Homeschool NOT a Homeschool?

As parents become more and more dissatisfied with the public schools, alternative educational options are proliferating.  I am really excited to see what new creative ideas and programs will be invented in the next few months and years!

However, I am seeing confusing posts on social media such as this one: “Seeking low-cost office space to rent for like-minded parents wanting to homeschool.  Cost of rent, classroom equipment, and teacher salary will be shared.”  While there is no legal definition for homeschooling in the State of California, this post seems far outside the traditional idea of a parent doing much of the teaching of his or her own children in their own home.

Education: Does One-Size Fit All?

During this past year of pandemic, much has been written about the inadequacies of distance learning. Criticisms have included that it doesn’t work well for younger learners, for special needs students, for children without access to quiet areas or a suitable Internet connection, and so on.

But parents who have been working closely with their children this year at home are discovering another issue: pacing. As an independent homeschool consultant, I have been hearing comments like this:

A Risky Business

During these days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been encouraged to support small and shop local. You can’t get much smaller or more local than Tools for the Home Educator! I’m a one-girl shop, centrally located to much of the South Bay in Torrance, CA.

I very much appreciate the recent online article “Meet Penny Ross: Homeschool Consultant” posted by ShoutOut LA. This organization’s mission is to help people spend more of their money with mom-and-pops, small businesses, independent artists, and creatives.

I was featured as part of their Risk, Reward, and Life conversation. Although I do not consider myself a risk-taker, as I was thinking through the questions for this interview I began to consider how unusual my path in life has been. I began homeschooling before it was widely popular (and definitely before distance learning became the norm!) and I started my own business at a time when many my age were retiring.

I invite you to take a few minutes to enjoy this article and learn more about me and my business, Tools for the Home Educator. And then I hope you’ll check out some of the other businesses featured by ShoutOut LA.

Do You Think You’re Too Young?

Did you happen to notice an article published by the Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics (JEO) on December 6, 2020? Unless you follow arthritis research, you probably didn’t. But what if I told you that the first author of this article in a highly respected peer-reviewed professional journal was only 17 years old? Let me introduce you to this exceptional young researcher, Elisha Johnston, in the hopes that his accomplishments will encourage you in your own pursuits, no matter your age.

Though homeschooled in kindergarten and again this year in 12^th grade, Elisha spent much of his education in the public school system. In middle school, seeking another outlet to engage his interest in science, he pursued participation in the Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair (LACSEF). When his school declined to sign up, LACSEF allowed Elisha to register directly as a homeschool student.

Location, Location, Location — Does it Apply to Education?

As homeschooling has grown in popularity over the last 40 years, so have stories of its successes. And so, the question could be asked – how much of its success is due to where the education takes place? Is there truly no place like home when it comes to learning? Our current experiment in distance learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic should help answer this question.

Though the hard data is still being collected, we are hearing many parents and teachers voice concerns about a steep learning slide due to the school closures. Anecdotally, it does not appear that the mere act of moving education from school building to home has positively impacted learning outcomes.

So if homeschooling seems to be successful and distance learning less so, we should investigate the factors that could contribute to this discrepancy:

A Tale of 2 Headlines

The term homeschooling – how would you define it? Merriam Webster says it’s “to teach school subjects to one’s children at home.” As someone who homeschooled her own 3 children, I agree with that definition. As least I did – until 3 weeks ago!

I’ve been active in the homeschooling world for over 30 years as a parent, homeschool program administrator, and independent consultant. While I often imagined a world in which many more parents would discover the joy and excitement of teaching their own children, I always assumed that they would be willingly choosing this lifestyle. I never dreamed that the entire state of California would be staying at home while all education moved online.

With my heart and mind still reeling from the abrupt cancellation of everyday life, I encountered the following headline: