Co-operative: Home Options In Childhood Education

Homeschooling resources and information

Find out more information about all aspects of homeschooling through resources such as books, magazines, organizations, websites, government regulations. Share your perspective and read those of others, in informative articles and thought-provoking essays. Share resources, skills and equipment through classified ads.

But first, some information on terminology (semantics).

Choice of words

There are as many home options in childhood education as there are homes. Here are a few distinctions in the terminology:

Homeschooling: probably the term most often used. Any home alternative to sending your child to school. Objections to the term stem from taking the term "schooling" to imply that what happens at home replicates what happens at school. Some homeschoolers do, in fact, follow a set school curriculum and adhere to a set schedule. For many, however, this is precisely one of the aspects of school they want to avoid.

Unschooling: what "schooling" is not. An unstructured approach in which children's natural curiosity is the guide.

Home education: avoids the use of the term "schooling". To educate means to "lead out" (ex ducere) - lead out a child's potential, for instance. It implies guidance, and can still seem too directive to some.

Home-based learning: the reference to learning acknowledges that people (not just while they're children) learn all the time. Home is an environment in which their learning is supported, and a base from which to explore the world.

At C:HOICE, we acknowledge all home options in childhood learning. (- But we have to say "education" instead of "learning", otherwise our meaningful acronym is ruined!)

C:HOICE has an inclusive membership policy, regardless of educational method. See our mandate and guiding principles for more details.

Resources and information

Follow the links below to go to specific resource and information pages:

• Classified ads for sharing of skills and equipment
• Publication of your articles and essays on homeschooling, parenting, and other relevant topics
• Bibliography of books and magazines on homeschooling, learning and more
• Organizations catering to homeschoolers, including legal support
• Curriculum, including the government's guidelines, catalogues of suppliers, websites for buying and selling used materials, free online lesson plans, activities and worksheets
• Links to other websites of relevance to homeschooling or of educational interest
• Laws and regulations governing homeschooling

• an overview
• contact

• playgroups
• teen scene
• parents connecting

• group rates and field trips
• celebrations
• calendar of events

• sharing of skills and equipment (want and offer ads)
• articles and essays
• bibliography
• organizations
• curriculum and materials
• other websites of interest
• laws and regulations

• support group meetings

• calendar of organizational meetings and distribution of tasks
• C:HOICE's mandate and guiding principles
• guidelines for Effective Group Work
• Members' Agreement
• Event-Planning Agreement

• what's new
• what's ongoing
• articles and essays
• kids' and teens' writing and artwork
• printed version

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