What is
homeschooling and why do people do it? Homeschooling is the educational alternative whereby the parents or legal custodians assume the responsibility of educating their child. The parents are the ones who are responsible for deciding the scope and sequence of material that their child should learn and the ways in which they will learn that material. There are many reasons that people start homeschooling. Some families extend the preschool time they spend with their children into a way of life. Other families become disillusioned with traditional school systems and decide that homeschooling is a better option for them. Some families find homeschooling to be a natural part of their religious faith. There are as many individual stories of when, why, and how families start homeschooling as there are homeschooling families. Is homeschooling legal in Puerto Rico? Yes, it is. Puerto Rico falls under the jurisdiction of the US and PR Constitutions. The right to homeschool is a constitutionally protected right under the 14th Amendment (Liberty Clause) (US) and Article 2, section 7 (PR). If you are homeschooling with a truly religious conviction, then you are also protected under the 1st Amendment. (Free Exercise Clause) (US) and Article 2, section 3 (PR). There is an exemption from obligatory public school attendance for those who are receiving instruction in a school established under NON-GOVERNMENTAL auspices. (Article 2, section 5 PR Const.) While it is unlikely that homeschooling was considered in the creation of that exemption, it is logical to assume that homeschoolers would fall within that distinction. Please visit our legal page for more details. Do we have to notify anyone that we will be homeschooling? If your child has not yet been enrolled in a school (public or private), no, you do not have to notify anyone that you will be homeschooling. The Department of Education still does not have a formal procedure in place for homeschoolers leaving their system and so, there remains much confusion on the part of many directors on how to handle those transferring out of the public system into homeschooling. However, the following has more or less been the accepted procedure thus far. If your child has been enrolled in a school (public or private), you should notify the director in writing that your child is transferring into a private educational system, and if the school has the transfer form available, you may fill it out with the name of your homeschool (simply name your homeschool whatever you want). You may also request a copy of your child's records. Depending on the school, you may be asked to cover the cost of copying said records. Your child's medical and vaccination certificates should also be returned to you. (See guidelines.) Can my child enter or reenter school after homeschooling? If going into the public school system, yes. If your child homeschooled under an umbrella school (i.e. distance learning program) that included issuing grades as part of its service, a transcript from them should be presented with your enrollment. If your child did not homeschool under such circumstances, you need to first visit your regional Dept. of Education Office of Equivalency in order to receive a provisional placement certificate, which you, in turn, present at the school your child will be entering. The school will then include your child on the list of students needing to take the placement exam when it is offered. (Circular Letter 02-2006-2007) Private schools, however, have the right not to accept students coming from homeschooling, although most do accept homeschoolers. If you think you might want to put your child in a private school at some point after homeschooling, it is recommended that you first check if they accept homeschoolers before beginning to homeschool. What about socialization? Socialization takes place whenever people are interacting with one another. Because homeschooled children are not with their same aged peers all day, they learn to socialize in a realistic and healthy manner with people of all ages and all walks of life as they are out and about doing their daily activities. There are also many local homeschool support groups in Puerto Rico, all of which offer wonderful opportunities for homeschoolers to socialize with each other and their community. Along with meetings and activities, many homeschooling groups also have one or more field trips a month to different places around the island. How do I begin? Just as there is no one correct way to homeschool, there is no one correct way to get started. However, a good place to start is researching various teaching approaches. The flexibility that is inherent in homeschooling allows families to explore different teaching approaches in order to meet their educational needs, continuing with what works and setting aside what doesn't. They tailor their teaching approaches to the age, learning style, and personality of each child; subject being taught; family lifestyle; resources available; etc. For example, a family may find that Unit Studies work best for teaching children of different ages at the same time. Often, parents find themselves teaching in an eclectic manner, using bits and pieces of various approaches in order to meet their needs. For example, they may find that the Traditional Approach works best for them in teaching math, and the Living Books Approach works best for history. Common teaching approaches are: Traditional (textbook), Classical (Dorothy Sayers), Unit Studies (thematic), Life Experiences and Living Books (Charlotte Mason), Un-Schooling (John Holt), Delayed Academics (Raymond Moore), Waldorf (Rudolf Steiner), Montessori (Maria Montessori). Also, meeting other homeschoolers in a local support group or on the PR homeschool message forums are an invaluable help to those getting started and veterans, alike. What if I don't feel capable to teach a certain subject? Homeschoolers have many resources available to them: online courses and teachers, professional tutors, college students, their support groups, etc. Will my child receive an official transcript and high school diploma? If you utilize an umbrella school that maintains your child's record and issues grades, yes. If you are not utilizing such a service, no. However, it is important to remember that it is not essential to have a transcript or high school diploma to apply to all colleges. (See next question.) However, it is important to remember that while it is not essential to have a high school diploma to apply to all colleges, most colleges will require a transcript or portfolio. Homeschoolers should keep their own records and then turn them into a transcript format that is acceptable to the college. There are web sites and books to help with this. Can a homeschooled child go to college? Yes. Most colleges, including UPR, IAU, and Polytecnica, have admission policies tailored made for homeschooled students. They are tailor made in that the colleges understand that homeschooled students may not have a typical transcript or high school diploma and so, they have gotten creative in finding ways to assess the students applying. ( i.e. portfolios, College Board exam results) Where can I learn more about homeschooling? Along with this web site, there are many other useful web sites and books about homeschooling. Also, you can use Good Search to search homeschooling topics and help support T'CHERs at the same time. |