Jon's Homeschool Resource Page

Jon's Homeschool Resources

Home-ed FAQ file, pt 3

INDEX:

NEW:

  • Description of ``the Daily Reportcard'' list server.
  • Description of ``Potter's Press'' curriculum
The following resources have been mentioned by various members of the Home Education mailing list.

The call numbers are from records in OCLC, the national bibliographic database, mostly from Library of Congress input records. Most libraries will have kept at least the beginning part of the number the same, the characters following the period may differ. When there was more than one edition, the most recent one is given (in hopes that the book will still be in print!)

World-wide-web pages:
http://www.midnightbeach.com/hs
http://chico.rice.edu/armadillo/HomeSchool/homeschool.htm

Books:

Beechick, Ruth
You CAN teach your child successfully:grades 4 to 8
Arrow Press, 1988
ISBN:0940319055 LC:LB1048.5 .B44 1988 Dewey:649/.68
Colfax, David
Homeschooling for Excellence
Warner Books, 1988
ISBN:0446389862 LC:LC40 .C65 1988 Dewey:649/.68
Gatto, John
The Exhausted school : the first national grassroots speakout on the right to school choice
NY: Smith & Varina, Odysseus Group, 1993.
ISBN 0-945700-02-1

Dumbing us down: the hidden curriculum of compulsory schooling Philadelphia: New Society Publishers, 1992.
ISBN: 0-86571-230-1, ISBN: 0-86571-231-X (pbk.)
LC: LA2317.G33 A3 1992

Hirsh, E.D., Jr., editor
What your 1st Grader Needs To Know:Fundamentals of a Good First-Grade Education
Doubleday, 1991,2

1st grade
ISBN:0385411154 LC:LB1571 1st .W53 1991 Dewey:372.19

2nd grade
ISBN:0385411162 LC:LB1571 2nd .W47 1991 Dewey:372.19

3rd grade
ISBN:0385411170 LC:LB1571 3rd .W47 1992 Dewey:372.19

4th grade
ISBN:0385411189 LC:LB1571 4th .W48 1992 Dewey:372.19

Holt, John
Teach Your Own: A Hopeful Path for Education
Delta/Seymour Lawrence, 1989
ISBN:0440550556 LC:LC37 .H66 1989 Dewey:649/.68

Learning All The Time
Addison-Wesley, 1989
ISBN:0201550911 LC:LB1060 .H66 1989 Dewey:372

A Life Worth Living: Selected Letters Of John Holt
Ohio State Univ Press, 1990
ISBN:0814205232 LC:LB885.H64 L54 1990 Dewey:371.1/0092

Grace Llewellyn
The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education
Lowry House ($14.95 + $2 shipping) P.O. Box 1014
Eugene OR 97440.

GWIGLEY@carleton.edu:
We began to read [our teenage boys] excerpts from the book and they've grown increasingly interested. Except for the first chapter to parents, the author writes to teens. It's an amazing book, the best I've come across thus far.
Donnie Curtis <dcurtis@lib.nmsu.edu>:
...I'd like to add my praise for this book. My kids (6,9,14) have never been to school, and have been doing pretty well directing their own learning. But my 14-year-old daughter had been feeling a need to seek out further resources, so we bought Grace Llewellyn's book. It has been our best resource (other than GWS); she has become inspired about her education, and has gotten many good ideas from the book. The author herself has a real love for learning and is able to convey it.

The book probably works best for those kids who are bored and unchallenged in school, and not well for those whose interest in learning has been totally destroyed. I loaned it to a mother whose son was having school problems, and though she loved it, he was uninterested in anything that resembled a book.

Moore, Raymond and Dorothy
Home Style Teaching:A Handbook for Parents and Teachers
Word Books, 1984
ISBN:0849903971 LC:LC37 .M67 1984 Dewey:649/.68

Home-Spun Schools:Teaching Children at Home--What Parents Are Doing and How They Are Doing It
Word Books, 1982
ISBN:0849903262 LC:LC37 .M668 1982 Dewey:649/.68/0973

Home Grown Kids:A Practical Handbook for Teaching Your Children At Home
Word Books, 1981
ISBN:0849902703 LC:LC37 .M66 Dewey:649/.68

Better Late than Early: A New Approach to Your Child's Education
Reader's Digest Press, 1986 (c1975)
ISBN:088349048X LC:LB1132 .M66 1986 Dewey:372.1/2/17

Home School Burnout:What It Is, What Causes It, and How to Cure It
Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1981
ISBN:0943497353 LC:LC40 .M66 1988 Dewey:649/.68/0973

Pagnoni, Mario
The Complete Home Educator:A Comprehesive Guide to Modern Home-Teaching
Larson, 1984
ISBN:0943914116 LC:LC37 .P26 1984 Dewey:649/.68/0973
Pedersen, Anne and O'Mara, Peggy, eds.
Schooling at Home: Parents, Kids and Learning
J.Muir Pub'ns, 1990
ISBN:0945465521 LC:LC40 .S36 1990 Dewey:649/.68
A composite of chapters by different authors containing different views of homeschooling and advice from different viewpoints. (Excerpted from Mothering magazine.)
Pride, Mary
The Big Book of Home Learning (4 volumes)
Crossway Books, 1990-1
ISBN:0891075488(v.1) LC:LC40 .P75 1990 Dewey:649/.68/0973

Schoolproof
Crossway Books, 1988
ISBN:0891074805 LC:LC225.3 .P75 1988 Dewey:649/.68

Reed, Donn
Home School Source Book
Brook Farm Books, 1991
ISBN:0919761240 LC:LC40 .R43 1991 Dewey:649.68
Wade, Theodore
The Home School Manual:For Parents Who Teach Their Own Children
Gazelle Pub'ns, 1991(4th ed)
ISBN:0930192257 LC:LC40 .W33 1991 Dewey:649/.68
?, ?
Students' Book of Lists
Incentive Pub'ns
ISBN 0-86530-000-3

Magazines and Newsletters:

"Growing without Schooling"
2269 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 864-3100
A subscription is $25 per year for six bi-monthly issues.
LC:LC40 .G76 Dewey:649/.68/097305

Aaron Falbel <falbel@media-lab.media.mit.edu> says:
"Most of John Holt's writings on homeschooling are contained in Growing Without Schooling magazine (GWS), which he started in 1977. The accumulated wisdom of many homeschooling parents (and children!) are included in its pages. Unfortunately, not many libraries subscribe to GWS or have a collection of the back issues, but perhaps you can convince yours to get them.

"Growing Without Schooling tends to cater to the latter three groups [ in the answer to question 2 above]."

Martin Lewitt <lewitt@ncube.COM> adds:
"GWS is mostly theme issues assembled from letters from parents and children and only has the unschooling point of view.

"My perception of GWS, is that it has steered clear of the religious controversy which some feel may threaten the home school movement. Don't get me wrong, subscribe to both [GWS and Home Education Magazine]."

"Home Education Magazine"
PO Box 1083
Tonasket, WA 98855

Phone: (509) 486-1351
A one year subscription is $24.00 (one ad has it at $20.00?) for 6 issues, and $4.50 for the current issue.
LC:n/a Dewey:371

More than 50 pages an issue, several feature articles and a several of columns.

Martin Lewitt <lewitt@ncube.COM> says:
"Home Education Magazine has a Christian influence that isn't overwhelming and is supportive and open to the unschooling approach. Given the strong religious component of much of the home schooling movement, I find that HEM does an excellent job of keeping us informed of what is going on."

Parents' Choice Foundation
Box 185
Newton, MA 02168
phone 617-965-5913

$18 per year, add $3 for Canadian orders
Joni J Rathbun <jrathbun@ednet1.osl.or.gov>:
Another source some of you may be interested in is a publication called Parents' Choice. Comes in newspaper format and is a nonprofit consumer guide to children's books, videos, toys, audio materials (records and tapes), software, tv, etc. Lots of reviews. Nothing much in the way of editorials. A smattering of ads for books and kits and resources....

PRACTICAL HOMESCHOOLING.
Home Life
PO Box 1250
Fenton MO 63026
1-800-346-6322

fax (314) 343-7203.
It's available for $15/4 issues

Mary Pride <marypride@aol.com> (the editor):
Back issues are $5 each plus 10% shipping ($2 minimum). Three back issues so far. We are Christian in outlook, with an emphasis on high-tech homeschooling, high school and even college opportunities at home, and whatever cutting-edge ideas and resources we can discover! Lots and lots of reviews of both "standard" type resources and software products. Glossy, colorful, and now BIG issues -- 80 pages! Regular columns on a variety of teaching methods: classical education, Charlotte Mason method, unit studies, online education, accelerated education. Lifestyle features include "A Day at Our House" diaries, an "Applause" section chronicling kids' achievements, and a Toothpick Hunt with prizes in every issue! Publisher is me, Mary Pride. No political content at all at the moment -- I'm trying to steer away from this, as I feel other groups and magazines have this side of homeschooling well in hand. With no disrespect intended to HOMESCHOOLING TODAY magazine, we are trying to become HOMESCHOOLING TOMORROW -- the WHOLE EARTH REVIEW of home ed, the WIRED, the magazine with an eye to the future, including such things as innercity homeschooling, business/homeschool partnerships, online networking, moving from a transcript-based society to a knowledge-credentialed society (not to be confused with OBE, which emphasizes emotional conformity).

"The Teaching Home"
P.O. BOx 20219

Portland, OR 97220.
Annual subscription rate: $15

Claude Anderson <anderson@master.CS.Rose-Hulman.Edu>:
In addition to good articales and columns, there are numerous interesting advertisements, as well as calendars of home-school events around the country.... The magazine has a strong Christian emphasis, but many of the articles (especially those on legal aspects) should be of interest to any current/potential home-schoolers. Each issue focuses on some specific aspect of home education. (Recent examples : Standardized Testing, Using the Library, Learning Problems, Character Building, Political Science, Phonics, Preparing for Adulthood) Back issues (to 1983) are available."
Martin Lewitt <lewitt@ncube.COM> adds:
"Avoid "The Teaching Home", (mentioned by someone else) unless you are a fundamentalist Christian, actually the fundamentalists would probably be better off avoiding this one, also."

"Moore Report"
Sandra Petit <Sandra_Petit@agwbbs.new-orleans.LA.US>:
"The Moore Report is a magazine put out by the Moores (Raymond and Dorothy) as part of the Raymond and Dorothy Moore Foundation. It is in the process of being expanded so I do not have the subscription information.

"Treasure Trove"
Sandra Petit <Sandra_Petit@agwbbs.new-orleans.LA.US>:
"Published by Hewitt Research Foundation. Treasure Trove is not really information on homeschooling. It has puzzles and articles geared toward the young people who will use their materials."

"Under the Apple Tree"
Apple Tree Press
PO Box 8

Woodinville, WA 98072
Steve Miller <smiller@bbn.com> says:
"This newsletter is published bi-monthly. It is a full of ideas and projects. The activities are geared to the season. The issues that I have seen have been _very_ good. I believe that you can request a free copy."

New Attitude
6920 S.E. Hogan
Gresham OR 97080

1-800-225-5259.
From: Lee Griffith <griffith@anderson.edu>
Teen magazines for homeschoolers are hard to find--but Josh Harris (son of Greg Harris) recently started this by & for homeschool teen magazine. While not specifically religiously oriented, most of the writers come from a Christian background & write with that perspective.

Sample article topics include: College prep tips, National homeschool basketball tourney coverage, news on the Farris campaign, peer pressure, Rush Limbaugh, dating & courtship and many more. Regular sections are: Homeschool student profile, Music & the Arts, Readers Sound-Off!, Christianity & Literature & Cartoons.

To subscribe, send $15 (if a US resident) $20 (if from another country) to:

For a sample issue, write to the same address and send $2. Visa and Mastercard are also accepted.

Correspondence Schools, Curricula, Materials, and Mail Order:

Terry Colbert <tcolbert@dragon.ulowell.edu>: "[Many of the items in] the following list [are] taken from the Growing Without Schooling directory (issue #84) under the heading "Correspondence Schools or Curriculum Suppliers". [That] list is also available from Holt Associates as the Home School Resource List for $2.50.

"Holt Associates also recommends "Peterson's Independent Study Catalog" for high school, college, and grad courses. Holt sells the catalog for $11.95 + $3 postage (Holt Associates, 2269 Massachusetts AV, Cambridge MA 02140)."

  • ABEKA
    Box 18000
    Pensacola, FL 32523-9160
    1-800-874-2352 or 1-800-874-3592.

    They offer a regular correspondence course as well as a video course. You can also order materials without enrolling. Tuition for the regular course is $450.00 which includes books. There is a strict time limitation for their courses. Christian oriented

  • Alpha Omega Publications
    P.O. Box 3153
    Tempe, AZ 85281
    (602) 731-9310.

    Uses LIFEPACS, series of small books which takes student through each subject in steps. You can enter at any stage, and combine different grade levels for different subjects. There are about 10 LIFEPACS for each grade level for each subject. You can get a sample LIFEPAC by request. Most of the series are about $20.00.

  • Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)
    PO Box 4097
    Whittier, CA 90607-4097

    Character foundation curriculum (213)694-4791

  • Alta Vista College Press Home School Curriculum
    PO Box 222
    Medina WA 98039
    (206) 454-7691

    I talked to a guy who answered the phone briefly and it seems that it is graduate level curiculum they are offering, geared toward educating Christian teachers. Teaching teachers how to teach. They probably changed their phone number to avoid calls from stupid parents asking about homeschooling materials.

  • American Home Academy Materials
    2770 S 1000 W
    Perry UT 84302
  • American School
    850 E 58th
    Chicago IL 60637

    (high school)

  • Associated Christian Schools
    PO Box 27115
    Indianapolis IN 46227
    317-881-7132
  • Aves Science Kits
    PO Box 229
    Peru, ME 04290
    (207)- 562-7033

    SCIENCE - Aves Science is a "science supply company specializing in homeschool laboratory science units." Their specialty is "complete self-contained laboratory units that are essentially identical to conventional laboratory exercises, but are designed and packaged for the homeschooler."

    Each science unit comes in a white cardboard box with all equipment included. Over seventy different units available from Bacteria Staining to Frog Dissections. Units can be purchased individually for a cost ranging from $4.00 - $7.00 or as batches as complete laboratory programs.

    A Basic Laboratory Program for ages 12-14 is $42.75 and has nine units.

  • Brigham Young University
    Dept of Independent Study
    206 Harman Continuing Ed Building
    Provo UT 84602
  • Bob Jones University Press
    Greenville, SC 29614
    1-800-845-5731

    They offer sale of tests as well as materials. The price depends on grade level and which subjects you in which you wish to enroll. Christian oriented

  • Calvert School
    105 Tuscanny Road
    Baltimore, MD 21210
    (410) 243-6030

    Tuition about $400. You receive an instruction manual as well as books, workbooks and writing materials (crayons, pencils, rulers, paper). Lessons are spelled out. (ex. Say to the child...)

  • Christian Liberty Academy Satellite Schools (CLASS)
    502 W. Euclid Ave.
    Arlington Heights, IL 60004
    (708) 259-8736

    send for an information packet There are different programs. Family program is $210, CLASS adm. program $240, uses "homework", has 12 month year

  • Christian Light Publications
    PO Box 1126
    Harrisonburg VA 22801-1126
    703-434-0768
  • Classic Curriculum
    Dept G
    PO Box 656
    Milford MI 48042
    313-481-7008 or 800-348-6688
  • Clonlara SchoolHome Based Education Program
    1289 Jewett
    Ann Arbor, MI 48104
    (313) 769-4511

    Textbooks not required. Fee $350.00 per family. Does not include books or testing. Year is Sept. 1-Aug. 31

  • Cuisenanire Co. of America, Inc
    P.O. Box 5026
    White Plains, NY 10602-5026
    Call: 800-237-3142
    FAX: 800-551-RODS

    They have a big wonderful catalog, some of which is actually helpful to homeschoolers (and much more of which is "classroom suitable"). The rods come in wood or plastic, and single set size of 74 or a double set size of 155. There is a lot of science stuff in it for older kids.

  • Design-a-Study
    408 Victoria Ave
    Wilmington, DE 19804

    Resources for creating a custom curriculum

  • Educators Publishing Service
    75 Moulton St.
    Cambridge, MA 02138-1104
    (800)225-5750

    Recipe for Reading, language arts

  • ESP Inc.
    1201 E. Johnson Ave., PO Drawer 5080
    Jonesboro, AR 72403-5080
    (800)643-0280

    Super Workbook K-8

  • February 9, Educational
    118 Carter Dr.
    Loudon, TN 37774
    1-615-458-2749

    George.Graham@launchpad.unc.edu (george wayne graham) writes:
    Science has been mentioned a lot on this group. There is a company that does an excellent job of designing creative ways of learning math, science and computer literacy for kids.

    I tried out their anatomy set with my kids. It comes with a cassette tape which sings the parts of the body ... bones, nerves, brain etc. Makes memorizing SUPER easy. It has a workbook with drawings, glossary, lyrics to the songs ... and the part I like best ... questions which can be used to test the students retention. They also have flash cards with pictures.

    My kids found the music so entertaining that they forgot that they were actually learning something. I actually find myself listening to it for fun. The cassette also has the music with no lyrics. This way when the student thinks they know it, they can sing along with the music without the singers prompting.

  • Glenn Distributors
    7251 Bass Hwy
    St Cloud MN 32769
  • Hands-On Equations
    Borenson & Associates, PO Box 3328
    Allentown, PA 18106
    (215)820-5575

    Pre-algebra grades 3-8

  • Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich Inc.
    School Dept, 5 Sampson St.
    Saddle Brook, NJ 07662
    (800)237-2665

    Textbooks K-12

  • Hewitt Research Foundation
    P.O. Box 9
    Washougal, WA 98671-0009
    206-835-8708

    Price differs depending on what you get. For $89, you get a booklist prepared for your individual child and phone counseling. They sell textbooks as well as other materials. Christian oriented

  • Homeschool Associates of New England
    116 Third Avenue
    Auburn, Maine 04210
    (800)882-2828 or (207)777-0077.

    Some have expressed interest in used books & curricula. Their listings show a considerable inventory of used homeschooling material. They apparently also buy. Additionally, they offer numerous other services to the homeschooling community. They appear to be a national service although they are most active in NE.

  • Home Study Alternative School
    PO Box 10356
    Newport Beach CA 92658
  • Home Study Directory: Nat'l Home School Council
    1601 18th ST NW
    Washington DC 20009
  • Home Study Institute
    6940 Carroll AV
    Takoma Park MD 20912
    202-723-0800
  • Home Study International
    P.O. Box 4437
    Silver Springs, MD 20914-4437

    does not include testing, books but must buy the books in theircourse. $286.00/yr (calendar year), $143/semester; $55.00 registration fee, offers placement test

  • Houghton Mifflin
    One Beacon St.
    Boston, MA 02108
    (800)257-9107

    Textbooks, K-12

  • International Linguistics Corporation
    3505 East Red Bridge Road
    Kansas City, Missouri 64137

    Publish a series of foreign-language instruction tapes and books for young children. Languages available include, Japanese, French, German, Russian, Chinese, and even Engish.

    These tapes are used by lots of people on the list.

  • International Institute
    PO Box 99
    Park Ridge Il 60068
  • Islamic Home Scholl Assoc. of North America
    c/o J. Akremi
    610 S.W. 21 Rd.
    Warrenburg, MO 64093
  • IQRA (Arabic for READ)
    831 S. Laflin
    Chicago, IL 60607
    Attn: Dr. T. Ghazi
    (312) 226-5694
  • John Holt's Book and Music Store
    2269 Massachusetts Ave.
    Cambridge, MA 02140
    (617) 864-3100

    Catalog store run by the Holt Associates (see also GWS in the magazine section above).

  • Key Curriculum Press
    PO Box 2304
    Berkeley, CA 94702
    (800)338-7638

    Innovative and inexpensive Math workbooks

  • Kolbe Academy
    1600 F ST
    Napa CA 94559
  • Konos Curriculum
    P.O. Box 1534
    Richardson, TX 75083

    They offer a curriculum which is to be used for all children. You just adapt the material to different ages. They offer timelines which sound wonderful though they are expensive and take up a lot of wall space.

  • Laurel Spring School
    Suite 201
    Ojai CA 93023
    1-800-377-5890 or (805) 646-0186
  • Lawrence Hall of Science
    University of CA
    Berkeley, CA 94720

    Science curriculum

  • Learning at Home
    PO Box 270-G
    Honaunau HI 96726
  • Living Heritage Academy
    PO Box 1438
    Lewisville TX 75067
  • McGuffey Academy
    2213 Spur Trail
    Grapevine, TX 76051
    817-481-7008
  • MacMillan/McGraw Hill, Bomar/Noble publishers, Harper & Row/Random House JP, Lippincott/Silver Burdett Laidlaw Brothers
    220 E. Danieldale Rd
    DeSoto, TX 75115
    (800)442-9685

    Textbooks, K-12

  • McDougal, Littell & Co
    PO Box 1606
    El Cajon, CA 92022

    Textbooks, K-12

  • Modern Curriculum Press
    13900 Prospect Rd
    Cleveland, OH 44136

    Textbooks, K-12, bilingual

  • Moore Foundation
    Box 1
    Camas, WA 98607

    Educational methods and materials

  • Muslim Home School Network and Resource
    P.O. Box 1454
    Attleboro, MA 02703
    (508) 226-1638
  • National Book Co
    333 SW Park AV
    Portland OR 97205-3784
    503-228-6345
  • Oak Meadow School
    PO Box 712
    Blacksburg VA 24063
    703-552-3263
  • Open Court
    407 South Dearborn
    Chicago, IL 60605

    Textbooks, K-12

  • Our Family Resources
    1378 River Rd
    Drumore, PA

    Curriculum and supplementary materials

  • Our Lady of the Rosary
    105 E. Flaget Ave.
    Bardstown, KY 40004

    Catholic pre-K-12

  • Our Lady of Victory School
    4436 Alpine Dr.
    (P.O. Box 819)
    Post Falls, ID 83854
  • Pensacola Christian Correspondence School
    Box 18000
    Pensacola FL 32523
  • Phoenix Special Programs
    3132 W Clarendon
    Phoenix AZ 85017

    (high school)

  • Potter's Press Preschool Curriculum
    Shekinah Curriculum Cellar
    967 Junipero Drive
    Costa Mesa, CA 92626

    mmeahan@gentoo.com (Melinda Meahan) writes:
    Potter's Press is in the form of loose-leaf notebook pages, ten pages per week. Each week features a letter sound, a number, and a Bible story (starting after the first few weeks, which talk about Hermie the Glow Wormie, a character running through the whole series.

    If you want something structured for your 3- or 4-year-old to do along with the rest of your children, this is the ticket. It will only take about 10 minutes a day. My 3-year-old felt that he had "done school" along with his older siblings, and he really enjoyed doing the pages.

    The curriculum is flexible enough that if your child is ready to read and write, they can do so, but if they aren't, you can easily adapt it to their level (i.e., just going over the letter sounds and skipping the few lines of words to try to read each week.

    I try to find materials for my children that are self-instructional, and this one meets that requirement. Everything is right in the material they are doing, and there is nothing to have to digest and regurgitate, something that I find impossible to do.

    Potter's Press is sold by Shekinah Curriculum Cellar, 967 Junipero Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. The price as of 1992 (when I bought it; I don't have a current catalog) was $30 and I felt it was a far better use of my money than the conglomeration-of-preschool-workbooks-and-programs that I used for an older child who really wanted to "do school" too. You can get a catalog for a dollar, and the catalog includes a good description of the curriculum and some sample pages, along with lots of other nifty school supplies.

  • Prentice Hall
    School Div. Simon/Schuster
    Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632

    Textbooks 6-12

  • Rod & Staff Publishers
    Hwy. 172
    Crockett, KY 41413
    (606) 522-4348

    Strong Christian orientation. Offers texts for all subjects, including art and music, as well as some in Spanish.

  • Saxon Publishing
    1002 Lincoln Green
    Norman, OK 73072

    Solid Math texts, very complete

  • Seton Home Study School
    One Kidd Lane
    Front Royal, VA 22630
    (703) 636-9990

    Catholic correspondence school

  • Shekinah Curriculum Cellar
    967 Junipero Drive
    Costa Mesa, CA 92626

    Books and teaching aids

  • SMM Educational Services
    Box 1079
    Sunland CA 91040
    818-352-2310
  • Sonlight Curriculum
    8121 South Grant Way
    Littleton, CO 80122-2701
    http://www.crsys.com/sonlight, sonlight@crsys.com
    (303) 730-6292, (303) 795-8668 fax

    John Rodkey (rodkey@westmont.edu):
    This is a Christian, delight-oriented (but challenging) curriculum with an international rather than America-centric flavor. Use of Usborne books and Newbury Award winning literature rather than textbooks encourages building a library which can be enjoyed long after 'prescribed' learning takes place.
  • Sycamore Tree, Inc.
    2179 Meyer Place
    Costa Mesa, CA 92627

    They offer a course for $400.00 per family. Registration is $50.00. Does not include books though you get a discount on materials in their very extensive catalog. Does include spring testing, high school transcripts and diploma. Requires joining Home School Legal Defense Association for $85.00/yr. You can order from their catalog without enrolling.

  • Textbooks for Parents
    Box 209
    Kendrick ID 83537
  • U of Nebraska Independent Study High School
    Continuing Ed Ctr Rm 269
    Lincoln NE 68583
  • Walch
    321 Valley St., PO Box 658
    Portland, ME 04014-0658

    Textbooks, 6-12

  • Weekly Reader Skills Books
    Field Publications, PO Box 16618
    Columbus, OH 43285

    Inexpensive skills books most subjects pre-K - grade 9

  • World Eagle
    64 Washburn Ave., Wellesley, MA 02181
    (800)634-3805
  • Zephyr Press
    PO Box 13448-B, Dept. 26
    Tucson, AZ 85732-3448

    Innovative learning materials, integrative curriculum K-12

Other resources:

Almost every state has an annual home-school convention (The Teaching Home lists them).

  • Home School Legal Defense Association
    HSLDA
    Box 159
    Paeonian Springs, VA 22129
    (703) 338-5600

    Claude Anderson <anderson@master.CS.Rose-Hulman.Edu>:
    "Many local school administrators are less than thrilled about Home education. HSLDA is basically a "Pooled insurance" fund. For $100 per year, they promise to represent you for no additional charge if your right to teach your own children is challenged. They have had an excellent track record in their defense of home school families."
    Mary Watts <ki!mary@uunet.uu.net>:
    Member families receive legal advice and representation by an attorney for homeschool cases if needed, and quarterly Court Report magazine updating the legal situation in the United States. Run from a Christian perspective, but membership is open to all home schoolers. Fee $100/year/family
    Ken & Carrie Loss-Cutler <LOSS_CUTLER@UTDSSA.BITNET>:
    "Yes, they are a very helpful orgainization, but they are NOT the only way to go. Their results lately have been mixed. They state that they have never had a homeschooling family forced to return their child to public schools. That is accurate. There are a lot of other fates, though, which are only a bit more desireable. This group is NOT omnipotent (of course) and they DO have a strong Christian emphasis. They are open to all, but their newsletter definitely has a VERY strong Christian bent to it. They have helped us quite a bit in making resources available for our work as section leaders in EdForum on Compuserve, so I am not trying to give them a "bad rap", but homeschool families should approach HSLDA, as with ALL organizations, with their eyes open."
    Jon Shemitz <jon@midnightbeach.com>:
    "Lately, HSLDA has been urging its members to pressure their Congresspeople on issues that, at least to me, have very questionable relevance to home-education - like Supreme Court Justice Breyer and the UNCRC - but that align closely with the agenda of the "Christian" right-wing. (Mike Farris, the head of the HSLDA, has political aspirations of his own.) If you think the Christian Coalition knows what's Right, then you may be all for the HSLDA's lobbying. On the other hand, if the CC gives you nightmares, you may well want to steer clear of the HSLDA."
  • National Home Education Research Institute

    Dr. Brian Ray
    National Home Education Research Institute
    Western Baptist College
    5000 Deer Park Drive
    Salem, Oregon 97301

    Telephone: (503) 581-8600

  • Rutherford Institute

    John W. Whitehead
    The Rutherford Institute
    P.O. Box 7482
    Charlottesville, VA 22906-7482

    800-225-1791 (9-5 EST, M-F)
    804-978-3888
    FAX 804-978-1789

    Mary Watts <ki!mary@uunet.uu.net>:
    They'll help all homeschoolers in need of legal assistance without charge.
    Bill McDonald <rambo.sbc.com>:
    "The Rutherford Institute is a Legal Protection Society, with a primarily Christian focus. Although not limited to educational issues, a good part of their work is focused on state violations of individual rights within the context of public education. Funded by private donations, they can be characterized (I'm sure they'll cringe at the comparision, but it's all that comes to mind 8-) ) as something like a conservative version of the American Civil Liberties Union."
    Ward_J%HOUSTON1@mwmgate1.MITRE.ORG
    The Rutherford Institute advocates religious liberty. While most of its cases have defended the religious liberties of Christians in the United States, it has also taken cases for people of other religions, and has branches in other countries.

    The Rutherford Institute has several resources of interest to home schoolers:

    • Home Education Reporter ($10)
    • National Survey of Home School Laws ($15 for subscribers; $30 for non-subscribers)
    • Home Education: Hope for the Next Generation (audio tape - $7)
    • Home School Brief ($25 per year)

    They have several other items not directly related to home schooling. Members get 10% off these prices. Prices accurate as of November 1992.

Other electronic forums:

  • KIDSNET mailing list
    kidsnet-request@vms.cis.pitt.edu [Internet]
    The KIDSNET list was established in May, 1989, to stimulate the development of an international computer network for the use of children and their teachers. The first pieces of this network have already begun to take shape, and the mailing list now helps to guide its continuing evolution. Subscribers to the list include teachers, administrators, scientists, developers of software and hardware and officials of relevant funding agencies.

    Topics of continuing interest include:

    • networks at the local, regional and national level
    • news and mail interfaces suitable for children's use
    • network services for the K-12 audience
    • development of new network services and projects
    • collaborative projects at the national and international level
    • network access for the handicapped

    Subscription requests may be sent to one of the following addresses:

         kidsnet-request@vms.cis.pitt.edu     [Internet]
         joinkids@vms.cis.pitt.edu            [Internet]
         joinkids@pittvms                     [BITNET]
    Postings to the KIDSNET list are accomplished with mailings to the address:
         kidsnet@vms.cis.pitt.edu             [Internet]
         kidsnet@pittvms                      [BITNET]
    The KIDSNET archive is maintainted in the directory pub/kidsnet at the site vulcan.phyast.pitt.edu, accessible via FTP from the Internet, or via the BITNET server BITFTP@PUCC. Bob Carlitz is the adminstrator of the KIDSNET and KIDS mailing lists.
  • KIDS mailing list
    kidsnet-request@vms.cis.pitt.edu [Internet]
    A spin-off of the KIDSNET list is another list called KIDS, which exists for children to post messages to other children. This second list was established after some children's postings appeared on KIDSNET and readers requested that the children's traffic be kept separate.

    Subscription requests for KIDS can be sent to JOINKIDS at the address given above.

    Children may post messages for the KIDS list by sending mail to

         kids@vms.cis.pitt.edu                [Internet]
         kids@pittvms                         [BITNET]
  • USENET groups with an education focus

    There are several USENET newsgroups that carry education-related messages. (Commentary by David Mankins <dm@think.com>)

    k12.ed.*
    The k12 hierarchy appears to be divided between teachers and students. The k12.ed groups seem to be principally populated by teachers. A wealth of educational ideas flows through them.

    There is also a k12.chat hierarchy for kids to exchange messages.

    For more information about the k12 net (which is gatewayed between USENET and FIDONET), see below. I think you can get the k12 net in your own home, if you have a personal computer.

    sci.edu, misc.education
    The volume on these lists varies. sci.edu appears primarily interested in college-level science education.

    These lists seem to carry a lot of education-policy debates, and less practical information than do the k12 lists.

    misc.computers.kids
    Many repetitions of ``What's the best educational Mac/PC/Atari software?'' with answers.
    misc.education.home-school.*
    jon@midnightbeach.com says "In August of '94, two new groups were created specifically for home-schoolers: misc.education.home-school.christian is specifically for fundamentalist "Christians", while misc.education.home-school.misc is for everybody else. Both are unmoderated and basically open to any and all home schooling discussions, with the understanding that readers will use kill files and/or threaded news readers - not flame throwers. After a rocky first month, both seem to be turning into very reasonable newsgroups.

    "Of course, as the person who initiated the group creation process and wrote the charters, I may be just a *bit* biased.

  • The Learning List
    learning-request@sea.east.sun.com

    A spin-off of the Home Ed list, The Learning List is concerned exclusively with child-centered learning, as espoused by the writings of the late John Holt.

    Subscribers must agree by the lists Charter, which will be sent upon request.

  • The home-ed-politics list
    home-ed-politics-request@mainstream.com

    Another spin-off of the Home Ed list, the home-ed-politics list is concerned with calls to arms to oppose government interference with home schooling.

    Likely to be a lively mailing list.

  • The homeschool_train_up_a_child list
    homeschool_train_up_a_child@mainstream.com or to greered@conrad.appstate.edu.

    There are families and individuals who have chosen, or are considering home schooling in order to enhance the spiritual, as well as intellectual development of their children. This list is intended to provide a forum for those who wish to communicate from that perspective.

    Our objective is to promote positive contribution rather than confrontation, to seek to edify even when the subject matter may appear to be less than edifying, and to communicate in a manner which is above reproach in both language and content.

    The purpose of this list is not to divide, nor to espouse doctrines or dogma, nor to be exclusionary and any topic related to homeschooling or of interest to homeschoolers which meets the above criteria is welcome.

  • The home education research list
    hmedrsch@etsuadmn.etus.edu

    Home Education Research is a list for scholars, researchers, and others professionally interested in the area of home education. The list will be a forum to share information; research methodology and findings; rare sources and documents; and advice.

    The list is limited to individuals who are or have done scholarly research in the area of home education and continue to have an active interest; or those that have a professional or ministerial interest in serving the home education community. One will need to have moderator approval for membership and only those individuals on the list will be able to post. No flaming will be allowed to keep the mail volume low.

    If you desire to subscribe to hmedrsch:

    Send the command -- subscribe hmedrsch -- to
    listserv@etsuadmn.etus.edu

    OR

    Answer the following questions and e-mail your answers to eyeager@tenet.edu

    • What area of home education research or home education service are you involved in?
    • What institution (university, research institute, or home school support group) are you associated with?
  • The Daily Reportcard
    rptcrd%wwuvm.bitnet@vtbit.cc.vt.edu

    painter@mcc.com (Paul Painter) writes:
    Also, there is an email digest called "Report Card" which is a digest of press articles about education. Good way to keep a watch on the govt's efforts to "improve" education. There are occasional articles about homeschooling from around the country. I subscribed two years ago with:
         send mail to: listserv@gwuvm.gwu.edu
            with the following text -
            to be added: sub rptcrd <your full name>
            to be removed: SIGNOFF RPTCRD
         The host sending the mail now is:
            Date:         Mon, 12 Sep 1994 12:48:22 EDT
            Reply-To: Daily Report Card News
                      <RPTCRD%GWUVM.BITNET@vtbit.cc.vt.edu>
            Sender: Daily Report Card News Service
                    <RPTCRD%GWUVM.BITNET@vtbit.cc.vt.edu>
            From: Daily Report Card <DRC%GWUVM.BITNET@vtbit.cc.vt.edu>
            Subject:      DAILY REPORT CARD
            To: Multiple recipients of list RPTCRD
                <RPTCRD%GWUVM.BITNET@vtbit.cc.vt.edu>
    
    If you are interested, you could try listserv@gwuvm.gwu.edu first then if that doesn't work, try listserv%GWUVM.BITNET@vtbit.cc.vt.edu.
  • ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center):

    From: "Bob Rankin" <r3@VNET.IBM.COM>:
    Below is an introduction to ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center). It's a great resource for educators, so you owe it to yourself to check it out! I browsed through it the other day and came back with a 6-week lesson plan for a unit study on Astronomy!

    --Bob Rankin (r3@vnet.ibm.com)

         =-=-=-=-=-=-===================================================
                     ***** The AskERIC Service for Educators *****
         * ERIC is the Educational Resources Information Center
         (ERIC), a federally-funded national information system
         that provides access to an extensive body of
         education-related resources.  The ERIC Clearinghouse on
         Information and Technology (ERIC/IT), sponsor of the
         AskERIC Project, is one of 16 ERIC Clearinghouses
         nationwide which provide a variety of services, products,
         and resources at all education levels.
         * AskERIC is an Internet-based question-answering service
         for teachers, library media specialists, administrators,
         and others involved in education.  The hallmark of AskERIC
         is the human intermediary, who interacts with the
         information seeker and personally selects and delivers
         information resources within 48 working hours.  The
         benefit of the human-mediated service is that it allows
         AskERIC staff to determine the precise information needs
         of the client and to present an array of relevant
         resources, both from the ERIC system and from the vast
         resources of the Internet.
         Anyone involved with education can send an e-mail inquiry
         (via the Internet) to AskERIC.  Simply address your
         message to:
                                 askeric@ericir.syr.edu
         The AskERIC Virtual Library
         The AskERIC Virtual Library is a Gopher/FTP site of
         selected resources for education and general interest.
         Some of the contents include:
         *       Lesson Plans
         *       ERIC Digests
         *       ERIC Publications
         *       Reference Tools
         *       Internet Guides and Directories
         *       Government Information
         *       AskERIC InfoGuides
         *       Archives of education-related listservs, such as
                 EDPOLYAN, LM_NET, K12ADMIN, and KIDSPHERE.
         *       Remote access to library catalogs
         *       Access to other Gopher sites
         To Gopher to the AskERIC site:
         A.      If you have Gopher: Gopher to ericir.syr.edu (port
                         #70) or
                 1. Access the National Gopher System through:
                    gopher.micro.umn.edu
                 2. Move through the following directories:
                         Other Gopher and Information Servers/
                         North America/
                         USA/
                         General/
                         AskERIC - (Educational Resources
                                    Information Center)
         B.      If you don't have Gopher, telnet to a Gopher
                 client on the Internet:
                 1. Telnet to ericir.syr.edu
                 2. Login as directed (usual login is: 'gopher')
                 3. Access the National Gopher System
                 4. Move through the directories as above.
         To FTP to the AskERIC site:
         1. Log into your local host, and invoke the FTP program.
         2. Write ericir.syr.edu as the remote host computer name.
         3. For username, enter anonymous
         4. For password enter your email username (e.g. tomt@machine.edu)
         * For More Information
         We are excited about AskERIC's success to date and are
         eager to expand AskERIC question-answering to new
         audiences and to further develop services and resources.
         Through AskERIC Partnership, state networks and education
         agencies work cooperatively with the ERIC Clearinghouse on
         Information and Technology to provide the highest level
         AskERIC information service to large groups of educators.
         To discuss options, please contact:
         ---
         Richard Tkachuck
         Nancy Morgan
         AskERIC Coordinators
         Internet: askeric@ericir.syr.edu
         Mike Eisenberg
         Director, ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology
         Internet: mike@ericir.syr.edu
         ERIC Clearinghouse on Information & Technology
         Center for Science & Technology, Syracuse University
         Syracuse, New York 13244-4100
         Phone:  (800) 464-9107,  (315) 443-3640   fax:  (315) 443-5448
    

dm@world.std.com (Dave Mankins)

Part of Jon's Homeschool Resources.

Markup copyright © 1994..2002 Jon Shemitz <jon@midnightbeach.com>
September, 1994..December 27, 2002

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This page is unmaintained and supplied as is. I do not want to hear of changes in address or phone number!