The world in which our students choose spiritual life or death is changing rapidly. When their older brothers and sisters return to visit the same schools and campuses they attended, they find a radically different moral climate. The language in the hallways and the locker rooms has coarsened. Clothing is less modest. Pornography has moved into the open. Tolerance for wickedness has not only increased, but much of what was called wrong is no longer condemned at all and may, even by our students, be admired. Parents and administrators have in many cases bent to the pressures coming from a shifting world to retreat from moral standards once widely accepted. The spiritual strength sufficient for our youth to stand firm just a few years ago will soon not be enough. Many of them are remarkable in their spiritual maturity and in their faith. But even the best of them are sorely tested. And the testing will become more severe ("We Must Raise Our Sights," CES Address, August 14, 2001).

A third concern is with what is being taught or not being taught in the schools that shapes the thinking and values of those who will be our future leaders. I refer to public schools, private schools, and ministerial schools. I fear that some of the values being taught or not being taught to the young people who will be speaking for us from the public and religious pulpits of our nation in a few years are significantly different from the values that have shaped this nation and its people. I have the same fear about what is being taught by TV programs, which command so much of our youth's time.  After the recent election I read that one in five voters in nationwide exit polls said that moral issues were the most important consideration in casting their votes. Many of us vote on the basis of our concerns with the position of our public officials on moral issues, but what are we doing to register similar concerns with the values of some of those who are teaching our future leaders? Failure to give attention to this concern will lead us away from civic virtue, civic responsibility, and overall prosperity (“Where Will It Lead?” BYU November 9, 2004).

1. encourage those who really want to try, but have been reticent to do so

2.  cheer and provide ideas for those who are already doing it.

We are now trusting to those who are against us in position and principle, to fashion to their own form the minds and affections of our youth ... This canker is eating on the vitals of our existence, and if not arrested at once, will be beyond remedy (Thomas Jefferson to James Breckinridge,hj 1821. ME 15:315).

First of all, let me say that I feel strongly that parents should be able to choose the type of schooling that they feel is best for their children and family, without coercion or criticism.  So my comments are not meant in any way to criticize those who choose public or private schools.  That said, I have found some fantastic advantages to homeschooling and it has been a great blessing to our family and to me personally.

I have three children, ages 9, 6, and 3, and we have homeschooled from the start.  My 9-year-old sails through difficult reading material but has a hard time with handwriting.  My 6-year-old has so much energy that her body is always moving; she loves soccer and math but is a slower reader than her sister was at her age.  My 3-year-old didn't start talking until after he was 2, but is catching up now, and I'm sure he will develop in different ways than his two sisters.  My point is that every child is different.  In our school of three, I have the freedom, the time, and the motivation to tailor my teaching and help to each child's needs.  (And I know homeschool families with many more children who do this even better.)  They can learn at their own level and at their own pace, without the stigma of being "behind" or — just as important to me — the artificial comparison of being "ahead." That's a very big advantage I'm thankful for in homeschooling. 

In the public schools I went to, the system ensured that everyone knew who was "ahead" or "behind."  One teacher even seated us according to our grades on the most recent test.  Now, all of this did help motivate me to get good grades.  I learned the system well.  I was good at taking tests and figuring out what the teachers wanted.  I started to base my sense of self-worth on being "smarter" than others. It was only later that I realized I had missed out on a lot of real learning.  For example, I took history classes, crammed for the tests, then promptly forgot everything.

This isn't completely the fault of the school system. [Of course] my teachers wanted me to learn, not cram. I'm just saying the system let me get away with being lazy.  Now I have the chance to provide my children with what I think is a better system.  They aren't graded according to some preset scale; they're encouraged to put in their best effort and progress beyond their previous level.  When we read and discuss together, I can tell that their understanding is growing and they remember what they've learned. And I hope they can learn to base their self-worth on their identities as children of God, not on their strengths or weaknesses as compared to other people.

I do realize that eventually they will need to learn to take multiple-choice tests, fill in bubbles with a number 2 pencil, and jump through the hoops that are part of many job, college, and other life experiences.  I just believe they can learn that later, when they have a solid grounding in doing their best and when they can understand that those things are not the goal of education or a judgment of who they are.

Another great thing about homeschooling is that my children have time to learn what they're interested in.  We go to the library at least weekly, and the nonfiction area is their favorite.  There are great children's books on just about every subject, and one book leads to another.

Here's the wonderful, magical bonus for me:  I get a second chance to learn the things I missed or forgot!  We're currently working our way through a world history book.  In reading and discussing this with my children, and going further to find more information on things we're interested in, I have learned a huge amount of history.  It's exciting!  I'm learning even more than my children are, and I love it.

Let me quickly list a few of the other advantages I see:

· We can structure our day in a way that works for our family.

· If my husband has a day off work, we can go on an outing or do an activity together.

· When someone is sick, we can still have our school time (if they're not too sick) or cancel it for the day without "getting behind."

· No long evenings of homework, trying to figure out what the teacher wants.  We often use our evenings to read aloud together, work on projects, or talk about what we've learned that day — but we do it because we want to.

· Homeschool is very adaptable to my children's changing needs.  If one way of approaching math isn't working, we can try a different way. We can make a game out of it. We can put it aside for a little while. They're not penalized for not being ready to learn something.

· With the large number of families homeschooling these days, and with many community classes and sports available, it's easier than ever to find activities, playgroups, discussion groups, and all kinds of opportunities to enjoy doing things with other children.  We've had to pick and choose activities so we don't get too busy away from home!  The stereotype of children sitting at home all day with no social interaction is definitely not true for any homeschoolers I know.

· Our devotional time is part of school.  I truly believe this has helped our family to be centered on Christ.  Instead of scrambling to find time to read the scriptures together or discuss the gospel before school, it's the first and most important thing we do for school each day.  Also, we are free to integrate gospel principles and teachings into every other subject we study.

I feel homeschool is a great option for those who are concerned about their children having a great education, but who don't have the money for expensive private schools.  Yes, I'd love to have thousands of dollars to spend on homeschool supplies and books---the thought makes me drool!---but the fact is, after the bills and basic needs, we don't have a lot left over.  Hence our passionate love for the public library!  A homeschooling parent can provide an excellent school experience for children, even with very little money. As you can see, I can go on and on about how much I love homeschooling!   (You can contact Tamary Shoemaker at tders801@yahoo.com.)

The most effective teaching is done in quiet conversations between children and their parents, whether they are cuddled on the couch reading from the best books, sitting at the table working out a math problem with beans or blocks, or in the kitchen fixing dinner together.

Quality conversations require quality preparation. The more parents know, the more they have to share with their children. The more time parents spend with their children, the more teaching opportunities they will have. Homeschooling gives families something of substance to do together and to talk about together. This is how we can give our best efforts to the family.

President Faust recently said, “I encourage our Saints ... to stand more often in holy places. Our most holy places are our sacred temples ... In addition to temples, surely another holy place on earth ought to be our homes. The feelings of holiness in my home prepared me for feelings of holiness in the temple.” (General Conference, April 2005)

Since small children don't attend temples, our homes are their temples, their “holy places” of peace and learning. Children need to spend more time in holy homes.