What is Homeschooling?

Parents often consider homeschooling their children when concerns arise in local public or private brick-and-mortar schools. For example, when children are in elementary school, parents might want to influence their academic and spiritual development which can be done more easily when the child is learning from home. In middle school, parents might discuss the possibility of pulling their teens out of public schools due to negative influences or peer pressure. In high school, parents might want to provide more academic opportunities for their adolescents and prepare them for college. However, parents often don’t know what it means to homeschool. Therefore, it is worth answering the following questions:

1. What is homeschooling? 
2. What is not homeschooling? 
3. What is flourishing homeschooling? 

1. What is Homeschooling?

Homeschooling represents the ultimate expression of a parent’s authority over their child’s education. In the United States, all fifty states permit homeschooling. Depending on the homeschooling option you pick, you may be:

1. Your child’s primary teacher, 
2. Homeschooling with a church group where parents are co-teaching, or 
3. Homeschooling under an online school umbrella where certified teachers educate your children and you partner with the school by supporting your children from home. 

Whether parents are taking on the role of a teacher, a co-teacher, or a partner, it is assumed that one of the parents will take charge of educating and supervising their child at home. Most states require homeschooling parents to follow their state homeschool requirements. These requirements can include curriculum, following a daily schedule, and keeping a portfolio that includes samples of the child’s schoolwork, tests, and standardized assessments. 

Parents who live in a state where homeschool regulations are strict can utilize online education to minimize burdensome record-keeping and meet their state’s requirements. Also, parents who do not have confidence in their ability to teach advanced courses can use an online curriculum taught by certified teachers. This approach also comes with the benefit of a diploma from an accredited institution.

2. What is not Homeschooling? 

To successfully homeschool, parents need to establish structure for their children. Your children will not benefit from homeschooling if they simply do some school work whenever they feel like it. It is not homeschooling if there is no curriculum in place, no daily, weekly, and quarterly planner, no grading assignments, no system in place to monitor progress, and no annual assessments. It is not homeschooling if children are left to themselves while learning. In other words, it is not homeschooling if parents are not actively engaged in their child’s education. Educational agencies require children to attend school by 18 and in some states by 16 years of age. 

3. What is Flourishing Homeschooling?

Flourishing homeschooling is where parents are actively involved in their children's education. It begins with parents setting obtainable short-term and long-term goals for their children. In flourishing homeschooling, parents collaborate with academic experts in selecting a curriculum for their child, creating a school plan, monitoring their child’s progress, and taking evaluations annually. Of course, no family can do all this on their own. One of the best ways to homeschool is to partner with an accredited school such as Enlightium Academy.   

At Enlightium, we believe that each child has a unique learning style. For this reason, we partner with parents to empower children to achieve their highest potential, using a variety of options to support their learning. We utilize curricula that are built especially for Christian schools and offer Bible, English, math, science, social studies, and over 100 electives across all grade levels. 

For children in grades PreK-5, parents are the primary teachers while the Enlightium team provides record-keeping, counselor guidance, administrative support, and social opportunities for students. Parents can choose either the AOP printed curriculum, or the BJU video curriculum with supplementary textbooks. 

For parents who would like certified teachers to teach their children, we offer an online curriculum in grades 3-12. The curriculum is provided by Ignitia and includes text-based lessons, projects, quizzes, and tests that engage students while they learn. Enlightium’s skilled faculty have also published their own courses, providing unique education from their areas of expertise. Online students appreciate the fact that they can work ahead and at their own pace. This can provide a feeling of empowerment and freedom as they can progress at their own speed.  

Parents can choose from the following support packages:

• Teacher-led packages: The Silver, Silver+, Gold, and Diamond for grades 3-12, and the Sapphire Live package for grades 3–8. 
• Parent-led packages: The printed-based package for students in grades PreK-5, and the online Bronze online package for students in grades 3–10.

To identify students’ needs during the admissions process, the entrance test is assigned to learn about students’ strengths and weaknesses in math and English. Then, the student’s counselor reviews diagnostic test results, and previous school records, and, in collaboration with parents, suggests what courses might meet the student's needs and interests. 

During the admissions process, we assign an entrance test to identify the student’s strengths and weaknesses in math and English. Afterwards, the student’s counselor reviews their test results and previous school records. In collaboration with parents, the counselor then suggests which courses would best fit the student's needs and interests. 

The Enlightium team helps students succeed academically by cultivating each student’s self-awareness, self-regulation, knowledge-forming processes, enthusiasm for learning, engagement in the learning process, and social skills through Bible studies, virtual retreats, and missionary opportunities.

For high-achieving students, we offer Honors courses in grades 3–12, Advanced Placement (AP) courses for students in grades 9–12, the Dual Enrollment (DE) program which allows students in grades 11-12 the opportunity to take college classes while attending Enlightium, and courses for athletes approved by National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

For students who struggle academically, the intervention team, which includes teachers, counselors, and administration, works together to identify the unique needs of these students and offer additional guidance and support. Academic intervention can include modification of curriculum or comprehensive assistance for English Language Learners (ELL) and an Active Tier Three Plan. 

I have published a book entitled, “Enlightening the Homeschool Journey” which is a great resource for families to learn more about Enlightium Academy, parent's rights in homeschooling, faith-based education, and more. It is now available in eBook and Audiobook form. 

To learn more about Enlightium Academy’s mission, our philosophy of education, personalized approach to education, and supplementary resources to help students in their academic journey, please visit our website. 

We hope to partner with you in educating your child and make your child’s education journey fun and enjoyable for parents.

Enlightium Academy is a private Christian online school that serves homeschooling families by offering a Bible-based, flexible, accredited, teacher-supported, and affordable education from the comfort of your home. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288, or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.