Can’t get your kids to do homework at night? Concerned about the secular
culture? Worried about drugs and sex in the schools?
Homeschooling affords families considerable advantages over the
traditional alternative, many believe. Primarily it allows parents the
highest level of protection and guidance in shepherding their children
through their formative years. It also allows children to learn in a
nurturing environment with those who care about them most.
Like most young parents, Mary Ellen and Greg Tandarich intended to
enroll their children in the local schools. They started to do so, in
fact. Michael, now 14, and Kate Lynn, 12, spent their earliest years in
school. Mary Ellen was uneasy about the influence of the secular
culture on the children, however.
“I wanted to teach the children my own values,” she says.
So it was that the seed for homeschooling was planted and slowly took
root. Soon afterwards, Greg's job transferred the family to Texas and
the family moved next door to neighbors who were homeschooling their
children. Mary Ellen began homeschooling at that time.
"God just put it in my heart to do this," says Mary Ellen. "I had spent
the entire year before we were in Texas reading about how to homeschool
and asking questions."
Except for a brief interval a few years ago when the family returned to
Pennsylvania, she has been homeschooling the children ever since. It
has been a great experience for them, she says, and by the happy,
innocent faces on her six children — ages four to 14 — it seems they
would agree.
There are different approaches and curricula used in homeschooling
children. Mary Ellen has followed several approaches over the years,
adapting in a dynamic way as the children grow older and their needs
change on a yearly basis.
At this time, she follows Laura Berquest’s curriculum, because it uses
the classical curriculum approach and provides lesson plans. Within
this overall framework, she also participates in a Catholic co-op at St.
Joseph’s Parish in Downingtown, Pa.
At St. Joe’s Co-op
—
which the family attends each Friday
—
the children are divided up by age group and have different subjects
that are worked on throughout the week.
“Mothers teach the classes, depending on their specialty,” says Mary
Ellen. “One mother was a science major, so she teaches science. I
teach religion from a teacher’s manual. We hire different teachers to
teach algebra, Latin, and art, for example.”
Mary Ellen has a degree in business, but finds that formal training as a
teacher is unnecessary for homeschooling children.
“Lesson plans come complete with everything,” she says, “even a
teacher's manual with an actual script for describing to parents exactly
how to explain each lesson to their children.”
There are complete lesson plans for all subject areas including
religion, math, and language arts. Mary Ellen also uses many books and
videos from Catholic Publishers such as Emmanuel Books, Seton Home, and
NestFamily to name just a few.
The children's understanding of their faith is further supported by an
association of lay faithful — called TORCH — for Traditions of Roman
Catholic Homes. TORCH was established to support families providing
their children's primary education at home.
Parents homeschooling their children independently have numerous choices
as to which curriculum to follow, Mary Ellen says. If you wish to use
Laura Berquest's curriculum, all you have to do is go to Emmanuel Books,
buy Laura Berquest's Classical Curriculum and suggested materials.
There are other complete curriculums that can be purchased,too,
including Seton Home Study, Our Lady of the Rosary, and Mother of Divine
Grace (Laura Berquest's school), to name a few. Some people also choose
to mix and match from numerous resources.
Mary Ellen and Greg have a treasure chest of educational materials from
Catholic publishers to enhance their children's faith experience. Among
their favorites are a series of animated videos and related workbooks
from NestFamily on the Old Testament and the New Testament. Another
related series highlights the lives of historical and inspirational
figures such as Benjamin Franklin, Marie Curie, and Helen Keller.
"The videos deepened the children's knowledge of the bible and the
historical people they were learning about in school." Mary Ellen was
so moved by these videos that she became a distributor for NestFamily.
The workbooks, in addition to the video, make it so easy to learn.
Another good video series is from Creative Communication Center (CCC)
featuring videos on saints and heroes such as St. Nicholas, St. Francis,
and Christopher Columbus. "The kids love the story of Juan Diego and
Our Lady of Guadalupe," she says.
There are so many good reasons for homeschooling, says Mary Ellen, who
taught her children to read in addition to teaching them almost
everything they know about God and the Catholic faith. Still, a couple
of reasons stand apart from all the others.
"For us, family unity is the biggest thing — especially since my husband
works at home. I find that when we are all together, we are closer, and
the children have more of a friendship with one another. We have more
time for outside activities too."
There is yet another reason, she confesses. Quite simply, she missed
the children when they were in school all day — and they missed being
home.
Mary Ellen and Greg have terrific children. Beaming like the proud mom
she has every reason to be, she says simply, "I just like being with my
kids."
If you are considering homeschooling your children and have questions,
Mary Ellen will be happy to speak with you. You can e-mail her at
tandarichkids@comcast.net
or phone her at (610) 347-0222.
Read about
A TYPICAL DAY IN THE
TANDARICH HOUSEHOLD
EDUCATIONAL
MATERIALS FOR CHILDREN
