Homeschool Talks: Ideas and Inspiration for Your Homeschool

Homeschooling doesn’t mean doing public school at home, and it doesn’t mean you have to homeschool like your friend with 15 years of homeschool experience. Your journey is unique! Dena Bless joins Jim Mason (HSLDA President) in an encouraging conversation about beginning your homeschool journey, the importance of community, and how to (and why you should) connect with your state organization or local homeschool group. Enjoy their discussion on the benefits of homeschooling and fostering relationships with your children. “I remember when I started [homeschooling], I was afraid. Can I actually do this? Will I do enough? Will I do too much? Will I ruin my kids? Will I never graduate [my kids] or never have enough knowledge or whatever? I think a big part of what [community] does is provide that support of, yes, you can do it and your homeschool doesn't have to look like everybody else's home school, right? Your family is different.”—Dena Bless

Meet Abraham Hamilton, general counsel of American Family Association and host of the Hamilton Corner, a daily radio program. Abraham joins Jim Mason (HSLDA President) to explore the power of discipleship in homeschooling and Abraham’s dedication to homeschooling, a commitment that he and his wife made long before welcoming their own children into the world.

“[Homeschooling] has been a phenomenal journey. One of the things we found is that our children have cultivated a voracious appetite for learning; they view learning as an outgrowth of their commitment to Christ”—Abraham Hamilton

Dr. Brian Ray has been studying homeschooling before we even knew what to call it! Brian and Jim Mason (HSLDA President) discuss advocacy research, conflicting worldviews at play, and the importance of peer reviewed studies protecting against these biases. You won’t want to miss this insightful conversation on home education research and what the next generation of research may look like! “What are [homeschoolers vs public schoolers] doing now in life, you know, occupation. Are they married? Do they go to college or not go to college? Do they vote? Do they volunteer? Are they happy or not? Are they depressed or not? Do they feel fulfilled in life or not? Group study can help us know what is happening. And if we think these five things are good things, what was going on growing up that was connected? So I think a piece of the new generation of research is going to be looking within groups.”—Dr. Brian Ray

Protecting homeschool freedom starts with protecting families in their homes from unreasonable searches and seizures. HSLDA co-founder Mike Farris joins Jim Mason (HSLDA president) in a discussion on 4th Amendment cases that HSLDA has taken on over the years. Learn why it is important for parents to know their rights, know when and how to respectfully assert them, and when to call HSLDA.

“We have information on our website [for parents]. They don't need to be experts [to know homeschool law]. They just need to know the basics. Our attorneys can [handle these situations quickly]. Other attorneys could figure it out in due course, but it's expensive, and it would take them a while. HSLDA’s ability to turn it around rapidly is because this is our expertise.”—Mike Farris

Explore the connection that strong family relationships and church community have on the next generation. Dr. Terry Linhart, founder and CEO of Arbor Research Group and Executive Director of Bethel University’s Extension Studies joins Jim Mason (HSLDA President) in a discussion on his various research projects. Together, they delve into an insightful discussion on the influence of familial relationships, the next generations societal well-being, and how our upbringing can shape virtues through institutional frameworks. “I think the child centered approach to education and individuality is very important. And that's the richness of why we love homeschooling, isn't it? It's the thing that we get to focus on the child and help. One of the loud cries from our research of parents in a local community is that about 20% of them just really would love to see a healthy mentor for their kid. . . That’s what I see with homeschooling and my grandkids and the kids in our community [who] are involved in homeschooling. [Homeschool grads] who come to Bethel have this sense of enthusiasm for the future. I think that's contagious.”—Dr. Terry Linhart