Back To School For Home School

By John Singleton

Late August and Early September marked back-to-school time for students all over Anne Arundel County. And county home schoolers were no different. Expectations are lofty for this high-achieving student demographic who practice what’s called “identity-directed learning.”

“Home schooling remains true to the fundamental academic disciplines or reading, writing, science and mathematics,” said Christine Sybert of Pasadena. “At the same time home school students have the flexibility to explore their own personal interests and passions that sometimes turn into careers. Home schoolers don’t do things in the traditional way and are often more aware of the academic skills and disciplines they really like.”

Mrs. Sybert is the Executive Coordinator of the Blessed John Paul II Academy. The academy is a cooperative school, which means that one parent volunteers to be present throughout the day to teach, assist in classrooms, and do other tasks to support the smooth operation of the school. In the past five years, tutorials and cooperative schools have become increasingly a part of many home school educations. The Blessed John Paul II Academy supports nursery to 8th grade students, and is located at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church on Benfield Road.

Integrating spirituality with academic and human development for each child, and fostering practical tools to continue this formation at home has long been a pillar of the home school phenomenon. A closer relationship between the family unit and the student has been one of the many positive results.

“A family environment is the most natural way for children to be socialized including interaction with adults, children their age, and children of different ages. The result is a very secure and mature child,” explained Deborah Mackall, Director of Cornerstone Christian Academy in Pasadena.

Cornerstone Christian Academy is an education ministry operated by the Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church located at 10 Seaborne Drive in Pasadena. Cornerstone offers an Introduction to Home schooling support group where veteran home schoolers are available to help answer your questions regarding home schooling, whether you are planning to home school a preschooler, or begin your home schooling experience with a middle or even high school children.

In recent years home schooling has become such a success that institutions of higher learning are starting to sit up and take notice. Schools like Patrick Henry College in Virginia and Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland have gone out of their way to support home school students as they transition to university life.

In fact, Mount St. Mary’s has a full-time position within their administration entitled Home School Student Coordinator. Mount St. Mary’s President, Dr. Thomas Powell, has made recruiting home schooled students an enrollment priority since 2007 resulting in the growth of the Mount’s home school population from one to 35 students in only four years. The decision to make this a priority came from listening to many home schooled families who were looking for a contemporary and robust Catholic college. On Wednesday November 16 Mount St. Mary’s University is offering a Home school Open House on their campus in Emmitsburg, MD.