The numbers of homeschoolers are steadily increasing every year and often those families are heavy library users. This workshop will provide staff with tools for collection development, highlighting your current collection and programming for these patrons.

1. Hooray for Homeschoolers!
Angela Dubinger
Indiana State Library
Children’s Consultant
adubinger@library.in.gov
Twitter: @adubinger

2. Today’s Session
• LEUs
• Who am I?
• A little about homeschooling in general
• Public Library’s Role
• Programming
• Examples of library programs for
homeschoolers

3. Anyone homeschooled or know
homeschoolers?

4. Why do people homeschool?
• Religious reasons
• Special education or special needs reasons
• Bad experience at school either with other
students, a teacher, a principal, etc.
• Quality of education
• Health reasons
• Whole host of reasons (personal example…to
get into the National Spelling Bee).

5. Different ways to learn at home
– Online curriculums
– Book based curriculums
– Unschooling – Education that come naturally
through play, household duties, reading, travel,
family, personal interests
– Autodidactic approach (self-taught)
– Homeschooling Groups

6. Difference Between Autodidactism
and Unschooling
“In my opinion, the two words are
synonymous. Autodidactic is probably just the
word you would use if you don't want to freak
out everyone in the mainstream…”
Person on the IndianaHomeschoolers
Yahoo Group

7. Difference Between Autodidactism
and Unschooling
• They are similar
• They involve the child learning themselves
• Unschooling – no formal instruction
• Autodidactic – child focuses on topics of
interested and seeks out methods to learn
more about that topic…the parent will then
help lead the instruction from there on out
– Parent on the IndianaHomeschoolers Yahoo Group

8. Keep in mind…
• Just like any job, some people are great at
homeschooling, some people just do enough
to get by, and some people should probably
find another career.
• You might disagree with their choice to
homeschool or how they are homeschooling,
but, as with every reference interview you do,
keep your judgments to yourself and do your
best to help the patron.

9. How many people in Indiana
Homeschool?
Data from the Indiana Department of Education from several years ago…

10. How many people in Indiana
Homeschool?
The updated info from an email inquiry…

11. What is the Public Library’s Role?
• What we SHOULD do at the very least
– Be knowledgeable about resources
– Have good nonfiction and fiction collections
– And…get to know your community
• We DO that, right?

12. Homeschoolers in the United States
• In a 2012 Statistical Abstract released by the
U.S. Census Bureau, 1.5 million children, 3
percent of American students, are
homeschooled. (2011-2012 school year)
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012
/tables/12s0240.xls

13. What is helpful
• Know a little about Homeschooling law
• Consider having a handout, packet, or section
of your website talking about what you can
offer
• HANDOUT!

14. The Law – DOE’s Website
• RESEARCH HOME EDUCATION: Before you
transfer your child from a traditional school,
learn all you can. Talk to other home
educators, read books about home education,
learn about homeschool law in Indiana,
"comparison shop" for a curriculum for your
school.

15. The Law – DOE’s Website
• TRANSFER YOUR CHILD AND NOTIFY HIS OR HER
CURRENT PRINCIPAL, IN WRITING, OF YOUR
DECISION: While the Indiana Department of
Education (IDOE) issues school numbers to all
private schools after they report their grade level
enrollment data as required by Indiana law, you
do not need a homeschool number prior to
transferring your child and beginning home
instruction. However, you do need to let the
public school know why your child is no longer in
attendance or he or she may be considered
truant.

16. The Law – DOE’s Website
• REQUEST A COPY OF YOUR CHILD'S PUBLIC
SCHOOL RECORDS: You are entitled to a copy
of these public school records, both as a
school administrator and as the parent of a
minor child, under state law and the federal
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA). Please note that this does not apply
to private school records.

17. The Law – DOE’s Website
• 180 DAYS OF INSTRUCTION: You decide which
days your school will be in session, and how
long to teach each day. In the case of mid-year
transfers, days attended at the first school
count toward the 180 day total at the
homeschool.

18. The Law – DOE’s Website
• ATTENDANCE RECORDS: There is no special
form for these records, which are used to
verify private school attendance. Please note
that the law allows local public school
superintendents to request copies of your
child's attendance records to verify
attendance.

19. The Law – DOE’s Website
• INSTRUCTION EQUIVALENT TO THAT GIVEN
IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: State law does not
define equivalency of instruction for public or
private schools. If there is ever a question of
educational neglect, keeping good attendance
records and other documentation regarding
attendance and continuing educational
activity is highly instrumental in addressing
these concerns.

20. The Law – DOE’s Website
• CURRICULUM: State law exempts home
schools from the curriculum and program
requirements which public schools must
follow.

21. Get to know your community
• Do you have a lot of people homeschooling?
• Do you have just two families homeschooling
yet they use your library everyday?
• Just a few families but a lot of children?
• How can you serve your families to the best of
your ability?

22. Things to do if you have an active
homeschooling community
• Consider subscribing to a homeschooling
magazine or two
• Keep a list of websites handy to refer folks to
• Get to know your families who homeschool
– Ask them what they need
– Ask them if you can refer questions to them
• Consider doing some programs for
homeschoolers

23. Things they want in a recent
unscientific poll…
• Area for children taking online classes (think
Webinar set up…or Skyping, with microphones
and headphones available)
• Free Wifi
• Books on CD particularly classics
• One due date across the board

24. Things to do if you have an active
homeschooling community
• You don’t have to be an expert
• You don’t have to know how to homeschool
– They are traditionally very good at finding and
using resources
• Just know where the experts are!

25. Programming Logistics
• You can do Homeschooling Programs during
school hours
• Many times there are more than one child to a
family, so your programs may fill up quicker
than you anticipate…you could just have 3-5
families and have a full program
• Do what works for you, your library, and your
patron base

26. First programs…
• Library Open House for Homeschooling
families
• Curriculum Swap Event
• Programs during school hours for your
homeschoolers

27. Things I have noticed…
• Homeschoolers are usually good patrons.
• They are usually well behaved.
• Some may lack social skills but I think we can
say that about other traditional students
• They appreciate you and what you do

28. What I Did…
• Programs every first Monday of the month –
Marvelous Mondays!
• Program is for grades K-5
• 10-20 students

29. Marvelous Mondays
• Started out kind of random – let’s get together
• Opened to ages 5 and up, teens included
• Teen volunteers to assist
• Focusing on a different topic worked well
• Arts, Animals, Food, History, Award Winning
Books, Around the World, etc.
• After theme-based activity/book share, I opened
the floor to kids to share their own
projects/books
• Choose what works for you

30. Special Opportunities
Suzanne Walker’s program at Mooresville PL -
Chicks! http://mplhatchingchicks.blogspot.com/

31. Spelling Bee
• See if your region participates in the Scripps
Spelling Bee.
• You can become a registered Homeschool
Group.
• I checked the fee yesterday - $135.00
• See if there is a need and see if your families
are interested

32. The Mascot Connection
• The Mooresville Mascot – Flat Cauli:
• http://mplcatseyeview.blogspot.com/
• Flat Cauli went home with different families
each week. The kids took pictures and wrote
a report then presented it to the group once
they get back.
• Great way to get them writing and speaking.

33. Quick Ideas for Easy Programs
• Show and Tell
• How to Use the Library Class (databases!)
• Guest Speakers
• Walking Tour of your neighborhood
• Arts and Crafts class…Leaf rubbings can be the basis for
a great simple nature/art program
• Intergenerational program - bring in the adult
programmer: food fun for kids, recipe swap for adults
• Ice Breakers
– Go to YouTube and look for Ultimate Camp Resource
videos…they are great!

34. Benefits to serving homeschoolers
• Develop special relationships
• Can be great for your program numbers
• Double Dipping on Programs
• Parent involvement is usually high
• They tend to come back

35. Questions?
Thanks!
Angela Dubinger
Indiana State Library
adubinger@library.in.gov
Twitter: @adubinger