Homeschooling has a long history in this country. The Pilgrims taught their children on ships as they journeyed across the Atlantic. The Pioneers taught their children in log cabins when homesteads were far apart, there were no school buildings, and one of the main textbooks was the readily-available Bible. Many famous Americans were homeschooled, including President Abraham Lincoln and the first woman Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor. Even Einstein, who became an American citizen, had trouble fitting into public school as a child and later abandoned his university course to strike out on his own curriculum.

Homeschooling was revived in this country in the 1970s and has become increasingly popular, with millions of children across the country being taught by one or both parents. There are no laws against homeschooling, although some states are more tolerant of it than others. Recently the California Department of Education removed wording from its website (www.cde.ca.gov) that questioned the legality of homeschooling. The military and top universities have recognized the leadership and independent thinking ability of homeschoolers and are actively recruiting them. Homeschoolers have won the National Spelling Bee, published popular books, started high-tech companies, and won medals at the Olympics.

There are several methods parents may use to homeschool their children. They may file their own PSA or Private School (R-4) Affidavit at the California Department of Education website, thus creating their own private school. There are no laws limiting private schools' location or size, or requiring credentials of the teachers. Another way is to join a homeschool umbrella school with its own PSA, such as our local Faith Academy. Faith Academy keeps copies of daily logs, attendance sheets, and report cards. It also offers school pictures, field trips, SAT tests, private tutoring, and graduation ceremonies. Parents could also work with the local school district, using its required curriculum, resources, and method of reporting.

National and State Homeschool support associations, such as HSLDA (Homeschool Legal Defense Association, www.hslda.org) have blossomed, maintaining websites, lobbying in Washington and State Capitols, monitoring legal issues, and keeping their members informed by email. Major publishers have added homeschool curriculum to their book lists. Conferences have become popular, offering classes in all types of homeschool issues from how to set up your own chemistry lab at home to how to teach interactive American history. Booths offer everything from hands-on learning games to 3D educational toys, arts and crafts, computer software, music lessons, DVDs, learning fact sheets, and, of course, all types of books.

Homeschooling is alive and well in the mountains. Mary Leggewie, who runs a national homeschool website and has her own PSA (Mountains Christian Academy), is one of the leaders of the mountain homeschoolers. Her husband Robin, known as "Mr. Science," inspires future scientists with the hands-on classes he offers in his home. They have a Lending Library in their home basement and help organize group field trips, Mom's Night Out, Used Curriculum Teas, and visits to conferences such as the recent First Annual CHN Expo (California Homeschool Network, http://CaliforniaHomeschool.net) and the upcoming CHEA (Christian Home Educators' Association, www.cheaofca.org) Conference. California homeschoolers even have an annual Homeschool Fair on Memorial Day (www.homeschoolfair.com), where children can enter creative writing, history projects, photos, science exhibits, arts, and crafts for First, Second, and Third-place ribbons. The Fair also offers field and tract events, horseback riding and karate demonstrations, a talent show, a hands-on science station, and merchant booths.

A typical week in the life of a mountain homeschooler might include: reading Laura Ingall Wilder's "Little House on the Prairie;" working on the interactive "Jumpstart Math" computer CD; learning history from the "American Girl" books and "Dear America" videos; and creating an illustrated book by hand or at the computer keyboard, using original writing, photographs, and watercolors. It might also include supervised visits to Internet astronomy sites; a chemistry lesson in the kitchen using baking soda and vinegar mixed in glassware ordered from the Edmund Scientifics catalog; an all-day Mammals class with local naturalist Doris Bowers; a piano lesson; a horseback riding lesson; a field trip to the County Museum to discover more about Insects; and a fun aternoon at a local water park (which offers free Homeschool Days).

To learn more about homeschooling visit www.homeschoolchristian.com.

I taught English for ten years in the California Community College system. I had classes of high school graduates who did not know what a verb was or how to write a complete sentence.

When my husband got his full-time position as Professor of English at a local college, I gladly gave up teaching college to stay home with my young children and homeschool them. I was getting tired of balancing teaching with motherhood and spending time away from my kids.

But my main reason to homeschool is because America has drifted away from the basic principles of the first American schools.

The first American schools were in the home--often in cabins on the edge of wilderness where the nearest town was miles away and the only textbook was the Bible. When townspeople organized the first public schools, their main goal was to teach ethics and social responsibility--not just knowledge. The public schools even used the Bible as a textbook--and they allowed prayer.

Homeschooling isn't easy. It takes time, organization, dedication, and energy. But I can't put my children in the control of an ever-more-liberal state. As Doctor James Dobson recently pointed out, Christians should think seriously about taking their children out of the California public school system where new laws promote anti-Christian curriculum even in kindergarten.

Jessica, my oldest, is twelve years old and in seventh grade. I have homeschooled her since kindergarten. Jonathan is nine and in fourth grade. I live in the California mountains, in a small but close community. We have a tight-knit homeschool group with our own website and e-mail newsletter that announces upcoming field trips, group classes, and sports events. We even get snow skiing discounts from a local homeschool family that owns a rental shop, and the local ski lifts charge less to ski all day Wednesday (when they have less people).

Despite all that I do in homeschool, people still criticize me for not putting my children in public schools. They say my kids will not be well socialized.

When our homeschool group took a field trip to the local sheriff's office, we had so many kids and parents that they had to divide us into two groups. As the kids were busy chatting with each other while waiting to tour the squad car, a dispatcher asked, "Don't you worry about their socialization?"

I couldn't help but laugh.

People also criticize me for the possible quality of education my children get. I remind them that I have a Master's degree in English and a background in history, art, computers, and science. My husband has degrees in philosophy, business, and English. He is also strong in math and music.

Jonathan picks out songs by ear, note for note on the piano and has taken lessons for two years. Jessica illustrates her book reports and trains her parrot to talk. They are both computer whizes (website design, film making, special effects, photos). And the three of us can sit at our dining table and do Community Bible Study lessons together.

People really can't criticize when they see how well my children read, work on the computer, and know what an "exoskeleton" is. And when people mention the lack of organized sports in homeschool, I offer to take them to the ski slopes or hiking trails. I also ask if they watched the 2002 Winter Olympics and did research on how many of those competitors were homeschooled.

Many articles have been written about how homeschooled children outperform public school children in standardized tests, do well in college, make great leaders, win National Spelling Bees, and write best-selling books.

But I shouldn't have to justify my decision to homeschool. These are my children, and I hear that America still offers freedom--even in education.

And the amazing thing is that you don't have to have a Master's degree or be a former college professor to teach your own children. There are many routes you can take to homeschool, such as being part of a charter school, filing your own charter, or working with your local school district (but then you must use their curriculum). You can attend homeschool conventions or check out national websites like homeschoolchristian.com to research possible curriculum choices (such as ABEKA).

Participate in your local homeschool group. Keep good daily records of everything your children do. Write out quarterly report cards and attendance sheets. And reward your hard-working homeschoolers with a fun (and educational) trip to Seaworld or a local zoo.

When you compare the fact that you will work one-on-one with your own children as opposed to having them in a classroom with 30 or more other kids, in a public school system that has taken art and music out of its curriculum and pushes time-consuming, repetitive homework, you will realize that you really can do a better job. Plus, you can teach your children the Christian ethics they will not get in a public school.

Changing college teaching for homeschool was one of the most rewarding things I ever did. And, amazingly, I still have time to work on my computer and write books.