Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Catholic Home Schooling Event


My latest article published in the BC Catholic newspaper

Catholic Home Schooling Event


Will home schooling form children into socially inept individuals who will be unable to deal with their peers? Rather, the opposite; Julia Fogassy of Seattle, Washington can affirm to this.
As a home educator for twenty-five years and mother of nine, Mrs. Fogassy offered an overflowing fountain of knowledge about the positive effects home schooling can have on one’s children. Acting as the marquee speaker at the Catholic Home Schooling event on February 19th at Holy Family Parish in Vancouver, Mrs. Fogassy described with charity and humor both the challenges and rewards of her endeavors; instilling that nothing has to be complicated. She offered her audience advice and innovative methods in teaching, as well as tactics that she herself had found success in. One such recommendation regarded teaching a foundation, a pre-step, for young children to print the alphabet ‘…use corn meal to cover a baking sheet and have the child trace each letter. Remember, never use sugar for obvious reasons.”
 As a founding member of the Northwest Catholic Family Educator Conference, Julia Fogassy’s continued dedication of bringing families the best education materials available led her to design a complete reading, writing and phonics program titled “Sound Beginnings” which is available through  “Our Father’s House”.
There is a misconception that homeschooling equals four walls, isolation and piles of books. There are now several home school groups, often available through one’s local community, travel on field trips together, and gather regularly for resource exchange and interaction with other children. Traditional Learning Academy (TLA) is a private school in Coquitlam that offers families options such as these. Administrator of TLA Allan Garneau explained the differences between classic homeschooling, where the parent can choose any program they want to teach (except for treason) and distributed learning, where children follow a designed program from home. Allan stated that “ Studies have shown that they (home schooled children) not only do socialize well, they can connect with adults as well as peers” The designated learning program is becoming increasingly popular for students with special needs because of the lack of funds within public and diocesan schools. The children get the one on one time that is so important during their early formative years.

 As Catholic parents we are the originators of the homeschooling movement The Church’s Magisterium has always taught, “Parents are the principle and first educators of their children.” CCC#1653

Garneau finished with “ It turns children onto learning and equips them with skills in independent study.








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