The Homeschooling Handbook_ From Preschool to High School - Mary Griffith [78]
As Beverly notes, private schools are sometimes willing to work out arrangements for homeschooler participation in some activities, sometimes with volunteer work as a quid pro quo. Specialized schools, such as those for vision- or hearing-impaired students or for the developmentally disabled, may also be willing to have homeschoolers as volunteer teacher aides.
Government
Civics class has nothing on actually watching the government at work. With so many levels to choose from, it could take years to begin to grasp how it all works. And though watching government work can be fascinating, it’s not nearly as interesting as participating, especially if you have an issue you care about promoting. Here are some ideas for you and your kids:
Visit your congressional representative’s district office.
Attend a general session or committee hearing of your state legislature. Pick a bill to follow through the legislative process and watch what happens to it through the entire session.
Attend a meeting of your city council, county supervisors, school board, or planning commission.
Attend a trial for a day or from jury selection to verdict.
Attend an appellate court hearing.
Visit a police or fire station.
Write to a government official on a topic important to you and your family. Try to decide whether the response is a form letter or a more personal response. Write back. Make it a regular correspondence.
Look into the possibility of your child working as a page for a legislator or other elected official.
Write to a candidate for elective office, explaining your views on her political stand on an issue important to you.
Volunteer in a political campaign.
Take part in a peaceful demonstration or protest of a government policy.
Sports and Outdoor Facilities
Youth sports leagues: baseball, soccer, softball, basketball—you name it, there’s a sports organization that can always use coaches and equipment managers and fund-raisers. Parks and recreation departments use playground aides, lifeguards, and instructors for all kinds of classes. Nature centers need volunteers for picking up litter, maintaining trails, fund-raising, publicity, and helping with interpretive programs.
Special Interest Organizations
If one of your kids is becoming seriously interested in bees, you’ll probably want to contact the nearest apiculture society, and your budding medieval historian might love the Society for Creative Anachronism. There are hundreds of hobby and special interest organizations to choose from, and their members are usually happy to share their knowledge with anyone who is seriously interested, no matter what their age or experience. If you can’t find a listing in the phone book for the kind of group you want, check with your local library for their community organization files. Or try contacting the relevant department at a local college for information about local groups.
Also worth looking into are cultural and ethnic societies, if you’re interested in a particular area of the world and its language or culture. Such groups usually hold regular meetings, lectures and classes, and often sponsor annual festivals featuring food, music, dance, and other aspects of the culture. Again, check with the local library or a college language department to find local groups.
Charities and Nonprofits
If an opportunity to volunteer is what you’re looking for, you’re guaranteed to find many to choose from in the nonprofit sector: youth groups, food banks, Meals on Wheels, the Red Cross, Special Olympics, the Salvation Army, literacy services, senior centers—the list is endless. Not only is the work educational, but it’s also desperately needed.
Travel
Another minor advantage of homeschoolers’ flexible schedules is the ability to travel at any time of the year. If you want to take a trip, you don’t have to hit the road with most of the rest of the country sometime between Memorial Day and Labor