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Parents enjoy flexibility of homeschooling

One of the reasons Judith Belew, 36, of Milan, decided to homeschool her two children, ages 11 and 9, was because of what was being taught in public school.

"They were teaching sex education in elementary," she said Saturday morning. "That's a big reason. I like to have a choice on what my child is taught. I'd rather they were taught abstinence."

elew, who is the president of the West Tennessee Home Education Association, was one of many homeschooling moms who attended the association's fourth annual Used Book Sale Saturday. The sale was held at Northside United Methodist Church, 2571 N. Highland Ave. Parents and their children attended the book sale to find the books they needed at a lower cost.
Belew also likes the flexibility that homeschooling offers and that the curriculum is chosen by the parent.

"Some parents teach year-round," she said. "Some parents don't. Some parents use different curriculums for each child in the house."

Treba Willis, 35, of Trenton, said it was her 12-year-old son Brandon's lack of motivation that led her to decide to homeschool him.

"One of the reasons I chose homeschool is the fact that my son is not motivated and the teachers can't motivate him," she

said. "But, I know I can."

Brandon said he's excited about being taught by his mother at home.

"I think it's great," he said. "It gives me more one-on-one time with my mother."

Willis said safety concerns also played a role in the decision.

"He's (Brandon) very small and he was being picked on in school," Willis said.

Willis said that like Belew, she also didn't like what was being taught in public schools.

"I don't like the fact that they can teach him evolution and that certain lifestyles are okay."

Mitzi Mathenia, 46, of Jackson, has just finished her 15th year as a homeschool teacher. She said she has been happy homeschooling her four children - two of whom are still being homeschooled, one who just graduated from high school and another who just finished his second year at Lambuth University.

"For us, it was a combination of the flexibility and us being able to determine how fast they move," Mathenia said.

Mathenia said that as children grow up into teens and teens grow up into young adults, family time is diminished by sports, music practices and other activities.

"If you don't have some time to be with (your children), you won't see them," she said. "A lot of (our reasons for homeschooling were) so we can be a family."

Mathenia believes children are a gift from God and that it is the parents' responsibility to teach their children right from wrong and give them a solid education.

"They're your children," she said. "God gave them to you to raise. I don't think many parents are involved in their children's lives."

Homeschool student Cortney McDaniel, 14, of Bethel, has been homeschooled by her mother, Anna, since third grade. She said she loves it.

"It's a lot of fun," Cortney said. "We take field trips. If I'm reading something in history, we can take a field trip to the museum. If I want to help Daddy with the car, I can get credit for it."

Anna McDaniel, 50, said her daughter is studying engineering and that Cortney is excelling in her education because of homeschooling.

"I like it because we can move at her pace," Anna McDaniel said. "She wants to go into engineering, and she's in advanced math in 10th grade."

Cortney added, "I asked to continue studying math during the summer because I want to have calculus when I'm in 12th grade."