I love homeschooling!!  It is God-ordained, as well as the right thing to do with our children: Carissa - 16, Sereena - 14, Yvette - 12, Zane - 8, and Kye - 23.98 months, who have always been homeschooled.  Homeschooling is where our hearts are.

            We live in the magnificent Snowy Mountains of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, over looking Lake Jindabyne, approximately 30 kilometers (kms) from the base of Mt. Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mountain.  Jindabyne is just over two hours drive south of Australia's capital city, Canberra, where we also go for our major shopping.  My husband, Owen, is the manager of a 200 bed Christian camp, set on 50 hectares, that's open all year round, and I manage the office.  We are relatively isolated from other homeschooling families and church life.

            Homeschooling in Australia is now thriving and is legal in all states and territories, although, as in the USA, it is easier in some states than in others.  Some families register with their state's education department, to obtain exemption to homeschool.  In NSW, this is for a period of up to two years at a time, and can be by documentation or by home visits from as "authorized" person from the department.  There are set minimum educational areas we need to cover, and as a point of interest, we need to show to the state government that we are "schooling" for 200 days (40 weeks) per year - January to December, with 5 hours per day - so sometimes the American curriculum we purchase, is "missing" 4 weeks!!

            We are very dependent on American curriculum and resource, especially in the Christian market.  And whilst home education businesses and support groups are growing in number here, there is certainly an "isolated" feel to homeschooling for some other families.  In our vast region, there is only one other family homeschooling with a 16 year old - we, as parents, thank the Lord for this blessing.

            We have always taught our children by unit studies, which I usually create, with oodles of living books, activies, research, and field trips.  We love books!!  (We have close to 2,000 books in our home - the closest library is 65 kms drive one way - and my wonderful husband is begged regularly to build more bookcases, although I'm not sure where we are going to put them!)  Unit studies are a great way for our family to learn together, and it meets the children's different capabilities.  We are currently studying about homes, and as we usually title our units, we came up with this: Happiness thrOugh faMily lovE = HOME.  This title also epitomizes how we feel about homeschooling.

            Making your own unit studies can be time consuming, and I usually incorporate Bible into topic as well - but what a way to spend your time!!  Some of the topics we have covered this year are: Lighthouses - in Australia and around the world; Oceans; Australian Bushrangers; Africa; Amy Carmichael; HOMEs - architecture throughout history, real estate, mortgages ect; the children's Own Unit Study (on topics dear to their hearts) and Renaissance and Reformation.

            What are some of the goals that we wish our children to achieve from this exciting experience?  The desire and ability to learn and discover, memories, togetherness, ideas and the wisdom and knowledge that only comes from a heart that knows God.  Home education is a gift from God, for which I am truly thankful.