What in the world is parent-directed education?
Parent-directed education is whatever a parent does to get the best education they can for their child. Perhaps it is home-schooling. Perhaps it is choosing which public-school educator will be their child's teacher. It's picking a piano instructor, or a math tutor or online class, or a method or a learning style that best fits their child. It's taking control, and choosing timing and speed at which education will happen. It's deciding not to rush education because a child isn't ready, or perhaps speeding it up because the child is bored. How is parent-directed education different from home schooling?
The strict, legal definition of homeschooling is the parent educating the child, or the child engaged in self-teaching. In a loose sense, it's everything you do at home to raise a child, even if your child is in a classroom setting 180 days per year. What you teach at home may or may not support what is learned in the classroom. Parents directing their child's education may homeschool for part of their child's education or may engage an outside instructor, such as a neighbor, relative, professional private tutor, or a class at ZLO. What if my child is in a classroom setting?
Most of us have a memory of an outstanding educator, usually with a funny name that only educators seem to have: "Ms. Blush MADE me learn how to write a paragraph in the 4th grade. I remember her method every time I work on my blog." Parents who want to direct their child's education don't want their kids to live in a greenhouse, protected from all bad things. They WANT to have the sun on their kids' faces, the wind in their hair, the rain to fall on them - they just want to be able to control what weeds grow up next to them. The Bible tells us to be in the world, but not of the world. We can turn off the TV at home and shut out the myriad endorsements of promiscuity and violence, but we can't do that for our kids' classmates or the curriculum they encounter 180 days each year. Check out your local public schools before sending your child there! Find out who and what is in control. If you don't like what you see, don't give up. Take control by choosing the best that public schools might have to offer, and consider home schooling or parent-directed education for the rest. What does ZLO do?
Most families can educate at home for some of their work. But when the subject matter gets beyond a parent's expertise, we are here to help. With more than a dozen instructors and more than 40 different course offerings, you can use us to fill the gaps in your home schooling. We only offer classes at most twice weekly, and students can take from 1 to 5 classes, so you can continue to home school the subjects you know best. What we do here supports parents in directing their child's education. If you like what you see here but need it tweaked for your particular student, then please ask, because without governmental requirements on what we do, we have a great deal more flexibility. Browse our website and learn about us, our history, our instructors, our classes. We are always growing, changing, and rethinking what we do, so that we can contribute to building stronger families while offering educational excellence. Where do you meet?
We are currently located in Whatcom County, meeting twice weekly at King Mountain Church on Kellog just up from Olive Garden on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and at Bellingham Covenant Church for our K-6 Wednesday program. Please DO NOT CONTACT these churches about ZLO. They do NOT handle our business. See how to contact ZLO from our Contact Us page.. How did this get started?
In the fall of 1994 three homeschooling families approached Molly Crocker to help with math course work for their middle and high school age children. When classes began, there were a dozen students in three levels of mathematics. In January of 1995, we found an English teacher to teach literature and writing. The following fall we added high school science. In September, 1996, we began with 31 students in five subject areas, and finished the school year with more than 40 students in eight subject areas. For 2007-2008 school year, we have more than 135 students, 14 instructors, and more than 40 course offerings. What is your educational philosophy?
The purpose of education is to prepare people for whatever God may ask them to do. Most homeschooling parents are doing a great job! Some need a little help in one or two subject areas, or when their kids reach a level beyond their expertise. When an institutional setting doesn't fit a family's need or lifestyle, ZLO often can. Parents are welcome in our classes and encouraged to attend! If they are attending a course their child is enrolled in, they attend for free, other than any necessary materials charge. What is the reference to Zacchaeus?
Zacchaeus (one pronunciation is Zah-KEE-us, the story begins at Luke 19:1) was a Jew living in the city of Jericho. He collected taxes from fellow Jews for the Roman government at the time of Christ. Not only was he an IRS agent for the foreign occupying government, but he was a scoundrel and a cheat, too. He collected taxes that people didn't owe, and used them to feather his own nest. One day he heard that Jesus was coming to town. Being a little guy, and wanting to get a better view of this intriguing prophet, he climbed a tree along the road. Jesus walked right up to Zacchaeus in the tree, called him by name, and invited himself to dinner at Zacchaeus' home. By the time they were through eating, Zacchaeus had not only promised to give half of what he owned to the poor, but also pledged to pay back four times what he owed people for the money he'd cheated from them. This image appealed to us: of being willing to try something you wouldn't otherwise do, and have it change your life! Who are the instructors?
Most of our instructors are 20 and 30+ year veteran teachers from a variety of educational backgrounds. They are screened for their Christian commitment. We are committed to teaching from a Christian, Biblically based point of view. Beyond that, individual philosophy varies from instructor to instructor. In fact, we encourage differences, so that parents can choose an instructor that fits their educational philosophy. Instructors are encouraged to teach the best way they know how. They are never forced to follow an educational fad or trend. Parents are their supervisors, and they hire and fire instructors by choosing (or not) to sign up for a class. What kind of students do you have?
We have about the same kind of students as anyone else does, from remedial to gifted. They are placed where their ability level lets them perform. Homework can be tailored to suit a special needs child. Our instructors often spend extra time with students as necessary, and encourage phone consultations for help. We also serve students with a variety of educational goals. Some are planning to return to or move into a standard classroom setting in the future, while others are coming to us because they don't want an all day, every day education. Some are college bound, some want to work after finishing a GED. Our students also represent a cross section of the general population in their devotion to Jesus Christ. In addition to many solid, Christian families, we have some families that don't go to church anywhere, and some that belong to faiths other than Christianity. While we certainly encourage the personal knowledge of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, it is not a pre-requisite for taking coursework at ZLO. We welcome everyone, but all must understand that we teach from a Christian, Biblically based point of view. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 7:1). Is this a school? Can students get credit for work done at ZLO?
We are NOT a state-approved school. We sought such approval in 1995, but were flatly turned down because the state definition of a school requires meeting 180 days per year. We only meet 72 days per year. Rather, we are more of a free-market alternative education service. We could offer many classes, but we only teach those for which there is interest. With proper record keeping, credits that high school students need may be granted by a state-approved school. We can help! How much does this cost?
If you want only one course, such as algebra, for the whole year, your cost will be approximately $1,000. If you want a full course load, your costs will be about the same as a private school in Whatcom county. Most of our students enroll in two or three classes, and have time for their homework, an activity, or a sport in which they excel, on other days. How can you teach a whole-year course in two days per week?
Any public or private school instructor would agree that you can do things in small classes of 4 to 10 students that you can't do with 20 - 30 students, regardless of the kind of students you have. Our classes meet for 75 minutes at a time, which actually totals to a little more than half of the time a 5-times-weekly class meets in an institutional setting. This means that more instruction and practice can occur as well as discussion that truly involves every single person. There are fewer administrative tasks, such as role-taking. Students are never called to the office, nor is instruction interrupted with a pep rally, school photographs, or a school assembly. It works! Students we have sent on to regular classrooms have done well there. |
