Q&A: Homeschool Dad Resources!
"I'm a stay-at-home-homeschooling Dad!...Yes, I said Dad - not mom!
I know that there aren't alot of homeschooling dads out there, but can you send me some resources and supportive sites to help me find more dads I can relate to?"
Resources for homeschool dads no problem....right?!? Well, I soon discovered that most homeschool sites are very biased and tend to support only homechooling moms. It seemed so 1950s to me, but here we are in 2006 and the reality is that there are very few sites created to support homeschooling dads! Even within our own site we tend to suggest activities that are traditionally more feminine such as cooking, gardening, and crafting. So, as I read the forums and articles written by dads...I actually began viewing homeschooling from a different perspective. How frustrating it must be for a homeschool dad looking for fresh ideas and insights!
When I happened upon a forum that talked about teaching through Monster truck races and electrician work I had to pause. Monster truck racing? But then, I started to think about the different possible topics that could be covered such as geometry, math, science, and physics. Even nutrition has a place at the races - What is the nutritional value of a hotdog on a stick?
I began to think back to all the special times I had with my own father growing up! Pops taught me how to drive without the white-knuckled death grip on the dashboard my mother had whenever I was behind the wheel. Homeschool dads are necessary! Dads offer a different point of view and a whole new world of activities. There is hope for the next generation with more fathers taking the wheel. So good luck to all you homeschool dads and I hope these resources are helpful.
- HomeschoolDads.com
This site offers articles written by dads I didn't find one woman writer on the site! Also a forum specifically targeting dads with a range of topics. My favorite topic was "Do Sporting Events Count as a Fieldtrip?". There was some Christian content but a lot of just general topics as well. - National Home Education Network
National Home Education Network has a For Dads by Dads section. A number of articles written by fathers as well as a general forum. - Fatherville
I would recommend this site for the forum alone. It is sectioned into a number of different needs ranging from widowed fathers to homeschooling fathers. There are a lot of products for sale on this site so if you can sort through the extras the forum is good. The site also has some articles. - Homeschool Blogger
This is a blog written by a homeschool dad from Texas. He writes about issues he reads in the news and comments on life. I would recommend checking out his blog in your limited spare time. - Home Educator
This last is just an article titled "What Dads Can Do in Homeschooling" that I enjoyed. It relays personal accounts of fathers who homeschool and fathers who offer support in other ways. Including a woman that says "if you asked her husband what he does in their home school, he would tell you he doesn't do anything." It shows that even though you might feel alone in your world of homeschool dad don't fret because although the moms may be the most vocal the dads are out there as well.
Share Your Ideas about this question or next month's: "My daughter is in third grade and has been diagnosed dyslexic. (I have thought this for some time, but the schools disagreed. We had taken her outside the school district to have her tested) We are in the process of a formal IEP at the public school, however, I am concerned that she will not "qualify" because she is not far enough behind in their terms!! Our school district does not believe in dyslexia as a LD. I have been praying about homeschooling her and am trying to find a cirriculum to use. There is so much out there and I am overwhelmed. Do you have any suggestion?"