Homeschooling Kids of Color

Homeschooling Community w/African-American Boys

Oct 2011

Greetings, we are a black family in the east bay who are seriously considering removing our son from public school. He is bored to tears and is not being nurtured or valued for who he is and what he can bring to the classroom. It is an overcrowded school in an urban area and the teachers seem too stressed to pay attention to the individual needs of their students. The student body is nearly 100% of color and the staff does not reflect his diversity. What's more we are seeing some disturbing subtle behavior/dynamics with staff and the punitive, often antagonistic way they ''deal'' with these children.

So, we are reaching out to this community in hopes of finding an alternative vision for schooling or unschooling our boy. I know there is a vibrant homeschooling and unschooling movement in the bay area and I have been inspired by many of the groups I have met. I am wondering if there are any homeschooling networks that have a representation of children of color. Specifically african american boys/families within ages of 6-10? Additionally for all homeschooling families, how did you transition from public to home?

For private school families, does your school really practice experiential learning, really engage your child, really nurture their innate curiosity--beyond catchy slogans in glossy brochures? I thank you so much for reading this and for your reply. BTW transfering to a new public school is not an option. It is the institution of public schooling that we are trying to escape. We are not looking for a ''better'' public school. Thanks again! There must be a better way...

Congratulations to you for looking for the best option for your child's education. You're right, the bay area offers lots of options for homeschool families. NCAAHA (Northern CA African-American Homeschool Association) may be a good match for you: http://sites.google.com/site/jhclarkeschool/ncaaha fan of homeschooling

Hi, Sorry your son is having this experience. We too had a similar experience with both of our children (multi-ethnic- Af. American and Latino) at two different public schools and chose to withdraw them for similar reasons. We transferred to the Mills College Children's School (pre-K-5 grade), where our children had attended pre-school and I have to say that it was definitely the right choice in both cases. Mills is wonderfully diverse- truly amazing for a private school. There are many families of color (it actually feels like the majority) and good socio-economic diversity as well. It is really a gift to see our children thrive in a diverse community.It is also just a progressive, more student centered/project based environment, and the staff (leadership, teachers, and after school staff) are gifted educators. The curriculum is really designed to build on student interests and based on an assessment of individual strengths and needs. Unlike many public schools, Mills is a school where parents really do have a voice- if there is an issue, there is really an open door policy. The school is always looking for opportunities to be responsive. I strongly recommend that you check out Mills. The number is 430-2053.

If you are planning on going the homeschooling route, I do know that many homeschooling Af. American families are enrolled in the Hickman Charter School. That might be a way to link up with other families. Best of Luck to You Happy Mills Family of Color