Garden centers and nurseries are gearing up for the spring months, too. Take field trips to both and roam the aisles to your heart's content. Visit a variety of garden centers and nurseries -- each one is a little different and provides a fun way to spend an hour or two in the afternoon.

Visit the library or bookstore and acquire some books -- fiction and nonfiction -- on gardening, vegetables, and flowers. Don't forget books on topics such as earth science, nature, insects, etc. As you plan and plant your garden, incorporate the books you've chosen into your daily lesson plans.

List of Materials
* Vegetable Seeds
* Seedlings (if desired)
* Notebook & Pencil
* Graph Paper
* Tape Measure
* Ruler * String
* Stakes
* Hammer
* Shovel
* Rake
* Or Small Garden Tools

Planning the garden
If you're a first-time gardener, take a "nature walk" with the kids around your yard to find the best location for your garden. An area that receives six to eight hours of sun a day is best for most vegetable gardens. Kids will enjoy tracking the sun across your yard to make sure the area does indeed receive sun for the better part of the day. This is also a good time to discuss the earth's rotation. (Nature/Science/Astronomy)

Have the kids place a stick or other item where the shadow of your house meets the sunny area early in the morning. Write down the time, then have the children check the shadow "line" throughout the day. They can place other sticks or items on the new shadow line and write down the time. By evening, they can add up how many hours of sunshine are received in certain areas of your back and/or front yard. (Nature/Science/Math)

Once a good, sunny location has been decided upon, make sure the soil drains well in that area. You can also improve the soil by adding vermiculite, compost, or other helpful additives. Explain that the soil also needs room to "breathe" so the roots will be healthy. If you'd like, you can test the soil in your area to determine the pH level. You can contact your local Extension Service for help on this. (Earth Science)

Now determine how big you want your garden to be. If you're planning to grow corn along with other vegetables, you'll need a fairly large plot. A 20-by-20-foot garden provides room for larger vegetables. If you prefer to grow smaller plants, such as green beans, peas, lettuce, beets, tomatoes, and herbs, a 12-by-16-foot area should suffice.

Have your child determine how many square feet are in a 20-by-20-foot garden, and how many in a 12-by-16-foot garden. If this math is too advanced for your child, do comparison math. Help the child measure his or her bedroom. If the room measures about 12-by-14, go into the living room and measure out a 12-by-14-ft. area. His or her bedroom could fit into the living room. Now go outside together and measure off the 12-by-16-ft. garden area. Now measure the size of the child's room (for instance, 12-by-14-ft.). Their bedroom could fit inside the vegetable garden. How would he or she like having a vegetable garden for a bedroom? What would it be like to live inside a vegetable garden? What types of things might truly live in a vegetable garden? (Math/Creative Thinking/Nature/Insects)

Have your child assist you with the tape measure to map out an area for the garden. It's also fun and helpful to sketch the garden on graph paper, with 1/4-inch squares representing one foot. Use the instructions on the seed packets to see how far apart the seeds should be planted. Then outline the garden and the space allotted for the rows of vegetables. Label each row on the graph paper. (Math/Art)

Staking out the garden
You'll need a tape measure, string, 12- to 18-inch stakes, and a hammer. Drive a stake in one corner, then use the tape measure to find the other three corners. Drive a stake in each corner and run some of the string from stake to stake to "fence" off the garden. Encourage the kids to measure each side of the garden, from stake to stake, and write down each measurement. Now have them add all 4 sides together. What is the perimeter of the garden? (Math)

It's time to dig into the garden! Kids love shoveling and digging. Just be sure to supervise when they are using these tools. Even the young ones can use their plastic bucket and shovels to break up dirt clods, and place rocks, grass, or weeds in their buckets. Allow the kids time to investigate insects and worms they might find in the soil, and discuss why some insects enjoy living in dirt. (Nature, Earth Science, Insects)

After the soil is fine and crumbly, let the kids draw lines in the garden for each row. The rows should run from east to west. Ask the kids why the taller plants should be planted on the north end of the garden. Consult the seed packets and determine how tall the green beans will grow. How tall will the lettuce grow? How much taller will the green beans be than the lettuce? (Nature/Science/Math)

Using the graph showing the dimensions of the garden, mark off each row with stakes and string. Again, let the kids measure the rows, using the tape measure. What if you want half a row of lettuce and half a row of beets? Have them divide the 16-foot-long row in half. How long will the row of lettuce be? How long will the row of beets be? (Math)

After straight lines for the rows have been drawn in the dirt, hammer a stake at each end of each row, and run the string from one end to the other end of the row. Gently smooth the soil along each row, preparing the seed bed for the seeds. The area between each row will be used as pathways in the garden.

Plant the seeds
Explain that plants need "food" just as we need food. None of us can live by water alone. Apply organic or natural fertilizers or compost to the rows and mix it into the top few inches of soil.

Now it's time to plant your seeds or seedlings. Some vegetables, such as tomatoes or green peppers, do better when planted as seedlings, rather than seeds. Follow the instructions that came with the seeds and plants. Discuss how far apart the seeds must be planted, such as 1/4-inch or 1/2-inch, etc. Let the child use a ruler to get an idea of how far apart to plant the seeds. (Math)

Allow the children to gently water in the seeds and seedlings, being careful not to disturb the soil or wash away the fragile seeds or roots of the seedlings. Discuss the necessity of watering the seeds and new plants. For an experiment, have your child wrap a few seeds in a damp paper towel and leave in a warm, bright area in the kitchen. Keep the seeds moist by dampening the paper towel as it begins to dry out. After a few days, the seeds will sprout inside the paper towel. (Nature/Science)

While planting the seeds in the garden, take a few minutes to demonstrate erosion. In an unused corner of the garden, have the child dig a hole. Imagine this is a lake, and place sticks around the edge of the "lake" to represent trees and shrubs. Have the child trickle water along the edge of the hole, as he fills the "lake." What happens to the soil along the edge of the hole? If the pressure of the water is slightly increased, what happens to the soil around the "trees" and "shrubs"? Are the "trees" and "shrubs" able to remain in place, or are they washed away? Imagine a small trickle of water running along this area for a long period of time. Or a quick flood of water, such as a flash flood resulting from heavy rains. What effect would this have on the soil, "trees," and "shrubs" around this "lake"? (Earth Science/ Weather)

Involve the kids in cleaning up the tools after planting the garden, and explain the importance of keeping tools clean and organized. Discuss the types of tools early pioneers or Native Americans might have used in the 1600s or 1700s when planting their crops. Plan to read a book together on pioneer life or the early days of crop raising. (Life Skills/History)

As your garden begins to grow, encourage your children to keep a garden journal and to record the changes they see in the garden as the days go by. Also, take pictures of the garden, as seeds sprout, seedlings mature, and vegetables grow. (Language Arts/English/Writing/Photography)

They can also write a short essay or article on their garden project for their Writing Portfolio or for English. For fun, they can write a story for Creative Writing about what might happen if one of their plants grew out of control in the backyard. Illustrate the story with sketches of the out-of-control plant. (Language Arts/Creative Writing/Art)

As you go through your homeschool year, remember that homeschool is not "school at home." Home education is simply a natural part of living, thinking, imagining, creating, learning, doing, and growing each day.

School Models That Won't Work

The "school" system was unfortunately modeled on authoritarian Prussian schools. Intents were not necessarily the "intellectual training of children but the conditioning of children to obedience, subordination, and collective life."

The state viewed itself as "the true parent of children."

As a dissatisfied Albert Einstein said about his experience with Prussian schooling: "It is in fact nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry."

An early proponent of state control of education in America states: "Let our pupil be taught that he does not belong to himself, but that he is public property." - Benjamin Rush

Sociologist Edward Ross believed in giving the child a teacher to imitate, instead of his father. He saw the school as the means for gathering "little plastic lumps of human dough from private households and [shaping] them on the social kneadingboard."

"Education reformer" Horace Mann said: "We, who are engaged in the sacred cause of education, are entitled to look upon all parents as having given hostages to our cause."

Encourage Imagination, Creativity, and Inventiveness

These are just a few of the reasons why it's important to understand that homeschool is not "school at home."

As parents of wonderful, curious, eager children, spend time talking with your children to determine what interests them, what they want to explore this year, what they want to learn or delve into, and their ideas on how to go about learning these things.

What amazing things can your child imagine? What fantastic creations can your child conceive of, invent, construct, create, bring to life? What unique capabilities or qualities can your child share with others or use in a way that makes a positive difference in his or her life, as well as in the lives of others?

As author Joel Turtel stated: "Parents, for your children's sake, walk away from the public schools. Also, don't depend on vouchers or charter schools, which are few and far between. Take control of your children's education and the values you teach them by homeschooling your kids or enrolling them in a low-cost Internet private school of your choice. Your children's future is at stake, and so is, by the way, the future of our Republic and our liberties."

Success and Joy through Home Education

So, as you begin your homeschool year this year, remember that it's not "school" you want to model your homeschool upon. Rather, it's your family's values, morals, and educational goals of your children that you want to keep in mind. It's the way they learn best, that you want to model your homeschool upon. It's their curiosity, eagerness, and joy of learning that you want to follow. It's the excitement of guiding them and helping them to learn, which results in a positive educational experience for your entire family, a lifetime of wonderful memories that you will all treasure forever.

I was restless.

I was a homeschooled student in a rural area with very few friends. I had an excellent curriculum—math, science, history, English, logic, and whatever bits and pieces my mother passed along to make my brain buzz with a little extra fervor. Hunky-dory.

Not my thing.

In public and private schools, children are allotted a particular number of years of a particular number of subjects that they must complete. This makes a great deal of sense when the system has to work mechanically and the only efficient way to operate is to put kids in large groups when you regale them with facts unadjusted to their levels of understanding.

Teaching Oneself

Some biography I’ve long since lost told me that when Winston Churchill was a young soldier in India, he spent his afternoons earning the education he had never bothered with at school. He read classics, he read old newspapers, and he read the Parliamentary register. His idea grabbed my attention. My (dedicated, long-suffering) mother had already given me all the tools I needed to pursue Churchill’s plan—I could read for comprehension, I could think for myself, and I loved scholarship. Without dropping my already-established course load, I started adding whatever I wanted to learn.

The plot began by crashing with grand style. Math was a weak point, so I tried to teach myself geometry. It was a horrible idea. I didn’t know how to do proofs, and my mother is of my camp when it comes to math, so I had no one to explain it to me and I gave myself failing grades on my first six tests.

The geometry fiasco failed to dent my thick skull. The endeavor continued. Whatever books I could find, I delved into. Online shopping and public libraries were my best friends. I worked on both strengths and weaknesses with equal enthusiasm, often turning the latter into the former (literature and grammar were bad points in high school; I am now at college and an English major).

Higher Learning

Our house had a spacious attic and a black roof. There was no earthly reason that the attic should be unused, except that in the summer heat no sane person would go up there. Since books and Churchill had absconded with my sanity, I made the attic my bedroom and filled it with supplies and projects. For the best part of the summer of ’06, I sweated my way to a better education.

That August, my parents took me to the admissions office of Truman State University on a whim and I was admitted. I began school that September on scholarship. I was 16.

Flexibility Is Key

There are many such stories out there featuring far more impressive and more rapid progress—there are so many because flexibility is one of the biggest advantages homeschooling sends the way of its participants. Whatever the student’s aptitude and enthusiasm, the opportunity is there for that student to get ahead of the curve or to take extra time and broaden his knowledge. He/she can enter the college or world whenever student and parents find that readiness.

There are a few things I’d like to point out about how it turned out for me—particularly with regard to my passage into college. The transition, at least for an introvert of my caliber, can be rocky. As much as there is to be said against the kids-have-to-be-social-butterflies mentality, it was tougher for me to integrate at college because I had very rarely had contact with other teens.

College Admissions

When my parents and I went barreling into the Truman State admissions office, the first thing the counselors asked about was standardized test scores. I didn’t need a GED, and I was told that in light of my scores, my application essay was not very relevant. I don’t mean to suggest that GEDs, application essays, and other aspects of the application process should be ignored, but that a homeschooler’s standardized tests are likely to get more attention than a public- or private-schooler’s because homeschoolers’ GPAs are not broadly viewed as reliable. Not necessarily fair, but true.

Follow Your Curiosity

If you are a parent and have driven kids, I strongly encourage you to give them every chance to pile on the electives or speed up their core curriculum progress. If you are a bored homeschooled student, consider following your curiosity a step farther and carving out your own plan. It’s well worth it.

Andrew Tipping is a grateful former homeschooler and now a junior English major at Truman State University in Kirskville, MO. He enjoys reading, writing, boxing, wrestling, and just about anything having to do with music.

Homeschooling is becoming more sought after by families across the globe, leading to more support and opportunities to families.  Every state within the U.S. has instituted laws to protect families that choose to home school; whether through charter programs or independent study.  Among the growing number of homeschooling families lies a small group of parents, whose determination to make homeschooling a success, deserves an honorable mention.

While some parents are finding any opportunity to walk away from their responsibilities as a parent, others are demonstrating an extraordinary sacrifice to provide what they believe to be the best education possible for their children: a home education.  These are the parents in a single-head household.  To make home education a success in these households there are key factors that need to be considered.

Always Remain Flexible

Homeschooling provides an opportunity for parents to be in control of their child's education.  This includes what days or hours of scheduling and the location their schooling takes place.  Single parents can take advantage of this flexibility by completing structured schooling during hours the parent is home and independent study while the parent is at work.  In some work environments, parents may even have the option to bring their older child with them for supervision during independent studies.

Lean on Others

Home schools run by a single parent often places a concern of childcare while the parent works during the day.  Many families are finding support from friends and family.  It is important for a single parent to surround themselves with a positive support group that they can lean on for child care, academic structure while the parent works and a second set of shoulders to carry the stress.  Most communities offer homeschooling networks that families can participate in to provide support to both the parent and the student.

Take a Leap of Faith

Some single parents are taking the plunge to work out of the home.  These families often need to accept a lower income but make up for the decreased income by learning to cut corners when shopping and by adjusting their budget.  There are numerous opportunities to work out of the home, including the possibility of arranging a work-from-home schedule with their current employer.

Behavior Problems

A concern some parents may have when it comes to homeschooling as a single parent is their child having behavior problems as a result of too much freedom.  Although any child can develop behavior problems, parents can feel confident that home-schooled children are less likely to develop major rebellious tendencies as a result of limited exposure to negative influences.

If behavior problems do arise in single households, how a parent succeeds in stopping their child's bad behavior is the same as any other. Calm, consistent discipline is the key to changing the desired behavior.  In addition to consistency, parents must readily set the example of the desired behavior they are wanting to instill.

In single households it is crucial that bad behaviors be monitored consistently, as well, and the parent may need to lean on support groups more frequently for assistance during this time while they are at work.  No matter what the circumstance, parents who are determined to provide a home education will be able to find a way.

Child-taught Curriculum

One area that deserves mention as a powerful resource for single parents is self-taught curriculum.  This is any curriculum designed to be self-taught.  Robinson's curriculum is one such program.  This curriculum was designed for a single-parent household after the sudden death of the sole educator of the home.

It utilizes a thorough reading curriculum and record keeping that can be done by the child.  Saxon Math is recommended for self-teaching math, due to its thorough direction written to the student.  Self-taught curriculum makes home education in a single-head household a real possibility.

Raising a family with only one parent is a difficult and courageous task.  It requires you to be able to lean on family, friends and others in the community for support.  The single parents who are going that extra length to home school their children deserve an honorable mention as they place their children's education before all else.

Eight years ago I was handed a high school diploma from two very proud parents. Ironically, that is the same amount of time my parent’s spent educating me at home. Now, for the first time, I am a homeschool alumnus as long as I was a homeschooled student. Those eight years have been a rollercoaster ride of exciting adventures and overwhelming challenges and have fulfilled the dreams of that excited high school senior who was ready to embark on a new life. After receiving a full ride scholarship at a private university, I graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelors of Arts in History and a Bachelors of Science in Information Systems Management. From there, I moved away from home to Santa Barbara, CA, where I worked for two years before making the trek East to work as a Vice President at a management consulting firm.

Eight years at home and eight years in the “real” world. Wow, time really does go fast. This seems an appropriate moment to look back and reflect on those sixteen years and how homeschooling prepared me for life after my high school diploma. Hindsight is 20/20 so I would like to spend a few minutes sharing with you a little about what I consider some of the most valuable aspects of homeschooling: the lessons I never forgot, the principles that have had the largest impact on me and the training that still plays such an important part in my life.

Family Bond – A homeschooling family spends more time together than any other group within society. And spending so much time together ensures that you know every button to push and each irritating habit of your family members. However, it also gives you the incredible blessing of spending a majority of time with the people who will always love and be there for you. Looking back, I do not wish I hung out more with my “cool” friends but I do miss my family and wish I could spend more time with them today.

Of course, growing up there were the times when I didn’t really want to homeschool, especially when my friends seemed to have such exciting and fun lives. However, God taught me patience and the importance of seasons in life. Growing up was a time to receive the lessons, principles, and training my parents needed to teach me so that when I was ready, I could leave the nest and stand strong.

Godly Principles – Spending so much time with my parents gave me the opportunity to watch them live their lives. Actions speak louder than words and how my parents lived their lives, the decisions they made, the times they choose to do what was right and the sacrifices they made are how I really learned what it meant to be a Christian. You cannot hide your true colors and what you believe – not just what you say – from those who are constantly around you. My parents choose to homeschool because they wanted to raise Godly young women who are not afraid to take a moral stand in a very ungodly world. Their example taught me about my God as they instilled in me the Godly principles they so strongly believed in. I am sure my parents were all too often discouraged and frustrated by our actions and choices but they never gave up and their lessons never stopped. Even today, I can hear their voice when faced with a difficult decision and knowing how they would handle a situation makes me be less prone to compromise.

Education – Today, former homeschool critics are being forced to admit that homeschooling provides children with a solid education. I still believe that my mom was a tougher teacher than any of my college professors. Why? Because she intrinsically knew what I was capable of and never settled for anything less. This instilled in me discipline and a habit of always doing my best. Homeschooling also afforded me the opportunity to become an independent learner who could successfully manage time and complete assignments responsibly. Thankfully, I learned this valuable skill long before my peers, which gave me a head start both in my past studies and in my current career. But, perhaps one of the most important things I took away from homeschooling was a love of learning. Education eventually comes to an end but learning lasts a lifetime. Thanks to homeschooling I will continue to learn—not because I have to—but because I want to.

In college, I remember one of my favorite professors approaching me one day and asking what high school I had attended. When I responded that I was homeschooled he immediately commented that in his 40 years of teaching he came to realize that students with my ability and discipline have either attended exclusive prep schools or been homeschooled. This comment is proof that the education my parent’s provided and the habits they formed to study hard, manage my time, not give up and most of all, give a 100% effort, 100% of the time really paid off.

Communication – Communication skills are often the most overlooked but priceless training parents can provide their children. This means teaching students how to communicate with individuals of all age levels, proper introductions, speaking well in public, writing succinctly and even knowing which fork to eat a salad with at a formal dinner.

Little did my mom realize when she was stressing the value of communication skills that I would one day have the opportunity to dine with Senators, Congressman, Cabinet Members and some of the wealthiest people in the country. Or that I would be interviewed on live television and have the opportunity to discuss homeschooling with a former Attorney General of the United States. Acquiring strong communication skills has been one of the most valuable assets I have gained from homeschooling. These lessons have served me well time and again and instilled in me a confidence to face new and overwhelming situations. A good GPA is important and extracurricular activities are helpful but without communication skills, a student will never go as far in this world as they could have.

And that brings me back to now -– far from home but pursuing my dreams. I have been blessed with many incredible opportunities and have traveled the world experiencing new things. Growing up, my parents took to heart the verse, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” And all I can do is thank them for the sacrifices they made and the lessons they instilled in me that have molded me in to who I am.

Before signing off, I’d like to offer a quick thought to homeschooling parents —- live by example and remember that your children/students are always watching; instill in them a love for God; challenge your children to always do their best; provide them with an exciting learning environment and a solid education and, finally, keep teaching them communication skills even when they don’t like it. Believe me, one day they will thank you for it!

Michelle N. Healey was homeschooled from the 5th grade through high school. She attended California Baptist University where she graduated summa cum laude with a double major in History and Information Systems Management. Michelle now lives in Washington D.C. and currently works as the Vice President of A.C. Fitzgerald & Associates. Michelle looks forward to one-day homeschooling her own children.