Matt James, physician and author of "Homeschooling Odyssey," along with his wife Barb have been homeschooling for 25 years. Four of their children have gone to Stanford, one of their children dances in the School of American Ballet in New York, and their youngest is looking forward to his own exciting opportunities. Oftentimes we think that Homeschooling has to take 4-6 hours a day in order to be effective. Yet the James family has been able to send their children to one of the most prestigious universities in the country by homeschooling one hour a day.

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Recommended Resources

• Ask Matt James

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do you believe children can receive an outstanding education homeschooling just an hour a day?

• What did you focus on during your one hour of "academic chores" each day?

• Does one-hour-a-day homeschooling work well for both young children and teens?

• Many parents would love to try homeschooling, but worry that it will take too much time. Do you believe that working parents and single parents can homeschool their children effectively?

Q: Do you believe children can receive an outstanding education homeschooling just an hour a day?
A: Yes, but there is a question of semantics here. It is true that we require an hour a day, or less, of academic chores, but this is possible because the kids learn so much from living, and from the natural and spontaneous reading that is a big part of their lives. We keep interesting material in our home library, and we avoid practices which would take the fun out of reading, such as coercion, testing, grading, or the use of reading series. With no television, VCR, or video games in our house, our kids read a lot in order to make their lives more interesting.

Despite a minimum of mandatory academics, our homeschoolers stay busy. They practice the piano. They play in the forests and the fields. They work on projects of their own making. I remember when two of our girls produced an ABC book, complete with copy and illustrations. It took them three months.

The kids do chores on the farm, and they help me and Barb with our work. They play sports and dance. We do things together. We play golf, and they drive the cart. They take science classes at a local school, or they play in the band there. We go on field trips and road trips. The little kids visit their brothers and sisters on the college campus. They hang out in the dorms for days.

Q: What did you focus on during your one hour of "academic chores" each day?
A: We worked in areas which would not be adequately mastered through unschooling, such as grammar, spelling, and arithmetic. We used simple workbooks, available anywhere, to teach these subjects.

Q: Does one-hour-a-day homeschooling work well for both young children and teens?
A: The bulk of our experience is with pre-teens and early teens. For these ages our academic goal is literacy, as well as the preservation of each child's innate instincts for curiosity and exploration. The literate child has acquired his own "Hubble" telescope which he can focus with clarity upon areas of special interest for the rest of his life. Conventional areas of study during the high school years include subjects like algebra,chemistry, or physics. A student who wants to master these subjects in a homeschool setting will have to invest time. History and literature need never be a chore.  To put the time issue in perspective, consider the experience of our 17 year-old daughter, Julia. She attends a school for performing artists in NYC, for three hours a day. Half of that time is spent in English and History classes. Graduates of her school go to Harvard and places like that.

Q: Many parents would love to try homeschooling, but worry that it will take too much time. Do you believe that working parents and single parents can homeschool their children effectively?
A: Absolutely. Working parents can schedule work hours so that one parent is available. Single parents can get help from friends or extended family. Where there is a will, there is a way. It is a historical fact that the basic elements of literacy can be attained through an hour or so of daily study. In times past, children studied in the evening, after working during the daylight hours. Read about Ben Franklin or Abe Lincoln.   Remember, basic literacy in our dumbed-down society places a child in the ninety-ninth percentile of accomplishment.

Advisor's Suggested Resource

Homeschooling Odyssey by Matt James
This book tells the story of a homeschooling family who found love and happiness by largely avoiding the defining institutions of our age, such as school, day-care, and television. $8.95 plus $2 S/H. For ordering info, email:
MattJames@homeschool.com

Ask Matt James

Do You Still Have Questions About One-Hour-A-Day Homeschooling?
Then contact Dr. Matt James: MattJames@homeschool.com