Barbara Blake Hannah explores the benefits of home-schooling in a series of articles, starting this week. She is also writing a book on the issue.

OVER the years since people got to know that I home-schooled my son, Makonnen, I have received many questions on the subject.

I have repeated my answers so many times, that I decided to put them into a book that could help answer some questions and give guidance to parents wanting to know and decide about home-schooling.

So let me share with you some of the things I did as I home-school Makonnen, and take you to the places where I found guidance and examples to help me along this unknown pathway.

Choosing to home-school began in 1985 when my son was born. We were living in Port Antonio and there were few education resources for young children.

I read a book about a family whose home-schooled daughter entered Cambridge University at age 11 years, and reading how they did it gave me some ideas.

Another good book I read was the story and methodology of Madam Montessori – after whom the famous schools are named – who said that children could be taught many more things at earlier ages than expected of them in traditional education.

Religious belief has inspired the choice of most home-schoolers in the United States, where many are Catholics or parents with strong religious faith who choose to give a child a spiritually-based education not available in the US classroom.

Religious beliefs also led me to choose home-schooling. And the almighty creator, whom I call Jah, has been my ever present help and keeper along this uncharted pathway, giving me the strength and confidence to continue my decision to home-school – despite the many critics who said I would be placing my child at a disadvantage if I didn’t follow the traditional way.

Though it would be ideal, you don’t necessarily have to go to my extreme and stay home to teach your child from birth to teenage years.

Maybe you can’t make the economic sacrifice to stay home, and must go out to work and give your child to other caregivers and teachers. But maybe, like me, you have a skill you can use to generate income while working from home, or perhaps your partner provides for you to stay home and care for your children.

Whatever your situation, the things I did can be done on a smaller scale to help your child benefit greatly from his or her present education. If you just want to give your child an early advantage, you should begin adopting home-schooling practices as an educational enrichment of the standard curriculum the child will encounter.

The home is still the place where most learning happens, so whatever time you have with your child at home can be put to good use as education. As you read on, you can decide what you can or will incorporate into your life.

When I began home-schooling, I didn’t have access to some of the several hundred websites that today offer advice and information. Now that home-schooling has grown worldwide in many formats, anyone with a computer can link with individuals and groups for assistance and encouragement.

I would especially recommend a visit to Clonlara, www.clonlara.org, an online school that encourages home-schoolers to regard all activities as part of a child’s education and eligible for high school credits.

A visit to these websites can strengthen the will of any parent interested in home-schooling.

However, it is worth bearing in mind that most of the examples and advice offered on these sites refer specifically to North American and European experiences and since home-schooling is new to Jamaica, we shall have to document our own experiences for sharing with others.

Let me not end before starting that I am not a professional educator, but am merely sharing my experience. The information contained herein is offered as a guide – not a doctrine – to persons interested in the topic.