HOMESCHOOL CLASSROOM
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Mission Statement
For 10 years, the Santa Fe Learning Center has been providing direct instruction in Reading and Math via The Homeschool Classroom to students who have not been able to learn in regular classroom settings. THC provides an individualized curriculum for each student, based on their particular learning styles and needs. Small teacher/student ratios, online learning and home visits ensure a child-centered, safe and nurturing environment, promote skill acquisition and positive attitudes towards lifelong learning. We serve low-income and at-risk homeschoolers. Nearly all of our students had first enrolled in the public school system but decided on homeschooling due to their special needs, related to individual learning style, socio-emotional challenges and/or health and safety concerns.
About This Cause
The Homeschool Classroom provides direct academic instruction and a social emotional curriculum to children ages 4- 16. The Homeschool Classroom provides an individualized program for each student, based on their particular learning styles and needs. Small teacher/student ratios ensure a child-centered, safe and nurturing environment, promote skill acquisition and positive attitudes towards lifelong learning. Families who attend The Homeschool Classroom are relieved and thrilled having reassurance that their child will indeed gain the skills needed to re-enter any school at any time. Teachers at The Homeschool Classroom are familiar with all levels of Elementary Curriculum based on National Standards for Education. We recognize and embrace an extremely diverse student and family community. Families with low socio-economic conditions, who have not felt that their child's individual needs were being met at public or private institutions are looking for support for their child's learning and also their own life. Students who have been ridiculed for being LGBTA at other schools can also find their place of security, connection and learning at THC. Covid-19 shut down all early childhood schools in March 2020. Literally, all Santa Fe families with children were forced to Homeschool their own kids. The Homeschool Classroom was flooded with inquiries desiring guidance with the Homeschool process. Therefore, we now offer distanced family meetings (with masks) to meet and assess a child’s needs. Next, we provide a weekly work packet for children to complete. Families can now also opt to have their child join The Homeschool Classroom in small group OUTDOOR classroom lessons 1-3 days weekly from 9:00 – 1:00. THC also now follows COVID-19 guidelines set out by CYFD and the New Mexico Department of Health. In addition, we have added a Kindergarten through 4th grade Covid-19 Safety and Happiness curriculum that addresses basics of hand washing and social distancing practices. This elementary Covid-19 curriculum, created by The Homeschool Classroom, also includes Social Emotional learning that lessens stress and fear associated with a pandemic and encourages resilience and focus on the future. The goal of The Homeschool Classroom’s unique program is to uplift and educate K-6 special needs and at-risk children who have low chances of receiving a quality education and graduating in the public schools. Our individualized and small group curriculum is designed to produce the following student outcomes: 1. Increased retention and focus 2. Better social and emotional skills 3. Improved math and english grades 4. Increased graduation rates 5. Better home lives New Mexico has a difficult time creating life-long learners. With a 71% drop-out rate, and illiteracy on the rise, schools need to implement practices that keep students interested in staying in school and valuing their own education. Most of the students who come to The Homeschool Classroom are students who have had negative learning experiences in other schools. Some are these students who have been labeled, “hard to teach” or “at-risk”, others have been emotionally affected by the stress of a world pandemic. These students who don’t fit the norm, either due to learning disabilities, such as dyslexia or slow language processing need a small teacher/student ratio, individualized learning programs, a social and emotional development curriculum, and that helps them to have successful skill acquisition and stay positive about their learning experiences. A small teacher/student ratio is one practice of the program that has been proven to enhance and maintain student success. Students who normally “get lost” or “become invisible” in other classrooms have no place to hide at The Homeschool Classroom. Keeping the teacher/student ratio at 1to 5 helps all students get the attention and support they need to stay involved and focused and reach their highest potential. A low teacher to student ratio ensures that each student will get noticed and recognized as an individual. Also, there are more opportunities to participate with a low teacher: student ratio. Students can’t disappear behind their more outgoing peers. The at-risk student who is more likely to fall through the cracks, will not go unnoticed and will get the attention needed to stay involved and active in the classroom. A classroom environment that values social and emotional development and dedicates classroom time to teaching conflict resolution and personal reflection practices creates students who are more ready to learn and apt to be successful in skill acquisition. Many families are attracted to come and learn at The Homeschool Classroom because their elementary age child has had some negative experiences at other schools. A large portion of these experiences have been related to bullying, exclusion, or lack of ability to resolve conflict with peers or adults. More recently, the world pandemic, Covid-19, and the effects of quarantine and social distancing has added much stress to children’s lives. When an elementary age student is upset about a social experience it inhibits their ability to do schoolwork. They become pre-occupied with their emotions and unable to focus or concentrate on assignments. Many New Mexico students drop out of school due to in inability to manage their feelings and friendships. Nor do they know how solve problems. These are essential life skills that support wellbeing and positive mental health. Research shows that working through social/emotional issues productively within a specific curriculum has very positive outcomes for students. Our program teaches the whole child and commits a portion of instructional time to social and emotional development, helping create happy students who are open to learning new skills. Finally, The Homeschool Classroom embraces Multicultural and Humanistic Education practices and aims to maintain a diverse student community. Whereas the families in New Mexico are comprised of a rich and varied cultural background, students benefit from embracing and valuing their diversity and unique lives. A Multicultural classroom is not simply one that makes a piñata on Cinco de Mayo or celebrates MLK for Black History Month. Rather, The Homeschool Classroom uses a set of strategies to teach about freedom, justice, opportunity and equality. A true Multicultural classroom begins to address the balance of power and privilege within the education system itself. According to the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME), multicultural education: • helps students develop positive self-image • offers students and equitable educational opportunity • allows multiple perspectives and ways of thinking • combats stereotypes and prejudicial behavior • teaches students to critique society in the interest of social justice Families who choose to send their child to The Homeschool Classroom are so grateful that they have found a place where there child will be respected and embraced for who they are and not condemned or excluded because of their socio economic status or learning disability. There child is accepted and respected and therefore will be more likely to stay in school and develop life-long learning.