More and more African-American families are discovering homeschooling as an education option. This week on Home School Heartbeat, Mike Smith talks to Joyce Burges, co-founder of the National Black Home Educators Resource Association.
Mike Smith:
Joyce, thank you for joining us this week.
Joyce Burges:
Oh, thank you for having me, Mike.
Mike:
Why don't you tell us about your family, Joyce, and how you got started homeschooling.
Joyce:
Okay, well, I have five children. Eric, Jr., who was thirteen at the time, when we started - the school told me that he was not making the acceptable grade average (he had actually dropped one point below their grade average) and they presented two choices to me: number one, to have him sent to a school clear across town, and number two, to retain him in that same grade. Of course neither of those choices was something I wanted to do, and I just decided at that point that we would bring him home; after Eric and I had long conversations about this we just decided to homeschool him. And then maybe about six months later we brought the seven- and eight-year-old at the time home and we homeschooled them as well.
Mike:
Now, are you still homeschooling your children?
Joyce:
I am still homeschooling. I have a fourteen-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old daughter and neither of those two have ever been to public school at all.
Mike:
Joyce, do you have any regrets?
Joyce:
I have no regrets, Mike; I'm just grateful to God - by His grace we were able to do this.
Mike:
Well I'm so thankful that you're going to be with us this week and share more about how you started this new black homeschool organization. And until next time this is Mike Smith.
The growth of homeschooling among African-American families is incredible, and if you'd like more information you can call us toll-free at (866) 338-8614. That's (866) 338-8614. Or you can check us out online at homeschoolheartbeat.com.
