Homeschooling – Defining Some Terms

Here used simply as the most common or familiar term for the type of childrearing in which parents refrain from sending their child(ren) away for an institutionalized ‘education.’

In this sense the term implies a negative: what these parents do not do.

Some individuals object to the positive implications of the term “homeschooling” since they are in no way wanting or trying to imitate an institutional school in their homes. Their preferred terms include “unschooling,” “home education,” “home-based education,” and “family-based education” among others.

The author of the HomeSchooling TEXAS website tends to agree with that objection and looks forward to a day when what we do needs no label of explanation and will be valued and recognized as simply living our own lives in the way that we choose. For now…

… there are three very simple reasons for the domain name “HomeSchooling TEXAS”:
1) “homeschooling” = “non-institutionalized education” (I use the term to imply the negative.)
2) In spite of all the different names used to describe non-institutionalized education for children,
people seeking information type the word “homeschooling” into web search engines way more
often than any other term. (I wanted people to find this website!)
3) It’s aimed at those who are practicing non-institutionalized education in… Texas. 🙂

Texas

While it is a geographical area defined by the human invention of lines drawn on a map, it’s much more than that. If you’re a Texian, you already understand. If you don’t understand, you may be in the wrong place.

Texian

A word (in Spanish, Tejano) describing the people or culture of the Texas section of the state of Coahuila y Tejas, Republic of Mexico, and the subsequent Republic of Texas.

Individual

A single human being. Not a group, organization, or any type of collective but one single person.

Liberty

“Liberty describes a social system in which free men and women live and cooperate with one another. Because their minds are free of conflict, their relationships with others tend to be peaceful and respective of one another’s autonomy.” *

Intellectual

In the realm of the mind and concerning thoughts, ideas, and beliefs.

Freedom

“Freedom is a state of mind that is not in conflict or contradiction, a mind that has integrity (i.e., is integrated into a consistent whole).” *

* I have yet to find a better definition and distinction of the concepts “freedom” and “liberty” than what is quoted here. Credit goes to Butler Shaffer, a professor at Southwestern University School of Law (and one of my favorite thinkers and writers on these topics!) and his essay: “Why Are We Afraid To Be Free?.”