Do you need assurance that you are not alone in your quest to home educate your children? Do you need friendly support that you know you can go to when you need information, protection, or just more encouragement? MACHE wants to introduce you to three resources that will do just that.

National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) conducts and collects research about homeschooling and publishes the research journal, The Homeschool Researcher. NHERI has hundreds of research works documented and catalogued on homeschooling. If you need homeschool statistics to support your desire to educate your children at home, NHERI is the place to go.

American Home Education and Discipleship (AHEAD) conferences are sponsored by Christian, state-wide, family-focused, home education organizations throughout North America. Representing forty-eight affiliate state organizations with hundreds of years of homeschooling experience, you will find plenty of encouragement, curriculum, and support whether you are just thinking about...

You had a wonderful plan this fall for a well-rounded education, envisioning academic excellence and character development in your smiling, well-adjusted offspring. But then…It happened (pick one):

• Your husband got transferred and you have now moved cross country, separated from your family or community support system.
• Your husband has been deployed and you pray for his safety while holding down the fort alone.
• The morning sickness has lasted five months, and shows no sign of slowing.
• The house burned down and the rental you finally found, sparsely furnished with blessings from the community, has been “home” for longer than you’d expected.
• The test came back malignant.
• You are now the sole caregiver for an elderly relative.
• The builders have been saying, “Just two more weeks…” for two years.
• Or ____(fill in the crisis)__________

Even the “good” stress of joyful events, such as that one tiny bleep on the ultrasound that turned out to be three, or the upcoming wedding or family reunion, can blindside us. Ah, the best-laid plans...

In chatting with some homeschool moms several years ago, the question came up, “How do you motivate your kids to do their schoolwork?”

One woman shared frustration over constantly battling with her son. She would send him to his room everyday to do his schoolwork, and when she checked on him later she would find that he had hardly accomplished anything at all. Some of the other ladies expressed having similar experiences in their homes.

I quickly realized that these really sweet, well-intentioned moms were missing the heart of home education. They were mistakenly equating education with completed workbooks. What was missing was the opportunity for rich learning experiences and the relationship-building interaction homeschooling can provide.

Thinking about my own family’s homeschool journey and what has helped us to thrive, I recognized the stark contrast between a home where completing curriculum is the goal versus a home where learning is a hands-on, multi-sensory, interactive adventure.

Yes, our children still need to complete their math problems and reading assignments, but there is a way to create an atmosphere where...

From Grand Rapids to Rochester, Fergus Falls to Willmar, and metro areas in between, MÂCHÉ’s workshop presenters Sheila Bien and Sandy Norlin have gotten around. Their purpose is to work with host support groups to bring two popular and enlightening workshops to home educating families around the state. These workshops are a service provided by MÂCHÉ to inform families who are new to homeschooling or thinking about this educational option for their family. The workshops are also given to help parents with children moving into the high school years to give them solid information regarding that next step in the process.

Considering Homeschooling Workshop (CHW)

The Considering Homeschooling Workshop is a special workshop for families that are interested in gaining information to make an informed decision regarding home education as an option for their children. It also has helpful information for families that have recently begun homeschooling. It covers what the homeschooling lifestyle is like, curriculum choices, Minnesota statutes regarding home education, learning style options, benefits and costs, socialization and support groups, among...

As you lean on the Lord to direct your path through the homeschooling years you may find He will lead you to be a part of a support group or perhaps even a co-op.  You may ask yourself, “Well what is the difference?”  Let me first explain that the term “co-op” is a group of homeschooling families that join together for similar purpose to “cooperate” and pool their resources to meet the needs of their homeschooling community. 

I once took a field trip with my children to a pumpkin patch.  We had a very educational afternoon.  One thing I have taken with me for years is that I learned that all pumpkins are squash, but not all squash are pumpkins.  A similar comparison can be made between co-ops versus support groups.  Many co-ops offer a support group component, but support groups generally are not co-ops.  Okay, now that I have officially confused you, let me break apart these two distinct titles. 

What does a support group have to offer? 

Is a co-op right for your family? 

What are you finding you need? 

Let me try to navigate the support group and...

On a brisk, chilly Thursday at the end of January, 44 students and parents gathered in the State Office Building for MÂCHÉ's Annual Legislative Training Days event.  This popular event, coordinated by former Representative and MÂCHÉ board member John Tuma and his wife Wendy, continues to be helpful to students in learning the legislative process and how a bill becomes a law in Minnesota. 

MÂCHÉ would like to thank their two legislative hosts, Representative Sondra Erickson and Senator Dan Hall. Representative Erickson greeted the students on Thursday morning, welcoming them to the Capitol and encouraging them to learn and observe much while at the Capitol. Senator Hall not only welcomed the students on Friday, but also willingly served as Chairman of the Student Mock Committee on Friday afternoon. 

A significant event for us this year was a visit from Representative Anna Wills from Rosemount. Representative Wills is the first homeschool graduate to hold a legislative office. It was a treat to hear her talk about how she became involved in public service and her perspective now that she is in office. 

This interactive event is always...

What is NHERI?

NHERI is the National Home Education Research Institute. NHERI conducts and collects research about homeschooling and publishes the research journal called the Home School Researcher. The institute has hundreds of research works documented and catalogued on homeschooling, many of which were done by NHERI. Simply put, NHERI specializes in homeschool research.

NHERI exists to do the following things:

• To research those who teach their children at home;
• To publish the research journal called the Home School Researcher, which chronicles the current research being done about homeschooling;
• To speak to the media, legislators, and national organizations about the homeschooling movement, showing factual research about those who teach their children at home;
• To serve as conference speakers and teachers for groups interested in homeschooling; and
• To work with legislators on Capitol Hill, and with state/local legislators, on issues related to parental rights, the freedom we have to teach our children at home, and homeschoolers coordinating with local school officials.
...

Homeschool Conferences that make an eternal difference

The National Alliance for Christian Home Education Leadership (NACHEL- referred to as the Alliance) is a non-profit group that supports leaders serving leaders in the home education community. It is made up of 48 loosely associated, but solidly Christian state-wide affiliate home education organizations from 45 states, Canada and Mexico and has over 1,000 years of cumulative home education experience.These are all fully Christian statewide organizations that have a statement of faith and bylaws that ensure perpetual Christian leadership for these groups. Frequently leaders from other nations participate in the annual conferences and in other affiliate events.The Alliance has existed and been serving the homeschooling community as a collective group for roughly 20-25 years. MACHE is proud to be a part of this Christ-honoring group!

However, as the winds of change have brought home education to the marketplace, we have seen the advent of for-personal-profit homeschool conventions. As you might expect, these have had an adverse effect on many of the non-profit conferences associated with...