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                                     About Us

My name is Sandra Bynum. I am the parent of five children, all of whom I homeschooled for 15 years. (That doesn’t include their first five years of life, but shouldn't it?) We recently moved to Blackfoot, Idaho, but our homeschooling years took place in Indio (near Palm Springs) and on the central coast of California.  

We are thoroughly enjoying the relaxed life, the distinct seasons, and the wonderful, friendly people of Idaho, or “America, the way it used to be,” as they say here. For a chuckle or two, you can read more about our move and subsequent adjustment to life in Idaho at http://offthetoppamyhead.blogspot.com. My oldest child, Alicia, also lives here in southeastern Idaho with her husband and two little girls, and is a “horse person." Read about her adventures at http://holdyerhorses.blogspot.com.

I homeschooled her and my other four children, now ages from 13 to 28, between 1985 and 2000. Homeschooling for each child varied in duration from three to eleven years, with all attending regular or charter schools at some point in time. We began our homeschool in 1985 for a variety of reasons. Suffice it to say, the regular classroom did not suit our needs. It made more sense to us to keep our children at home during their most formative years.  

Sidenote: Not so very long ago, the whys and the wherefores of homeschooling seemed so important to everyone. Even strangers asked, “WHY would you HOMESCHOOL?” Did your child have serious behavior problems, or was it a religious thing, or was your child a cancer patient? (Oh, please!) Now, homeschool is simply considered another option, like charter schools or distance learning; no explanation needed.

In California, we operated as a private school during our first few years. We named our school Belmont Park School, because we lived on the corner of Belmont and Park. (Duh!) Later, we helped to pioneer an alternative education homeschool program through our district. My children were among the first eight students in a program that soon grew to over 300 students.

We moved several times during our homeschooling years, but regardless of how “good” the schools were in our new community, homeschooling was our way. We explored our communities, visited libraries and museums, read the classics (and lots of other books), and volunteered. We participated in scouting and community theater and ballet. The children took swimming lessons and gymnastics and played t-ball and pee-wee football and church volleyball. In the picture at the right, my five-year-old son Elliott (now 22) examines a fossil wall at the Natural History Museum in San Francisco.   

And, of course, they studied. They worked hard and learned their core subjects, as well as additional science and social studies topics that interested them. We infused the arts into our program and had regular fine arts lessons that often included other homeschoolers and their parents.

Our homeschool was featured in the newspaper on several occasions. To view larger images and articles, click on the photos below (a new window will open):

July 8, 1987 Salinas Californian	July 5, 1992 Monterey Herald	Oct. 1999 M. C. Family Magazine

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