Home schooling trend

For the Teeter family, a school day is just a hop, skip and a jump away. Ten year old Ryan Teeter says, “Usually we just come down, I am the latest because I am usually reading in my room. We just come down, eat breakfast, play some and then do our work.”

Ryan and his brother Zachary have been home-schooled their whole life, with teacher and Mom Ashley. The boys say they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Seven year old Zachary says, “We play outside, then take a snack, then we kind of play some and then Mom lets us have the rest of the day to ourselves.”

Nearly 40,000 families in North Carolina home school their children. Five hundred right here in New Hanover County. Experts say it fosters family values while allowing a child to learn at their own pace. For the Teeters, home schooling their children just came naturally.

“We like for learning to be a part of life, and not something separate that you do,” says Mom Ashley. Father Brett Teeter says, “I think they get a holistic approach to their life. You don’t separate work, school, play, vacation, summer, school year. I think you get a real even ebb and flow to your life.”

Both Ryan and Zachary have benefited from being home schooled. “I like some desert animals, and I really like cacti.” “Actually they aren’t really sticks, they are ribs from squarrow cactuses.” While the education is up to snuff, Teeter says the social interaction with other kids their age may be limited. She tries to help her kids form friendships through sports teams and home school support groups.