Provincial home educators' organizations - Ontario
The Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents (OFTP)
Web Site: www.ontariohomeschool.org
General enquiries: enquiries@
(add ontariohomeschool.org to complete the email address)
Membership: membership@
(add ontariohomeschool.org to complete the email address)
Phone: leave a message at 416-410-5218 or 1-800-704-0448
and a volunteer will get back to you, or contact your Area
Rep.
Description: OFTP is a non-profit group run by volunteers that provides
information about home learning, enables networking among its members, and
serves as an advocacy group and link between the homeschooling community and
the provincial government. Open to all, regardless of faith or educational
style.
Ontario Christian Home Educators Connection (OCHEC)
Contact: Jake Zwart
Web Site: www.ochec.org
Email: president@
(add ochec.org to complete the email address)
Phone: (905) 689-7762
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National home education organizations - Canada
Association of Canadian Home-Based Educators (ACHBE)
Web Site: www.flora.org/homeschool-ca/achbe
ACHBE is currently inactive. It may be revived if enough interest is sparked
and enough volunteers step forward from the different provinces to make it
happen. If you'd like to be actively involved, contact Marian at homeschool-ca@
(add flora.org to complete the email address).
Description: Previously described as follows: "ACHBE is committed
to providing support, advice and information to individuals and organizations.
Acting as a special interest group nationally and regionally, ACHBE will help
protect the rights of all Canadians to educate their children at home. ACBHE
has no political or religious affiliations."
Home School Legal Defence Association (HSLDA)
Web site: hslda.ca
Although initiated through the US HSLDA, the Canadian HSLDA is independent
of the US organization. Unlike the US HSLDA, the Canadian HSLDA does not take
positions on issues that are not related to homeschooling. Also, the Canadian
HSLDA does not require that members follow a structured curriculum; it is
willing to support unschooling families as well. Like the US HSLDA, it has
been criticized as catering to a fear of threats from authorities, as its
main purpose is a sort of legal insurance, i.e. the legal representation of
its members if they are ever brought to court on educational issues or protection
issues that involve a threat to their homeschooling.
There are also some national online groups that are not organizations but rather e-lists for online networking and discussion.
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International home education organizations and websites
The Alternative Learning Organisation
Web Site: www.alternative-learning.org
E-list: groups.yahoo.com/group/AltlearnMapNetwork
A worldwide community network of Natural Learners, Unschoolers, and support
groups, linked together by map.
Home Educators
Web Site: www.home-educators.com
Not an organization, but a website intended to create a world-wide community
of those interested and involved in home based learning. Includes a forum
and articles.
Homeschooling Freethinkers
Web site: hsfreethinkers.com
As of March 2008. Not an organization but a web site with discussion forums
intended to serve the international community of homeschoolers whose worldview
is "free of supernatural and mystical elements."
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Online homelearning support forums and e-lists
Listed below are message boards, forums and e-lists for home educators across Ontario or Canada. For international lists, see the International section on this page. For lists specific to more localized areas of Ontario, see our page of Ontario support groups.
Home To Learn
This site offers both an online forum and a chatroom for homeschooling
parents across Canada to share information and support about home based learning,
educational resources and more.
HomeToLearn.org
Canadian Homeschooler's Board
A message board for homeschooling parents across Canada
http://cpeicheff.proboards26.com/index.cgi
EcoleMaisonCanada
Un groupe pour les franco-canadiens qui enseignent à leurs enfants à la maison.
Ce groupe se veut un lieu de soutien en ligne pour tous les parents enseignants
francophones (ou bilingues faisant l'immersion à la maison), sans exclusion
selon les méthodes ni selon qu'on soit ou non religieux. L'école à la maison,
ou l'école à domicile, ("homeschooling"), n'est pas nécessairement un enseignement
comme à l'école, quoique ça peut l'être. Ça peut aussi être un apprentissage
bien plus libre et individualisé comme dans l'approche "unschooling". Toutes
les approches sont les bienvenues. Le but du groupe est d'avoir des discussions,
des échanges d'idées et de renseignements sur les légalités et les ressources
éducatives en français, et aussi une occasion de se faire des amies/amis en
ligne et d'organiser des groupes de soutien régionaux pour les rencontres
et activités en personne. La participation dans ce groupe nécessite une attitude
tolérante envers nos différences, et une manière respectueuse de s'exprimer.
Rejoignez-nous et contribuez au développement d'un réseau amical bien relié
pour la communauté francophone des parents enseignant à la maison au Canada!
http://cf.groups.yahoo.com/group/EcoleMaisonCanada
Home Learning Forum
A message board started by Forever
Family, a home based business in Ontario whose goal is to provide parents
with "Creative Supplies that Inspire Natural Parenting." The forum's Community
section provides a way to connect with other homelearning families in your
area. It includes Who's Who Canada, Who's Who USA and Who's Who International.
There are also sections for Conferences & Curriculum Fairs, Used Curriculum
Buy and Sell, Information and Resources (such as support groups), Facilitating
and Learning Methods, and more.
http://p204.ezboard.com/bhomelearning
hs-ca
An e-list for home educators across Canada. "Living is learning. This
list is the place for chatting about anything and everything!" Very chatty
and active (almost 3000 messages/month!), with lots of personal banter between
long-time friends as well as discussions about home learning.
groups.yahoo.com/group/hs-ca
Canadian Military Homeschool
A group for Canadian Military Homeschooling Families.
A place to build up, encourage, help, give advice, receive advice, and ask
questions. Canadian Military Homeschooling Families welcomes families of all
homeschooling styles, faiths and ethnicities. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Canadian_Military_homeschool/
Homeschooling in Ontario
"This group is open to all homeschoolers in Ontario, whether you follow
a curriculum, or learn through living. Feel free to discuss any topic relevent
to homeschooling, ask questions, make suggestions, post links that may be
of interest to other members."
groups.yahoo.com/group/homeschoolinginontario
Ontario Home Education
"French or English are welcome. If you are home educating in Ontario
please join in the discussion. People from all walks of life and other Provinces
are welcomed to join, as well as people that wish to stay informed about alternative
education options."
groups.yahoo.com/group/OntarioHomeEducation
Ontario Home School Community
For all homeschoolers in Ontario as well as "all considering homeschooling
as an option for their family, and all academic professionals who are curious
about homeschooling."
groups.yahoo.com/group/OHSC
Homeschool Friends Ontario
Not an online discussion group, this e-list is for homeschoolers in Ontario
to find playmates and potential friends for their children. It serves as a
sort of social registry. The idea is to make first contact online sfor the
purpose of meeting in person family-to-family, i.e. outside of support groups.
"Its role is to facilitate the development of friendships among our kids
(and among ourselves) by providing an awareness of each other's existence
as individuals (i.e. independently of group affiliation) and a way to make
first contact. The friendship-building itself, however, happens off-list,
real person to real person in the non-virtual world." Can also be used
to find penpals within Ontario. (It is not the right group to join if you
are looking for information on homeschooling or want an online support group.
For that, there are other groups as listed in this section.)
groups.yahoo.com/group/hs-friends-ON
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E-lists and forums for homeschooled kids and/or teens and/or homeschool graduates
OFTPkids — for the homelearning children of OFTP members, to share their thoughts and interests, stories and jokes, and make friends with other OFTP Kids.
OFTPteens — for the homelearning teens of OFTP members, to share their thoughts and interests, stories and jokes, and make friends with other OFTP Teens.
Cool Homeschooled Kids e-list — This is a yahoogroup for homelearning kids to hang out and to get to know other homeschoolers. The parents moderate it and keep it safe by requiring parent permission for anyone to join. It was started by a homeschooling mom in Canada so there are mostly Canadian kids, but it's open to kids from outside of Canada as well.
The Five Solas — Forum started by an Ontario homeschool teen for homeschoolers and homeschool graduates. Be aware that it is very restricted and restrictive: only open to Protestant Christians who believe in the five solas and the existence of absolute truth, and is only for "serious adult conversations about theological issues," not for chatting.
JibeNow — a Christian Homeschool Social Network. Built by homeschoolers to help other homeschoolers disciple and encourage one another as Christians. This is a BuddyPress site, some of the content of which is publicly available. Getting an account is free but by invitation only.
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Specialized support: specific philosophy, pedagogy or faith
Calvert Canada
For Canadian families who are either using the Calvert
Home Study Curriculum, or thinking about doing it. On this forum, you may
find out more about Calvert, get tips on practically any aspect of using Calvert
with your children, ask questions, as well as share your expertise and fellowship
with other Canadian Calvert users.
groups.yahoo.com/group/Calcan/
The Dandelion Seeds
As of fall 2004. The members of The Dandelion Seeds message board are sharing
ideas as they raise their children to appreciate the need to take care of
this planet and all that is on it. There are a variety of different boards
including, but not limited to: recycling, nature apprecation, community service,
organized groups (eg. Roots & Shoots clubs), crafts, gardening, homelearning
and wildlife.
http://64.246.11.123/users5/thedandelionseeds/index.cgi
Freethinking Homeschoolers of Canada
(formerly HS Atheist Canada)
"This group is for Canadian homeschooling parents who are atheists, agnostics,
or who otherwise don't believe in god(s) or subscribe to a religion (or UFO
religion). We encourage discussion on any topic, including the arts, philosophy,
science, history, politics and current events. We maintain a database to help
members find secular curricula."
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/Freethinking_Homeschoolers_Canada/
Unschooling:
See our page on unschooling resources, including unschooling
forums, message boards and email lists.
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Specialized support: ethnic, cultural
Afrocentric Homeschoolers Association
266 Charlotte St. #292, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 2V4 Canada
Email: blackhomeschool@
(add yahoo.ca to complete the email address) Web Site: geocities.com/blackhomeschool
Other Links: groups.yahoo.com/group/aha/
Description: A nonprofit online resource for homeschooling families
(and individual teens) everywhere in the world who are engaging in Afrocentric,
Africentric, Black-oriented, Black-positive, African, African American or
pro-Black education. Based in Ontario, Canada, AHA invites members to become
Representatives for their own area.
Membership Fees: free.
Membership Requirements: open to all Afrocentric or Black-oriented
homeschoolers everywhere, regardless of race, nationality, income, religion,
gender, location, educational background, etc. Homeschooling must include
Afrocentric or Black-positive learning. A liability release form must be signed.
Chinese Homeschoolers
E-list: groups.yahoo.com/group/chinesehomeschoolers
This list supports those who are Chinese homeschoolers. Members may live in
various parts of the world. The topics range from homeschooling in the U.S.A.
and abroad, curriculum, multiracial, multilingual, adoption, family relations,
Christianity and special needs.
EcoleMaisonCanada
E-list:
http://cf.groups.yahoo.com/group/EcoleMaisonCanada
Un groupe pour les franco-canadiens
qui enseignent à leurs enfants à la maison. Ce groupe se veut
un lieu de soutien en ligne pour tous les parents enseignants francophones
(ou bilingues faisant l'immersion à la maison), sans exclusion selon
les méthodes ni selon qu'on soit ou non religieux. L'école à
la maison, ou l'école à domicile, ("homeschooling"),
n'est pas nécessairement un enseignement comme à l'école,
quoique ça peut l'être. Ça peut aussi être un apprentissage
bien plus libre et individualisé comme dans l'approche "unschooling".
Toutes les approches sont les bienvenues. Le but du groupe est d'avoir des
discussions, des échanges d'idées et de renseignements sur les
légalités et les ressources éducatives en français,
et aussi une occasion de se faire des amies/amis en ligne et d'organiser des
groupes de soutien régionaux pour les rencontres et activités
en personne. La participation dans ce groupe nécessite une attitude
tolérante envers nos différences, et une manière respectueuse
de s'exprimer. Rejoignez-nous et contribuez au développement d'un réseau
amical bien relié pour la communauté francophone des parents
enseignant à la maison au Canada!
Sa-voir
E-list: http://cf.groups.yahoo.com/group/sa-voir/
Groupe francophone de discussions pour les familles qui font
l'école à la maison dans la région de l'Outaouais.
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Specialized support: gifted and bright children
The Association for Bright Children of Ontario (ABC)
Message board: http://www.abcontario.ca/gifted/boards.htm
There are school forums divided into school board districts but the homeschool
forums are for all of Ontario. There are also general forums open to all usergroups
province-wide. Before you can post and view messages, you have to register
with a username and password and introduce yourself to the administrator by
private email (see the instructions on the webpage given above).
For other resources about the gifted, see our page on Learning Differences.
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Specialized support: children with special needs
See our Learning Differences page.
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Specialized support: parents with disabilities
pchs-parents
E-list: at www.coollist.com/subscribe.html,
enter pchs-parents as the List ID.
This list is for homeschooling parents who are challenged by chronic diseases
such as arthritis, MS, Lupus, other physical impediments; being in a wheelchair,
being deaf/blind ... as well debilitating diseases such as cardiac disease,
cancer, HIV. Basically anything so physically challenging that it affects
how you homeschool. It is a list where we can discuss the special needs we
have as well as the obstacles we face on a daily basis when we homeschool/unschool.
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Local homeschool support groups - Ontario
On the Ontario Support Groups page you will find support group names, descriptions and contact information. You can locate a homeschool support group in your area in several different ways:
- Find your area visually on the map -- it will show you which number link to follow on that page.
- Find your city or county by name in the alphabetical index below. It will link you to the corresponding section of the Ontario Support Groups page
- Find a specific support group by name in the alphabetical index below. It will link you to the corresponding section of the Ontario Support Groups page
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