Livingston, Montana couple has high-tech home school

For John Gregory of Livingston, learning where to search for trustworthy information on the Web is more important than knowing the Dewey Decimal System.

Gregory decided to take his 8-year-old son Peter out of East Side Elementary School and began home-schooling him this year.

By Peter Vandergrift, Enterprise Staff Writer

In Park County, there are 104 elementary- and 30 high school-age students being home-schooled, said Park County Superintendent of Schools Ed Barrich.

“In the process of getting my teacher’s certificate, I got excited about teaching and learning the best way to do it,” Gregory said. “I thought about how I wanted to teach, and the perfect vehicle was home schooling.”

Technology

Gregory, who has an engineering degree from Duke University, worked for the Livingston School District for seven years as the information technology person. He uses his knowledge of computers and technology to instruct his son.

Gregory created a multimedia blog with some of the activities and learning experiences he and his son have shared.

The blog has pictures and descriptions of books Peter has read as well as audio slide shows and video clips of experiments and leaning projects the two have done. Some of Peter’s videos link to YouTube and have been viewed more than 2,000 times, Gregory said.

Peter works with Gregory on the blog, making it a learning experience.

Last week the two were preparing to build a remote-control model car. Gregory pointed out the project has learning elements, like reading. He makes Peter read the instructions and study technological aspects, like learning how a transmitter works.

When there is a question Gregory can’t answer for his son, they go to the Internet.

Information literacy is a cornerstone of Gregory’s approach to home schooling, but he points out there are as many ways to home-school as there are people who do it.

The Internet has also become an important way to link with other home-schoolers who share projects on the Internet.

Mary Murphy runs the Park County Home School Group, which has a Web site and a message board to connect area home-schoolers.

Gregory said the site is a great place to share ideas for home school projects and help Peter meet other children.

PCHG sets up events, like a day with Montana Outdoor Science School instructors. The children can also participate in a Montana Children’s Theater, said Murphy.

The desire to home-school was not a reflection on Livingston schools, he said.

“Peter had a great first year at East Side,” and his daughter is in Montessori school this year, he said.

But the flexibility home schooling gives and the project-based learning fits them, Gregory said.

Flexibility in education

The flexibility of home schooling meant the Gregorys could go to Costa Rica during the normal school year and learn about the wildlife, culture and geography of the region.

A few days before they were to return to Livingston, their camera, with all the photos from the trip, was stolen.

Gregory turned this negative into a positive learning experience for Peter and his 5-year-old sister, Leslie.

Instead of looking at pictures, Peter and Leslie drew them.

Recently, Peter pointed out a drawing of Costa Rican monkeys hanging in trees.

“Howler monkeys sounded like they have monster voices,” he said.

The drawings were sketched and colored by Peter and his younger sister, and they created stories that go along with each picture. Peter wrote his own, while Leslie dictated her’s to mother Beth Gregory, who was a teacher at the McLeod School south of Big Timber.

Having the flexibility to create projects, like the drawings of their trip, keeps the children interested in learning, Gregory said.

Although Peter can study what he is interested in during the afternoon, on many mornings Beth asks him to do math problems.

Teacher and student, father and son

Of major concern for Gregory was the relationship with his son. He wondered how it might change, he said.

“(Home schooling) can make a really strong relationship or it can wreck it,” Gregory said. “I’ve been attentive to the relationship. It’s the same with a student’s relationship with a teacher in public school.”

Their relationship is strong, Gregory said, adding being able to spend the time with Peter, and soon Leslie, is very important.

“The goal is for (Peter) to be a good learner and challenge himself,” he said.

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