Cedarville Magazine, Spring 2021

It’s been an academic year like no other. Concerns about the coronavirus pandemic have shifted much of the focus on education to the home. Cedarville teacher-candidates have been a part of this massive shift. But the University’s commitment to home-based education can be traced far beyond the current crisis. Cedarville has a faithful and rich tradition of supporting homeschooling parents with events and classes that strengthen and reinforce their educational investment in their kids. MATH DAY Homeschool math day, created in 2011 by Lori (Brown) Ferguson ’98, Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor of Education, is one popular and growing example of these educational enrichment events. At the event, homeschoolers from preschool to eighth grade rotate between six stations over a two-hour period, led by Ferguson’s senior education students. Each station focuses on different age- appropriate math-content areas, and students fill take-home bags with prizes and educat ional materials to help continue the learning at home. “When I first started teaching at Cedarville, I had a desire to include what my students were learning with experience in a way that could also benefit homeschool families in the area,” Ferguson noted. “It’s really a win-win. My students get to practice teaching while the homeschool students get to learn from multiple teachers in stations that spark interest.” It’s really a win-win. Lori (Brown) Ferguson ’98 18 | Cedarville Magazine