Learning one size doesn't fit all

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Eight-year-old Adora Svitak is a published author, has appeared on national television and has spoken before high school audiences. Her 10-year-old sister, Adrianna, is an accomplished violinist and is first chair in the Seattle Youth Symphony.

The sisters have been home-schooled by their mother, Joyce, and father, John, for seven years -- an educational choice that was "accidental," according to their mother.

"We were trying to find the right school for them, but they were so young, no school would take them and so advanced they didn't fit in regular preschool, so we ended up with lessons for home-schoolers," Mrs. Svitak explained in a recent phone interview.

"When we saw that the children were learning more efficiently and were happier, we felt that this was more flexible and family-oriented."

The Svitaks use an eclectic approach to learning. For many subjects, they use workbooks that present lessons in a well-organized fashion. They also make liberal use of the "What your (4th, 5th, 6th) Grader Needs to Know" books, which cover the contents of each grade level in one large text.

One important exception, however, is in literature.

"We never follow the grade-level recommendations but find books we enjoy and use those," Mrs. Svitak says. "We read fairy tales from all over the world to teach cultures and literature."

Mrs. Svitak, who was born in China and came to the United States 17 years ago, also teaches her daughters the basics of the Chinese language, and they study Spanish with a tutor. She works part time as a telephone interpreter for Chinese and English, so language facility is an important skill for the family.

Computers are an integral part of their study apparatus. Adora does all her writing, and a lot of her studies, on a computer.

"We subscribe to Brainpop.com, which is a wonderful learning Web site, and she checks the news through the Internet, too," Mrs. Svitak says.