DeKalb holds a support group for parents wishing to instruct their children in their homes, and an informal meeting for the parents will be held at the DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St., on Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m.

Tentative topics for the following (October) meeting include reasons for home schooling, how to teach at home and legal aspects of home schooling. Also, a three-member panel of home teachers tentatively is scheduled to speak.

Mitzi Wojdak, a representative from Home Oriented Unique Schooling Experience (H.O.U.S.E.), said the organization is dedicated to the lending of support and the exchanging of ideas for parents who choose to teach their children at home.

“Our group was formed so that parents and their home schools could get together and exchange ideas,” Wojdak said.

Home schools are considered private institutions and parents who teach their children at home are not required to be certified teachers, Wojdak said.

She said there are roughly 40 families in DeKalb County that participate in home schooling. A larger group exists in the Chicago area.

“Home teaching increased after a court decision in the 1950s made it legal to educate at home,” Wojdak said.

“There is no one reason why parents choose to teach their children at home,” she said. “Reasons range from not liking a certain teacher to religious reasons.”