Secular Thursday
What is Secular Thursday?
Secular homeschoolers have long been the black sheep of the homeschooling world. We’re in the minority in most homeschooling forums (no one is warning religious homeschoolers away from our threads with “SC” for “secular content”) . We have fewer co-ops, clubs, and other organizations than the religious homeschoolers. Finding secular curricula that meets our children’s academic needs can be difficult, and almost impossible in some areas (ever tried to find a secular logic and rhetoric curriculum below the collegiate level?). In short, sometimes it can be tough to be a secular homeschooler.
Secular Thursday was created to give secular homeschoolers a day to share the difficulties and benefits of secular education and/or secular lifestyles. It’s a day to vent frustrations — at the isolation secular home educators can experience, of the sense of being marginalized by the homeschool community, at the pervasiveness of religion in curricula (or the oppressiveness of some religions and their followers in society). It’s a day to celebrate the positives — finding a great curriculum that perfectly fits your needs, discovering a friend (or a whole community) to offer support and advice, finding a way to bridge differences with members of the religious homeschooling community. It’s a day to review curricula, recommend websites, talk up favorite blogs, or just talk share a day in the life of your particular flavor of secular homeschooler.
So, why Thursday? After all, Secular Sunday would be a lot more alliterative, and that sort of think generally appeals to me. Declaring Sunday the official day for secular blogging, however, seemed a little too “in your face” to the Christian homeschool community, and the goal is to create a feeling of kinship among secular homeschoolers, not alienate Christian homeschoolers (at least, not all of them, and not from the very outset). I didn’t reckon that Thor would mind sharing his day with a bunch of secular educators — I can’t imagine a thunder-and-lightning crashing, enchanted hammer-wielding Norse god would be that threatened by us. After all that profound and careful thinking, Secular Thursday it is.
How do I participate in Secular Thursday?
The greatest part of being a secular homeschooler is that we so rarely require ritual sacrifice in order to be a part of our group. Also, no chants or hymns, which is good, because most of us can’t carry a tune, either. Oh, and no books you’re required to read or verses to learn. Public humiliation, yes, but ritual sacrifice, chants, hymns, books, and verses, no.
Participating in Secular Thursday is easy. All you have to do is:
- Blog about a topic pertaining to secular homeschooling every Thursday (or as many Thursdays as you can realistically manage).
- Tag your Secular Thursday post with “Secular Thursday” and/or “secthurs” to help this phenomenon grow.
- Add one of our Secular Thursday buttons to your SecThurs posts or to your blog’s header, footer, or sidebar. Link that icon back to this page.
- Let us know that you’re participating in Secular Thursday, so you can be added to our list of SecThurs Bloggers. We’ll help spread the word and generate traffic to your blogs.
- On Twitter? Tweet about Secular Thursday with the #secthurs hashtag! We can also add you to our Friday Follow (#FF) list.
See? So simple, even a child could do it. In fact, if you can’t manage, have your child do it for you, as s/he’s probably more computer savvy than you are.
Who are the SecThurs bloggers?
We’re a (very) small group, but hopefully growing! Join our ranks and get your name on the list to blog (and Tweet) along with:
- Smrt Mama at Smrt Lernins @smrtlernins
- Patchfire at A Little Rebellion @patchfire
- Rational Jenn @rationaljenn
- Cara at Peanuts are EVIL… @nolamom76
- Bobbi at My Little Soapbox @mylittlesoapbox
- Sarah at Raising Three Thinkers @raisingthinkers
- Lesa at Free K-12 Education @SimplisticLivin
- Renae at Home Education Family
- Luna at Spiral Goddess Home School @lunaskye
- WildIris at By The Way
- Crunchy Mama at The Diosa Dotada Endeavor
- Kim at Embracing My Chaos
- Queen Bee at Lost Persons Homeschool
- Lili at The Neustel Way
- Debbie at School Bytes
- verpaix at Le vert, couleur de la paix @vertpaix
- Meghan at Strader Spiel
- Heather at This Adventure Life
- Dysfuntional Homeschooler
- Julie at Creekside Learning
- Mummy Snow at Snowflakes in the Valley
- Samantha at The Scientific Homeschooler
- justamouse at just a mouse house
- Natalie at Homeschool for Two
- Siggi at Turkeydoodles
- Sarah at I Kan Lern
- Sam at Homeschooling Newbie
- Mindy at Proper Noun Blog (not a homeschooling, but an awesome librarian who has some book recommendations for secular families)
- Natalie at Homeschool for Two
Where can I get one of those snazzy Secular Thursday buttons for my blog?
Right here! Use any or all of the following, but don’t forget to link them back to this page, so that all your secular homeschooling friends can join in the fun.



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I’d love to promote this on the site! Could you email me if you would give me permission to use this as an article (with all linkbacks here, of course!) info@secularhomeschool.com Thx!!
Sign me up
My blog address is up there and I’m @raisingthinkers on Twitter.
Awesome! I’m adding you to our list.
I just wanted to give you honest feedback – feel free to delete, i wont get upset. I am a secular home school blogger, who lives in the capital of the south. I avoid places (and message boards) which are full of the kinds of christains you talk about. I am on at least 6 yahoo home school groups, and never have felt opressed. I have found plenty of like-minded people near me, some christains who simply are open-minded (and one islam mom, too). While I like the idea of having more places to find similar-minded people, i find the tone of this whole thing to be overhwelmingly negative. That turns me off from wanting to participate.
You’re welcome to your opinion and your experiences are your own, but in my blog, I’ll share my opinions without worrying if someone else finds them negative. If you had read back through the Secular Thursday posts from me and Patchfire, you’d see they are far from overwhelmingly negative, but feel free to draw whatever conclusions you want. Obviously, not all secular homeschoolers feel the same way. I don’t presume to speak for all of them. I’m perfectly comfortable, however, speaking for myself and offering an opportunity for like-minded secular homeschool bloggers to be a part of something I started.
Out of curiosity, what are you considering the “capital of the south?” I know where I would consider to have that distinction.
I know where I’d consider the Capital of the South, and I’m pretty certain the two of us live in it, Kash.
I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad experience with another homeschooler, religious or not. But I already post on Thursdays about the stuff we have done that week and since we are secular homeschoolers I wanted to jump in. I didn’t get the impression that you had to vent frustrations, but that you could if they came up. Otherwise, it’s just nice to see other non-religious homeschooling families doing what they do.
You definitely don’t have to vent, but it’s a nice day to do it, if you need to.
Add me to your list.
Oh, my twitter name in @SimplisticLivin. I forgot to add that above.
I would very much like to be included in this. I’m very new to homeschooling and am very happy to find a secular area.
We’d love to have you on board, Renae! How would you like to be listed on our rolls? Renae at Home Education Family? Do you have a Twitter you’d like listed?
Ummm. I just noticed this reply. Renae at Home Education Family is perfect. Sorry.
I don’t use twitter.
Add me to the ranks.
I’d love to get in on this! Now to figure out the whole button, link back, tagging thing. I must be the least techno-saavy secular homeschooling blogger ever. Or something like that.
Absolutely! Are you on Twitter, too? I’ll be happy to add you to the list. Welcome aboard!
Nope- not on Twitter. Thanks! Looking forward to blogging with you fine ladies!
So I must have missed something, how do I add my blog to your Secular Thursday list? Oh, I think I see how to do it. Use the Secular Thursday icon and link it back? I’ll give it a try. Thanks. I always feel a bit ignored for being a secular home schooler.
All you have to do is leave a comment w/ your blog and twitter information to be added to the list.
Can you add me to your list of secular blogs:WildIris at http://bluemoonwaltz.blogspot.com/
On the list now!
I’m so glad I found your blog! Your views crack me up! : ) We’re pretty open minded here in Southern California, not too many people giving me the “look”. I can surely understand the feeling of being an outcast, but to be an outcast of an already outcast group (homeschoolers) is just too much. You just gotta laugh!
I’d love to participate in this – even though my blog is a complete rookie!
Sure! Are you also on twitter?
No, not yet – I’m choosing to conquer one new project at a time or I’m afraid my head will explode! Thanks for this resource.
I just found this and would love to participate. I’ve over at Lost Persons Homeschool… Thanks!
Adding you to the rolls. If you have a Twitter, let me know, and I’ll add that, too. I do a #FF shoutout to the #secthurs bloggers.
Sign me up! I just discovered your blog this week and love the Secular Thursday idea. Thanks!
Putting you on the list now. Do you Tweet? I can add your Twittr username if you’d like.
I’m in! Add me to your list!
Do you use Twitter? I can add your username as well.
The word secular means without religion. Our secular homeschool group is not religiously affiliated but many of us are religious, some are not and some are Christian. We come together because we homeschool. I have not had difficulty finding curriculum or homeschool support in the secular venue. We choose to honor all persons regardless of their affiliation not inspite of it.
I’m glad you have been lucky enough to find a good support network in your area. Not every secular homeschooler is so lucky.
You’re right, it does… in every circle except homeschooling. It’s frustrating. I know what I am, but everything that is not extremely conservative Christian is generally labeled “secular.” I wish I could find more programs that did not distinguish – live and let live – but I don’t know if it will ever happen. It’s actually the focus of my “Secular Thursday” blog for this week. I hope you’ll stop by and read it.
i’d love for you to add me to the list.
twitter @vertpaix
Added you to the list. Welcome aboard!
I think having some popular secular homeschool groups is great. I’m in an area where, while the Christians are nice and relatively inclusive, there is the feeling that being secular is “weird”. It’s fun to have sites online where, as the http://www.secularhomeschool.com people put it, “secular homeschoolers are the majority!”
I just posted my first Secular Thursday post. I’m excited to do this weekly. A good chance to address some assumptions made! I’m not real great at the buttons or trackbacks, but I’ll try to at least add to the ranks.
I’ll add you to the blogroll!
Can I play, too? Tomorrow is Thursday, so I’ll have a blog posted at some point – I hope it’s the kind of thing you’re looking for!
~h
Absolutelu! Do you have a twitter account you’d like me to add to the list?
I would love to take part in Secular Thursdays! You can add my blog to your list http://dysfunctionalhomeschooler.blogspot.com/
Absolutely! I’ll add you to the list. Do you have a twitter I can add?
Hi Smrt Mama. It’s not Thursday but I’m a secular homeschooler and blogger and I just posted something for discussion. We’re new at this and I’d love to hear from others about how they prepare their child for homeschooling, especially reactions from others. Would love it if you would link to my blog and I hope to participate in future Secular Thursdays.
http://creeksidelearning.com/2010/08/22/how-do-you-prepare-your-child-to-be-homeschooled/
Thanks!
Julie
Sure will, Julie!
We school secularly, which basically means we have our ‘religious’, or spiritual part of our lives, but it’s not part of our homeschool. So I’d definitely call ourselves Secular Homeschoolers! We’d love to partipate in future Secular Thursdays! http://www.rowingdownstream.com
Today was my first secular thursday post
I love this idea! Count me in for Secular Thursdays.
I understand the frustration of not feeling represented. I consider my homeschool secular, unless we are specifically studying world religions, religion is not part of my school.
However, I consider myself a Christian. A Christian who doesn’t fit in with other Christians due to my liberal views, but doesn’t quite fit in with Secular homeschoolers who are overly negative about any religion.
Despite having chosen a religion for myself, I respect each persons choice, including the choice of no religion at all.
Hi! This is great. Can I be a part of it?
I am going to TRY to add the icon. I am still getting the hang of Word Press.
Thanks!
Natalie
I’m signing up.
I had all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more.
What a wonderful idea! If you would add me to the list I’d love to participate as well. My blog: http://www.thescientifichomeschool.com/blog
I’ll go add your icon to my site; thanks so much!
Would love to join in;not sure how I’ll go linking back but will try to work it out, not very tech-savvy!
I just wrote my first Secular Thursday post, and put up my button!
I read a huge piece on the Pearls last night, so I had a full head of steam going into it. Yowzers!
Thanks for this stellar idea!!
It’s so nice to have you! I’ll update the list very soon.
wow – like instantaneously! Thank you!
New Blog address.. http://peanutsareevil.com/
OK! I officially dropped the ball when I signed up the first time to do this, but I am back in!!! I promise!!!
Now, if I can only figure out how to get the button on my page…
http://homeschoolfortwo.com/homeschool/secular-thursdays/
Add me to the list please
Finally updating!
I’d love to be added to this list as well! We are non-religious here. I’m open to everyone choosing religion for their families, but it’s not for us. I prefer to live for ourselves.
Sorry for the delay. Updating the list now.
I’m not officially a homeschooler (though we do occasionally refer to what we do with my preschool age daughter as homeschooling), but I am a librarian who blogs about children’s books. I’m planning a series of posts about books for secular families. Is that on-topic enough to be included as a Secular Thursday blogger? If so, I’d love to be added to the list.
Absolutely.
I’ve posted my first Secular Thursday blog and have the button/link on my sidebar
http://silveroutlinedwindow.wordpress.com/2011/08/04/im-coming-out/
I’m a SECULAR THURSDAY blogger.
You may add me to your list!
My blog is called “Atheist Homeschoolers”.
Thanks for the great way to find one another!
Peace, Karen
Are you still doing this? jUST found you and would love to join in and be added to your links