Life Education And Resource Network

Welcome to the LEARN website

Life Education and Resource Network (LEARN) is a group of Indiana homeschooling families from Bloomington, Monroe County, and the surrounding area. The network is diverse and inclusive; many political backgrounds, educational philosophies, and religious views are represented, and all are welcome. We are also committed to providing information for the broader community about homeschooling in Indiana; you will find hundreds of links throughout the website that will connect you to articles, books, museums, legal information, etc.  LEARN parents have regular planning meetings to generate ideas and coordinate activities.

If you would like to know more about homeschooling and LEARN, please join us on the first Thursday of the month for Park Day at Upper Cacades. There will be a LEARN representative there to help answer your questions. We will not meet in inclement weather.

Upcoming dates for 2008 are: June 5th, July 3rd, August 7th, September 4th, October 2nd, November 6th, December 4th
Upper Cascades Park is located on Clubhouse Drive, take the IN 45/46 bypass to Kinser Pike. North on Kinser Pike past the turnoff for the Skate Park to the first right (east) on Clubhouse Drive (follow signs to golf course, continue past to one-way loop road leading to playground. Alternately, take Old Hwy. 37 to Clubhouse Drive, follow to playground.

This is an event that is open to the general public and is an opportunity for new or prospective members to learn about LEARN and homeschooling in general. If you need an answer to a homeschooling question and can't wait for the monthly Park Day, please try one of our contact people listed at the bottom of this page. Thank you.


To join LEARN, please click on the "Join LEARN" button to the left. Print, and fill out the form, and mail it to the P.O. Box address specified on that page. Thank you.

Some activities that LEARN members have organized, and participated in, in the recent past have included:

  • a theatre production
  • bowling tournament
  • ice skating
  • field trip to a honey farm
  • weekly park day
  • e-zine
  • piano/music classes
  • ornament decorating party
  • Pottery & Art Classes at the Waldron
  • Indoor Wall Climbing
  • music classes- voice and instrument
  • dance & movement class
  • Eagle Watch presentation and hike
  • Beach Days at Paynetown on Lake Monroe
  • trip to a Honey Farm
  • Maple Syrup Farm tour
  • Peden Farm Tour
  • three original Musical Productions and their performances
  • WPAFB Air Force Museum (Dayton) home school day activities
  • large group horseback riding at McCormick's Creek
  • ballet performances at IU Nutcracker
  • homeschool ice skating classes and performance at Frank Southern Center
  • a class on Watercolor Painting
  • a class on Whales
  • a class on Introduction to Flying Airplanes
  • nature hikes
  • a trip to the Cikana Fish Hatchery
  • firestation tours
  • tour of the police station
  • Sledding Day
  • tour of the Mail Distribution Center
  • Indianapolis Art Museum tour
  • Indiana State Museum tour
  • Holiday caroling at a nursing home
  • volunteering at Wonderlab
  • Valentines and ornament decorating parties
  • SRSC Family Night first Friday night of every month
  • Group Sports at 9th Street Park including Soccer and Flag Football
  • LEARN's own "homemade" Quiddich Game at Girl's Inc.
  • public soccer classes at Bloomington United Soccer School
  • singing with IU Children's Choir
  • play groups
  • Pirate's Gold treasure/math hunt
  • study groups
  • and more.

  • IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE BASICS OF HOW TO START HOMESCHOOLING IN INDIANA, go to IN Homeschool Info.  You will find links to the official Indiana Department of Education Website, and also  information on contact people and support groups in various cities in Indiana.  To officially list your homeschooling family with the State of Indiana, and to get a free homeschooling information packet, call or e-mail Kate Clark, or general homeschool information, Department of Education, 1-800-833-2199 or go to the Dept. of Education web site for the state of Indiana.

    In the unlikely event that you can't find an answer to your homeschooling question through one or more of the many links here, then you may contact one of our contact people: 
    Mike Betson at 812-219-5845
    Barbara at 812-336-8028.

    To join LEARN, please click on the "Join LEARN" button to the left. Print, and fill out the form, and mail it to the P.O. Box address specified on that page. Thank you.

    General disclaimer: The members of LEARN are an extremely diverse group, whose philosophies of life and learning and homeschooling can differ greatly.  Therefore, if a LEARN member speaks about something, it shouldn't be assumed that this is a group policy or belief. Each member may have opinions that vary from those of other members or the group's desire as a whole.