Over the past few weeks, I have been talking with my friend Jenny about her homeschooling choices. In preparation for homeschooling in the fall, she has created five goals for her family and will be focusing on one of these goals a week for the next five weeks.
I have mixed feelings about homeschooling my own children. On one hand, Aiden is extremely excited about attending kindergarten and has already started fantasizing about what it will be like and pretending to go to school even though it is a whole year away. On the other hand, I have studied education in my own educational career, I have worked as a preschool teacher, a behavioral therapist, a Sunday School teacher, and a children's worship leader for many years now. I am very seriously contemplating what my resistance is in making the commitment to homeschooling.
I would like to use Jenny's enthusiasm as inspiration to make some beneficial changes in my own family's lifestyle. My goals are to make my home a more peaceful, predictable place, and to establish a daily rhythm that will really ignite my children's curiosity and cater to their strengths, even if that means relinquishing some of the things I enjoy.
Jenny thoughtfully contemplated the goals that would make her family more successful and homeschooling an enriching and enjoying experience for each member of her family. She used Oak Meadow's book The Heart of Learning to guide her in her choices.
Over the next week, I plan to thoughtfully and prayerfully consider ways to improve our family life and I plan to post here next week so hopefully my family can begin our own metamorphosis.
In the mean time, I could use your help. If you homeschool, or are planning to, what are some of the things that influenced your decision to do so? If not, what made you decide against it? Also, what are your daily rhythms and goals for your family life? Or, what things would you like to change?
I have no advice for the homeschooling part, but just wanted to say why not do both? He can have the socialization part of school that he wants (right now) and when he's home you can do even more stuff together. Best of both worlds perhaps?
ReplyDeleteI learned all about public school with Kory. He learned how to fight, he learned how to cuss, and he even came home one day asking me what a lesbian was (he heard this, not from another kid, but from his TEACHER.) Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not wanting to cut my kids off from the world, or shelter them from "real life" but I do feel as if it is my responsibility to raise them to be the best they can be. Small children are sponges, and they pick up on everything. This is the main reason we don't have TV in our home; the violence and sexual references in kids shows (not to mention everything else on TV) is unbelievable to me. I want my children to learn primarily about God, Jesus and his life here on Earth, the ultimate sacrifice and what that means for us, then everything else will be based around this. I am responsible for my children's education, not some under-paid teacher with a classroom full of kids whom she cannot watch at all times. My children will have specialized attention here at home, where I can realize their individual strengths and weaknesses, and help them to be the best they can be. I feel that there is NO WAY a teacher with 25+ kids can do that.
ReplyDeleteI love what Sati said, she put it all into words for me. :) I do have to constantly tell mothers who think I'm anti-public school that this was a decision made in fervent prayer for OUR family. And that's the way I would suggest doing it for any family.
ReplyDeleteI have personally been to all types of schools and there were teachers and schools I loved. I think that you will follow the guidance the Lords spirit gives you and make the best decision for your kids. Good Luck! I'll love to see what you guys choose! :) <3