Congratulations! You’ve made the decision to homeschool. If you’re like me, you’re a combination of excited, nervous, overwhelmed, confused, and uncertain. You’ve probably got a dozen thoughts flying through your head every minute, varying from schedules, to technology use and curriculum choices. I’d like to encourage you to set all those thoughts and emotions aside for a moment. Homeschooling is amazing for you and your children, and the choice you are making is a brave one. I applaud you! Before we explore those emotions and anxieties you are undoubtedly feeling, I want to focus on your why. What made you decide to homeschool? Maybe it had to do with the school system. Maybe you felt that the teachers and staff were not adequately equipped to meet your child’s needs. Maybe it had to do with the stress of morning routines, rushing out the door, and having merely a few hours together before bed time only to repeat it all the next day. Or maybe, it simply had to do with wanting to raise your child at home. Whatever brought you to the decision to homeschool is not quite as important as your why. Your why will see you through on the bad days (and you will have bad days). It’s important to have an anchor to look to on those days- one that will remind you of the bigger picture and help you find your joy in homeschooling once again.
For me, my why began with freedom. Only now, 18 months into my homeschooling journey, am I able to better articulate what this means for my family. Freedom of schedule has been a family value that we have been working towards for the last ten years. We want to decide where we are and when, not have it dictated to us by society or jobs. I realize this is a luxury, as many jobs requite your physical presence. In fact, when my husband presented this idea to me early in our marriage, I’m pretty sure I laughed, thinking it was impossible. I couldn’t see the bigger picture he saw. As he worked relentlessly to improve his skillset and move into better positions, I could begin to see his dream, but still thought that we would have limited freedom of schedule at best. Then came 2020.
Ah yes, 2020- the great homeschool year. My daughters were in kindergarten and first grade when the schools closed. We knew the next school year would be anything but normal, and having a child who needs consistency to feel secure (which translates to feeling loved and able to learn), I knew we would have to homeschool. I didn’t consider virtual school as an option for a 6 and 7 year old. So we plunged into homeschooling, me, a little angry about my children’s losses (no good byes, no end of year activities), frustrated and anxious about the state of our world, and two confused little girls who only wanted to play with their friends again. Those first months were hard. We were all trying to find our groove. Deep down I knew that I know them better than anyone else in this world, which equips me to educate them better than anyone else can. But I couldn’t clearly articulate why home education suddenly became important.
As we adjusted to our new lives, we all began to enjoy our slower routine. The girls asked for pajama days nearly every day, and since we weren’t prone to leaving the house much that year, it was an easy yes. “We get to do school in our pajamas!” came the happy squeals. Well shoot, if that’s all it takes, maybe this homeschooling thing will be doable after all. The longer we homeschool, the more I love it. It’s taken me over a year to say that. I kept thinking maybe in a year or two they’ll go back to public school. Now, I’m not so sure. I don’t want to give up the many benefits of homeschooling we have found this year! During that transitional time, I listened to seasoned homeschool parents who kept saying the same thing: “This year is hard for us too. This is not a normal school year. We are lonelier than usual, and it’s hard.” Perhaps that’s why it took me so long to find my why. Homeschooling during a pandemic is not for the faint of heart! (Shoot, let’s be honest- education during a pandemic is not for the fain of heart. How can you focus on education when the world is sick and dying?) Yet life continues on. So we pushed through. I relied on my teacher training, only to realize my girls were young elementary age, and my experience was with middle school. Two very different age groups with two very different strategies. It was a year of unlearning for us.
Now that we have found our routine, we added in co-ops this year. Perhaps you’ve heard that no man is an island- we’re not meant to do life alone. The same applies to education. Our co-ops have wonderfully enriched the kid’s studies. They are excited to learn, to see their friends, and to explore. It also gives me the chance to connect with other moms in the thick of it, experiencing all the joys and frustrations I am. My kids need their firends, and I need my fellow moms for this journey. We hike together, craft together, read and paint together, play kickball and do sit ups together. We navigate conflict together, laugh and cry together and it is so , so beautiful. Life is beautiful. Which is why I homeschool. I don’t want my kids to spend so much time in a brick building that they miss life. I want them to teach their baby brother new words, watch as their younger brother learns his letters, read to their brothers, create gifts for their cousins using newfound knitting skills, play outside, watch the clouds and the animals, bake with me, and play piano. I want my kids to experience everything, not just be told about or read about it in a history book. This month alone my children have visited Sequoyah’s birthplace, learned about his life and the Cherokee, visited Fort Loudon and learned about the French and Indian War while exploring the fort, dissected a frog, made rice art, learned to loom, and experienced a day of homesteading pioneer style. There are so many enrichment opportunities around us, and not enough weekends or after school hours to fit it in. I am so grateful for the everyday adventures homeschooling affords us.
As an educator, the value of individualized education was constantly driven home. Personalized learning is the most effective, and the way that we were told to prepare for future use. How can each lesson plan be personalized? The answer? In the classroom it can’t. It is physically impossible in the time frame that teachers have to personalize a lesson plan for approximately 30 students. It cannot be done. But at home? Oh, I can personalize every detail! I can make changes on a whim and I can respond to emotional needs so much more effectively than I ever could in the classroom. My children have grown. They enjoy doing their schoolwork (most days) knowing that adventure or free play is waiting for them. What started as a fight is now part of their routine. Sometimes they are eager to complete their math, and other days they procrastinate, but completing their work is rarely an issue anymore.
We would drive by their old elementary school in the early days of transitioning, and there would be sighs and longing to go back. We would talk about why we were homeschooling, and the benefits that brings them, and they’d generally agree but still be sad. Now, they can pass their elementary school and be thankful for the memories, but will say out loud how much they enjoy our adventures and don’t want to give that up. You got this.
So, you’ve made the decision to homeschool. Congratulations! You should be excited about what that will bring to your family. As you are planning and dreaming of the days ahead, think about your why. Why are you making this decision? I made this decision because I want my children to have a childhood, nurtured at home, and filled with learning adventures. I made this decision because I know my children better than anyone, and I want to nurture their souls and spirits. What’s your why?