Homeschool Help

I am a home schooling mom.  Some people immediately picture a long haired, hippy chick who doesn’t shave under her arms.  That’s not me.  (Although that does describe my cousin)  Other people probably are picturing me in a long skirt and a bun with a dozen kids trailing behind me.  Again, not me.  You could say I’m not the typical home school mom – mainly because there is no typical when it comes to home schooling.  We come from every walk of life imaginable.  Every economic or financial level is represented.  Every religious and denominational background had been covered.  Every age, size family, and type of family is firmly represented in the home schooling community, and the ranks are growing.

In 2003 there were an estimated 1,700,000 to 2,100,000 children that were benefiting from the home school experience.  It continues to be one of the largest growing educational forms in the United States.

The reasons why people choose to home school are as varied as the kind of people who choose this life style.  For some, the child is the driving factor, wanting to know more and know it faster.  For some, it is the political elements of the school systems, what is being taught and why.  For me and my family it was a prayerful decision that this was the best way to raise and educate the children (and mom).

On a typical day (as typical as any of our days can get) we start our school after dad leaves for school himself (he is a public school teacher – just one of the many things that keeps us from the ordinary).  The boys each do spelling words, some math, some English work sheets, and a fun sheet or two.  We also take time to read out loud from a history book, a science book, and an animal book.  There is even time for Morning Prayer and a bible study.

On a not so typical day we do other things.  Some times we take field trips to research or see what we have been studying.  During hurricane Ivan, the boys tracked the hurricane on a weather map, plotting its direction, and learned the weather essentials for a hurricane.  Recently, they took the time to watch the Robert’s nomination hearings (quite a sacrifice for boys of eight and six).

Actually school time is only part of our experience.  At least once a week we gather with other families from around the community for a play day.  The kids have free play where they can hike together, throw balls, run, jump, and just have fun.  Some play days are at local parks, some are at gyms, some are at homes.  Each outing offers new friends and new experiences.

There are even opportunities for the mothers to get together.  Bible studies are held in homes, churches, and community centers around the area.  It’s another time for the children to play, and it is a time for the mom’s to lift up and support one another.  There are also Mother’s Nights, where we meet at a local restaurant or home to discuss up coming events and to help each other with any situations that might have come up (we’ve also been know to just enjoy ourselves).

There are many questions I get when people find out that the children and I home school.  Often, women wonder how I spend so much time with the kids and stay sane.  Sometimes I wonder that myself.  After the boys do school, they have free time.  They play board games together, cards, and build with blocks.  They also take time out to read.  If the weather is nice, they even spend time playing outside.  They look for rocks, bugs, and creepy crawlers that we then identify (it all ties back to school).

“How can you afford it?” is another question that I’ve faced more than once.  Giving up my income to stay home with my children full time was not an easy choice.  Living off a teacher’s income is not always easy.  The pay offs that I get by being with my children, learning with my children, and growing with my children is priceless.  How could I afford not to do it?  For the record, all home schooling expenses are paid for out of pocket.  There are no tax incentives, write offs, or supplements.  Every cent we pay in taxes is never seen in the home schooling forum.

Many people expressed concern about socialization, especially when I first expressed interest in home schooling.  It was even a concern I had myself (and it still manages to creep up on me now and again).  I know that in a traditional school setting the boys would be surrounded by twenty or thirty kids their own age every day.  In our setting, it is most likely the two of them.  The play days, field trips, and other events give them opportunities to meet people they would never other wise encounter; people from different towns, different ages, and different backgrounds.  The multiple age issue has been the greatest benefit I have seen.  Watching kids ages 5 to 13 playing together and having fun is a real treat.  The older ones hone their leadership skills by helping and teaching the younger ones while the younger ones learn about following and listening.  This is a situation that could never occur in the traditional school setting.

There are more questions (there are always questions) and there are more benefits.  Being able to take time to go into a court room and watch a local court case is not something every family can do.  Having time to do Christmas crafts for friends and family is not something everyone has.  Being able to schedule a vacation to coincide with a study book is not usually in most people’s plans.  Knowing exactly what my child is learning, when, and how is the best reason of all that I have to take the time, money, energy, and patience to school my child at home.

When my children were just four and two, my husband and I first kicked around the idea of homeschooling.  We had no idea what it was (other than an alternative to sending them to public school), but we had the internet.  So we started surfing.

My sons are now ten and eight, and we’ve added another bright boy just last year.  I’m still figuring out what homeschooling is (other than just educating my children at home).  There are days when it’s structured like formal education.  There are days when it’s free and more life skills.  I do know that our hodgepodge life is working – for me, the boys, and for our educations.

What have I learned about homeschooling?  Enough to fill a truck load of books, or at least it feels like that most days.  Here are some of the top “aha” moments that I have experienced so far.

1.   Homeschooling is more than just school at home.  It is an adventure for the whole family.  It grows relationships between parent’s and children, helps parent’s be an active part of the formulating years of the child’s life, and brings patience and understanding to a whole new level.

2.      Homeschooling does not take nearly as much time as institutionalized education.  Kids don’t have to spend time walking from class to class.  Teachers don’t have to spend time calling roll and doing other red tap activities.  And there is no time taken from the kids or parents for traveling to and from school.

At the early education years, school (the paper work kind) won’t take more than one to two hours.  Even when you get into the high school year, you are probably still looking at only 3 to 4 hours.  This means that any parent, single or working or whatever the situation, can still find the time to homeschool their children.

3.      Homeschooling does not isolate the children from the world.  We’ve experience all types of people (the good, the bad, and the ugly) when we are in large groups.  The boys have been picked on, and done their share of picking.  The difference is that I’m involved with the activities and can teach my boys how to handle the situation in a better way.

4.      Homeschooling does not cause socialization problems.  It encourages good socialization skills because it is moderated by people who want to grow good, positive, motivated people.  According to one site on the internet, socialization is the conformity to beliefs, norms, values, and behaviors.  I don’t know many parents who want their children formed by the beliefs, norms, values, and behaviors of other 8 year olds.

5.      Homeschooling has innumerable opportunities for socializing.  Because most of the day is not taken up in the class room, children have more time to run and play.  There are field trips, play days, study groups, cooperative classes, park days, PE days, skate days, bowling days, and on and on and on.  Homeschoolers in most areas have the opportunity of doing something social at least once every day of the week.

6.      Homeschooling is great for any parent willing to spend some time working with their children.  I had a friend tell me that the reason she started homeschooling was that the homework her son was bringing home each night was taking 3 hours anyway.  Now, they spend those three hours in the morning and have the rest of the day for adventure.

7.      Homeschooling does not take special skills or education.  With the popularity of homeschooling continuing to rise, publishers are paying attention.  There is an unlimited amount of curriculum on the market today – from internet courses to traditional textbooks.  There are even a lot of free opportunities, so the cost doesn’t have to break the checkbooks.

8.      Homeschooling does not take a patient, understanding mom (or dad).  Being with your children ALL the time teaches the patience and understanding that you need.

The number one thing I have come to understand about homeschooling is that you can never start too early.  As soon as the thought hits you, begin testing the waters.  Look online for other homeschoolers, meet with them, and learn from them.  Borrow texts and curriculum and try them out.  You may be surprised to find that homeschooling isn’t just great for your kids, but it’s just as exciting for you.

At it’s very basic, homeschooling is just schooling your children at home.  The reasons to homeschool and the ways to homeschool vary from family to family and from child to child.

For our family, it was a prayerful decision.  It required a sacrifice in finances (we were a two income household), family (there are some members that shun us because of your choice), and time (spare time is limited when you are with your children 24/7).

Those things that homeschooling has seemed to cost us has been far outweighed by what we have gained.  The boys are flourishing in their quest for knowledge (mom and dad are even learning a few things).  Field trips and activities are scheduled so that the whole family can participate.  We are spending more time together than most other families we know.  Plus the things that we do and see are beyond what the average person does.  The family members and even friends that were lost because of our choices have been replaced by homeschooling families that are closer than blood ever could be.  They give us support, understanding, and meet whatever needs might come up (from babysitting to rides to hand me downs).

The way that we homeschool changes from week to week or year to year (and sometimes as often as day to day).  We are not considered “unschoolers” because we are too structured.  We are not structured enough to be considered traditional homeschoolers.  I’m dubbing us “Freeschooler.”  We feel free to follow whatever means meet our needs.  Right now the boys are studying the states, writing short stories, making speeches, learning about weather, and being boys!

Which ever way you take the journey, it’s going to be an adventure.  Come join us for the trip.