Reaching Higher
Homeschool News
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If you are feeling anything like us you may also be asking: “Where did 2014 go?” Just as we took out the books to start the year, the end of the year was upon us! Does anyone else feel like this?
Throughout the year there have been many highlights for both of us. Trips overseas, owner building new homes, achievements in sport, graduating a child and more. Added to this, a normal learning cycle of school terms and holidays and suddenly we can see why the year was a challenge.
A highlight for Wendy was attending a talk by Jay Wile. Footprints recommends his Apologia science courses for high school and we also encourage parents to do the Exploring Creation junior science apologia courses written by Jeannie Fulbright. So when Wendy heard that Dr. Wile would be talking in Fishhoek in late November (and knowing she needed all the science help she could get) she was there in a flash.
Amongst the huge amount of encouragement he gives homeschool parents and all his science recommendations, there were two things that stood out. It has given much food for thought.
1. “Don’t lose the focus from when you began homeschooling.”
We started homeschooling because we desired to raise our children according to our moral values. We did not see how one could do this with children spending 8-10 hours per day in a school system.
We also wanted to give our children a standard of education that we knew the schools could not offer in terms of tailor-made curriculum, parent attention and connecting children with their passions early on.
When a parent hits homeschooling for high school, most have a wobble on this path and veer into something formal or school at home as they lose the focus. We are not suggesting that formal academics in high school is wrong – the question is actually “Is this the right path for this child?”
Even those last few years from Gr 10 – 12 can still be tailor-made for each individual child in your home. In Wendy’s home one child has done Cambridge, another GED and yet another is preparing to do SATs. And even these are not the only routes for high school.
Don’t lose the focus you started with and continue to keep your vision for each child vibrant and exciting.
2. “What is harder for the parent is normally what is right for the child.”
This second statement was very interesting as we have often referred to the quote which follows, especially during difficult times in the homeschooling journey:
“God's initial goal for Christian homeschooling families is not the raising of godly children. Instead, God's wonderful, but subtly hidden agenda is that the homeschooling experience be so challenging for the parents that they feel the need and hunger for a closer walk with their heavenly Father." (Kyle Miller)
“When things are tough going, it is good!”
Does that sound like warped logic? Allow an explanation.
Life is tough, parenting is tough, HOMEschooling is tough. When things are tough it is an opportunity for character growth and honing to take place – in the life of the parent and the life of the child.
Handled correctly – without screaming and shouting – rather with patience and love, everyone involved can be overcomers.
Even choosing a curriculum needs to be seen in this light. Boxed curricula make it very easy for a mom, and there have been times and seasons where even in our homes it was a right fit for a child. But not all children do well on a boxed curriculum.
To Wendy’s surprise one of her children LOVED text books, another just endured all the read alouds and another loved the whole book, literature-rich style of her preference. It was with much stretching that she had to overcome her bias and rather create or cherry pick, if you will, what would suit each child.
Please don’t get us wrong here – there is not need to go and look for tough situations and definitely no need to make each child their own curriculum! Of course you want to keep things simple which is why literature is such a great teacher. But after the 3R’s are covered (reading, writing and arithmetic) you can immerse each child in the reading of good literature and add to this their delight-directed subject.
What’s easiest for mom, is not the best thing for the child. Jay Wile says the opposite is actually the truth in his experience – What is tough for the parent is generally in the best interests of the child.
So as you wrap up 2014 and look ahead to the new school year, we do hope you too will address the reasons of why you started homeschooling and return your focus to those goals.
We also wish you great success with what you have chosen to be the vehicles that will direct your children’s learning paths.
Thank you for your support through the year!
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Basic Skills to Equip Your Children
Many parents are anxious that their educational choice might fail them and that they might somehow ruin their children’s futures.
They worry that their children will not be able to earn a decent living or that, in desperation, they will end up employed in dead-end menial jobs for the rest of their lives.
The following is a list of basic academic skills which you should aim to ensure your children acquire to equip them for adult life:
The Three R’s
• Reading – they must be able to read
• Writing – they must be able to write and express themselves well
• Arithmetic – they must be able to do basic mathematics and be able to work with money
Basic Research and Typing Skills
• Dictionary – if they aren’t good spellers, they should know when to check their spelling, using a dictionary or spell-checker and how to do so
• Library – they should know how to use a library
• Internet – they must be able to use the internet for research, networking etc. safely, of course
• Touch typing – this skill will save them much time
General Knowledge
They should have a good general knowledge of the world and their community. Simply reading a lot of good books together could accomplish this or you could use materials designed for this such as our three Footprints curricula
In addition to these basic skills, if a child has a good attitude towards learning, has been trained in character and morals, has learned to work in the home and has integrity and good inter-personal skills, she should be able to take responsibility for her own education and find success in life.
If your children know HOW to learn and are motivated, they will be able to learn anything they want at any point in their lives.
Anxious parents can take a deep breath and relax now! Most of the above could generally be accomplished by about age 12 or the end of primary school (Grade 7).
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