Reaching Higher
Homeschool News
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It’s that time of year when homeschool social networks are buzzing with questions from new homeschooling parents as they embark on the adventure of learning at home.
While some of you have ordered and equipped yourselves with curriculum materials already, there are still many who are researching their options and there are many voices giving advice and suggestions.
• Well-meaning friends would love you to buy the same products that they use, so that you will have common experiences to discuss and share
• Curriculum providers would like you to use their products and follow their philosophy of learning
• The unschoolers would like you to join them and pursue self-directed learning with your kids
• Then there are those who believe that only their way is “God’s way” of homeschooling
• Then there are homeschoolers out there warning of the pitfalls of using a curriculum package that is too structured as they’ve burned out doing it that way and contradicting them, there are others telling you of the wonderful convenience of following a structured curriculum.
• There are those posting about about all the free lesson plans and materials on the Net so that you can piece together your own learning programme or projects
• And there are those that are choosing online computer based programmes for their kids so that its all done for them
• And then there is you – raised in a school system which only used boring text books – and now YOU have the opportunity to experience learning in so many fun and flexible ways: unit studies, lapbooks, literature-based learning, hands-on learning and more. Maybe YOU want to have this novel learning experience along with your kids too.
• And then you have a partner with his/her ideas
• And you have financial constraints to consider too
And after you have sifted through all of the above, just maybe, you might ask your children what they would like to learn.
How do you choose?
If you are still confused or torn by everyone and everything, then don’t buy a curriculum yet.
Keep deschooling, keep researching your options, keep learning more, but mostly watch your children, engage with them and let their talents and interests point you in the right direction.
Then, if we stop listening to all the voices out there, most of us will find that we are guided by a small still voice – a voice that brings a ‘gut feel’ and an inner peace about decisions. Be quiet and just listen.
Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6
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| Invest in Your Homeschooling 'Career'
If you were starting a new career, you would have had to have some
kind of education and training to do your new job well. Likewise,
parents who are starting home education need to train their child's new
teacher or "learning facilitator" rather, with regards to how
homeschooling works best. It generally does not work well when we
recreate the kind of school experience we had at home. Before you buy a curriculum, invest time and money educating yourself.
Read homeschool parent books, attend seminars and find out how to avoid
the common mistakes that new homeschoolers frequently make!
A small investment now could save you a lot of stress and money wasted
on expensive curricula that don't work for you! You will find answers to
many of the common situations that homeschoolers face too - dealing
with in-laws and sceptics, choosing curricula, coping with single
parenting, working from home, multi-level homeschooling etc, Start with these books:
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Ten Homeschooling Tips
1. Rights and responsibilities: Children have the right to receive education that is in their best interests and parents have the responsibility of protecting that right. Home education is a lawful choice and research shows it is much more successful than the failing public school system, both in SA and around the world. Don’t let anyone dictate what your children’s education should be like. You decide.
2. Don’t panic: Only you have your children’s best interests at heart. Don’t panic about messing up their education – there is a far greater chance that somewhere along the line at school that someone else would ruin the experience for them. Trust your instincts and believe in yourself!
3. There is a season for everything. Just do what you can cope with right now in this season and leave the non-essentials for another season.
4. Don’t compare with other families, especially those featured in blogs or the art projects on Pinterest! That’s like comparing your figure to the airbrushed models in magazines – all the faults, flops and struggles are (usually) hidden!
5. Relationships come first. If you are not enjoying what you are doing, drop whatever is ruining the experience and work on relationships first. Academics can feature later.
6. Take many photos and treasure your days at home with your children. Older women whose children have grown and ‘flown’, all say these days were the best days.
7. You are never behind. You can work at your own pace. You DO NOT have to keep up with the daily schedule of your curriculum. If all life is learning, then interruptions are also valuable learning experiences. Take a week’s break mid-term if you need it.
8. Become a homeschool diplomat: Be prepared to encounter people who are negative about your choice to homeschool. Kindly ask them to respect your decision for your family, even if they don’t agree with it. Develop diplomacy and be a good ambassador for homeschooling!
9. Learn from mistakes: Some of the best lessons are learned from our mistakes. Don’t be disappointed in yourself, instead value the wisdom that a negative experience has brought you.
10. Take care of yourself: Make sure you have support in various forms, encouragement and times of refreshing.
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