On Homeschooling

I hesitate to write much about homeschooling on this blog, mostly because I am wary of making anyone feel that I have lofty opinions on what is a proper education for all children in all families, everywhere.  Thus, I don't write much about the specifics of our homeschool, or even how much we enjoy it, lest those who do not home educate feel left out, judged or misunderstood.  Our family decision to homeschool, or indeed any of the family decisions we make, are not intended on an indictment on the lives and callings of others- it is merely a way of life we feel called to live.

However, we have recently gone through a few big changes around here educationally, and I feel the need to write it out a bit - in way, to process it myself.  I've also received a few emails asking me about the outcome of our decision to use a Virtual Charter school.  This post has been in my queue for over a week as I make my way through my own tangle of thoughts on the subject.

We left the charter school.  At 8 AM last Monday, I penned a quick note thanking the school for working with us and assuring them that the quality of their program was not our purpose for withdrawing.  I clicked "send" on the email and felt a wave of something - peace? relief? - pass right over me.

This parenting gig is tough.  The decisions faced every single day, the constant re-evaluating - it all adds up to a full time job of seeking the right path for each individual child's path.  School is just another area where this weighing and wrestling, praying and preparing keeps this Mama up at night.

After working with the program for over a month, I felt it was not the right fit for us.  It was fine for the children, but for me it did not work well.  Sometimes I can sell myself short, but in homeschooling I need to look at a given curriculum or style not only as it affects my little ones, but how it affects me, as the teacher, as well.  Over the time we spent giving this new approach a try, I squirmed under the weight of it, all the while trying to convince myself that I just needed to get used to it -- then it would all work out.  I finally had to concede that, for me, the joy of homeschooling my children was gone.  This program was not right for me, and so it was not right for us.

One of my most beloved aspects of homeschooling has always been the use of living books to teach children important lessons in a variety of topics.  We would curl up with some excellent work of literature, read a few chapters, discuss characters, morals, history and social studies - all stemming from one book that everyone enjoyed.  I sorely missed this, as well as any mention of faith or moral fiber, in the curriculum we were using.  I also missed schooling several grades together in most subjects - something that both brought us together repeatedly during the day and cut down on the time spent on our more structured learning, leaving time for library trips, playtime outside, free reading.

Our first day homeschooling without the curriculum felt so light, so simple, so gentle and yet so rich.  It took us much less time, but felt like we learned much more.  There was math and spelling, history, bible and phonics.  There was literature chosen from my favorite guidebook, "Books Children Love."  There were discussions and compositions regarding the topics we covered.  There was a lot more laughing, plenty more smiles, and just a lighter overall feel to the morning - and yes, it only took 2.5 hours for the formal instruction of all 3 children.

The charter school was good.  I actually really enjoyed it for my oldest.  However for us, right now, with kids these ages - we've figured out what works for us.  It just took  a short time of trying something else to show us that what we were doing before was working out just fine.  During our time at the charter, I gained quite a bit of confidence - mostly in seeing just how much of what was being taught in the curriculum is already present in our daily lives.  Our one-tapestry approach of working, learning, relating and living together really does "teach," in an organic approach, a great many things.  Rather than being formally taught, it's caught.

This is the right fit for us, for right now.

Thank you for listening, friends, and letting me process all of this right out loud!


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