What is the Point?

You know I am passionate about homeschooling.  It would be pretty silly to be president of a homeschool support and enrichment group if I weren’t sold on this idea of parents being teachers.

But why?  Why is it so important to me?  Some say that homeschooled kids behave better and score better on college placement tests.  I think those are relatively true assertions that can be backed up.  But anecdotally I can give you some pretty unpleasant homeschoolers and some who couldn’t even pass the college placement tests.  I can also offer up some darling public schooled kids who are as sweet as sugar while they blow the curve on any test they take.

So, just wanting good smart kids isn’t really reason enough to homeschool.  You can have those and send them to school for free!  But I digress. I don’t really enjoy debating homeschool v public school because I honestly believe parents are far more pivotal to the equation.  Suffice it to say, we homeschool because it is best for our family.  And, as with any monumental decision, choosing to homeschool is just the first in a lifetime of decisions to be made regarding education.

That is the real clincher.  Now that homeschooling is a ‘movement’ (read: a viable money-making market), there are so many choices regarding supplies, lessons and full curriculum.  There are so many messages regarding the ‘right’ way to educate.  Have you covered this?  What about that?  See how shiny?  If you really loved your kids, would wouldn’t deprive them of that!

Whoa!  Slow down.  Remember why you are homeschooling?  Remember what is important.  And remember you aren’t a teacher who only has 9 months to get this child to pass the standardized test.  You chose to educate for life!  Because of that, you get to employ the old adage about teaching a man to fish rather than just letting him eat for a day.  Isn’t that wonderful?

I love the concept that categorizes homeschooling as a lifestyle. I think that when we consider it to be a lifestyle, it stretches the possibilities beyond the immediate horizon. The bottom line to this style of homeschooling is that everything is a lesson, and nothing must be mastered today.

The freedom that comes from that pair of realizations is staggering. Because you aren’t on a time-table with deadlines and because you don’t limit school between the hours of x and y, you and your children will be more inspired to pick up a book for pleasure, research a fact on the internet or engage in a discussion of ideas. The reason is because you know that reading the book won’t be followed by some graded test that you could fail; or checking something out on the internet won’t require a five-page-double-spaced-essay; and a discussion doesn’t have a winner or loser, but two people who walk away a little fuller.

Learning as a lifestyle raises a humble spirit willing to gather information without fear. When schooling never ends, it is ok to be relaxed and to make mistakes, the world is a wonderful place!

Happy homeschooling!