Homeschooling.
When did I first hear about it and what was my reaction? Ahh . . . this topic opens all sorts of things for me to talk about.
I'm not entirely sure that I had ever heard of homeschooling before I went to college. Now, I have been accused of living in a cave by a certain loved one, but I don’t think that being educated at home was all that common in the town the Hottie and I grew up in (that was filled with doctors and lawyers).
Our school system excelled at academics and I think it remains that way to this day.
It seems that my first impression of unschooling or homeschooling was something like those kids probably don’t get enough social interaction. Isn’t that what everyone things?
But somehow, somewhere an impression was made on me.
I wrote my college senior thesis paper on homeschooling.
Even back then (some 11 years ago), I think God was preparing me for my future work. I originally went to college to be a doctor, which changed to a physical therapist, then a social worker and I finally transferred to a private college to become an accountant.
But God didn’t stop there with my profession jumping.
I became a secondary education major with a double minor in English and Literature. While studying secondary education, dating my now Hottie Hubby, and growing in the Lord, I was discipled and raised up in my faith by a family that homeschooled and led the campus Student Christian Fellowship. Their girls were amazing. The mom, Becky, rocked. I was fascinated. No . . . hooked.
After graduating from college, the Hottie and I moved out to Colorado where I took a job as a seventh and eighth grade English teacher. I loathed my job. At the end of the year, I knew that I would not return to that position and perhaps even the profession. Yet, I needed some form of work . . . my husband was a graduate student. We needed the money and our apartment wasn’t big enough for me to sit in all day long.
I ended up investing in one of my former student’s sibling. I helped a family homeschool because the school we both survived was such a horrible situation for their child. The family felt there were no other options in the area.
I absolutely LOVED teaching my solitary pupil tête-à-tête.
And then we moved to India.
Upon our return to the flatlands of the Midwest, I found a job teaching kindergarten. I actually liked it. I had found my life work.
Nope. We had kids. That is the current masterpiece I am working on.
As they began to grow, we became a little cautious of where our children were going to go to school. We kind of lived in the ghetto. And the school system just didn’t seem to be cutting it . . . not to mention the language and the dress code of the children getting off of the school bus. It felt like we would be feeding our children to the wolves.
Not to mention, we had a resource working in our own home. Me. I trained for 4 years to become a teacher. If I can teach someone else's kid and get paid for it, than why not educate my own?
Combine that with prayer and our desire to eventually become missionaries . . . it seemed the natural choice to homeschool our children, leaving us continually ready to answer the call when the Lord said, “Go!”
Homeschooling just kind of happened. I love going to the teacher store and my kids have just grown up learning. I enjoy learning and teaching.
The plus is that where I live has a great group of homeschoolers . . . many attend our church and are my friends. And now we even live by another family that we are going to have recess with! Score!
I knew I couldn’t keep this short. But that is all I have to say for now.
To learn about other homeschooling families, head on over to The Homeschool Village.
