I first heard about homeschooling when I was watching this series for group of gymnasts wanting to go to olympics. Then, I heard about Disney stars doing the same thing. So I thought homeschooling are for busy people who doesn’t have time to attend regular school.
Then, I read about Bo Sanchez’s article about homeschooling. This article made me entertain homeschooling but not very crazy about it. Then, I started hearing about several moms from church homeschooling their kids until high school. That was a turning point. I started to seriously considering about homeschooling. The more I read about it and see the resources available, the more I get engrossed to it. I see the disadvantages. I know how hard it would be but the advantages are what inspires me the most. Homeschooling is indeed the road less travelled but definitely the most rewarding. I’ll coincide it with something like “off the beaten path.”
Like other families who decided to homeschool their kids, it would always be a long discussion when I start opening about homeschooling. Some are cool with the idea and some are not used to the idea. I’m amazed at the different questions that they’ll ask me. I don’t get discouraged. Not because majority is doing a regular school, it doesn’t mean it is the rightmost thing for one child’s education. Every child is different.
The next two years would be my gauge if I could survive homeschooling. Dana is still in pre-school and starting her off with a curriculum but not structured way is the best way to know. I skipped the workbook because I read that kids should start learning by playing. So I just need a guide on what to teach and how to teach it. And as far as checking if she’s learning or not, that’s where creativity would come in. I’ll have to find a way to quiz her without giving her a piece of paper with questions on it. Learning is fun!
Here are some of the advantages that I see right now.
1) We don’t have to wake up the girls very early to get them to school. More peaceful life, less stress in the morning.
2) We don’t have to bundle them, walk to the bus stop and wait for the school bus on winter mornings.
3) The time saved on preparing could be used for learning or playing.
4) Our schedule would be more flexible. We could always go anywhere, stay in the Philippines during school season without having to worry about her “absenting” from class. We have the lesson with us.
5) More chances of getting to know the girls better and developing the skills and interest that they have.
(I see Danielle getting interested with taking pictures and she has taken good pictures already. So that a lot of ideas is running into my mind on how to incorporate the use of camera in our lessons).
6) We could choose to teach God’s love with them without having to worry that outside world might confuse them. Okay, we know that eventually they would have to face the world and its cruelty. We believe, however, that with homeschooling we could equip them with right attitude and character that they would need to face the world. Incorporating God’s love, serving others into their daily lives would keep them even with this crazy world.
7) I know that homeschooling would teach us (Edgar and I) lessons, too. We will also learn a lot of things in the process.
The list goes on.
We recognize the challenges. We recognize the sacrifices that comes with it. We pray for it everyday and continue to pray for guidance.
(1) This blog was written on September 10, 2012, and re-publish on this new location.
The Learning Story 