I’ve been homeschooling my children now for 8 years. You’d think I would have this homeschooling thing all figured out by now, but I don’t. Each of my children are different and each year brings new challenges as my children learn and grow and change, and although I don’t have everything figured out here are a few of the things that I do:
- Children learn much more and retain so much more if they are learning about something that they have chosen to learn about.
- Homeschool isn’t something you do for a few hours in the morning. Homeschooling is a way of life.
- Education should be about becoming a better person, not just about getting a job. The kind of person they become is much more important to me than the profession that they choose.
- No two people are the same, so no two people should have the exact same education.
- Everyone is different and has their own timetable, so no one can/should be compared to anyone else.
- I’m learning to trust my children in their interests, and to let go of my preconceived notions of what I think they should be learning.
- I’ve leaned not to say no, when they come up with an idea that I think is impossible. They learn best by experimenting and trying, even if their idea fails, it can be a very valuable learning experience.
- Sometimes the most valuable lessons learned in a day have nothing what-so-ever to do with academics.
- As the parent you are the expert in your home. No one knows your children and what they need as well as you do.
- EVERYONE is a genius.
- Children are naturally curious and love to learn. The parents’ job is to create the right atmosphere for learning to take place, including mentoring and modeling what they want their children to do. When the right atmosphere is created, children naturally take off on their own.
