Help! I'm homeschooling! part one

Some Rosa art from third grade.

Homeschooling is a challenge.  We have our last child starting her senior year in the fall.  In the early years, I remember being terrified. Homeschooling three littles guys? In a foreign country? Thankfully, the shared wisdom of seasoned homeschool moms helped boost my confidence and make me a better teacher.  It is my sincere wish to be a similar blessing to others on the homeschool journey, to share tidbits that I have picked up on the way.

Here are three things that I think are foundational to a homeschool family.

Determine that you actually want to teach your children.

Homeschooling is not for everyone.  If you are going into it half-heartedly or because of peer pressure, don't.  Decide what is best for you, for your family, for your ministry.  Not everything has to be figured out before you start, but you need to be sure homeschooling is what God has for you and your family.  My advice is to ask, seek, and knock in God's Word to find His plan for your family. If you determine homeschooling is the right option for you, move forward with confidence.  

Do what is best for you as a teacher.

Some junior year Rosa art, a drawing of her horse

This may seem a little backwards.  We are, after all, supposed to put others first.  When you decide to be the teacher, though, you need to make it work for you. You have to make decisions about curriculum and teaching methods based on your own skills and preferences. 

Don't we do this in other areas? Take cooking, for example? Ask ten different women how to make fried chicken. There will be ten different recipes using all different kinds of tools and cooking methods. The results are generally the same, fried chicken.  

Just as we use our own skill set when we cook for our family, we do the same with teaching our children.  Consider your own strengths and weaknesses.  The more comfortable you are in your own skin as a teacher, the better your students will learn.  Don't try to be someone else or fit yourself into the "perfect teacher" role.

Decide who the teacher is.

Patrick and Vicki Weimer

Will you, the mom, be the single educator? Your husband might like to teach, too. Mine taught Bible, science through junior high, karate, wood shop, car mechanics, and other electives.  You could incorporate people in your area to help you teach certain things. Also, there are a variety of on-line options available now.  My personal opinion is that using a combination of all of these gives a student a well-rounded education.  I'll talk about that in a later post, though.  

These three things may help you establish the framework for your homeschool.  I hope there is something helpful there.  In future posts, I would like to share things I have learned about choosing curricula, taking standardized tests, having an umbrella school, making a school room, and other things that have been a help to me.