4/09/2012

Homeschooling - A Retrospective

The clock is ticking down quickly.  Homeschooling in this household will end in just a matter of weeks as our youngest child graduates from high school.

How do 17 years go by so quickly?   I began homeschooling the year my oldest child was starting 3rd grade and my second child beginning 1st.  I didn't decide to homeschool because we hated the public school system;  and, no, we're not weird cultists trying to keep our children isolated from the world.


But, after being a volunteer at my children's school and seeing all that the teachers were up against, I realized I could do a better job educating my children at home.  There are no perfect education solutions, but homeschooling was the right answer for our family.

Looking back, I'm amazed at how much homeschooling has changed in the last two decades.  When I began researching way back when, it seemed that a lot of homeschooling families lived off the land, were entrepreneurs and their kids went on to Harvard.  An exaggeration, but that's how it looked from my perspective.

In reality, the homeschooling population is very diverse, from one-child families to very, very large families; from people holding strong religious convictions to those holding none at all; every ethic group imaginable; all income levels;  and city, suburban and rural dwellers.  Everyone is represented among homeschoolers.

Curriculum availability?  Where do you even start?  The selection is so vast that at least one vendor of homeschooling curriculum and supplies that I'm familiar with has an annual catalog that is as thick as a mid-sized city's telephone book.

When I was looking for material to use when my eldest child was ready to start high school, I had to look long and hard.  Curriculum was available, but the selection wasn't extensive.  By the time my fourth child was ready for high school, the selection was so wide that it was mind-boggling.

So in retrospect, would I homeschool again?  Absolutely.  Would I do it the same way?  Absolutely not.  I have the advantage of hind-sight now.  I saw what worked and what didn't for my children.  I also got to know my children very well because of all the time we spent together and have a much better understanding of each child's learning style.

I wish I knew then what I know now, but the years spent learning and growing together day by day have been some of the best of my life.  We are blessed that we could spend them together.

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17 comments:

  1. Would be a great way to spend quality time with the kids too.
    Wagging Tales

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  2. I often wonder if I am somehow doing our darling daughter a diservice by NOT homeschooling her. She's in high school now and neck-deep in the drama of it all. She feels less than she is because we live in a district that graduates THOUSANDS each May and isn't in the top 10, 25 or even 50%. It's not because she doesn't make the grades...it's because she doesn't make the perfect grades. I envy you...congrats on graduation to all of your kiddos and to you!

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    1. There are no perfect solutions when it comes to kids and education. Every choice has its pros and cons. The teen years are tough no matter where you go to school.
      Our choice to homeschool meant we had to make a lot of sacrifices, but we have no regrets.

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  3. I'm blessed to do some of my home schooling classes with you and your family. I can't believe you're nearly done, and I'm winding down. Eighteen years here, so almost the same! Is it even possible?

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    1. We were blessed to be able to share so many homeschooling opportunities together weren't we? I cannot believe it's almost over.

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  4. I never heard anything about homeschooling when I was raising my children, maybe it wasn't popular 20-25 years ago? Then when I started to blog I met so many mothers who home schooled and I was intrigued.I was a SAHM it's easy to say now that I might have considered rethinking my choices but I may have considered rethinking my choices :)

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  5. Elizabeth,

    Great post! I am not sure I would have the stamina to homeschool, but I definitely admire those who do.

    I like your blog and will be back to read more!

    Feel free to check out my blog too if you have time, I write humor (or at least I pretend to):

    http://mothersofbrothersblog.blogspot.com

    best,
    MOV

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    1. I had to smile, I occasionally try to write humor too. I don't know if I succeed, but I have a good time. I look forward to checking out your blog.

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  6. I learned how diverse the homeschooling community is after reading your post. See, you even taught me something from your home!

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  7. I used to think that homeschooling would be good for me (in middle school) but in retrospect I'm glad I stayed in my school. I made a lot of great friends that lived too far away for me to have met them any other way. I can definitely see how homeschooling would work for some people, and alleviating the teachers is a great reason.

    Cool post! Good luck with the challenge!


    Dianna Fielding
    sociologyfornerds.com

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  8. Elizabeth, Thanks for visiting my blog today. I've edited my blog at the bottom to include a link to my favorite handbell piece.

    I'm actually a teacher by profession but since jobs are a bit scarce at the moment, I've been working for T-Mobile. I have a one and a two year old and I've been thinking of homeschooling them depending on where life takes us in the next three years. I kinda wish I would have been able to homeschool my stepdaughter as it might have helped with some other things that are going on right now.

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  9. I know quite a few people who home school and would have it no other way.

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  10. 14 years homeschooling here! Just putting the finishing touches on tomorrow's blog post about homeschool (I is for Independent Homeschoolers). You're right, it has changed a lot. And I love that Rainbow Resource catalog, LOL!

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    1. Ah, ha you figured out which catalog I was referring to. Clever you! Good luck as you continue on the homeschooling road.

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  11. I don't think I could homeschool, but I admire those parents that do it.

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  12. I've always wanted to be homeschooled or at least, try it. There's just something appealing to me about learning things at the pace you want to learn them.

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    1. That is one of the true benefits of homeschooling. My kids loved that, but they were still stuck doing math, science, language art, history, etc. like everyone else.

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