Monday, April 9, 2012

A HOMESCHOOL HARVEST: A TO Z BLOGGING CHALLENGE

We are nearing the end of our homeschool journey.  I began when our son and daughter were in 2nd grade, and now, they are in their 2nd year of high school.  Two years left...unbelievable!  It's gone by much too quickly.

But why did my husband and I make this choice?  Was it because I was a teacher? No.  Most home educators do not have a Teacher's certificate.

Was it because the school system in the area had poor ratings?  Not at all...we have some of the finest teachers and schools in the area.





No, neither of the above.  So why?  Here are a few reasons to ponder, for those of you that are curious:

I am able to choose curriculum that speak to their learning style.
We can slow down, or speed up individual courses, according to their abilities.
We can take vacations when others are in school, so crowds can be avoided!
I have the privilege of not only teaching, but learning all over again.  But this time, in a much more engaging environment.

We don't miss school because of snow days, or teachers strikes. (the kids might not be too thrilled with this!)

Our students know they are loved by their teacher and the teacher knows her students better than anyone on the planet.
Discipline is in our hands, where it should be, and we can see immediately where adjustments need to be made, or character building should take place.

No worries about school shootings, gangs, bullying and such.

Statistics show that home schoolers are much better educated and prepared for college than the average student.  Universities seek out the home educated, since they are more motivated to learn.  And surprisingly, they are more mature, because they spend the majority of their time with adults!

We can raise them with the morals and values that our family hold dear.



What has been your experience with home education?  Do you know anyone who is home schooled?












12 comments:

  1. You bring up some interesting facets of home schooling. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thanks,Pam...I'm sure there are more benefits, but those came to mind immediately. Thanks for the visit and comment!

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  2. Thanks for sharing your reasons, Jarm. While it is not very common in the UK (and almost impossible and unheard of in France) I know quite a few adults who wee home-schooled, all from Christian families. Two families stuck out for me: one where the now adults are some of the most creative, successful well-balanced I know, and another, where the kids have done OK, but there were some huge gaps in their education that have truly hindered them and their sense of self worth over the years. I think it takes a huge commitment on the parents part to do it well, but can be highly succesful.

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    1. I appreciate your balanced observations, Joanna. Yes, you are right, the parents must be fully committed, and understand their children's educational styles. When it's done right, it is a beautiful thing. Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. I did one year of home school/charter school for the 8th grade since I disliked the public school environment and it wasn't challenging enough. LOVED it. It prepared me for college in so many ways that public school never could have.

    (Like how you make yourself sit down and work when you're at home all day and there's no one to actually *make* you do it.)

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    1. I'm so glad you had a positive experience, Kimberlee! Yes, it does foster self-discipline, among other things, which then, as you said, prepares you well for college. Thanks for stopping by and commenting...

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  4. Sounds like you made the right choice with homeschooling. It's great that you spend so much time with your kids:)

    Great A-Z post!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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    1. Yes, it does allow me extra time with my kids, so, when they do leave the nest, I feel I have know them fully, and won't feel guilty. We will have wonderful memories to cherish. Thanks for stopping by, Nutschell!

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  5. I too home schooled ... many years ago now. I only home schooled through the 2nd grade and then they went to a private school. Thank you for stopping by my blog and have a great time in the A to Z challenge!
    Hugs,
    Bj

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    1. I'm sure even a few years benefitted your children. Thanks for stopping by, Joy...hope you are enjoying the challenge as well!

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  6. Jarm, this is such a great post. I'm returning your visit to my blog and it looks like we have some sites in common beyond the A to Z. I admire your homeschooling and I almost feel guilty saying that I fear I would miss my "me" time too much. You raise such good points about the benefits. Thanks for sharing.
    A2ZMommy and What’s In Between

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    1. I thought I would miss my time, too, but, somehow I found some. My husband was good to let me have outings in the evenings with my friends, which helped. But, the time with the kids was well spent. Thanks for sharing! Tracy!

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Journey into the Promised Land
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