I am into quotes for my family blog.  I try to find inspiration in different quotes for different reasons, whether it be running (for this massive weight loss program I’m on) for writing, for family struggles or happy times, and for friends….   I was looking for a quote on a new site that I found and I happen to miss-click and I found myself on education.  I ran across this one and thought I would share it……  I thought that it would inspire, help lift and maybe calm, even a little bit, fears that you might have.

We as “teachers” at home, need to stand together, stand strong, and help one-another….  Our support for each other helps us grow, learn and become better parents and teachers.

No doubt to teach one’s own children…takes special qualities. But these are qualities that many people have, or with a little help, can get. …The home-schooling movement is full of such people, “ordinary” people doing things that they never would have thought they could do – learning the law, questioning the experts, holding their ground against arrogant and threatening authoritiues, defending themselves and their convictions… Seeing them, other ordinary people think they can do the same, and soon they do. This is why it may be a little misleading to speak of the homeschooling “movement.” Most people think of a movement as something like an army, a few generals and a great many buck privates. In the movement for homeschooling, everyone is a general.

-John Holt, Teach Your Own (New York:Delacorte Press/Seymour Lawrence, 1981) pp. 68-69.

We are very busy….  One thing after another it seems and it is hard to keep track of everything.  I am so afraid that I am going to miss something that the boys are supposed to be doing.  So far we are keeping on top of everything!

This morning we were on our way to a “triple” Homeschooling field trip and my boys were beyond excited because they were going to see their friends who they had not seen in a while because of scheduling conflicts.  The boys were bouncing off the (car) walls at 8:30 this morning and it was entirely to early for me to keep up with their constant questions.  Then they made me laugh.

When they heard one of their friends was going to be there they started talking about him doing Time4Learning like they were doing and Kati’s son was doing.  (at that time neither they nor I knew that he was no longer doing t4l) Then they started “chanting” We are all doing Time4Learning. (I’m telling you, it was to early for all this…)  Zach messed up the chant and said Time”Three”Learning and then they kind of both said “Hey!  We are the Time”Four”Learning Team”……  I started laughing because they were thinking of it being like the “Three musketeers” or something along those  lines.

I heard “chanting” for a while and then they got silly, rearranging Time4Learning here and there until it no longer made sense and they got bored….

It was just one of those silly kid moments that I had to share with you guys…..   I love when they get like that, I just wished that it was not before 10am!  It is just nice that their schooling follows them even when they are not actually doing it……

Hello:

Just a quick post to introduce myself and my family.  I am a first year homeschooling mom of 4.  We found Time4learning after most of our curriculum for this year was already purchased so we are using it as a supplement for this year.  I have one DD in 7th grade, who is going on 25 and another in 3rd grade who is going on 18….. I also have a DS in 5th grade and a toddler who rules the roost!!! 

The kids , and mom, love time4learning and I look forward to meeting and fellow-shipping with all of you.  Just wanted to share a little story.  Last week we were on a fall break of sorts and my DD 3rd grade got up and turned her computer on.  My husband asked her what she was doing and she said that she was doing her Time4learning.  He reminded her that she was on break and she said that she knew but it was fun and she wanted to do it anyway.   Yippie !!!!!

Momto4

I have always been totally honest with describing math and writing being our boys curse.  They are both good in math; not so good with the writing (or penmanship as it were)  Today we struggled.  End of story.  As I write this both boys are doing math.  One is subtracting 3 numbers and one is subtracting 2 numbers.  “Taking away” or “carrying” is always a challenge but I think that more than not understanding, the boys are just lazy and don’t want to do the work.

They both happen to land on math at the same time so at each end of the room I have groans and moans.  The excitement of the morning is gone and now we are struggling to get through 10 problems.

I must say that I am impressed that they each got a piece of paper and a pen unprompted from me and began their work. With all the moaning they are doing well but it is just frustrating listening to them.  I am thrilled that they are finally each understanding that scratch paper is a necessity and it really does show an amazing growth. 

So through aggravation and tears I see a light and see improvement that was not there very long ago.

I have thought about this topic on more than one occasion.  Around me I see homeschooling in growth because of ongoing issues in public schools.  Flexibility in teaching, the horrible “build up” to testing, not meeting the needs of individual students (whether gifted with issues or learning disabilities), and the “lumping” of every student to try to fit them into the “average” mold.  All these factors I believe have lead to the growth in homeschooling.

Certainly,  the availability of faster internet, cheaper computers and unlimited resources have all factored into making homeschooling easier.  Every household can get to a computer or has at least one computer in their home.  Libraries are being equipped with computer “labs” for those that do not have the means to have a computer at home.

Although I am firm on why we started homeschooling, my thoughts about why we continue it change and grow.   I have come to realize that I enjoy my children being home with me.  I enjoy knowing that they are safe and that for now we can keep an eye on who they come in contact with.  Our issues as a home school family come up in little bursts rather then having them exposed to so many negative things at school. 

School is so much different than it was when I was a child and even though I really wanted them to  have the same experiences that I did, that is no longer possible.  Public school is so far behind in so many areas and the needs of individual children are being by-passed to accommodate different laws and quotas.

I have come to realize that my influence on them is important and that I had children for many reasons and the joy they bring me when we learn together is great.

I don’t understand a lot of why there is such a growth in homeschooling but know that with more families, comes larger support groups and a more acceptance of the choice to do so.