Homeschool Tall Tale #9: All Homeschooled Children Are Brilliant And Accomplished.
Certainly one-on-one tutoring is far superior to the classroom approach. Yes, your children will get a personalized education, but that does not mean they will be geniuses. Some students may struggle academically, even if they are homeschooled, but the good news is that with the low student to teacher ratio, your homeschooled students have a great opportunity to be successful.
Getting a quality education is very important, but even more important is the opportunity you have to develop a good, healthy relationship with your children that will last a lifetime. You also have the freedom to choose subjects that your children are interesting in learning. Beyond the basics of reading, writing and math, just think of all the different topics you and your children have to choose from.
Your job is not to teach them everything they will ever need to know. Your job is to help them develop a love of learning, to teach them how to study and to inspire them to be self-directed learners.
Don’t idealize home schooling. Home education is a wonderful plan–I believe it’s a God-given plan, but no situation is always perfect because we’re human. This period in your children’s lives is for their development, but it’s also for your development and growth.
A speaker at the first homeschool seminar that our family attended said that he believed that one of the reasons God was drawing families to homeschool was to “grow the parents up.” Boy, is that true. If you allow God to guide and direct your homeschool, you will be placing the lives and plans of your children into His hand, and there is no better place for them to be.
Enjoy the adventure.
James G on 06 Oct 2009 at 9:14 pm #
Susan,
This a very nice site you have here. It has an open and clean look to it. Your articles are interesting and I have read through a number of them from the various topics. I just started mine at TheRealHeartofGod.com. I hope I can make mine somthing like this eventually. Nice job.
My wife and I have homeschooled 8 children. We just have one left in high school. The hardest part for us was not feeling bad because we couldn’t do it like the families that wrote for the homeschool magazines and spoke at the conferences. We got them started reading and tried to have an atmosphere of learning although we were very informal and loose. My wife and I struggle to do the simplest things in life and we thank God for giving us children that could take the responsibilty for their life and education on themselves. they are a lawyer, a hotel management trainer and a Navy pilot in training. We have a Master of Theology student and a police officer. One is a ministry intern and sound and media expert. Another is a youth worship leader and the youngest is receiving his Royal Ranger Gold Medal of Achievement Award in a few weeks. They all have bought their own cars and paid for their own college. Because I couldn’t they have had to do those things for themselves and in the process took ownership of their own destiny.
You don’t have to be a great educating parent. I focused on loving and supporting them and teaching them to make their own decisions as early as possible. Now I go to my kids for advice in many areas and that’s going to get even better as they grow in life and accomplishment.
Susan on 07 Oct 2009 at 9:22 am #
James,
It sounds to me like you and your wife were right on target with your homeschooling plan. Your story is a perfect example that we, as homeschooling parents, do not have to be all and know all for our children to be successful.
By allowing your children to take responsibility and by being available to provide direction, you gave your children a great gift.
You are welcome to come back to Educating Today anytime and share your great insight and comments.
Thanks so much,
Susan
who thinks all of you should visit James’ blog at http://TheRealHeartOfGod.com