Friday, November 30, 2007 - Consistency, Consistency, Consistency
We've been home schooling for 16 years now. I've seen a lot of people that tried home schooling for a time and then gave up. I've seen a lot of people that home schooled but never quite seemed to get the job done. I've seen a lot of very successful home school families.
Those that have been successful at home schooling have come from very different backgrounds. The parents' education has varied. Their philosophy of education has varied. In fact, the one thing that I can think of that they all have in common has nothing to do with how much money they put into their home schooling or what curriculum they chose. It all seems to come down to one thing -- consistency.
A lot of people have big plans. They are willing to spend lots of money for that perfect thing that will make their kids soar. They may have the perfect school room, the perfect family situation. Everything seems to be going their way. I've seen a lot of these same people either give up their home schooling thoughts or flounder around not getting anywhere in their child's education. What's the problem? They aren't consistent.
The successful home schooling family will have a simple, easily followed schedule and stick with it. It's not the marathon school days that educate our children. It's not the expensive curriculum. It's not even the well stocked school room. Success for our kids depends on the day to day, consistent home schooling.
There are times that I get to thinking we aren't accomplishing much. it doesn't seem that one lesson a day in particular subject is moving very fast. It doesn't seem that the book we're reading aloud is ever going to end. It doesn't seem like the children are making any notable progress. When thoughts like this start to cloud my mind, it helps to do an inventory of what we've studied so far. When I look back over the past few months, I realize that we have done a lot of learning.
Now, don't get me wrong. We take off a day here and there. We've gone a few field trips. We've had some interruptions that made home schooling for a day or two impossible. The key is to keep consistent. Then when those little surprises or even planned events come along, there's time to enjoy them. In fact, they are treasured. We all need a break now and then. Just make sure that the breaks are the exception and not the rule.
Diana,
I am a friend of Natalie's and will have to be moving to New Mexico soon. Due to many circumstances, primarily the atmosphere of the schools there, we will be homeschooling the high school kids, currently 9th 10th and 11th grade. Please help answer a few questions for me that I cannot find the answers to. I need to know EXACLY what information, subject matter and subjects I need to teach them to graduate from high school with honors as they currently have and be able to apply to college as well as college scholarships. Please help me by answering these questions, guiding me to where the answers are, or just call me before I get discouraged.
Thanks for lending your ear(or EYES).
Susie Freeland
Eighteen years after sitting my 5 year old down for his first day of school, we're still at it. We've graduated 2 and have one ready to graduate this year. Three more are working slow and steady at learning what they need to know to be the kind of adults God wants them to be.
Posted by Susie
