Have you found a school?

Below is a reflection I wrote earlier this week regarding our choice to homeschool the boys.  This is a decision that took a lot of time, reflection and research to decide.  I was terribly nervous about this decision - not because I didn't think we could do it, but because of the reaction of those around us.  Today this TedX video came into my fb feed and I knew that I had to share it and my reflection.

One of the first questions everyone asks when you move to a new city with kids is “Have you found a school?” or some variation of this question.  Another inevitable question is “Have you found a job?” or “Are you going to work?”

I avoided these questions at first. I might have answered “I’m going to stay home with them” or if I trusted who I was talking to I might even throw out the “We are thinking about homeschooling.” For self-preservation it took several months before I was able to confidently say “we are homeschooling.” Still I cringe each time I say it. It feels like lighting fireworks with a short fuse each time. I let it out then wait for the response.  Most times people are rather nice – saying that they admire us for trying it, or that they know someone else that does it and their kids are really smart – or at least turning out okay. I like those responses. Still sometimes people say things that aren’t as encouraging. Things like “really? Well you will have your hands full” or the unintentional but still hurtful “how will they socialize? Or aren’t you worried they won’t have any friends?” 

So, to clear things up I put together a 5 reasons why we are going to homeschool list. Since we haven’t actually started homeschooling I am interested to see if I still have these reasons after a year or two being in the homeschool trenches.

1.       Authentically Catholic Schooling – For me and my family a Catholic education is an absolute priority.  After working in Catholic Schools in Cincinnati and having my boys in Catholic schools I have found that just because a school is Catholic doesn’t mean that it is truly Catholic. With the introduction of EdChoice Scholarships and increasing pressure from our secular culture Catholic Schools have become less and less Catholic. I believe the best way to provide a truly Catholic learning atmosphere is through homeschooling.

2.       Different Learners and Individual Needs – Again, after working in Catholic schools and as a parent I’ve come to appreciate that each student is a different learner who has individual needs.  While a traditional teacher might have to juggle and manage 30 students I will be able to focus on 2 or 3 students and provide individual learning experiences for each of my learners.   I can integrate several different curriculums across different subject matter to help my sons and cater to their interests

3.       Experiential Learning – In my own life I’ve found that the best and most long lasting lessons have come through experiences.  I want my own children to experience learning in all that they do and not just experience a classroom, sitting quietly in rows, waiting for another student to catch up or being rushed along. By homeschooling lessons can be a part of family vacations, long weekends, trips to the park or their own individual interests and activities.

4.       Life Skills – While most people assume that homeschooled children are under socialized and for a lack of better words weird, the truth is just the opposite.  One of the reasons why homeschooling is appealing to me is the opportunity to work directly and indirectly on life skills. Everything from keeping a home, managing money and individual responsibility and roles are a part of everyday life.  With increased opportunity to participate in community and individual activities based on their interests, my sons will experience interact with a more diverse range of people forcing them to learn interpersonal and social skills for many different situations.

5.       Family/Community Development - This is where (I think) I might receive the most pushback from some of you. I believe that having children is not only the responsibility of Catholic married life but I believe it is also a responsibility of a parent to provide for our children siblings whenever possible. By doing this we provide our children with a community that they will have and be able to rely on for the rest of their lives. When speaking to adults who grew-up in homeschooled families; that is the number one thing they appreciate about being homeschooled – the closeness and shared experiences of learning and living so closely with their siblings.

There are probably countless other reasons for homeschooling but I said I would give you five, so here they are. In a year I hope to revisit this list and see how my opinions have changed or grown stronger.