SortaCrunchy

Thoughts on schooling - guest post from Karen

Last month, Karen shared her wisdom and encouragement for some of the frustrations that come along with nursing a toddler and received a warm and enthusiastic response from so many of you.  Today she returns to share her thoughts on schooling choices in general.  As you'll read, she has experience with every format that educating our children can take.  I know you'll appreciate hearing her thoughts on the choices available to parents today.

One of the most important decisions we make as mothers involves teaching our children. It begins at the moment of birth, and continues into adulthood. And, as our children's very first teachers, it is with some trepidation that we all begin to contemplate that important part of their small lives... education.

As a mom of 6 kids, four of whom are currently in school, I have had a bit of experience with childhood education, in all of its many forms. Through the years, we have done it all – public, parochial, private, and homeschool. And I have learned a lot on the journey. The first thing to remember is that no matter which path you choose for your children, you need to feel confident in your choice. And, as I have learned, different circumstances may necessitate different schooling choices.

Advantages to parochial/religious and private schools - exceptional education, small class size, family atmosphere, accountability, and serious college prep. The individual attention devoted to each child is phenomenal. The value of citizenship and personal responsibility is stressed. The faculty is devoted to the success of your child individually, not simply focusing on the whole class. The cons: If you are not of the same religious persuasion as the school, you may have to do some explaining as to the differences in theology and doctrine your children have been taught since birth, and what they are exposed to at school. Not always big deal, but it is something to consider. Expensive, although financial aid is generally available. Don't let need keep you from applying. Smaller schools may be lacking in the wide range of extra-curricular activities found in larger private and public schools. But local school districts will often work with you to allow your children to participate in the sport or activity of their choosing.

Advantages to a public school education: It's free. Well, mostly. There are still activity fees, and other nickel-and-dime charges that no one really talks about. But there's no tuition. There is a full range of extra-curricular activities – something for everyone. Cons: Large classes and over-worked, underpaid teachers can provide a less-than optimal educational environment. Classes also tend to cater to the lowest common denominator of student, which may not be a great fit if your child is gifted. More and more, discipline and respect are lacking, and teachers have little recourse to enforce basic rules. And although the Character Counts program is taught in some schools, basic morality (NOT religion, but right/wrong) is often avoided, for the fear that toes may be stepped on. Of course there are some wonderful school districts out there. But you do need yo be an informed consumer, as with everything else.

Advantages to homeschooling: You are not tied to anyone's schedule but your own. This frees you to take family vacations on a whim, or to just take the day to go explore a museum or other natural attraction. Everything is a learning experience, and lessons are everywhere. You can tailor your curriculum to not only your child's ability, but also interests. Your children socialize with other children and adults who share your philosophies. Schoolwork is most often accomplished in a matter of hours, instead of consuming the entire day, allowing for creative play, social activities, and other pursuits. Cons: It can be daunting to choose a curriculum. There are so many good ones out there, and so many different approaches, from classical education with its roots in Greek and Latin, to unschooling, and everything in between. It can take some trial and error to fine-tune your system, even after you find a program that fits your needs. It can be challenging to enroll your child in extra-curricular activities, even though most public school systems are supposed to work with homeschoolers to accommodate them. Homeschooling still carries a stigma, in many places, that even though unfounded, can be hard to overcome.

But, all things considered, the things that you most need to discern is which is right for YOUR family. There is no one right answer, and you may find as your kids grow, and your circumstances change, your schooling needs will evolve, too. Don't be afraid to ask questions, interview schools, and learn all your options. For education, as everything else, follow your heart.

Karen is a 41 year-old SAHM to six of the best kids on the planet. She blogs at My Hands Are Full, But So Is My Heart where she chronicles her life on a semi-regular basis.

photo courtesy of david.nikonvscanon

Thoughts on Homeschooling - guest post from Mommy Bee

Today we continue the series on homeschooling.  This post is from Mommy Bee of Musings of Mommy Bee.

Here is a little background information on Mommy Bee: I was homeschooled from kindergarten until I finished the state requirements at 16 and started attending college. I am the eldest of 8 children, and while a few of us have taken a class or two at public school, for the most part we have all been at home from start to finish. Three of us now have Bachelor's degrees, two more are currently in college, and the youngest three are still at home. My degree is in education, and the more I learn about psychology, learning styles, and the average school classroom, the more I believe that it is not the best fit for every student. I believe I would have been a very successful student had I attended public school, however I am glad for the opportunities afforded to me by homeschooling, and I have never regretted my parents' choice for me in that regard.

Every homeschooler does things a little differently, and my mom was/is an "Eclectic" homeschooler: she used ideas from a variety of philosophies and texts and picked what worked best for her and for us. We did not 'unschool' (because we did have formal schooling time and it was not all student-led), but we also did not have 'school-at-home' (with strict schedules or purchased curriculum). We were somewhere in the middle. My mom keeps a blog about her homeschooling methods and philosophy at Black's Cool Homeschool if anyone is interested in more information about my specific background.

Now she shares her thoughts on growing up in a homeschool environment:

One of the first things that always comes up is socialization: did I feel left out? did I have friends? was I shy? how was it when I entered 'the real world'?

I always have to begin my response by asking this: how many of your friends have birthdays within one year of yours? Do you really think that the school form of 'socialization' is representative of real life? Because I have friends of many ages--I always have--and I think that my homeschooled experience gave me more 'real life' socialization than any public school.

Did I feel left out of things? Sure, sometimes I did. At seventeen I wanted to go to a dance with a certain boy. My parents didn’t object, but someone else invited him first, and I ended up staying home. I've heard many similar stories from public schooled kids though, so I don't think my being homeschooled had anything to do with the way things turned out.

Like most homeschoolers I've known, we were not 'unsocialized.’ We were active in church, had music lessons, and participated in community sports and theater. There are lots of places where kids can work/play with other kids, practice teamwork and sharing, and all those other basic social skills.

Was I shy? Yes, but so were my public-schooled parents, while several of my siblings were not. I believe that shyness is mostly about the personality of the child, and very little about their schooling environment.

As for being sheltered from the 'real world,' yes, I absolutely think that we were sheltered from many things. On the other hand, I think that is part of the responsibility of a parent: to protect and shelter their children when they're young so that they will be strong and ready for that real world when it comes. I think my mother explained it best in her "Tomato Theory of Child Rearing."

The second thing people usually ask about is curriculum: did we have a formal schedule? did we work from state-approved textbooks or programs? did we use a religious curriculum? did we have a specific room or place for school work? what did the average day look like?

The answer to these things will be different for each homeschooling family, depending on their reasons for homeschooling as well as their philosophy about learning. My mother tried to facilitate our each learning in the way that suited us best. When we worked together on things, we often gathered around the kitchen table, but I did a lot of work sprawled across my bed, my brother learned times tables while bouncing on a pogo stick, and my sister preferred to sit at a desk. My sister liked to have each day's assignments written out day-by-day, and completed a little work in each subject each day. I preferred to have a week's-worth of assignments written together, then I'd spend one day reading the entire book, one day doing several math lessons, one day really getting into history, and so on.

In elementary school the average school day was an hour or two; in high school it was usually around four. Our average day started with family devotionals, then breakfast and chores. Mom read aloud to us for a while, then we would each work on our assignments.  Mom collected numerous resources and created her own curriculum from them (which she often adapted from one kid to the next anyway). We studied math from a standard textbook; English from a variety of novels, poems, and workbooks; and history from biographies, timelines, historical fiction, and traveling to historical sites. Religion was part of our lifestyle, so it came into our studies, but we didn't use a 'religious curriculum.'

The last question people ask is whether I would choose to homeschool my own children. I don't think that homeschooling is a perfect default educational plan any more than I think public school is a perfect default. Each has benefits and drawbacks. In our family, my husband and I evaluate the needs of each child each year, and make a fresh decision about what we should do that year. My oldest son was part of a co-op preschool, then we waited a year on kindergarten (during which time we informally homeschooled). At six, he attended kindergarten at a charter school, but then attended the next two years at a public school.

What's next? I don't know! Like I said, we have no default, we just take each kid and each year as they come.

Questions for Mommy Bee?  Are there any homeschool graduates who might like to weigh in with their own responses to some of the questions posed to Mommy Bee?

Thoughts on Homeschooling - guest post from Ashley

Happy Wednesday, friends!  Today I am starting a short series of posts from guest authors who have volunteered to share their thoughts on homeschooling.  The first post in the series is from Ashley.  Please extend to her a warm SortaCrunchy welcome!

My first inclination when sitting down to write what I want to share about homeschooling was to find some inspirational quote about the beauty of educating children and proceed from there.

Instead I decided to just be real and to the point. :)

I am by no means an expert on the topic. I have been homeschooling my oldest daughter (age 7) for three years, and my second daughter (age 4.5) will be joining in next fall.

My “decision” to home school my children wasn't really a decision . I was home schooled from the age of eight through high school, so for me, homeschooling wasn't a question. It was a given in my mind, like potty-training or French braiding my girls' hair...homeschooling was just the natural thing to do.

As you can probably guess, my experience being home schooled was extremely positive. I enjoyed the flexibility time-wise, and the freedom it gave me to move through the work at my own pace. My parents kept my sisters and I very involved with other kids through a local home school group and also through church activities, so I never felt isolated. I was also able to enroll in classes at the local community college at the age of sixteen, where I completed all of my more advanced math and sciences.

Homeschooling my own children has been a lot of fun, but also very challenging. My oldest daughter's personality is extremely opposite of mine, so I have had to be flexible and learn how to teach her in the way that works best for her. At first we had a lot of hard days, but once I learned what she needed things went better. Now I feel really thankful for the opportunity it's given me to grow and change.

As far as the things that draw me to homeschooling, there are many. The thing I love the most is the ability to cater the curriculum and schedule specifically to the needs of my children. I'm also so blessed that my kids can be taught everything from a biblical perspective.

Another appeal is that I can give my kids one on one instruction every day. My daughter tends to be a bit fidgety and “day-dreamy”, so I feel that at home she's able to retain more because I can help her stay focused.

We also enjoy the fact that all of the “schoolwork” can easily be finished in a couple of hours. We then have the rest of the day for outside activities, cooking and outings with friends.

The family aspect of homeschooling is another plus. Though my oldest is the only one officially “doing school”, everyone gets to be involved, and the younger ones are learning from their big sister, which is fun to see. An added bonus for our family is the ability to plan our days around my husband's work schedule, which does not include weekends off.

For us, homeschooling is just a perfect fit.

However, I don't want to leave the impression that homeschooling my kids is just easy breezy and no big deal. We have our great days where it's lots of fun and everything goes smoothly. But we also have really hard days when everything goes wrong and everybody (including mom) ends up crying at some point.

A”typical” day usually involves one or two discussions about obedience while trying to complete our work. It also usually involves multiple interruptions by younger siblings and a huge mess (thank you two year old) to clean up by the time all our work is finished.

Just like any other decision you make as a parent, I think it requires a lot of prayer and if it's something that God leads you to do, He'll sustain you through it. I know it's not for everyone, but it's a huge blessing in my life.

Ashley blogs about life, faith, and loving her family at One Ordinary Day.