Homeschooling, I'm thinking it's the great equalizer: No one feels completely adequate teaching our own kids. even when we...do. ?
Yeah, I know. That doesn't really make sense. But trust me, it's as confusing of a feeling as it is a concept to try and explain out loud. *wry grin*
The weeks are flying by, as are the pages of Charis's curriculum books. She's learning things left and right. Concepts that I didn't even realize were being taught this early on.
Let's take Math for instance, shall we?
We've done (per her 2nd grade math book) fractions, measurements, congruent shapes, parallel line segments, intersecting, expanded notation, vertices and angles, estimating, parallelograms, probability, isosceles, ...Um? I'm sorry. DO WHAT???
Honestly, I've been thinking What the Heck? for a while now, even though she's been excelling at it all. I reeeeaally don't remember studying this stuff when I was 6 and 7. AT ALL.
The whole point of homeschooling is NOT to have a 12 year old college grad, right? Doogie Houser never really impressed me anyhow. ;)
I don't want a child who whipped through grade levels at a rapid rate just to get through it, you know? Because really, is that more for the child's benefit or the parent's pride?
Charis doing her school work. Such intensity, eh?So why do I homeschool at this point in time? I'm so glad you asked.
- I want my girls to LOOOVVVVEEE learning.
- to know who they are before I send them to a place where others will tell them who they are.
- to have a really solid educational foundation that doesn't revolve around going at the pace for the "average" kid in the class.
Yeah, there are more reasons. But the thing that really struck me last week was "HELLO, Christin! You CAN tailor her education to fit us, as a family...to fit her, as an individual.
going as slow (or fast) as I want. or as they need.
I grew up in the public school system, in classrooms that were dictated by bells and tests and schedules and the graded curve. So it's been a bit hard to shake free from certain mindsets of classroom learning.
Especially since I happen to like "to do lists" and plans and going with those amazing workbooks that math professors, who are obviously much more knowledgeable than little ol' me, put together for 2nd graders everywhere.
*rolling my eyes at myself*
So when we were getting ready to study polygons (something I'm pretty sure I studied in high school! Maybe what was considered Advanced back-in-the-day is now though to be Remedial???) I experienced a mental
Causing me to come to my senses, taking control out of those invisible math profs' hands and putting them back into the realm of Reality.
No more geometry. calculus. and whatever else they're throwing at my new 2nd grader.
For the next month, I'll be focusing our math studies on drilling Charis (and Selah by "default") in addition and subtraction, to the point that they don't hesitate when it comes to answering those types of equations. So that those math problems...the ones they'll be using for the rest of forever... become etched into their natural way of thinking.
I want to give them ample time to become strong in the basics before moving up the other "rungs of the math ladder." Makes sense to me. *shrug* But what do I know? I possess no Math PhD. ;)
Then a couple of weeks from now, we'll be starting multiplication. And remaining there for at least a month or two. with no other focus.
Again, to become *proficient* in something that she'll be using for the rest of her life.
As homeschooling parents, we have so much thrown at us. Myriads of options, opportunities, and opinions. And at times, it gets a bit overwhelming to try and wade through it all.
*insert wild woman pulling out her hair and screaming, sending children everywhere running in terrified zig-zag directions*
There are moments when we, as the Teacher, just need to come back to the basics ourselves. Stepping away from the Mainstream Homeschooling Movement to focus on the the real reasons why we started homeschooling in the first place.
And this is where I find myself as I place her Math textbook back on the shelf to collect some dust for a while.
I'm reacquainting myself with Common Sense and slowing down. I may have to do this in other arenas? I don't know yet.
But it all comes down to this concept: I want to create DEEP wells of understanding and wisdom in the lives of my daughters. Not shallow waters that run from one pole to the other.
Because honestly? I know the WAY I teach them is as important as WHAT I teach them. that they'll come to understand how to dig into the depths of Life... as I teach them how to dig into the depths of learning/school.
I see no way around that. at least from where I'm standing.
And so I retire my piddly shovel. making use of the backhoe that's been waiting for me on the sidelines.
God help me to dig deeper wells (starting immediately with school). because I've become rather accustomed to my shovel. sadly, in more arenas than not.
