The Right Way

The Right Way?

Reader Question - "I so much want to homeschool my children the right way, only I don’t know what the right way is. My friend says “it is this way” and the teacher at church says “it’s another way” and my parents say “don’t do it at all.” My self-confidence is waning. I’ve been homeschooling for three years now and can’t seem to work through the feeling that I’m not doing this the “right way.” I burn out very quickly and so do my children on a schedule that requires formal studies and lectures. I don’t even know what grade level they are in. As to a schedule, we don’t have one. If I were to ask my children 'Do you enjoy school?' Their answer would be a definite 'NO!' Please HELP."

My heart goes out to you in your worries. There have been times past when I wondered myself if I was doing things right. Usually my doubts come in the form of “Am I doing enough?” I’ve talked to many mothers who have the same doubts you’ve expressed, some of them homeschool leaders and credentialed teachers. So it seems to be a universal question within mothers. Sort of an inner fear “What if I don’t do this right?”

I have a hard time with the glossy homeschooling magazines that constantly present us with stories of perfect children with perfect parents in perfect homes using the perfect curriculum. Just the fact that their story is printed and yours or mine isn’t somehow seems to separate us and make us feel different, like we’re not doing it right. The majority of us have normal children, special to us, but normal everyday children with strong points, weak areas, and a myriad of God-given talents. Most of us will never have children like those we read about and come to think of it, aren’t you happy for that?

First of all, there is no “right” way to homeschool. There is the world’s method and there is God’s way. God’s way is outlined in the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy. Our job is to find God’s way. It won’t be the way I homeschool, the way your support group leader or credentialed friend would do it, but that’s O.K., it’s the way God has shown you.

After reading Education by Ellen G. White many years ago, my philosophy of education made a complete turn around. Read it for yourself and see if yours doesn’t also. Give the things that worry you to God and ask Him for direction in those areas.

Be sure to consider your child’s maturity level. Children aren’t ready for structured schooling until ten or twelve years of age. If you’ve already stressed out your child, stop and evaluate what your child needs to know, how he learns best and how you can teach it best. Then devise a plan to meet these criteria.

It’s best not to place your child into any grade level. Grade levels and objects were designed to make organization of schools easier. Many of us find our children in third grade spelling, fifth grade reading and fourth grade math etc. and that is just fine. Let your children tell their friends the grade level corresponding with their age mates.

As for your schedule, begin everyday with worship or Bible study either before or after breakfast. Then spend time together on household chores that are necessary to prepare for the day. Work with your children first on the basics and drills. Then allow them to work on individual studies or projects or hobbies. Reading aloud together is a great way to cover many topics while teaching valuable lessons at the same time. Have your older children work with and read to the younger ones. Work with your children in the kitchen, garden or workshop. There is no need to spend eight hours a day in school, consider yourself a guide, not a task master. Always be available to answer questions and help your children in anyway they need it, but they can do a lot of learning on their own (unless they are watching TV all day). Children are always learning, and if you were to add up the time each day you’d be more than surprised at how the learning adds up. Divide up the day into three parts, study, work and play, think of it as freedom to learn within structure.

Use learning projects to work your way through history starting with Columbus, ships, Pilgrims, Indians, Revolutionary War, Civil War, Immigrants, your family Genealogy and countries of origin and all the events you choose to the present time.

For science, the Pathfinder and Adventure honors make excellent learning projects, and the outline is already written out for you! The honors and badges include art, writing, memorization, collections, research and observation. Science can also be studied through family health habits, the ten laws of health, domestic science, cooking, household arts, household repairs, and automobile maintenance. Time outdoors in the fresh air doing chores, physical education and even building forts is essential each day. It will also help your spirits to take a walk each day.

Be sure your method of homeschooling allows your children to learn from the things they are really interested in. By using their interests in RC cars, Legos, Animals – cats, dogs, hamsters, fish etc., cooking, sewing, auto mechanics, or whatever, to study writing, spelling, reading and math they will learn so much more, and it will be knowledge that sticks with them.

If we teach our children to--communicate effectively, to read, to write and speak clearly and correctly, how to find information, how to study, and most of all to have a relationship with God--we have given them the best of all education. Remember “True Education finds it’s center in Christ.” Education, page 83. ~Judy

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