EDUCATIONAL GAPS

There WILL BE gaps in your child’s education if you homeschool.  There will also be gaps in your child’s education if you send them to traditional school.  There is no way around gaps.  Consider what sort of gaps are acceptable as you decide what is best for your children/family. 

If your child attends math in classroom A, he/she will miss some of the concepts being taught in classroom B, and equally if attending classroom H(omeschool).  The gaps that will not be as likely to occur when attending classroom H(omeschool) are the character gaps.  Educational gaps can be easily closed while character gaps take years of diligent careful repair.  One is a matter of a present grade while the other is a matter of our child’s future self.

SOCIALIZATION

socialization : the process by which a human being beginning at infancy acquires the habits, beliefs, and accumulated knowledge of society through education and training for adult status. -from Merriam-Webster on socialization.

segregation : the separation or isolation of a race, class, or ethnic group by enforced or voluntary residence in a restricted area, by barriers to social intercourse, by separate educational facilities, or by other discriminatory means.   -from Merriam-Webster on segregation.

This argument against home education is brilliantly addressed in this quippy comeback  from the one and only brilliant Debbie Moon of Genetic Lifehacks: “Yes, it is true.  Socialization is a problem!  There are SO many opportunities for homeschoolers to socialize with all ages, races, religions, interests, and offerings that it is difficult to protect adequate time for our studies.”

UN-BUBBLE WRAPPED

Bringing our children home for their education does not protect them from the outside world.  The internet brings the universe into our homes and more and more children’s pockets by the megabyte.  We can no longer be assured that our tech free child will not experience porn if he/she is active outside of the home at all, at all.  If there is one other child in your neighborhood with access to a screen, begin talking to your child now.  If you are a parent who feels your child is mature enough to manage the ‘keys to the universe’ be assured that your reasonings are based upon sound research.

The great news is that while we can no longer rest assured that a moment on the playground won’t scar their eyes or hearts, we can rest assured that we will be a part of walking alongside and through whatever trauma befalls them.

TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS

Interestingly most homeschooling mamas feel blessed to be able to ‘reclaim’ their education through learning a page ahead of (teaching) their students.   It is not difficult.  We did this once and survived.  Now we can reclaim our education and model a rich thriving education.

Interestingly the parent-teachers who have the most trouble creating a flexible fluid home school are those educated as certified teachers.  Creating a small public school in your kitchen is a sure fire way to promote misery for all.  That is not to say that some form of structure is not warranted, but consider the difference in a tutoring situation to a classroom of 25 students.  The require vastly different set of rules and methods.

Creating your own systems, settings, and success leads to joyful discovery!

MISSING OUT

SPORTS/FINE ARTS/MUSIC:  Each year there is added growth to what is available to homeschoolers.  In our little area of York County we have homeschool dedicated groups for football, cheerleading, track, cross country, multiple fine arts programs, band, orchestra, choir, and I am certainly missing many smaller groups.  More information

PEER CLASSROOMS: I won’t repeat myself aside from listing that just about every community now has a Classical Conversations campus as well as an ever growing number of academic co ops, classes, and programs.

DANCES/PROM/GRADUATION:  There are groups across the state that offer all of these events with as much glamour and preparation as any traditional school.  Check out your local FB pages, support groups, and smaller groups.  Faithful Scholars was one of the few successful ceremonies of 2020!!  Contact Katie@faithfulscholars.com  to join our ceremony.  This is open to all home school graduating seniors regardless of membership.

ILL PREPARED

I often think of homeschooling a child as choosing to teach him/her how to swim rather than handing him/her over to a team of UN-invested instructors.  Those not familiar with home education jump to the conclusion that our plan/ability is to toss our beloved child into the deep end while we, ourselves, may be barely comfortable in water.

The investment we have in any endeavor involving our children—  What we have to lose should we fail.  The gravity of the decision that assures that we will succeed or we will choose another option.  Failure is not an option.

We can teach ourselves how to swim alongside our child.  Starting out in the shallow end, becoming thoroughly comfortable, mastering each stroke, going further to teach drown proofing, CPR, 1st aide, and concluding the lessons once our child is able to teach another person all that he/she has learned; is able to save another; and is able to bring back to life; …..all with a good and kind attitude of wanting to better the world rather than simply get through our days.

Back To School:  Public schools have more trouble placing children entering from homeschool due to the lack of a paper trail and not due to your ability as a parent to impart the needed academic lessons.  Faithful Scholars helps with this through our ability to create K-12 transcripts, letters of approval and with having built wonderful relationships with our public school systems.  Faithful Scholars’ paperwork makes it easier for children to move between home and traditional settings.  Helpful article by The Homeschool Mom

We help children attend brick/mortar school who have never had a foreign language, studied beyond basic science, advanced into world history, or feel they have a solid basis in maths pročitajte cijeli izvještaj.  Each year we see these children succeed academically because they have been taught HOW to learn rather than WHAT to learn.

College:  The proof that homeschooling, as a whole, is a great success is shown in college acceptance rates across the world.  Homeschoolers excel at college!