Homeschooling is a choice, an educational choice that can turn into a lifestyle choice. We're wrapping up our eighth year of homeschooling this spring. That seems odd to say because it doesn't feel like we're doing anything really different or unusual.
I woke up early enough today to watch the public schooled children get on the bus. I also said a little thank you that I don't have to get Z up this early. We did that for pre-school and Kindergarten, out the door at 7:25 am to get in the car and go to school. It was a struggle almost every day. Is that why we homeschool? So two non-morning people can sleep in and wake up before interacting? No, but it's a nice perk.
This is Speedy joining us for math, see the student? No, he left. See Speedy's enthusiasm for algebra, only slightly less than Z's. Notice the blue thing in the corner of the picture, that's a glass. We allow drinks in the classroom, improves the mood of all, especially Z who has become a habitual grazer for food. Do we homeschool so he can eat and drink and have a cat in the classroom? No, but it's a nice perk.
This is Daytona Grace, aka Gracie. She is attempting to do Z's vocabulary, although I think she is saying something about the lack of being able to hold a pencil. Notice the different glass, and yes, that is Middle Earth behind the dog. Do we homeschool so we can have the dog in class? No, but it's a nice perk.
I have an only, that's the only chance I'll have to homeschool. The dog and cat recreate the sibling experience on a small level. The dog is a toddler, you should see her when Tigger comes home! The cat changes between being an infant and grouchy old man, except he eats paper, which is why he's not allowed in classroom by himself.
So why do we do this homeschool thing?
In fact thinking about high school can make you a little anxiety-ridden, thinking of the four years as a package deal and how to balance each year. High school is full of details, thankfully I love details, even when they make me appear rattled. In high school the place to spread your wings or chase AP and SAT IIs? How many years of each subject do you need? How many years can you safely teach and how many will you outsource? The joy of homeschooling is that it will look different for each student, each family. I like the choices that homeschooling gives us, academically.
Z is studying Latin (not his favorite subject) and Japanese (close to his favorite subject). They don't teach those at the local school. We've spent all year in Middle Earth (we're up to the Siege of Gondor). I love that we can experience Tolkien together and spend twenty minutes, as we did yesterday, discussing the literary qualities of the phrase, "The very air seemed brown...". Earlier this year we spent more time discussing the difference between "You cannot pass" and "You shall not pass".
Is homeschooling all roses and butterflies? No. It's not all joyous Amazon boxes arriving and joyful children anticipating the wisdom you'll share today. Homeschooling is hard work. It's a job without outside accolade, because frankly most people who don't homeschool don't know what you do all day. After this many years I've found that homeschooling is just an extension of our family, part of who we are, but not all of who we are, if that makes sense. Homeschooling is a lot like parenting, it looks different in each family.
At the end of it all, which is creeping closer, Z will have a transcript, an ACT score, a grade point average, and four years of quality academics that reflect who he is. Our homeschooling journey will end, and I already have plans to turn the classroom into a writing retreat for me. I'm in no hurry to do that however, we have a lot of the journey left.
