Homeschooling
We heard such positive things about our August Back to School issue that we wanted to share the article from ParentLife's former Editor in Chief Joy Emery for any of you who missed it. We thought it might encourage those of you who are homeschooling to see Joy's story.
We had no problems with our public school. What led us to consider the homeschool option was our family’s unique situation. While we live in Tennessee, Chris works with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) which is located in Alpharetta, Georgia. He is a regional team leader for the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. Because much of his work involves travel to his assigned states, along with a week on-site in Atlanta each month, we decided to pray about whether or not to venture into the homeschool arena in order to travel with him.
Considering Each Child’s Needs
When making any family decision, consider how each person may be impacted. Our three children vary in need and personality. Our oldest, 12-year-old Jackson, is a high achiever and people pleaser. He pushes himself and aims high. Kristen, our 11-year-old, is an average student who enjoys the social part of school. She is our practical child — the one who is best at problem solving and organization. Our 7-year-old is Brandon — our ball of energy. He is very bright and loves sports, drama, and the outdoors. He is a confident child and is not scared of new adventures.
When considering our children’s needs, there was one in particular who seemed to be best-suited for the homeschool environment. Kristen had always struggled with reading and comprehension as well as in mastering math concepts. I always had wondered if she might find greater success with a homeschool program. Jackson was at a transition time into middle school. It would be a year of transition for him regardless of whether we homeschooled or not. Brandon would lack the daily social contact with peers but would continue to have that interaction at church.
Gathering Information
To make the decision to homeschool, we had to gather information. One of our most useful resources came through conversations with experienced homeschool families. We learned that each family has to find what fits the family and that what fits one child might not fit the others.
Conversations with homeschool families helped us better evaluate our options and gave us direction. We also gained the confidence that we could be successful in homeschooling our children.
Homeschool Support
We made our decision to homeschool and enrolled with an umbrella school which keeps our school records, serves as our parent/teacher advisor, and operates as a testing facility to measure the children’s progress. The umbrella school also coordinates events and field trips for the children to meet other homeschoolers.
School at Home and on the Road
We have enjoyed many different on-the-road learning experiences. My contribution as the primary teacher of three varied students means a lot of preparation on my part, but I truly believe that my children are getting a well-rounded and personal education plan as we learn together at home and on the road. We are thankful we listened when God began to lead us in this direction. It makes each day a new adventure and broadens each child’s life experiences in a way a typical classroom never could.
To view the entire article, download this pdf document: My Homeschool Story.pdf
