I’m going to put it right out there…I can’t believe I’ve been homeschooling THIS long! No, really. How did it all start, you ask? Well let me tell you!
As a teenager I read a book by Dee Brestin, called the Lifestyles of Christian Women. She recounted the stories of different women in the Christian walk. One of these women was a homeschooler. I knew right there, before children or even marrying my husband that THIS was my calling.
Fast forward to becoming an instant-mom when I married my husband (and his 2 children) in 1995. In 1996 our incredibly bright 5 year old daughter went off to kindergarten. My heart longed for homeschooling but my husband wasn’t convinced.
It only took a few weeks of Alyssa being bored to tears and the school refusing to put her in first grade that he agreed. The first year was a learning process for the both of us and I spent the better part of the next decade figuring out that I didn’t want to re-create school at home…I wanted to HOMEschool.
My 2 oldest have now graduated, from homeschooling. But I am still in the “trenches” with my younger girls. They have it so much easier than the older kids did…my poor guinea pigs. I have learned as much (or more) as my kids, over these years of schooling. It has been a blessing but not always an easy one. 😛
I am lucky that our families have been primarily supportive and I haven’t faced a lot of opposition. I am still surprised that people ask me about socialization…I mean REALLY surprised. But I am not going near that soapbox today!
So you might ask, what does homeschooling look like?
Let me show you!
Normal…but so much better. 😉
This year will be filled with ancient history, reading lessons, math lessons, more drama (on stage I hope), a field trip here and there and countless hours of school in our pjs. I will have a high school junior and a 2nd grader!
Here is a brief overview of some of our curriculum:
Main: Tapestry of Grace (this covers history, geography, bible, literature, composition and worldview/philosophy)
Math: Math U See and Learn Math Fast
Science: Apologia
Foreign Language: Coop Classes
Our new school year starts 8/19!