Evaluating Your Homeschool

When you decide to take on the job of homeschooling it can become very overwhelming. You have state forms to fill and file, opposing opinions to prove wrong and even at times your own opinions to prove wrong.

The overwhelm at times may turn you into a crazy person. Carrying the responsibility of your child’s education on your shoulders. If they do not learn, it is all on you. You are a horrible teacher and a horrible parent.

How do you prove they are learning?

Schools have put in place everything you need to analyze your child’s education. You test, and quiz and all wrong answers are a death sentence to this thing that was supposed to transform education for your child.

These thoughts plague your brain and you undergo extensive research, on the internet of course and read blog posts, articles, and books that prove that you are doing XYZ wrong and ABC is a much better method.

You go and purchase books, games, and curricula that will turn your homeschool around. All these things further overwhelm you, and your wallet.

Trying to reinvent the wheel of school in your home, has made the magic of homeschool fade away. You are stressed, tired and the kids aren’t happy.

Do you remember why you even began homeschooling?

It wasn’t because you wanted to reinvent traditional school in your home. It wasn’t so you can spend every waking moment arguing with your kids over doing workbook pages because that is the only way they are going to learn the topic of the week.

Jane may state that she detests math but she doesn’t mind learning how to sew on the weekend, measuring out material.

Tommy may not be able to read yet but he devours stories that are read to him and loves to create stories of his own with his Lego Duplo guys.

Learning and education do not take place in the traditional 8 hour school day we all have grown accustomed to.

As a new homeschooler or even as a seasoned one you may forget to take into account the conversations you share with your kids about the ducks you saw by the water the other afternoon. Or the meal you taught your children to prepare that evening. Or the movie you watched as a family over the weekend resulting in a discussion about values, geography, setting, plot etc.

Don’t be overwhelmed trying to be like a traditional school. Learning and education are happening every day in all areas of your life. If your kids are not getting it at this moment, they will. The systems and strategies work for the most part and they will still be there. Focus on the passion, incorporate the systems and keep it fun. You will be blown away with everything they learn in a year.