Why Homeschool?

  The Mother's heart is the Child's Schoolroom

- Henry Ward Beecher

When asked "why" we homeschool, a flood of reasons come to heart and they have been shaped over time through a conviction and the experience of graduating 3 of our 5 children.  It's a tugging on our  hearts and hard to summarize into a simple explanation, but I will attempt to put this feeling into words.

Why Homeschool?

Because . . .

1.   We felt a "need" to homeschool - 

This didn't come easily to us.  We had a child in school and the struggle  was real.  She didn't fit the mold of the classroom dynamics.  She was  gifted, bored, and sadly we watched a child hate the learning process.  Books were no longer exciting adventures, but tormented homework.   Playtime was lost. Over time, this "need" to homeschool has grown into a conviction.  We believe that it is our responsibility as parents to  educate beyond just reading, writing, and arithmetic.  There is the  heart that needs faith, hope, love, and grace.

2.  Our children teach us, too!

It's an amazing concept, but they have the ability to share life through the eyes of a child.  A child-like faith,  is part of the amazing gift they show us each day and backed by Scripture.

"...unless you change and

 become like little children,

you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven." 

Matthew 18:3

I'm trying to see the world like a child.  It is life-changing when we slow down to see all the sweet lessons of life unfolding through our children.  Days may seem long, but the years go by all too quickly.  Hold them close and treasure their presence.

Time spent together is priceless!

3.  Applying what is taught is vital to remember and use it.

There is no point in learning something if you don't know how to apply it.   While memorization is a excellent tool, the ability to learn how to learn and use what you learn are things I value more than the rote ability to quote something. 

See it, hear it, smell it, touch it, taste it! 

 

Apply the lessons and retention becomes beautifully natural.

4.  The world is our classroom.

School gets labeled as basically the only place of learning that is supposed to be - suggesting that a specific age is grouped together and that learning  only takes place in this structured environment with desks and chairs  and teacher up front.  I believe that learning takes place everywhere,  all the time.  Opening the heart and mind to a love of learning brings  wisdom beyond what can be taught in a building.  Learning can take place on a nature walk, visiting a neighbor,  snuggled under a blanket  reading books, in the kitchen measuring out ingredients, listening to a  grandparent's history, or just having a conversation together over  tea.  Children should also be taught how to learn and not just told  what to learn.  They are naturally curious and will often learn more if we step back a little and allow this curiosity to grow.  

Wander beyond the school building and let them step out and explore!

"An observant child should be put in the way of things worth observing."  ~Charlotte Mason

5.  It is our responsibility.

Over the years there is a lot of conflict among materials taught in school  that inherently are contradicting our beliefs.  For us, a concept  such as creation vs. evolution was just one area, but this is  actually minor in the whole scope of morals/lifestyles, and oftentimes  the outside influences presented by teachers and/or peers are with the  absence of any faith.  Our purpose in life is completely stripped  without the Biblical Truths.  Something that was once important in  founding the educational system and recited daily in pledge as "one nation under God" is sadly gone.  Non-existent and heartbreaking. We personally feel  that we are held accountable in raising our children.  How could we  send them away for the majority of hours a day and give up this responsibility and not  know exactly what is being taught to mold their young impressionable  minds, let alone the greater burden of their precious hearts.  We can't in our current educational system.

6.  Learning is not rushed.

The knowledge that comes from slowing down and mastering a concept is  undeniably important.  Home Education gives us the time we need to  assure that our child has a true understanding behind the lessons.  We can slow down when needed and work on a area that is a struggle or get unexpectedly lost in a really good book reading for hours together and taking a beautiful rabbit trail* of learning.

*rabbit trail - a spontaneous journey of exploration and discovery!

My favorite moments!

7.  We want to instill a love to keep learning!

Learning shouldn't stop just because a diploma is issued.  It should continue  and with a burning desire to learn more because one wants to learn more.  Our world is constantly growing and changing and we need to embrace the change by learning new things.  Cultivate that learning process.  Love it and don't lose it!  Embrace creativity and imagination.  Enable them to dream, so that they will share it with others - especially, the precious gift of life.

Instill a love of learning!

We call all of this . . .

HeartSchooling

My heart wants to guide my children in the ways of the Lord. It’s the place I silently whisper my prayers and seek advice to stay focused. My  heart is filled with love, creative juices, and gentle learning. I  store the Scriptures deep within the crevices and hope they pump  outwardly in every action as an example for my children to see.

My heart is their schoolroom.

We call our schooling method “HeartSchooling“.

What is HeartSchooling?

In the words of our dearly loved and greatly missed Missey Gray*:

It is more than just “schooling” — more than imparting academic knowledge to our children. It is so much more.

In all our homeschooling efforts, let us not forget our children’s  hearts. Let us tie many heart-strings — the more the better — through  daily interaction, creating special memories, binding our children to us through love and caring. And let us not forget to guide their hearts toward the Lord, to set their hearts and minds on things above.

The academics are important, but the heart-set is even more so. That’s  why I like to say that we are “HeartSchooling” — it puts my focus back where it ought to be and helps me keep my priorities straight.

I hope you will come to enjoy my little blog. I will post more as I can. 

 Keep loving on your little people!

*Unfortunately HomeschoolBlogger took down their site and Missey's words are gone in writing, but have been etched upon my heart forever.  I'm glad that I took note of this to remember.

Missey Gray was a dearly loved homeschooling mama that passed away unexpectedly after giving birth to her 5th child.  Sadly some amniotic fluid got into Missey's bloodstream and caused a blot clot.  She left behind a husband and 5 young children, one of which was her newborn baby.

-xo I'm loving on my little people!