So I decided that I was going to do homeschool shortly before Jim and I were married, partly owing to the experience I had working in a public elementary school, but mostly because I came to know that it was what I needed to do once I had children. When I told Jim that I'd come to a determination about it, he was quite relieved. He had known for a long time that he wanted his children to be educated at home, and he'd known for a short time that he was going to marry me. It worked out that those decisions wouldn't be in conflict. I'm pretty sure that wasn't a coincidence. :)
After I made the decision, other reasons started coming to the front of my mind, and it made more and more sense. I remembered what it was like for me in public school. I was a straight A student. I didn't care one bit about what I was learning, though. I simply played a game where the highest grade earned me praise...and a big head. If I attended my classes, and turned in all the busywork assigned I received good grades. There were plenty of classes that I failed every test, and still came out with an A...because I did the busywork that I learned nothing from. I didn't study and didn't care to. The things I valued in school were social time, sports, music, and praise. I graduated from high school in the top of my class knowing very little about anything, and I was cocky to boot! College was a humbling experience! (That's another post, though.)
As I thought about my experience in school, I also thought about the kids that were around me. Every student was an individual, but I started to see in my mind some distinct groups that most kids fit into one way or other. I was one of the kids who earned good grades without much effort; there were others like me. The most important thing to me, though, was socializing and extra-curricular activities. I was one who became bored with the academic portion of school before I was finished with preschool. (It's a fact. I remember thinking that my preschool teacher was an idiot because she didn't know how to count to 100 or say the ABC's. I distinctly remember being bored in preschool.) Early on, school became anything but an academic endeavor. I think that happens a lot.
On the opposite side of that are kids who get behind at some point and feel discouraged because they never get a chance to catch up, and because they aren't receiving the praise that some of their peers are. In this situation, I wondered what school became for them. I think that school was mostly a social/ extra-curricular opportunity for them as well. At least that's what my observation was, and how I think I would respond in the same situation.
There were undoubtedly a few kids who were learning at the same pace as the classes they were in...or at least some of the classes. For those few, I can't say much, except that I still wonder what school was for them. I met very few students that really seemed to care about academics. Everyone seemed to care about socializing, and a lot cared about sports, music, drama, clubs, etc...
So, what's my point and have I offended anyone? I hope I haven't offended anyone because that certainly isn't my purpose. My point is this: I believe that a lot of kids are learning that school isn't about learning, and that academics are just a chore. Children are naturally curious. When they learn to crawl, they get into everything, taste everything, touch everything, etc... When they learn to talk, they ask hundreds of questions every day. We're going through these stages in my home right now. Then when children enter school, they are excited to learn and they sincerely want to. They love to discover things. It's natural and normal and good. If they are allowed to learn at an appropriate pace and with an approach that inspires them, they will seek to study things more deeply when they are young adults. I sincerely believe this. (More on that later too.)
There is something that happens too often that halts this natural progression, though. I talk to people about this a lot because it's often in the front of my mind, and I've asked many about their experience in school. Most say that there came a time in elementary school when they lost their excitement for learning. Schoolwork became a chore, and they did it just to get it over with. I don't think it has to be that way, though! So, a huge reason I've decided to educate in my home is the hope that my children can love learning. I began to love learning in college and it changed the way I looked at my classes. I actually began to learn something and I felt a real light in my life. I don't want my children to have to wait until college to have that experience.
I'm going to stop here for now. I probably won't write much more on the why I decided to homeschool. I could probably list a dozen reasons, but that isn't my intent.
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