You don't homeschool alone. I know it can feel that way. Even if your other half does some reading at bedtime, it sure can seem like you're running this ship all by your lonesome. For those of you without the present support of a spouse, I'm certain the isolation can be overwhelming.
But remember: You're homeschooling with your children. Homeschooling isn't a solo gig. It's you and your kids working together.
A recent blog post about how school leadership affects student performance got me thinking about management and us homeschoolers.
Many of my kids -- high school and college-aged people I'm blessed to know -- tell me about their jobs. When management rocks, they are on cloud nine. When management is a rock pulling them to the depths of despair, they hate going to work. Little wonder. Management has such a profound impact on morale that entire comic strips, like Dilbert, are dedicated to the office worker's plight.
So if bad principals, teachers, and managers can all severely detract from our ability to thrive, what does that tell us about homeschooling?
You and I already know this.
But the fear, dark and foreboding, looms in the shadows: What if I'm a bad teacher, leader, parent? Doesn't this mean that I'm the one to blame if my children fail? Are my children doomed?
No. Your children will turn out fine. With Sonlight, you and your kids are guaranteed to love learning together. As Judy recently mentioned, your children can learn from you. You can homeschool successfully. And there are tremendous benefits to homeschooling, including being there to know what your kids are going through.
But, yes, like getting married and having kids, homeschooling does provide one more mirror in which you can see yourself. Your growth areas will be evident. But so will your strengths!
Your children have strengths and weaknesses as well. I really appreciated the comment about how the culture of the school is even more important for the quality of the school. If you create a homeschool experience where you can learn and grow yourself, your children will do the same. And as you work together, as a team, you can all do far better than trying to do things alone. It's like the sports analogy: This is a team event; by working together you can achieve more than your natural abilities would theoretically allow.
Part of a Team
Your children will discover a love of learning that builds upon their natural desire to learn. You will get better at teaching and recognizing their needs. This is not a solo gig. You're there, learning right alongside your children. That is the secret to teaching subjects you don't know. Keep working together in your culture that embraces learning. You're doing great!
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian
P.S. Need some encouragement? Have some questions? Swing by the Sonlight Forums or chat with an Advisor. There's always room for improvement ... just one more lesson we all know from our life-long learning adventure.
P.P.S. I really like the idea of school as a team sport. You each have your role to play, your position to fill, your event to tackle. But you don't do any of it alone.
