Friday, June 6, 2008

Homeschool Friday

I wanted to share how I was introduced to homeschooling. I think how you are introduced to it has a great impression on how you receive it.

I was in Amway. You know, the cleaning products. Well in Amway they have these HUGE arena filled regional meetings. There, people who have achieved success in the business give speeches about how wonderful their life is because of Amway.

Well a few of them were millionaires and talked about how they hired a teacher to homeschool their children. They talked about how they traveled and had leisurely days.

That stayed with me. I wanted to have a business that I could work from home and give my children the best possible education and have them spend quality time with us learning how to be good people from us.

When my husband I reconnected and shared our dreams, homeschooling was one of his too. He had taught in a high school (math and carpentry) and community college and knew he didn’t want that for his children.

I want to use tutors as needed or afforded. We interact with other homeschoolers weekly (Black and non-Black) and my children will all be in an after school program in “the hood” to round out their balanced socialization experience.

By no means is this meant to condemn those who send their children to school. This is why I wanted to homeschool my children.

This is what I call “parenting on purpose”. Each of us must ask ourselves WHY we do anything. Do you send your children to school so that you can work and provide? Do you send them to a Christian school to learn your religious values? Do you keep them at home because they have a disability? Whatever your reason, DO IT ON PURPOSE. (You know “on purpose” is like “supposed to”, a term I/Black folks use that is not grammatically correct).

Why do you use the educational method you do for your children?

5 comments:

Don said...

well, sister p, i think my children were part of the routine educational programs because it was looked @ as being the 'thing to do.'

they were in afterschool program due to our inability to pick them up @ 2:15.

they were in summer camp, cause i wanted them to learn how to socialize and meet new friends. that, and enjoy life.

Sister P said...

Thanks for sharing Don.

What I failed to mention was that if I lived in Chicago, and had the money, our daughter would most likely go to Muhammad University of Islam which is K-10. But I'm glad we had this in our heads before moving here so it wasn't a big shock when we found substandard educational opportunities here in Central Kentucky.

Unknown said...

its funny
our children chose it. i kid you not. they said they wanted to go to school.

I enjoy that. we are very active in their schools and we enjoy having a tremendous say in their education.

plus it is great role modeling for other children.

but the younguns wanted to

Sister P said...

@Omi--I wonder if my daughter will want to go to school. We plan on putting her in afterschool programs. I hope she won't feel like she's "missing" something.

p.s. I got busy but I'll call you this week!

Itiel said...

If children are in school, they will feel like they are missing something. If they are at home, they will feel like they are missing something. That is why there has to be a balance no matter what you choose for your children.

I knew I would home school when I was 17 years old. No marriage insight no children either. I was in school and I knew a family that was home schooling. I loved it. When I met my husband (age 20, married at 21, now 13 years strong), I told him my desire. We ended up intermingling with two families (black) that home-schooled, and he saw the benefits. I home school, because it gives my children the freedom to learn. They are well rounded and active in several things with non home schooled children.