Thought on Homeschooling

This is my entry to win a camera in the "Capture the Educational Moment" Contest sponsored by Spunky and Academic Superstore.

To me, homeschooling is not about a technique, but about an outcome (and no, this doesn't have anything to do with what is popularly known as outcome based "education"). The fact that we school at a table that has taken over our dining room is not inherently more virtuous than a classroom. By homeschooling we have the freedom to teach our children what's really important in a way that best reaches each individual child. Yesterday, my 2 year old said "Daddy?". I asked her what she wanted. She said, "I love you." What a wonderful moment. And what parent wouldn't like to keep moments like that alive. But we are keeping those moments alive, because my 10 year old daughter said the exact same thing last night. She had some problems and she came to me and we talked them out and she told me she loved me. I'm thankful that I have less competition from her peers (I'm glad she has peers, but I don't want my child getting all her sympathy and understanding from her peers. I want a lot of that to come from me.). And I'm thankful I'm not in competition with a teacher (who believes who knows what) in an attempt to define what is true and meaningful. And I'm glad I have control over the curriculum and make sure my children get lots of reading time with good books, and with introductions to logical thinking, etc. Lots of prayer is required, but we are seeing an outcome we want in our children's lives.