I don't like stereotypes, and I definitely don't like being put in a box. So it is very hard for me to say that I am a homeschool mom, because I'm not "that sort" of homeschool mom (nevermind what "that sort" is).
I had not planned on homeschooling my children. I didn't have any problem with homeschooling; I was homeschooled, my husband was homeschooled, I went to a college where pretty much everyone had been homeschooled. But I thought it would be too difficult to be a mom and teacher at the same time. After teaching other people's kids, I became even more sure that homeschooling was not for me. When I had to teach my own children to eat, sleep, use the bathroom, pick up their toys, etc. etc. etc., I thought homeschooling would be impossible.
So we sent our kids to a private Christian school (another stereotype, another time). They were in Kindergarten and Second Grade when Covid-19 rocked the world. When we all got sent home to finish the school year, I got to see what it would be like to have all of us home all the time. And, it actually was good. Really good. So good that we've never stopped. However, I was also teaching a literature class online for their school, and doing some community building activities such as ICS-TV. All of it was a great experience, but all of it was too much.
At the end of that school year, I realized that online education was not working for my kids. Since no one was sure whether or not school would open in person in the fall, homeschooling seemed to be a necessity. However, I realized that I could not run an online classroom and homeschool my own children. So I stepped down from my position at the school and began researching homeschool materials.
My cousin was also planning on homeschooling and she was way ahead of me in researching. I piggy-backed on all the information she shared with me and chose my curriculum. Our first year was rough. I am a teacher by training and personality so I tried to run our homeschool as I would run a classroom. But my children needed a mom first, then a teacher. As I mentioned before, we adapted, and it became a really good thing for us all. 
The next year I switched up curriculum, we moved, and things went much better. I tutored a friend's kids in literature and edited their writing. The next year, the boys increased in their independence and responsibility, which allowed us to participate in a play, and I was able to teach two literature classes. Unfortunately, I was beginning to notice pretty large gaps in their understanding. So this year, I switched up curriculum and routines again, and we'll see how it goes.
Each year, we ask the boys if they want to go back to "normal school," but they emphatically prefer homeschooling. Every year it has gotten easier to say, "Yeah, we homeschool," and the support from our community has grown. Life and school run together and the line between learning and playing has become "Mom-directed" vs. "Independent." I don't wear a denim jumper, but I do teach in my PJ's from time to time. I like living on our own schedule and doing things at our own speed. I have even come to enjoy logging days and activities. I do lesson plans, just like I plan menus. I still think of myself as an educator or a Teacher, even as I morph into Mom without quite so much effort.
Maybe someday I'll be able to say with confidence, "I'm a Homeschool Mom."
No comments:
Post a Comment