Education of our children is a major concern of parents. We are our children’s first and primary teachers and have the responsibility before God to give our children the education they need to grow into good Catholics and good citizens. This weighs heavily on me every fall as I look at the new curriculum I have chosen and ask myself if I chose rightly. Home School is ever-evolving and I with it.

I have a teaching degree and classroom experience, but I have home schooled far more years than I ever spent teaching anywhere. I love it, the challenge and the freedom. As a teacher, the freedom to make every decision for my school is intoxicating. The huge museum in a nearby city is having a special exhibit? Pull out the planner, write in the day you will take the kids and go, then start preparing them with books at their level, and email the homeschool list the date you are going in case others would like to join you.

Home School is rarely done alone. We network, talking in person and through the computer, encouraging each other. I worry about the slow reader and my experienced homeschooler friends share stories about their own slow readers and how well they have turned out. One points out that you don’t have to enroll in the school system to request an evaluation for learning problems. Another shares the name of the private specialist they paid to test their son.  Home Schooling families work to help each other succeed.

This year we will be participating at the Community HomeSchool Center, and I have enrolled my older two in classes that I think will be good for them. I feel we need more community support than we had last year. The CHC is community. They exist to support parents and to provide services, like classes for children with special needs, and hands on science exploration. Two will be signed up for the hands on science which will save me having to collect the supplies for experiments and will supplement what we do at home. The younger will be taking a child oriented cooking class, while the older will be taking a supplemental class in math concepts and reading skills.

I’m still looking at co-ops.

I think we are going to have a very good year.

Dear Lord, Thank You for all the dedicated teachers in public and private schools, and thank You for all the parents who home school. Please bless ALL the teachers and their students. +Amen.