Teacher Notes

I’m not entirely sure what to write this week about our school.  Things did not go as planned.  I feel as though I should proclaim the week a success or a failure, and that may depend on whose plans were fulfilled, and whose plans were foiled.  Did my kids learn stuff?  Lots!  I should probably be satisfied with that.

The big success to the week was a trip to the library.  I have the kids pick from a list of categories (science, crafts, geography, poetry, etc) and they love picking out their own books as well.  What saved this week is when my plan failed, my kids read tons and tons of library books, and did an oral report on each one.  (We’re talking 50+ books here…they did a TON of reading.  They were aching to read all their new books and I just let them because it was easy.)  Silje studied bald eagles and multiple cook books (specifically historically based cook books that she discovered at the library) and David got new chess strategy books.  Silje read tough books to David, and David read tough books to Elias.  They all had a ball.

They were really very good, so I tried not to let my stress level rise when my spreadsheet plan fell by the wayside.  I really, really want to get back on it.

Thursday night I had my monthly “Mom’s Night Out” with our homeschool group.  The discussion topic for the night was character development in our children.  They opened with something about how most days we probably feel like we’re spending most of our time on our child’s character, not math.  It rang so true, and it really was a necessary reminder that “school” for a parent must have a broader meaning than that of a traditional teacher.  If my only job was to teach my kids character, then I could say we worked on it every minute of every day this last week.  Actually, it made me feel much better.

It was also nice to know that I wasn’t the only one struggling with this school year.  Either everyone was nodding to what I had to say, or I was nodding to what they were saying, knowing exactly what they were talking about.  It takes away so much loneliness and discouragement to know that these struggles are part of the journey… all of our journeys.  I’m not the only one who isn’t perfect, or struggles to attain the standards I set for myself.

If I were to name the successes of this week, it would be that we have climbed some big attitude mountains.  We got over the hump.  My kids are still complaining, but I feel for the older 2, they are at least listening, and the screaming has become minimal.  We have overcome some big trust issues, and we’ve gotten through some responsibility lessons.  Most academic subjects were covered, but we never got to memory work, or Latin, and we only did about half of our Native American study.  We’re also a bit behind on David’s grammar lessons, but we have been on top of his reading and phonics.

I’m still eager for some rhythm to our day, although it’s gradually improving.  In talking with some other homeschooling moms last night who are also farmer’s wives, I learned that we started our school year about the worst time possible.  We started the same week of harvest.  Add to that, we started right when I had a big publishing project due.  It would have been wiser had I started a few weeks earlier or later.  I’m hoping to apply that lesson to future years.

A relative called me this week for some homeschooling advice as this is her first year.  She called me “seasoned” and “experienced” and I had to laugh.  I literally told her, “Do you have any idea how many times I thought of quitting this week?”  I don’t mean to sound deep in discouragement because I’m not.  It’s just hard.

On a side note, if you don’t homeschool, or if you never intend to homeschool, etc., there are a few things that you should never tell a homeschooling mom.

The big one for me is: “I’m not patient enough to homeschool.”

First, I didn’t ask why you didn’t homeschool. There is no need to give me excuses because you just don’t answer to me.  Second, there is no way I’m patient enough to homeschool either.  Patience is not my virtue.  However, God is working on me.  Why?  Because he called me to do this.  I saw on facebook this week a little plaque that said: “Sometimes the hard thing, and the right thing are the same thing.”

I don’t choose hard things because I like it.  I choose it because it’s what God has called me to do.  For that reason, there is joy. 

Our homeschool isn’t a success because I’m just supermom.  It’s a success literally by God’s grace.  Any other reason is insanity.  However, knowing that, and leaning on that, deflates the frustration from the hard things.  Hard things simply are hard. 

My heart has not been anxious this week.  God has walked with me every moment of every day, and I’m not sure how many times in my life I can say that I have felt Him right there next to me, guiding my next words.

It is hard.  It has also been so good.