Me? Home school? But I’m not certified!

Neither was Thomas Edison’s mom. But she did a decent job of it!

Certification means that you have gone to college to take some education classes that you can’t recall anymore. When I have asked other teachers what classes we had that prepared us for teaching, there is an inevitable silence. Answers range from zero to one.

You haven’t missed out on vital information, believe me. Teaching ability comes with experience, not from textbooks.

You’ve taught public school for 16 years. Why are you advising families to home school?

I have been blessed to teach in top notch schools during my career. Even with dedicated colleagues and administrators, the public school can’t deliver through mass teaching what one mom can accomplish at home with her child.

The best teaching practices and brain strategies can’t be effectively implemented in an atmosphere of constant disruption and poor behavior.

But beyond all the educational concerns lies the most important reason of all. Memories.

In 16 years you teach a lot of children. Hundreds – especially if you team taught with another teacher. As much as I have loved my classes and individual students, I have few vivid memories of them. There’s a general feeling about a child – oh, he was so sweet. Yikes –I can’t believe we survived a year with her –that sort of thing, but few strong, individual memories.

One of the most troubling moments of my career was when I met a student I had had in class about 7 years prior. I honestly had no recollection of her at all. I couldn’t place her. That really worried me.

Recently I attended the visitation of a child who had gone to our school - he died after a heroic battle with cancer. This young man was an inspiration to everyone he met –dying, but having more life than most people you’d ever know.
As a result of his illness, for many years he had to have schooling at home via tutors. He learned in his home with his parents nearby.

I can guarantee you that today his parents do not regret having those extra moments with him. Moments when otherwise he’d be in a public school classroom for the best part of his day. Now they have many more memories of their dear son than they would have had. And memories are more important than can be expressed when the face of a loved one can no longer be touched.

So I think, why would you want to send your child for the best seven hours of his day to make memories with someone who ten years from now won’t even remember? Why, when you could be making and building a storehouse of those memories for yourself?

None of us know how long we have. Why not make the best of every moment?


How can I make sure I am keeping up with the public school curriculum-wise?
Just because it’s being covered in the public school doesn’t mean it’s being learned. At a recent education seminar the presenter gave a quote I found fascinating and startling. She stated that one third of the children in your typical classroom will understand the information presented. One third will not understand at all, and the other third will not understand in the amount of time allotted.

Now that’s scary!

Part of the reason is that teachers can’t spend much individual time with students and teach all that is expected of them. Some writers assert that in an average year the amount of focused individual attention a child gets is less than one hour. Less than 60 minutes in nine months. And even then it can’t be 100% focused on one child –not when you’re responsible for 25 more!

Also, we’re not trying to re-create the public school inside our households. Home schooling should be very different so that real learning takes place daily. You don’t need seven hours of instruction.

A loving, literate mom can offer her child more in a one or two hours a day than a child can get in a seven hour public school day. No certification required.


Where do I begin?
First I would recommend reading some specific home schooling books to get a feel for what other parents have experienced.

Then look at the requirements for your state. You may need to keep records of your day. In Kentucky families have to home school 185 days. So I’d make sure I had the appropriate amount of days in my notebook. For the first year you may want to walk through a more traditional curriculum to get a feel of things. Just a reminder that some of these curricula are synonymous with BORING. Let your goal be to facilitate a love for learning in your child. This means games, fun, exploration, real-life experiences, and hands-on projects.



How do I go about keeping records?
Your record keeping doesn’t need to be fancy. A spiral notebook will be fine. Write the date, activities completed, and learning accomplished. An example follows.

Jan. 3
-baked cookies –discussed fractions and measurements

-read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe chapter 5
talked about Aslan’s character and main idea of the chapter

-independent reading time
-finished poster of Solar System

-looked at a photo album from Mr. and Mrs. Blakeman’s trip to Japan. Mrs. Blakeman told us about the shrines there.

Gina and Trevor are building a “replica” of the Eiffel Tower with toothpicks and gumdrops. (talked about geometric shapes, ------‘s life and interest in architecture)

Just try different methods of record keeping until you find something that works for you. Everyone is different. One friend of mine buys a green teacher’s planner at the parent/teacher store nearby and uses that. Another friend uses clipboards for each child and has one for herself. Just make sure you do keep records. It’s written documentation that may be needed if your state requirements change.


What do you mean by “real life experiences”?
These are activities that are regularly done by people …
– cooking, cleaning, inventing, discussing, decision making, voting, building, shopping, figuring how many --- will be needed at the party, making money, etc. Children love to participate in these types of experiences. They feel grown up, needed, and valued.


Can I just take my child out of public school?
Read about your state’s requirements when it comes to home schooling. Home Schooling is our legal right. In Kentucky we have to write a letter to the superintendent stating that we are home schooling two weeks before school starts. That’s it.


I’m a single mom. How can I home school?
Focus on Christ and His provision. Ask your babysitter to help by teaching some of the activities. Follow up at home with discussion of learning. Utilize the Body of Christ as a help. Many retired folks would love sharing experiences and teaching a child.

It will require support from friends and family. Perhaps the majority of your “instructing” will occur on the weekends.
Investigate options for working from your home. It will be a challenge, but if God says “Do it,” He will make a way!


We live in a small house. Where do I find space to house all the school stuff?
The best resources are those you can find. How many times I’ve opened a cabinet and thought, “Gee, I wish I’d known I had that when I taught about the Western region last month!”
So more doesn’t always translate “best”. Check out resources that you don’t need to “store” in our Free Resources Section.


My extended family members think I’m crazy for wanting to home school. How can I help them understand?
I find many people with “set-in-stone” conclusions about why schooling at home will or won’t work. Some folks who have never read a home schooling book or talked to a home schooled child will argue and debate the negatives of schooling at home.

As one friend said, “Sometimes it’s best to show by example than to argue back.”

Also, only God can change someone’s heart. Pray for wisdom for you and the family member.