Every single certified teacher in America at least, has written a philosophy of education paper. This means that if a teacher is certified, they have put significant thought into how kids learn best, how to create an effective classroom environment, and how to teach best. I really think that homeschoolers should do one too. In fact, I’d much rather see homeschoolers write out their philosophy of education than hand in endless reams of paper work–but of course that’s probably because I have a philosophy of education and I hate handing in my endless reams of paperwork.
What exactly brought this thought on is a little difficult to explain. Most of you probably know that I’m a support group leader and so at this point in the year I get question after question on home schooling. Any home schooling forums I belong to are filled with questions as well. Very often, they are filled with stressed out moms who can’t possibly fathom how Johnny wasn’t taught grammar or what grade their child is technically in. It seems, and you’ll have to pardon the generalization here, that new homeschoolers just can’t quite get out of traditional school thinking mode. So often, if it doesn’t look like school, and it doesn’t feel like school–then they must not really be learning.
So now, what exactly does a philosophy of education paper have to do with this? Well, to answer that you have to do something first. Spend 10 minutes thinking through this question: What do I hope my home school graduate looks like? Yes, start with what you hope your home school graduate looks like and not what you hope to accomplish by the end of the year.
At the very top of my own personal list is the word servant leader. I want my children to learn to serve others and I want them to be good leaders. They don’t have to lead everything, but I want them to stand confidently on their convictions and follow them through–even if others don’t follow. Next on my list is compassion. I want them to have compassion on human suffering. Last on my short little list, is that I’d like them to be prepared for whatever career they feel called to do. I define “prepared” as capable of learning and wanting to learn. Do you see?
There’s nothing on my list about grammar. Or math facts. Or the fact that my son is in first grade reading and fourth grade math. There’s nothing about finishing a certain amount of workbook pages in a year or anything like that. Just overall goals of what I hope my homeschooler looks like when we finish this journey together.
My point is simply this. There is a time for setting specific goals. . .don’t get me wrong. But it’s these ’big picture’ goals that need to define your homeschooling experience. Once you have ’big picture’ goals for what you’re doing, the little ones tend to fall into place. But that’s it for now. I can’t help you anymore until you go write down your big picture goals. Tomorrow we’ll take a look at more immediate goals and how they’re defined by the ’big picture’ goals.