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Minute to Minute
Readers Helping
Readers | |
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| June 9th, 2007 |
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What a blessing it has been to hear so many homeschool
moms share their questions, helpful advice,
and encouraging stories with the readers of Minute
to Minute.
This week one particular homeschool mom wrote in asking
for guidance. She's a new Christian who is trying to follow
the Lord's will, but she needs your help to begin
homeschooling her high schooler.
Please read her letter below and offer your advice
so that she may be reminded that "The steps of a
good [mom] are ordered by the Lord." (Psalm
37:23a) | |
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Something Special
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| The Transition Stage |
Hello,
Homeschool Moms,
Our family is new to Christianity, (two years
in fact). Based on that wonderful new life, Praise God, we
came to know what the Bible says about children and answered
the call to homeschool our 5 year old and, not too far in the
future, our new baby.
We are a blended family and have three older
children who have been brought up in public school. Two of
them have families that will not permit them to homeschool,
and thankfully they are doing fine with the system so
far.
The oldest one, however, is 14 and in 8th
grade. He is set to go off to high school next year. The
thought of this has actually made me feel physically ill (an
unpleasant pit in my stomach and a heavy heart) and very
nervous. I quickly realized that it was God speaking to me
through my body and mind. I then recounted how many times the
Lord had laid it on my heart, many times in the past, to
homeschool Oliver, yet my husband wouldn't agree because of
the nature of my son.
I had prayed about it and knew that God had
made it clear to me that it was what I needed to do. When I
approached my husband, I explained that I was struggling with
the command to obey and respect him (my husband) and the clear
call of the Lord my God to do this for Him. Immediately the
Lord changed my husband's heart, and he agreed that I should
do it. Praise God for answering my prayer and moving my
husband to make His way possible!
The challenge now for me is how do I
take a kid like him out of a life of public school and educate
him without losing my patience and giving up? We have decided
to let him finish this year (6 weeks left until he graduates)
and begin in September. I know that with God anything is
possible, but with homeschooling a 1st grader (in the
classical style) and taking care of a new baby, it seems like
I really have my work cut out for me, and I don't know where
to begin. My 14 year old has never liked
school, hates reading and writing, has no desire to learn
history or science, doesn't play or express interest in a
musical instrument, and is not remotely artistic. He is
average at math but doesn't enjoy it. His gifts are (and I'm
digging here) any sport or anything active with his body,
working with younger children, and witnessing to unsaved peers
at school which hasn't sat well with the liberal educators
there. He wants to live for the Lord and be a police officer,
get married and have children. Perfectly attainable and
respectable goals, but he has 4 years of school left that he
is not excited about.
I have ruled out the use of classical
materials for two reasons; one is his disdain for books,
especially classic literature and all the reading and writing
that is part of the trivium method, and second, he is the age
of the rhetoric stage with no background in the previous
stages. The other method of teaching him that I have ruled out
is traditional school with textbooks. He expressed some
flicker of excitement when I told him about unit studies, but
I don't have the time or creativity to design curriculum for
multiple units, nor do I know what level an 8th/9th grader
should be doing.
I want to challenge him just enough to make
sure he is progressing, but I want it to seem like fun. I need
to make him realize that learning can be fun. My 5 year old
hungers and thirsts vehemently for knowledge of all kinds and
wants to learn constantly, so I really don't know how to
handle a child who really hates to
learn.
All the homeschoolers in our area are around
my younger son's age, and we don't know anyone in the high
school age and certainly not any families who have pulled out
a public schooler at that age around this very rural Maine
town. Thank you for any help you could give me.
Sincerely,
Tania, a learning homeschool
mom |
| Homeschool Resources |
|
- Reduce your stress level with "115 Organizing Tips
for Homeschoolers"
- Boost your
confidence by learning how to measure what your children
have learned
- Get past the "public school" way of thinking by
customizing lessons for each child
- Free
yourself of attitudes and habits that make homeschooling
harder than it needs to be
This mom, who has
homeschooled for 20 years, is ready to help other
moms get set for the long run. Join her today and download The Imperfect Homeschooler's Guide to
Homeschooling E-Book to start
preparing. | |
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Now that you've read Tania's letter, it's your turn
to email us with advice or
guidance that would help Tania begin the high school
homeschooling process. Remember when you email us you give us permission to post
your responses in Minute to Minute and send your responses to
Tania.
Sincerely, |
Paul and Gena Suarez, Publishers
The Old Schoolhouse
Magazine | | |
