Why I Homeschool

I never thought I'd be a homeschooler before I had children. I never even thought about it once the babies started popping out. I'd always thought I'd teach at the same school where my children attended. I also never gave much thought into the TYPE of school they'd attend. It wasn't until I'd started teaching at a local public school back home in Cali, I realized that if ever I DID have children - I couldn't send them to public school. All the drama with teachers, administrative staff and the school district let me know that public school probably wasn't some place I'd want to leave my children for 7 hours a day, 5 days a week. The funny thing about that decision, was I would have NEVER had a problem with public school had I not taught in one. And talking to other teachers who taught at "better" schools and even those who taught at parochial schools just made me realize that THOSE were not options for any off spring I'd have - were I so lucky to be blessed with them.

I suppose it was my indoctrination into the Independent School world that I realized there was more to education than I'd been taught. I realized that curriculum wasn't something that HAD to be federally or state approved. That you could actually teach children outside of "the box" that many institutions try to fit children into. I know for me growing up, I'd NEVER realized that Black people were first AFRICANS and that we are connected to other AFRICANS world wide and that the hiSTORY of Blacks folks in the U.S didn't begin when Lincoln supposedly freed the slaves. I had NO idea that there was a world of culture I'd been missing out on - cuz I actually believed the sh*t written in text books. Not knowing that ANYBODY can write text to be published and taught to school aged children. Sh*t I wrote some articles myself for Salem Press YEARS ago that were published in some encyclopedias they produced. Got paid $65.00 for it too. So when I said ANYBODY can write some sh*t to be published and taught to children, I wasn't speaking lightly.

In my search to NOT send my children to public/parochial schools I realized that the type of school I was searching for were few and far in between. I knew that charter schools were STILL public schools and even worse because that's typically where children are sent who've been removed from other public schools in their area of residence. Thus I wasn't fooled by the rally of "ooh send your children to such and such charter school" Ummm, that's okay. *chuckle*

Once I realized that our family didn't live in any areas were they had multiple Independent Schools, I was at a loss of what to do. Homeschooling still never really crossed my mind. And short of moving to cities like NYC, DC, ATL, LA and the SF Bay Area - the "sending my children out the door to school everyday" started to become less likely. Thus I started researching teaching the children myself. It was scary at first because from what I DID hear of homeschooling thru the grapevine was LESS than flattering. I always thought it was a religious, cult, anti-social thing. Well once I began my research I realized that was further from the truth than I'd ever know.

The more I learned about homeschooling, the more I liked it. I liked the idea of being really in charge of "shaping young minds" and helping them to truly stretch their brains and be free to explore and learn at the pace and level best suited to THEM. It was freeing to know that I didn't have to try and force the square peg into the round hole and that I could rid myself of "the box" that folks are continually forced in. I also realized that scheduling could be as I chose it to be. Meaning that I didn't HAVE to wake my children up at 6:30am to get them dressed so I could school them. Nor did I HAVE to teach Monday - Friday. We were not confined to a room or a building - teaching takes place EVERYWHERE. I started to realize that when the children go to work with Daddy, that's a teaching lesson. When they explore the terrain of the backyard, that's a lesson. When we venture to the zoo on a Wednesday, that's a lesson. Everything was a lesson learned.

Homeschooling isn't easy. Because let's face it, I'm around my children 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. It's not like I send them away fo 7 to 9 hours a day and only deal with them a few hours in the morning and several in the evenings. Nawww, it's us 24/7 baby *chuckle* And please believe that you need patience and determination for that kind of "togetherness." In the end, I believe it will be worth it. I believe that it will make my children be whomever or whatever they truly desire to be. I believe it gives them the possibility to explore, without making them feel that if they don't conform to certain ideals, then they're either "special needs" or "disruptive" or some other term tossed around by compulsory institutions. Of course my views are slanted, well . . . because they're my views *chuckle*

For now this seems to work for our family. The children like it. Who knows, maybe one day I'll have my own Independent School. Until then, my school is whenever and wherever I wish it to be.