Wednesday, April 18, 2012

H is for Homeschooling

I figure this post will be among the most revealing of who I am and the goals my wife and I have set for are family. We began home schooling our son and youngest daughter this past fall. While I won't pretend it's been the easiest path, I'm certain it's the right one for us.

The decision came about for 3 fairly different reasons.

First, my son has a lethal peanut allergy and while our school did its best, after 4 years too many mistakes occurred. I don't blame the school, however, because they do the best they can managing the well-being of nearly a thousand children every single day, but realistically we do a better job.  I'm aware that many may find it difficult to understand the threat of a peanut allergy, but imagine if you were asked to eat your meal surrounded by a cafeteria full of arsenic?  Our school did everything we needed, but I understand that many, many children really enjoy peanut butter.  And simply put, it will kill my son at this point in his life.

Second, we grew frustrated at curriculums geared toward standardized testing for government funding. I could go on and on about one hand telling us we're behind in education and the other not giving us real tools to improve that situaton, but I won't.  I am friends with quite a few educators, I know how passionate they are at what they do, how good they are at. I am amazed that are school system can handle the logistics of so many young people and teach them as much as they have. The job they're doing is admirable, but we want our kids to learn at their own pace, not controlled by the legislative process our current system is hung upon.   We're blessed that all of our children are very intelligent and neither of us want to waste such a precious gift.

And third, my wife and I work together at her family's comic and game store, this new schedule gives us far more time with our children than ever before. Our oldest daughter is 22, we both are well aware of how quickly raising children goes. You blink and their grown up and out of the house.  Thankfully, the choice has proven to be well worth all of the ups and downs.

How is this inspiration? Well teaching our kids about grammar, spelling, and writing led us to use blogging as an educational tool. My research into Blogger led me to start Cross Planes to learn how to teach it's use. And that it is what led you here.

2 comments:

Mark Means said...

I support homeschooling, mainly for the fact that it allows you to raise your children as -you- think they should be raised. Not by some ex-hippie looking to influence another generation.

Granted, I know not all teachers are bad, or have an 'agenda', but I do believe that there are some out there and if you can avoid even one, you're much better off.

Cross Planes said...

23 Skidoo!

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