Why We Homeschool: Plus Free Homeschool Hours Log Printable
Subscribe at the bottom to get your free homeschool hours log printable PDF file. In the meantime, I will tell you all of the reasons why we chose to homeschool our kids On Yankee Farm.
Why do we homeschool? Let me give you some hints: It all comes down to 1. God and his world 2. Family relationships and 3. Personalized learning.
Why public school was not going to work for us
Before my first child was born, I worked as a nurse in a public school district. My job was to give the super active and sometimes troublesome kids their daily meds. Quite often certain kids would come to my room to do schoolwork or just chat. Usually, this was because they or their teacher needed a break. The classrooms were just not set up to handle the outliers. The teachers tried their best but the truth is that they have to teach to the average student. They do not have the resources to meet every kid where they are educationally in a traditional school setting.
Other times the kids would come in crying from the stress of upcoming standardized tests. I was completely shocked at the amount of pressure these children felt about a test that did not matter. The tests did not affect their grades or have anything to do with passing or failing a class. The teachers were stressed too. They had to teach for the test, not for the student. For example, one teacher I spoke with was upset that she could not teach certain math strategies because they did not fit the standards. She had to give a student a 0. Not because the answers were wrong but because the method used was not the standardized way.
Another issue I encountered was that I walked into a situation where young children were having conversations about adult-themed content. I won’t get into it further here but it was an eye-opener for me. My household is certainly far from perfect and neither is our society. My children hear all kinds of things but I want to be the one to have those conversations with them.
We tried Montessori school
Our first child was extremely active from the start. This child was an advanced learner and needed space to learn. Sitting glued to a seat was never going to work for them. The Montessori school was perfect in every way. It even had a hobby farm with a donkey! My child excelled and the teachers truly loved them. Besides that, I did not have time to teach my child. There were times when I was working 2 jobs as a nurse and going to school to advance my degree.
Then came the second child and the third. The cost of school was becoming more expensive, my husband changed careers, and my children preferred their teacher over me. I was heartbroken. I ended up with a face full of tears sobbing in my manager’s office because I had put my career in front of the care of my children. Something had to change.
We took the plunge and started homeschooling
Those first days of 1st grade were intense! We used so many different types of curriculum. I went through 4 or 5 different math curriculums the first year and switched out the main curriculum after the first month. Luckily we can meet our students where they are at in their education journey. We have the freedom to personalize and choose what works for each kid.
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Fortunately, for us, I found Charlotte Mason fairly early in the journey. I had originally avoided her theories because I thought that a literature-based curriculum would never work for my overactive child. The truth is that I could not have been more wrong. The big problem was that I had no idea what a curriculum based on Charlotte Mason’s theories entailed.
After reading Home Education
by Charlotte Mason, a very lengthy and detailed book we started using the free C.M. curriculum from Ambleside Online. Every day we spent hours outside listening to beautiful quality stories and poems, exploring nature, and singing folk songs and hymns. We read the bible daily and memorized verses. We listened to Mozart and viewed the artwork of Michael Angelo. We learned that there is no such thing as a secular education. Education is about exploring the beauty of God and the world that he gave us.
Homeschool helps our children build relationships
Up until I started homeschooling my kids, I felt a huge disconnect. I felt like I could not connect with my children or the world around me. Homeschooling did not instantly and miraculously fix this problem. It has taken time. I have had to change. I have had to let go of certain ideals and see the world differently. The C.M.-inspired homeschool curriculum that we use helps all of us to see the beauty that God has given us.
Through living books, my children have made friends with martyrs, saints, Vikings, and Native Americans. They have watched George Washington and Benjamin Franklin grow into men. They have cried for children left to die and questioned humanity. They have also met silly friends like Pippi and the BFG.
Even when we do Geography constant connections are being made between stories, cultures, history, and art. Our science is getting to know the flowers, trees, and wasps in our backyard. Our math shows that God has designed the world with truth and order. Think about that 1+1 will always equal 2. There is nothing more true than math and it is all around us.
Beyond the hardcore subjects, my children are finding community with other children and adults. We have joined a co-op of like-minded homeschool families. My children take classes at the zoo, the science center, and the museum. They participate in sports and music lessons. On top of that, we meet other students at libraries, parks, and more. Most of the time, there are so many social opportunities that I have to turn them down. Best of all my children can have a meaningful conversation with every person that they meet no matter their age. Haha, I usually have to drag them away. They are big talkers!
Yes, my children are still on grade level
I get it. It probably sounds like we chase butterflies all day and stare at the clouds. The truth is that on most school days my oldest child studies about 20 different subjects. The core work is done in 2.5 hours and the rest of the homeschool day is dedicated to the more hands-on subjects.
I do believe that test taking is an important skill to have and that it should not be stressed about. Naturally, as a homeschooling parent who can’t let go, I tortured my child with a standardized test at the end of the school year. Despite that test being a complete disaster, the test scores came back that they were on grade level or above in all subject areas. I guess that means they are learning something.
Get your homeschool hours log printable
Get Your Free Homeschool Hours Log!!
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Life counts as school- Use the homeschool hours log printable to record it
It is super important to keep homeschool records of everything that you do during the homeschool year. Many states require that you keep track of attendance along with a record of your daily lesson plans and a homeschool portfolio of work completed. If you take a nature walk or participate in a sport, log it as physical education. Every time you go on field trips, take a class, or participate in community service or other homeschool activities you can write all of the important dates in your homeschool hours log book.
Find out your state requirements and feel free to subscribe for the free homeschool hours log digital download. This homeschool tracker is an easy way to keep track of your child and the number of hours of schooling each month. All of the hours are on one sheet making it easy to add them all up at the end of the school year. It is one of the best ways to stay compliant with your homeschool requirements.
Do you homeschool your children? Let me know why or why not in the comments
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I really enjoyed your article on home schooling . very informative which cleared up my misunderstanding of the benefits, structures, available social interactions with other children and people in outsiide activiaties. Your well written explanation of the closeness of your family unit is inspirational along with the suggestions for available guidelines ( work books etc.) Thanks for being so informative.