Neighbor: How old is your daughter?
Me: Almost 6.
Neighbor: Where does she go to school?
Me: We homeschool.
Neighbor: Oh, I could never do that!
As the conversations continued, as I tried to make the homeschooling process seem a bit less mystifying, I unraveled some of the key issues that seemed most intimidating to parents regarding homeschooling. And, for the most part, it seemed to come down to time--as in too much of it.
While I do certainly believe that homeschooling grants us a lot of time, I am not convinced that it takes more time than parents dedicate to their child's traditional school. The parents I know whose children attend various public and private schools devote a great deal of their time to school-related activities, becoming active in PTO events, keeping abreast of academic expectations and performance, meeting with teachers and administrators, attending school functions, participating in school fundraisers, coordinating bake sales, planning after-school playdates and activities, making sure breakfast gets eaten, getting kids out the door to the bus, transporting kids here and there, preparing school lunches and snacks, and managing homework.
I don't think that homeschooling takes more time than all of that. There may be lesson plans to consider or activities to coordinate, playdates to organize and park days to attend, but we are able to move throughout our days and weeks at a slow, unhurried pace -- preventing burn-out from both children and grown-ups. We are able to adjust schedules, cancel activities, and regulate our pace if things get too hectic or if family rhythms change. We are able to focus our time on the activities that are most meaningful and important to us, recognizing changing interests and skill-levels. And then there is all that time for reading and snuggling, playing and pretending, dreaming and discovering.
In my view, homeschooling gives much more time than it takes.
The amount of time we spend with our kids on core curriculum isn't anymore time than my friends spend getting their kids ready for school and helping with homework. Everything else is about the same. We read with them like they do, we take them to museums and festivals like they do, we take them to extra curricular activities like they do. We just get the benefit of not being cooped up for an extra 7 hours on top of all that!
ReplyDeleteLiz, thanks for your comment. It's true that we homeschoolers do much of the same things as non-homeschoolers-- but oh how I loved today's empty museum!
DeleteFor me, it isn't so much the amount of time it would take to homeschool vs. the amount of time I would spend getting my child ready for public/private school, helping with homework etc. It's the fact that our society structures time so that most jobs and most school schedules coincide.
ReplyDeleteYou write that you aren't convinced that homeschooling takes more time than helping children get ready, assisting with homework, attending PTO and performances etc., but all (or most) of those activities occur in the mornings, evenings or weekends which enable parents to work full-time as well.
I am confident that my husband and I could create a wonderful educational environment in the mornings, evenings and weekends, that would provide the equivalent (or better) education than they would get in a classroom of 25 plus kids, but what do we do with the kids when we're at work? For us, it is not an option for one of us to stay home.
I am sure there are families who manage to homeschool while both parents work full-time,but it seems incredibly daunting.
Anon, thanks for visiting and commenting. I posted your question about making homeschooling possible when both parents work to the blog's Facebook page and am getting some interesting responses.
DeleteHmmmm....I've been thinking about the issue of time alot lately. As my kids have gotten older, and I'm beginning to emerge from that intense cave of mama-need that the first few years becomes, I'm finding myself craving time for me, for my creative work, my own uninterupted thoughts. While I agree that the amount of hours spent in focusing on school vs focusing on homeschooling may be equivlent, I do feel like there is something to be said for 6 hours of awake daylight time without kids. I also think that the amount of time spent 'homeschooling' depends on what kind of homeschooler you are. Unschooling tends to mean lots of flexibility. Classical Ed or Waldorf based is much more teacher-led. I have friends who spend a tremendous amount of time planning lessons and directly teaching their children.
ReplyDeleteMy Oldest went to Waldorf Kinder for 2 years (half-day) &, although I was a super-involved parent, helping out of the school, etc, I definitely had more time than than I did when we started homeschooling 1st grade. Obviously, I've chosen to spend those hours with my two & we are (usually) very happy homeschoolers :)
I think it's not just the question of time, but of responsibility. Remember that moment when you held your tiny new baby in your arms & thought "holy s**t! I am completely reponsible for this entire, helpless, little being!" ? I think sending kids off to school is nervewracking (will they be really taken care of, who will make sure they are OK???) but sometimes relieving (thank goodness - someone else is taking care of this aspect of their life). For me, I think not only of the time I spend directly in my daily interactions with my children, but the time and energy and thought I spend in planning, scheduling, thinking about, etc.
And maybe that's the point - Although homeschooling may take more of MY time, it gives my children -- and therefore my family -- much more.
As I began, hmmmmm... Thank you for another well-written & very thought-provoking post :)
Urban Wild Child -- Such a thoughtful comment as always... I think you bring up a great point about the amount of time we spend thinking about all aspects of our children's lives and learning. We do spend a good deal of time thinking about it all, don't we? I also agree with you about the *balance* piece of homeschooling and finding time for ourselves and our personal interests while managing motherhood and homeschooling. I think this is something that all moms deal with whether or not they are homeschooling, but we are with our kids all the time so it becomes much more pronounced. I find blogging helps... do you agree?
DeleteI completely agree - blogging does help! So far it's given me a reason to sit down every few days & try to give voice to my thoughts in a way that others will understand (& maybe even enjoy). And it's given me the reason and excuse to spend more time with my camera. Lots of mama self-expression time, carved out of tiny alone (& not-so-alone) moments. Plus - I get to hangout with awesome mama-blogging friends & have important conversations online. :)
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