While much of the nation embarks on a school-from-home journey, some of us have been homeschooling for years. But this stay-at-home order affects us, too.
You see, even though the curriculum and our course of study remains the same, our lives also have been uprooted. For us, specifically, my girls often figure skated twice a day. They were in 4-H. They have volunteer experiences. One girl is an altar server at Mass. Things are so very different.
My husband also is home now. And that changes the dynamics as well. I have been working from home as a writer and photographer since my oldest was a baby. One of the great blessings has been that they have become used to entertaining themselves while I was interviewing people – whether it was through play, schoolwork, or chores. Now that Daddy is home, it is easy for them to run to him while I’m working, and we have to recognize that now Daddy is working, too – even though he is home.
Though homeschooling is definitely a sacrifice – and it is stressful (I’m thankful that my degree is in education and my husband is a college professor and that I have the liberal arts covered and he can handle math and science), I am thankful that we can keep our children’s lives as normal as possible.
For those who are embarking on e-learning – I have family and friends who are teaching this way and having to adapt just like you and your children are. Just know that, as I’ve read others say, this is not what homeschooling is like. We have support groups and social activities and friends who do group learning and other parents who walk the walk beside us. They help us and guide us, too!
For example … after years of using the same history curriculum, a friend suggested that I try a different one. I was a teacher. I was pretty committed to using a brick-and-mortar school curriculum that was offered to homeschoolers. But I was intrigued. I looked at the curriculum, tried out a lesson or two, and immediately called our advisor. This was what I’d always felt homeschooling should be like. So, after the advisor evaluated the program, she gave us the go-ahead to use it.
We now study history as a family with The Good and The Beautiful. We all learn the same basic core – our entire family. My youngest does worksheets that accompany the core study that I teach to them. There are group activities and craft projects that we do together. My oldest does the junior high worksheets that might have an activity or a more in-depth study of the topic we studied. There are even games we play as a family! We would play them when my husband came home so we could all be engaged.
This week, we were studying the constitution. The girls were really enjoying it, so we did a couple of lessons – and we spent more time on science and religion the next day. That flexibility is what works for us – and, during times like these – when our family is working together – having one subject that we do together is a blessing.
So, we will all muddle through this – and we will all support each other. Rest assured, even experienced homeschoolers are having to do things differently. We are not used to being so alone. Call your friends, encourage your children to make the best of this, stay connected, and stay home.
Wishing you joy and peace on this journey – whether you are now doing school at home or navigating homeschool under different circumstances. Be well, stay healthy, and stay safe.
~T
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| Morning coffee, leftover silly sentences, and the beginning of the U.S. Constitution unit. |
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| Making parchment paper with a little tea and some coffee. |
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| Discussing the branches of government |
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| Articles overview |
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| Wrapped parchment. |
