Second Generation Homeschool

There are several ways to educate your children.
Public Education
Christian Education
Home School

I've been involved either directly or indirectly with all three methods.

I was trained to teach and taught for two years in the public school setting.
During college, I worked in a Christian school.
Through grades Kindergarten-12th Grade I was home schooled.

When it comes to education, I am very passionate. My career before kids was teaching. My career after all the kids are gone will be teaching.  Education is important to both Jason and I; therefore, we were very thoughtful when it came to our own children's education. I will not go into the entire thought-process, but our choice was home schooling.

Some may think I chose it because that was what I did.

No.
Some may think I chose it because I don't like public or Christian education.
No.

I chose it because I wanted my children to be home with me.
I chose it because I love to teach!
I chose it because we believe God wants this for our family.

So many people ask if we will do it "all the way" - meaning all the way through high school. Since we are just finishing our first kindergarten year I cannot answer that question!

We have no idea what our lives will look like ten years down the road. After the crazy year we have had so far, I cannot tell you what our life will look like two years from now! We will be having a major change with our adoption, so that could direct our course as well. We will take it one year at a time!

Kindergarten has gone well. I will be honest, it was a rocky start. I had my doubts. But God kept reassuring me that it was the right path. We have decided to do it again next year. Titus will be in pre-school and Jack will be in 1^st grade.

If you have home schooled, you know all the benefits. If you haven't, here are a few:

1. Your child gets to be with you all day.

2. You pick the pace at which your child learns.

3. You pick the material (although looking at content standards and objectives is wise).

4. You have freedom to go and do things during the day.

5. You are able to be the one to form your child's mind and heart.

Once again, I am not advocating home schooling as the *only* viable option for education. I encourage every family to look at their lifestyle, background, and family goals to see what type of education would best fit them. For us, for now, it is home schooling.

I am so thankful to be a part of this community. The fact that there is a strong community with all the support groups here in West Virginia (KPHE and CHEWV) is a testament to my mother and all of her contemporaries. The home schooling parents in the 1980s and 1990s were some of the pioneers!  I owe it to their hard work in paving the way to be able to say we are second generation home schoolers!