Why I Homeschool: Part 1

I was homeschooled starting in 7th grade. Ten years later, I became a public high school teacher, but when it came time to send my kids to school, well, I just didn't. I teach in a great school system, with amazing teachers, but I home school my kids with the help of my mother and husband because I believe in homeschooling. This series is on the reasons why I choose to home school my children.

Traditional school takes up too much time. Most kids spend somewhere between 7-8 hours "doing school." However, so many of those hours are wasted. Hours are wasted on buses, between classes, days before break, days after break. Hours are wasted while a teacher has to discipline students or deal with bureaucratic obligations.  Hours are wasted when a student already knows the material but can't move on because the rest of the class doesn't. Hours are wasted when the student doesn't know the material but has to move on because the rest of the class does. Hours are wasted when the student just isn't in the mood to learn, but sits quietly in the back, or in the front, or in the middle for that matter, and nods when she needs to, looks down at the book when she needs to, fills in the blanks where she needs to, but never really bothers to learn, to think about a darn thing being taught.

And all of these hours, when you add them up, are a pretty impressive chunk of childhood.

I don't want my children's childhoods to be spent at a desk any longer than it needs to. I don't want Sena spending an hour a day on a school bus. And when Gus is finished his assignment, I don't just want him to have to wait patiently while everyone else completes the activity. I want  to get up, grab a toy, and go have fun because this is his childhood, his one childhood. I want my children's childhood to be spent actively engaged- sometimes actively engaged in academics, sometimes actively engaged in play, but always engaged.

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