After homeschooling for over 9 years, I have so many wonderful memories with my three children. My oldest two, currently 16 and 17, are now attending the local senior high school which they both entered at grade 10. That leaves only Celeste, almost 11, at home. It's been an amazing adventure all through the years!
SecularHomeschool.com is hosting their very first blog hop and have asked for our homeschool successes. I think they might have wanted to hear about our current successes, and I will share a few current details too, but I thought I would look at "the big picture", the bigger successes in my eyes that are not necessarily all education-related.
* My teenagers both have strong personalities, by that I mean they know who they are and have not been pulled by peer pressure. They understand themselves, what they like and don't like, and what they want to do or not do. They recognize their own interests.
* All three of my children are willing to try new things, new experiences, new projects or even something as simple as new food. They are also open minded and realize that not every one fits in a particular box.
* Regardless of my personal ability, all 3 of my children are strong in math, which I define as a success. I am not good in math, but I offered the curriculum and "emotional/cheering" support they needed to be successful at it.
* A love of reading in my children is a success for me, as I know it will follow them through their lives. Over the years, they have read so many books that I have been very grateful for wonderful public libraries wherever we have lived!
* There is a French word that I often heard while growing up in France, a word some of my teachers and job placements supervisors used to described me: debrouillarde. I knew that when I started homeschooling, I wanted my children to develop this skill. The word means to be resourceful. I have coached my children to know how to be resourceful, to be able to research, to think how to find their own answers.
* Connection with my children. We have spent so much time together in the last decade, more than we would have if they had attended public school each year. This built a connection that has been wonderful, especially since now two are attending senior high.
A few current details, our successes during this current homeschool year:
* Celeste is getting more comfortable with writing, thanks to Brave Writer! She often writes for her own enjoyment, either poetry or letters to her pen pals.
* Celeste's enthusiasm with learning about art history, science, and nature.
* Having wonderful homeschool friends that we love spending time with. Since we have moved often, finally feeling like we have our own "tribe" is a success for us.
* Volunteering at the local public library together has been wonderful and fulfilling Celeste's curiosity and long interest of working in a library.
I am sharing this post at the SecularHomeschool.com Blog Hop May 2015. You can visit other homeschool blogs and read about their successes here. SecularHomeschool.com is a wonderful supportive online community for "eclectic homeschoolers, freethinking homeschoolers, and non-religious homeschoolers.
You are doing a great job. :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, beautiful post Alexandra. And how can you NOT focus on the bigger picture once you've been homeschooling such a long time. The resourcefulness was one of my biggest success stories as well. I always saw myself as a facilitator instead of a teacher. I wanted my guys to be able to find answers on their own. And they DO. Kudos to you on a successful year (and more) and thanks a bunch for being a part of the hop!
ReplyDeletei love this! this is one thing that I wish I could have done when my kids were younger.
ReplyDeleteYay you! That's amazing! :)