Hello, It is that time of year again! What time of year you ask? The "almost the end of a traditional school year" time. Usually I wait until 5 or 6 posts come in about whether or not enough material has been covered or school work has been done for the year - or in a slightly different wording - we haven't finished half of what we were "supposed" to do. But this year I am doing a preemptive strike on this lie from the pit. Oops - I get a bit excited with this topic - can you tell???

Michael, my dh, is a certified teacher and homeschool dad. In FL we have to submit a yearly evaluation from a certified teacher (well, that is one of 3 options, but really, we think, the best one) - so, many folks have felt led to seek him out for this service since he understands home education. (It began as just favors for friends - but now it is a little side business.) So every spring we see anywhere from 20-40 homeschooling families. It really gives an interesting perspective to see so many different - and each one is very unique - approaches to home education - but one theme, sadly seems to be continually echoed - "We just didn't get it all done" or "I don't think we did enough". Now, in reality, each and every one of these families has done way more than their children would have accomplished in a school. But since they don't have all the "trappings" (and that is used in multiple senses of the meaning of that word) they think they couldn't possibly have done it all, or at least not as much as a "certified" teacher.

Consider this -
*The home educated children had one on one tutoring - that right there increases their actual learning time.
*Learning is tailored to your child's actual needs - not what a class of 30 needs.
*No time wasting, vain repetition of material already digested.
*Learning takes place all day long at home - in ways that often don't fit a "grade book" mentality.
*The children learned the material to mastery - not just to be forgotten right after a test.
*The children felt safe in a nurturing environment - they did not have to build emotional defenses against bullies and cruel comments - or fear they will be physically hurt.
*Teachers cut corners all the time in ways parents never realize in order to fit it all in - you just think they "finished" the book.
*Then there are classes where they just don't finish, but you don't get notified of that for sure.

So, did you do enough this year? Well, does your child know more than he/she did last year? Are they happy, learning to love God and listen to Him? That is a big step. Did you trust God with your days, and do you believe that you have done what He led you to do with your children? Then you have done enough. God is not the one who condemns or accuses.

Blessings,

Patti Ballard