Tales from Cat's House of Homeschooled Kits!

I hear that often when I talk to people who aren’t homeschoolers. They are so earnest and concerned. “How could you possibly do it all, all by yourself?” The answer is, I don’t. In truth, I don’t know anyone who does. 

Today is a good place to start and a great example. I am laid up with chronic pain and can’t drive. My husband is taking the guys to their English classes. At 12 and 14 we opted to have them attend classes with another teacher. She has moved them well beyond where they were in terms of concept, outlining, and body. 

Wednesday, is baseball day. Another home school parent wanted her kids to have the opportunity to play team sports. She put it out there, as in announcing that she was interested in this happening, WHOA! the kids and families that came out. There are enough kids for two full teams over 9 players each.

Friday is Piano and Judo. The morning is greeted by the sweet melodies and comical circus moods of beginning piano. The lessons are across our small town and at the home another mom. In the afternoon, one hour of Judo gives release to pent up anything. 

In another event by a mom who wanted to try something new, trash was the focus. Our guys worked with a family in a nearby town and cleaned up a river. They charted the kinds of trash they found. They collected trash, hauled it away, and even provided cans and bags! Now cleaning up is easier. They can just change the bags and be done. 

I hate to be corny, but if you build it, they will come. If you offer a class, arrange an outing, coach a team, clean a river, plant a tree, whatever, someone else will be interested in that too. Ask yourselves two questions: What do I want for my kids? What am I willing to do to make that happen? Now get your friends and family to ask those too. I bet your calendar will be full before you know it!

I am a public school teacher. I teach adults that have not finished high school. I can also help students prep for the GED. In the public school system, I am used to meeting standards, and state testing requirements. For my own boys, I integrate as much as possible.

People ask me why my boys are so smart or know so much. I know they are pretty clever guys but I also know that they learn something when they are interested. By following their lead, they cover more ground and go to deeper depths than any public school classroom would allow. I think if every student could be trusted enough, they would reach thier full potential without question.

Trust is the biggest part of this equation. It is difficult to work in a profession where we are told to be the authority and the givers of information to let students lead. For me it makes perfect sense but at work, it is a big NO NO. Students are to be controlled, managed, and spoonfed state adopted text based information.

I teach a very diverse population. Many are second generation Mexican American, and now Russian. There is nothing less relevant to a new immigrant than a story about a white middle aged man who is contemplating suicide. Yet, there is little latitutde in changing curriculum. Trust the books, that is what the state says and many teachers follow.

When we ask the question “Why students aren’t leading in education?”,  we must be ready for the answer. We don’t give them exeperience and trust enough to lead. How can they know thier worth if they don’t know how to develop passions and interests?

My boys know that they are trusted to get work finished, to spend money wisely, to make good decisions. They succeed because they can and they do. When they don’t they learn from that to. My husband and I follow and bridge the gaps. The blessing of homeschooling is the trust.  Trust your children, trust yourself.

I have two sons. We started homeschooling them at the beginning. They are now 12 and 14. I call them kits because they love  cats and the Warriors book series. My name is Catherine and some call me Cat. I thought the whole idea was pretty clever.

The kits are now in 7th and 9th grade. I am proud of the young men they are becomming. I love that they are following thier own loves and passions. That was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to homeschool.

Several key events in my life changed how I saw myself and the world around me. I didn’t like these changes, but like so  many other things didn’t notice them until much later in life.

In junior high my parents got a divorce. My mother had taken me to lunch, a rare occasion after she moved out of our house. She asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I said, boldly, that I wanted to be a dog trainer. Her response nearly verbatum “People who work with dogs are people who can’t get along with other people.”

In high school I decided to be a veteranairan. It satisfied my mother and my father just wanted me to learn to use comptuers. This was 1981, computers were just coming into the mainstream. I earned a C in biology and was told by the teacher that I was not smart enough for chemestry.

 I’d spent year trying to please people and do what I thought they wanted. I was years getting back to writing, making art, and being with my dogs, the three things I loved the most as a kid. When my first son was born, I knew that I never wanted those kinds of statements to stop them from doing what they loved.

The kits and I have changed my husband too. We are all doing what we love. Now he as the freedom to do what he loves too! Everyone wins!

Why did you choose to homeschool? Think about it.