So You Think You Can't Homeschool?
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I came across the article "Actress Sam Sorbo Shares Her Homeschooling Tips and Tricks" at www.dailysignal.com. Daily Signal is a news organization covering politics, policy, conservative commentary and analysis.
This article was both informative and encouraging, as we hear the real challenges and blessings of homeschooling from a working mother - Sam Sorbo is an actress, author, radio host, wife and homeschooling mom. She shared creative insight into why parents feel inadequate when it comes to educating their own children and offers tips on how to go about successfully homeschooling your children.
WHY DO PARENTS FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT ENOUGH?
Sam shares that inadequacy is something that is taught in schools. "Schools are very adept at teaching us how inadequate we are." Sorbo says. The truth is that when you are teaching your child a difficult subject such as math, the lessons are in the text books and the answers are on the back. All that happens in a school situation is that the teacher rewrites the lesson on the board for all of the students to see. It's not like the children each receive quality one-on-one time from the teacher to solve the problem on the board. In fact, many teachers will not answer a student's questions and will instead tell them to ask each other for the answer.
When you are at home with your child, solving a math problem, you are giving them your undivided attention and you both get to work through that problem until your answer matches up with the answer at the back of the book. You both get to be creative with how you use the formula and find the answer in ways that are most effective (and, of course, make sense) for your child.
Additionally, there are lots of online resources to help parents through the more challenging subject. (As always, Star Students is here to help!) Learning is supposed to be fun, and if we are going to keep that precious learning curiosity alive in children, then school needs to be more than a building where children are force-fed formulas, prescribed ways of thinking and solving problems, and ideologies. Children need to feel empowered and so do their parents, because no one is putting time into them like you are.
WHY ISN'T HOMESCHOOLING IN MAINSTREAM MEDIA?
Put simply, mainstream media is not about helping people think outside the box, and never has been. Mainstream media uses strategies of fear, coercion, popularity and trends to in fact, push you into a box and make you feel that alternatives are non-existent. Let me tell you, there is always an alternative.
As the parent of your child, you have the right to maintain that every educational choice made in your home be for the benefit of your child and your family. As much as outside influences would like to rule your home, you do not have to give them that authority. It starts with realizing that you as the parent have the most pertinent information about your child. It begins with understanding that the school system is supposed to be working for you. If you find that it is not up to par with your standards, then you don't have to continue with it.
Those teachers are part of your educational team for your child. If they are not doing their job, fire them and move on with another educational tactic that will work for your child. You will find that you won't get caught up in a lot of the guilt that traditional education systems try to place on you for "not putting your child in school." Just think about it this way: does the employer feel guilty for firing the employee who is not doing the job properly? No. The school system works for you, not the other way around. Remember that, and take power from it.
NAME DROPPIN'
Who doesn't want a list of celebrities who also homeschool, just to put you in the same category with the famous, right? This one is just for you.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith - Homeschooled their children as they felt that the traditional school system was designed for the industrial age.
Jennifer Lopez - Homeschooled her children until they were age 11 to spend time with them while doing her world tours.
Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie - Believed that the school system was outdated and wanted a more hands-on alternative that fit with their work schedules.
Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman - Due to the parent's busy schedule and Tom's religious beliefs.
Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes - The parents liked the one-on-one teaching style that homeschooling offered, and also lined up with Tom's religious beliefs.
Kris Jenner - Homeschooled Kylie and Kendall Jenner in order to give them the space needed to foster their budding careers.
Emma Thompson - Preferred homeschooling for her daughter at the age of 15, to help foster her love of learning without being in the "sausage factory" system of formal education.
There are a myriad of reasons why parents choose to homeschool their children, but the most important reason is that homeschooling benefits the child. There is not much else that can top the advantages that come with homeschooling. Here's just a few:
- one-on-one learning with your child
- tutoring according to your child's specific needs
- being active and involved in your child's education
- having the freedom of making learning fun and continuous during and outside of the lesson plan
- having the advantages of a flexible study schedule
As Sam Sorbo said, "You can’t be your public school at home. Thank goodness you can’t be the public school at home. So don’t try to be that. Be better than that. Be you at home as the educator, and you can be better than all of that put together. Because why? Because you love your kids."
1. "Actress Sam Sorbo Shares Her Homeschooling Tips and Tricks", accessed May 20, 2023, https://www.dailysignal.com/2020/04/02/actress-sam-sorbo-shares-her-homeschooling-tips-and-tricks/
2. "9 Celebrities who Have Chosen to Home-School Their Kids’", accessed May 21, 2023, https://www.insider.com/celebrities-who-have-chosen-to-home-school-their-kids-2020-3
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