More on the School Situation

Since probably not everyone reads the comment section of my blog (and the thingy that tells you how many comments there are doesn't work any more so that you may not realize that there are comments there), I post the following for your information.

There is a lot of confusion these days over the fate of independent homeschooling in BC, especially in light of a recent article that appeared in one of our provincial newspapers.

Parents who use Distance Education that is put out by the government, are not considered to be homeschoolers, as defined by the legislation that governs such things. They are students who are educated by the ministry though the learning takes place in the home. They are not forbidding the use of religious educational materials, just the use of them as part of the program. Parents can spend as much time as they want in training their children in the Faith; it just won't count as part of their school work.

The particular e-school that I am looking at is governed by the "Independent School Act" and this does allow for Christian based materials to be used. There is a cost involved: $200 per student for the year. I spend at least that much in curriculum per child as it is, only this way I get a teacher with it who does all the correcting, grading, and teaching. I am also allowed to participate as much or as little as I desire in the actual instruction.

I want to be upfront about something here with the homeschooling. I have the capabilities of being able to teach children how to read and do basic math and look things up. I have been told that I am a good teacher as well. The thing is that being a good teacher in a given area may not translate well into being a good teacher of children. It is easy to teach a subject I love to people who are wanting to learn. It is much harder to teach a subject you don't love to kids who don't really understand that learning this stuff is in their best interest. I don't see why I should devote hours to re-learning something in order to teach it when a lawful use of the division of labor can be incorporated in its place.

Yes, there are ways of making homeschooling all fun and jazzy so that the little darlings wake up bright and happy each morning eager to learn. Some people do this easily because it is a particular gifting they have been given by God. I have tried to do this over the years and failed miserably at it because it isn't me. I have no doubt that this is the result of many sad character faults that I have. But the fact is, that I find it extremely difficult to switch mental gears rapidly from teaching a lesson in math to answering an older child's question on english grammar all the while trying to nurse a baby to sleep and wondering what on earth I am going to make for supper as I throw another load of laundry in the washer.

After many years of trying and miserably failing at it, I am dropping out of the contest for "Super Christian Prairie Muffin Homeschooler of the Year" awards. Homeschooling seven kids at the same time is a full time job. Mothering teens to toddlers is a full time job, especially as you have to keep switching your mode of coping with each stage of development. Cooking and doing laundry for and cleaning up after (or training them to clean up after themselves) is a full time job. I am sorry, but I just can't handle that many full time jobs and still do an adequate job at all of them. Perhaps this is my perfectionistic tendencies revealing themselves here. I love to learn. Nothing thrills me more than having a large chunk of time to devote to studying something. I want my kids to know that same thrill, but they aren't getting it because of my fractured attention to too many legitimate things.

One of the problems of the Christian homeschool movement is the way it resembles the breastfeeding and natural/homebirth movement. There is a great deal of pride and self-righteousness that can go with the territory. 'Real' mothers give birth at home with midwives and no drugs. 'Real' mothers breastfeed their children til age 3 (and will tandem nurse if another baby happens before that age). 'Real' mothers wear their babies in slings and co-sleep. 'Real' mothers homeschool and have children wo are accepted to Harvard on full scholarships because they did such a good job. Anyone who does less than this is not a real Christian mother.

Some time ago I read an article by Nancy Wilson on the breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding controversy that sometimes arises amongst Christian women. It can become an emotionally laden and hurtful controversy when some women, who , for whatever reason, use a bottle to feed their babies and are made to feel less than good mothers by those who breastfeed. The real issue that determines how good a woman's mothering is, is not breast vs. bottle, but is the baby being fed? No one with a lick of sense and a bit of knowledge will say that commercially made infant formula is as good as or better than breast milk, but a woman who feeds her baby formula is a good mother compared to the mother who abandons her child or refuses to feed it anything. Bottle formula is a lawful means of providing the things necessary for life, though it may not be the optimal means.

The goal of Christian education is to have an educated child who is able to function well in the world and who operates from within a Christian worldview paradigm. Do-it-yourself homeschooling may be the optimal means for accomplishing this, but it isn't the only means. Christian correspondance school runs a pretty close second because it still allows the family to be your child's "peer group" but also allows for instruction by those gifted in the area of teaching academics. I refuse to feel guilty for choosing this path. In fact, I expect I shall feel a lot less guilty than I am right now because I know I am not doing an adequate job in some areas.

I am looking forward to focusing on what I do best: cleaning up the house, organizing and cooking meals and keeping on top of the laundry as I mind the little ones. This will allow me to create a better atmosphere for learning that allows the older kids to actually learn and get the help they need from those better equipped to do it. If this makes me less than a 'good' or 'real' mother in the eyes of some, so be it.

And by the way, (in case you were wondering) I homebirth without drugs, nurse til at least age 18 months to two years or more, co-sleep and can make 10 loaves of bread at a time from grain I grind myself. I use herbs and supplements, some of which I harvest and process myself. I am good at those things. Since I have matured somewhat, I have ceased to think less of women who don't do them.