Why We Decided to Homeschool

“What made you decide to homeschool?”

It’s a common question and certainly one worth asking. Blaise and I actually sat down a few weeks ago to write a list of our reasons why we decided to homeschool. We did this before we moved to South Sudan (obviously answering a different question), and writing out our reasons and the specific ways we felt God leading us really helped when things were difficult, made it easier for us to articulate to others, and clarified our vision for missions.

The same is true for homeschooling. It won’t always be easy, so having our reasons written down somewhere safe will help us persevere when it gets hard. And already it has helped us clarify our vision. Once we were able to answer the “why,” it made it so much easier to make a few decisions regarding the “how.”

And because I’m always curious about how others made the huge decision to homeschool, I thought I’d share the reasoning behind our decision, too, in case you’re curious!

First, I’ll throw out the disclaimer that while we have chosen homeschooling for our children, I do not think this is the right or best decision for every family. Every family has to do what is best for them and their kids, and naturally that looks different for each family. And that’s wonderful! God gave us so much freedom in this area, so you have to pray about how God might be leading your family in the area of education. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that our education choices are in any way a judgement on yours.

Okay, so why in the world are we homeschooling?!?

The Top Five Reasons We Decided to Homeschool

(In no particular order.)

1. The gift of time.
   Maybe it’s completely selfish, but we want all those extra hours with our kids. We love them, like them, and want to be around them. We want to be the primary voices speaking into them, raising them, nurturing them, and educating them. The years fly by so fast as it is, and we feel like homeschooling gives us the incredible gift of time as a family.
2. We want to have a say.
   I was a public educator for more than a decade, so honestly I am not completely set against the various curricula that are used in the schools. In fact, I’m not set against public school at all. For us, having a say in the materials and curricula used is much less about it having a Christian component (though that certainly matters to us), and more about the curricula meeting the needs of each of our children. There are a MULTITUDE of excellent choices of homeschool curricula, so I will have the ability to select the type that best fits each child. One may thrive on workbooks, whereas another may hate them and need a completely hands-on approach. I can find the best fit and completely tailor their educations to them. And y’all, that’s so awesome!
3. We get to move at their pace.
   This might be one of my favorite things about homeschooling! Again, because I’m a former public educator (I was a special education teacher, actually), this one is huge! Kids do not come as one-size-fits-all; their learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses are each so different. It’s a beautiful thing, but it makes education a challenge, especially in the public school setting. I love that homeschooling gives me the freedom to slow way down if we need to, or to skip ahead when they’re excelling.
4. Giving them freedom.
   I sat in a professional development a couple of years ago under a speaker who is renown for her innovative pedagogy. She began with a story about how children begin life with the whole world around them, with a natural eagerness to learn, and with a real sense of wonder. When it comes time to send them to school, we somehow have to squeeze all of that personality, curiosity, wonder, and excitement through the front doors of the school building. In the process, they lose much of what had made them so naturally eager to learn as they work to fit inside the box. The point of the story was to encourage us as educators to bring that wonder and curiosity back into the classroom, but the effect it had on me was to cement my decision to homeschool. I want my children to have to freedom to be who they are, to chase rabbit trails of learning just because it’s fun and they want to, and to explore the world around them. I want to give them adventure, excitement, and a solid education…all rolled up into one!
5. Educating the whole child.
   Jesus’ ministry wasn’t a separate thing he did from other areas of his life. As he was going, he made disciples and he commanded us to do the same. One thing I am most excited about when I think about the journey ahead of me is the ability to educate the whole child. I don’t merely wish to teach fill their heads with a lot of facts, but I wish to help them discover their passions, gently lead their hearts, shape their characters, train them up in the way of the Lord, and foster a love of learning that takes them well beyond formal schooling.

There you have it. Those are the main reasons why we decided to homeschool, although there are certainly more! It was not something I ever expected to choose, but life on the mission field changed me in far more ways than I expected. To me, the option to homeschool my children is a gift, and I am so thankful for it!

So what about you…what led you to the schooling option you chose for your children?