Fall 2021/Dava Banner
Yes, you can have it! You have the power.
Do you have no desire to follow the masses?
Do you march to the beat of a different drummer?
Do you have a brain and heart full of ideas for your children?
Do you want your children to excel?
Do you want them to be average and to be OK with that?
Well, dear homeschool mom, guess what? You can teach whatever you want, within reason, as long as you also cover the basics.
Do you have a child who loves math? You can do extra math. Do you have a child with a passion for music? You can have music lessons. Do you want religious teaching in your homeschool? You can have it. Want lots of art? Yes, you can do that. Crazy about history? Go crazy. Mad about science? Do loads of science. Do you have a writer on your hands? Feed their creativity. Does your child love helping people? Plan service projects.
Does each of your children have a different interest? They don’t have to do the same thing. You can customize each child’s education to include their favorite subjects. You can customize each child’s education to include what you want them to learn. You can include whatever is important to you and whatever is important to their future.
Want them to learn cooking, gardening, care of animals, or auto maintenance? Maybe it’s important to you that your children learn to swim, make friends, fish, ride a horse, or learn about family history. You can incorporate travel with geography, photography, journaling, fitness, community service/ministry, drama, public speaking. Do you want them to start their own business, learn a foreign language, or learn a trade?
Check any comprehensive curriculum to see what the basics are. Be sure to cover math, language, reading/writing, literature, and vocabulary. You can often combine grade levels to teach history, science, geography, religion, and electives. You can co-op with friends to each teach your specialty. You can look for classes/camps/4-H clubs offered through your homeschool support group. Look within your church for music, art, or foreign language teachers. Look into dual enrollment classes at your local community college.
How do you know what to include? The best answer to that is to start at the end. What career or continuing education goals do you have for your child? If college is part of your plan, you need to see what the college requires, then you put that into your educational plan.
If college is not your goal, then consider what you think would make a well-rounded education. You know your child. You know their gifts and strengths. And you know your hopes and dreams for them. You don’t have to follow the masses. Blaze your own trail. Customize their education.
You have the power!
Dava Banner has been married thirty-seven years and has three fine sons. She has been a happy homeschooler for seventeen years and counting. She and her family live on a small farm in Crouse.
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