Why I’m So Excited About Homeschooling

The first reason is that we think it’s going to be great fun! We are looking forward to all the time together studying and learning. I’m excited about teaching my son and watching him grow and learn the way I have with my students at public school. 

He’s ready. I know because I see the way his eyes light up when he learns something new. I watch him search for more knowledge. I watch him try to digest and remember everything as we read about dinosaurs. I listen as my son matter-of-factly informs the man at the dinosaur exhibit that he is standing next to an Ankylosaur and they eat grass and leaves. He’s so proud that he knows these things and he always wants to learn more. I want to be there to see it. I want to be there to teach him! Maybe that sounds a bit selfish and maybe it is, but I really believe he will benefit from this arrangement too.

Sadly, as a public school teacher, I see and hear a lot about boys like my son. I see what happens to them when they sit down at their very first desk, eyes wide and excited. Their little minds are jumping around as they try to take in all their surroundings and listen to the teacher too. Then, their little feet start jumping and soon they just can’t be still. After a few weeks, there are phone calls. He can’t sit in his desk. He can’t concentrate. He isn’t staying on task.

Because we know our son, we know his strengths and his weaknesses. We know he is incredibly bright and active. We know he doesn’t learn best when he’s sitting down. We know he can complete a task in half the time it takes his cousin (two years older than him). We know that he needs more. I’m so excited to know that I can give that to him. I can provide the sort of education that he needs at home in a one-on-one environment where he can run and jump and thrive! 

I’m not just excited about all the things we will be learning, I’m excited about what he won’t be learning too. No, I’m not worried at all that he might not understand some of the popular school yard jokes or participate in locker room conversation. I’m thrilled that he will miss out on those sorts of things. 

I once informed a cousin that her son had posted a picture of a naked woman on Facebook. He was twelve. Her response was that I should walk into the cafeteria at our local high school (where I teach) and I would see much worse. She’s right, I would. I know not everyone’s kids are doing that. I know it’s not rampant in my high school either. However, it’s common enough that I would love to keep those sorts of experiences to a minimum. I’m thrilled that by homeschooling we will avoid some of that sort of thing, although I know we can’t shelter our son entirely and I don’t want to… I’d like to shelter him when he’s twelve. 

I’ll admit that I have some fears about homeschooling, but when I think about them rationally they don’t make much sense. Mostly, I’m excited. I’m thrilled. I can’t wait to get started! Did you think about homeschooling too?

Written by: Sara Parise