Never, in all those years, did I ever envision myself as a teacher. The desire was not there. I guess in the back of my mind I thought I might eventually end up teaching my children at home, but it was a fleeting idea that passed from my conscious thought almost as quickly as it appeared.
Now, over twenty years later, I find myself in the throes of lesson plans, grade books, tests, quizzes, and lost pencils. Most days, I feel as if my energy is sucked out of me by a never-ending stream of homework. I do not enjoy this aspect of my life - in fact, I kind of dread it. If there were any way of getting out of it, I would. However, there is no escape. This daily grind is truly a necessary evil. It is something that I never would have chosen for myself, but something that God has given me to do. In all honesty, I feel like Jonah at times. God wants me to teach my children, and I want to run the other way! It really is a great privilege to share with our children the wonders of the world God has created, to give them a Biblical perspective on life, and to ensure that they are learning important truth that will help form them into the men and women God wants them to be, but, man, is it ever hard! I meet some mothers who teach their children and everything seems happy and sunshiny, and they exclaim, "I LOVE teaching my children at home!" In the back of my mind, I think, "What drug are you taking, and where can I get some?" I struggle to maintain a positive attitude, so that the kids are not affected by my lack of enthusiasm. I have spurts of excitement that poke through the veil of humdrum "let's just get it done" mentality. Believe it or not, it isn't all bad, but neither is it in the top ten list of things I really want to do.
Most days, it is just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other and plodding forward, doggedly headed for that oh-so-far-off finish line of summer break. Relieved to reach the goal, I feverishly do my happy dance, only to turn the corner and see book orders for the next school year looming in the very near future.
So, now that we have exposed the sordid truth, how do we deal with it? How do we reconcile ourselves to doing that which we know to do is right - a ministry, even - with our feelings of dislike, inadequacy, and sometimes discouragement?
Here are a few of my personal ways of how to make it through the doldrums of home education.
First, make school a priority. Your children's education is dependent upon you. Their future is affected by the decisions you make each day. Skipping school for any reason (other than the occasional field trip) should be a serious decision. I am a self-proclaimed school nazi - in other words, nothing takes precedence over school. It is all-important, and is always first on the list of things to accomplish. All extra-curricular activities are postponed until school is done for the day. If school must be interrupted before it is finished, as soon as the interruption is over, resume school immediately. Travel days are a consideration that most of us have to make. When you have to drive six, eight, ten or more hours in a day, trying to get school done can be crazy. My children cannot do much school in the vehicle, since they tend to get carsick. If you can manage school in the truck, do it! If not, try doing a little extra in a subject each day about a week before the upcoming travel day. Two lessons in a different subject each day for a week is not so overwhelming as doing two days of school in one day, or worst of all, making it up on a Saturday when the weather is beautiful and everyone else is playing outside! I have also found doing extra work ahead of time is far superior than doing extra work after the field trip, activity, or day off. Trying to "catch up" is mentally more discouraging than "working ahead."
Second, try to establish a regular bedtime. I know, with our lifestyle, it can be crazy. Late nights and too little sleep can cause sluggish behavior and poor concentration skills. However, maintaining at least a semblance of consistency is very helpful. Getting to bed at a decent time will help your children perform better in school.
Third, prepare yourself. By this, I mean get enough sleep. Get a decent breakfast. Make lesson plans. Yes - I said it! Making lesson plans help me see what is coming in the near future, helps me to see at a glance what each day's tasks are, and allows the kids to know what is expected of them on a daily basis. It is one of the best things I can do to help things run smoothly in school. Best of all, since I type them out on my computer, I can print them, send them via email or digital copy. I have found that doing them in two-week increments works best for me. I am familiar enough with what is coming up (book reports, papers, tests) but not so ahead of where we are that I don't remember what is going on. Taking an hour or two for lesson plans every two weeks is not bad. I had a friend whose baby was due during the first weeks of school. She did lesson plans for the first nine weeks to give herself time for having the baby, recuperation of those first few weeks, and adjusting to a new little one. Planning ahead can be time-consuming, but it really pays off in the end!
Fourth, don't stress over school. I realize that seems somewhat contradictory to my previous points, but it isn't. Your mindset determines the whole attitude of school. If you are stressed, your kids will pick up on it, and they will mirror your anxiety. If you are positive and determined, they will also pick up on that. Find a rhythm that works for you, and get in the groove. Start school about the same time each day. We usually start between 8:30 and 9:00 each day, although sometimes the kids get up early and start work before then.
Fifth, give them incentives to get their work done (i.e. After school is done, we are going to go see/do/visit _______ ). My biggest incentive is lunch. We typically do not eat lunch until everyone is done with school. There are exceptions to this, of course, but since I am busy with them until they are done, lunch usually has to wait. Hunger is a great motivation to get your work done. Playing with friends can also be an incentive. If they know the pastor's children are waiting outside the church for them to finish, things tend to move more quickly. Use these natural desires to your advantage!
Last, realize that this is just a part of your life that will not last forever (although sometimes it does seem eternal). Your family will change and grow, and one day you will look back with fond memories at the time you were able to spend with your kids, even though it wasn't always a favorite activity. You are teaching your kids that even the difficult and unpleasant things in life are important, and that they must learn to persevere and find fulfillment in accomplishing daily tasks.
There is no doubt that this job is a difficult one, and combined with the rigors of travel and unpredictable schedules, it can be overwhelming at times. We can take comfort in the fact that God gives us the strength to accomplish what He gives us to do. He is there to hear us when we are at the end of our strength. His strength is made perfect in our weakness When we faint, He is able to carry us and shelter us in the shadow of His wings.
In closing, here are a few verses on which to meditate:
Isaiah 40:28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Take heart, my friends, and know that you are not alone. Pray for one another, and allow God to change your heart and perspective, and use you just as you are!
We raised 5 children on the road and home schooled them. All of them went to college and did well. Looking back, I know it was the grace of God that enabled us to keep at it, and His abundant mercy that filled in all the gaps.
ReplyDeleteMy two suggestions would be to have a definite schedule. We had to say no many times, but once people understand that school IS important to you, they will often change plans for later in the afternoon or a supper together.
My husband was often such a help in these situations. He would explain how important and time consuming school was. (That way I didn't look like the bad guy all the time:) He would often drive till late at night or all night, so we would have time for school the next morning.
My second suggestion is to use a curriculum that already has the lesson plans written out for you😊 We used ABeka all the way through for all 5 kids. Seventh grade through 12th grade we did video school (which was such a help!) But for the younger grades, I would take a half sheet of paper, write Monday through Friday across the top,then open the Math curriculum. I'd write the page that needed to be done for each day, or test for the appropriate day. Then, I get out the Language curriculum and write out all that was expected for each day of the week, etc. It would take about 10 minutes per child and sometimes I would turn the paper over and do the next week. I then gave it to the child and they would mark off what they had finished. That way everyone knew what was expected of them. I tried to check their work every day, even if it was late, but I almost never "taught" a class. They read their books, answered their questions, and called for help when necessary.
We tried to keep it as much like a regular school as possible. When they were in grammar school, they'd run around the trailer 3 times (on their way to school), say the pledge of allegiance when they arrived, and pray for God's help before beginning.
As you look back on these days, your heart will ache for the sweet days when your family was all together, and when you could be such an influence on them, daily. It will seem such a privilege to have been able to invest so much of your life into your children.
Thank you, Donna! It is good to have input from survivors! Ha! We use Abeka, but do not do the video school. They do tell you everything you need to do, but when I refer to lesson plans, I am talking about week-at-a-glance lesson plans that I can give to my kids to cross off when they are done. It sounds about like what you did, just a computerized version. :)
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