Let me digress…

Some of my friends are still trying to process my resignation, and I think, for most of them, my resignation was the first and most surprising of our two announcements this Spring.

After 17 years in the public school classroom it was certainly assumed that I would teach at least another 10 years to “retire”. In the natural, that might have been the “responsible” approach. But Franklin and I feel called to consider much more than that.

Before you question our wisdom, Franklin and I drank Dave Ramsey’s Kool-Aid eight years ago and are in a position to “responsibly” make this transition. Our vacations may have to be stay-cations for the time being but we know how to budget and we count ourselves blessed to have enough to meet our needs and enough to help others on Franklin’s income.

Quite honestly, I did not know that I would home school our two youngest when I resigned. I pictured myself at home working on my collection of books in the Fall and marketing the collection in the Spring. Although all 4 of our sisters home school their children, I’ve always worked outside the home. The thought of homeschooling myself never crossed my mind.

In fact, I had the opportunity to teach our youngest in my classroom for 1/2 of every day this past year. I team taught in the Dual Language program so his English portion was with me. Last summer I was so excited to have him and I remember thinking, “This is the closest I’ll ever get to homeschooling one of my own.”

As the vision for the collection developed this Spring I felt the need to learn more about the homeschooling community in New Mexico. I made plans to attend the CAPE convention in April and being the “kill two birds with one stone” kind of gal that I am I scheduled our daughter’s annual ophthalmologist appointment in Albuquerque that Thursday morning. I bribed her to keep me company at the conference with mall money and we headed into the opening session hand in hand. Within three minutes I was sure that The Holy Spirit was calling me to home school for 2013/2014.

Several things were addressed that weekend that caused me to think very deliberately and specifically about Emma and Caden’s education.

First and foremost I want to explicitly say that our decision to home school is not a reaction to anything that happened to our children. I can honestly say that our children have had strong public school teachers and the teachers I taught with in our hometown are fantastic.  You see, regardless of what might be assumed, teachers are not policy makers. Most are responsible for delivering an externally determined set of standards to a classroom full of children. These children are a reflection of today’s society and the social concerns you see around you. The hurt, the broken, the abused, the abusive, the sick, the needy, the depressed, and the angry have children. Those children fill our public school classrooms. Many are unprepared for formal instruction and their fractured families have extreme concerns that often place school at the bottom of their list of priorities.  I will always be a advocate for my friends doing the very best they can in the trenches caring for a population that needs an extreme amount of love and encouragement.

For us, the decision is about two very simple truths.  First and foremost, God gave us these children to train in His ways to His glory.  The discipleship of our children is our responsibility.

My junior high and high school years were not attractive.  I had enough attitude for myself and a small entourage, thought I knew so much more than I really did, and made some decisions that I’d later regret.  I’ve always said that when Emma hit middle school I’d have to make myself more available.  I want to speak into her life in such a way that she grows in beauty and grace and the character of God.  I want her to remain pure and protected while developing both responsibility and independence and I believe that will require more “time on task” from me.  Simply stated, I know homeschooling will provide me an awesome opportunity to speak into her life.

And second, I want my children to benefit from curriculum that explicitly points to God as The Creator and Our Provider.

Two summers ago I bought a fantastic Apologia science curriculum that points to God the Creator in every lesson.  Emma has been quite sure that she will study marine biology when she grows up and the Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day looked like the perfect fit.  We had plans to study the text at home but never cracked the book open.  After dinner and homework, we found ourselves too tired to study another text.  I’d also purchased Susan Wise Bauer’s The Story of the World:  Ancient Times at about that same time.  Having a minor in history I looked forward to reading this narrative approach with my children.  We made more progress in this text but I found myself falling asleep after a page and half, using this book as our bedtime story.

Homeschooling will give me the opportunity to 1) disciple my children in a powerful and meaningful way that I’ve not been able to do to this point and 2) choose curriculum that cannot be used in the public school.

I cannot tell you how excited I am to begin this journey!