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Keeping Focus May 1, 2009 |
How can my child learn something I can't teach? Whether you're new to homeschooling or a veteran homeschooler, there may come a time when you ask yourself this question. It may be when your high school student attempts Chemistry or Algebra 2. Or it may be when you're considering homeschooling for the first time. This month's quote "One may learn best by teaching a child" is probably one of the best answers to that question. Most of us don't remember a lot of what we learned in school. The old adage, “use it or lose it” takes hold; if we don't use the information on a regular basis, we tend to forget it. But then another adage takes over - “it's like riding a bicycle.” It all comes back to us when we start teaching it to our children. So what about subjects we never learned in the first place? If you are talking about a high school course, then you can rest assured that you have options. There are curriculum programs that are designed specifically for homeschool where the student is self-taught. Everything that is needed is presented in the course. Or you can use video or on-line courses that teach the student directly. A few programs even have consultants who can answer questions that students may have. Other options include dual enrollment at a local community college or cooperative classes when a certified teacher is hired to teach a group of homeschoolers. If you're talking about educating your child in general, then here's a few other questions you need to consider. Is your child walking? Is your child talking? Can your child get dressed in the morning all by himself? Can she feed herself? Can your child carry on a conversation with you? Then guess what? You've taught your child a lot already. And all of these are vital life skills that could have permanently inhibited your child for life if you hadn't taught them. So relax. You are capable of teaching your child. The tools you need already exist. And there are plenty of helps available. Whether you're a new homeschooler or a veteran considering a new level of courses, the key is to select a program that “fills in the blanks” you feel you have. It may cost a bit more, but then another adage comes to mind - “you get what you pay for.” Here are two more “nuggets” that help to answer the question. “Education is learning to learn.” There is more information available than a person can teach in 12 or 13 years. For example, technical information is doubling every two years. So the goal is to teach your child how to learn. Second, “a teacher should have the same craving for knowledge he expects from his students.” The whole idea behind homeschooling is that education is not just academics taught in a classroom. True education is a lifestyle; it's a life-long activity – for the child and the parent. Psalm 25:4 is just one verse in many that encourage us to remain teachable all the years of our life. Psalm 90:12 says, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Homeschooling gives us the opportunity to make our time count for ourselves and our children. |
