Why we homeschool....

I didn't start homeschooling primarily for ideological reasons. Rather, my interest in alternative education stems from the basic soulessness of traditional schooling. I think it is disrespectful of children as people (they have to ask to go the bathroom for pete's sake!) and counterproductive in that it uses competition and reward as motivators.

The idea of teaching 30 kids, the same thing, at the same time, in the same way and at the same rate, is nothing more than an efficiency model at best and at worst it is just plain stupid. There are no resources for, nor interest in, approaches that are tailored for a learner's particular learning style or mastery. There can be no emphasis on mastery because the teacher is a slave to the pace of the curriculum. (Technically, even 80% is not mastery.)

Kids who are bored (and goof off) are scolded, kids who are behind feel humiliated. And yes, the kids in the middle often manage to do fine, in spite of it all. But for me, if my kids are going to spend 7 hours a day doing anything, I am going to have a standard higher than fine. I want an effectiveness model. I want joy. I want triumph. I want inspiration and enthusiasm. I want challenge, beauty and creativity. And I want it all in an environment of safety, security and faith.