Class of 2021
So, the idea was to blog my adventures as a homeschool educator/ mom and have so much fun doing it. Well, as you can tell... that didn't really happen. To be more exact, nothing BUT homeschooling happened in the school year 2020/2021. Where do I begin?
For all my new friends, "hey girl, heeeyyyyy!" Yes, total assumption my readers are women and also a warning: I blog how I talk. You can do whatever you want with that last part. ;)
I guess it's safe to say, 2020 knocked us right off our square. But did it though? It was a year of pausing and reflecting and for many of us, a breath of fresh air. Almost, literally. For many others, 2020 resulted in incredible loss and heartache. Year 2020 shaped itself really to be whatever we made it to be, even if that included loss. For me, it included the road to homeschool. As a mother of three, grades 10th, 8th and 1st at the time, I didn't know what to expect teaching from home. What was bubbling inside of me were emotions wrapped in words I once heard; whispers turned full-on affirmations "you are your child's best teacher." If we're honest with ourselves, the story behind this grand scheme of events all lead back to a bigger even grander story. I AM my child's best teacher.
To be clear, we are all teachers teaching someone something. As a parent, we are teaching our children everyday. We teach them basic things like how to communicate, eat, dress and read. We teach them more complex things as well, even when we aren't aware of it. We inadvertently teach them how to be afraid of what we're afraid of. We teach them about faith or lack thereof. We teach them how to treat people and we teach them how to let others treat them. We are always teaching something. Throw in actual subjects like Algebra 1 & 2, Physics, Rhetoric and Economics, guys... That is a whole other level of faith. ¡Santo!
I vlogged not too long ago mentioning how homeschooling was the hardest thing I have ever done. Friends, I wasn't lying. I really wish I could say I have lighter years ahead sometime soon, but it's not looking like that way, lol. This is STILL the hardest thing I have ever done. HOWEVER, what I do have under my belt is year one year DONE, courage to keep going for as long as I am supposed to and thee best support system any new homeschooling mom could ask for.
This year, Zechariah excelled to his third year of HS and was nominated and accepted into the National Society of High School Scholars. What?! Zamaris graduated middle school, moved up into her first year of HS and is our co-op's first year Student Ambassador! How or why, you ask? You must not know my daughter. She was literally made to help people. I can't make this up. And, let's not forget the little guy! Having beautifully crushed first grade, your boy is wrapping up 2nd grade math over the summer, moving into 3rd grade math in the fall. To add to that, in public school he’d be graduating from kindergarten this past school year.
Why am I sharing all this? Because I am BEYOND proud of my kids. They have overcome some of the hardest academic obstacles to date, in the middle of complete life shifts, a pandemic and missing key elements of their prior charter school like friends, events and sports. For the record, I didn't pull my kids out of school. I FIRST prayed and then followed up by ASKING them what they felt and what they wanted. In full disclosure, they are the ones who gave me their blessing to teach them. And as Principal, Teacher, Counselor, Cafeteria Cook and Mom it's my hope they skip no beats. My hope is that this would be the ride of their lives.
As for me... I TOO am Class of 2021 and you know what? I am pretty dang proud of myself. I made it through my first year of homeschooling bear crawling BUT, I made it! I did it! And with confidence I can say, I didn’t miss God on this one. I am EXACTLY where I am suppose to be. For now. :)
I leave you with the best advice given to me when I decided to take the leap… Take it one year at a time. A lot can change and that’s okay.
Until next time… Shoot a prayer for me, yeah?
Hugs!
