PRAEMONITUS, PRAEMUNITUS – Homeschooling Is Where The Heart Is!
Have you ever heard the saying, “Praemonitus, praemunitus?” Probably not when it is spoken in the original Latin, but it should sound familiar when said in English, “Forewarned is forearmed!” So, use your forearms to hold up The Waynedale News, you’re about to be forewarned. Mom and dad don’t assume when a class is offered through a homeschooling co-op that the instructor has the same homeschool mindset as you do! Let me be crystal clear about my purpose in writing this article; I hope to encourage you to do your research, on an instructor, just like you would do your research on a curriculum you use to teach your child.
By research, I don’t mean read the instructor’s bio and think, oh, she’s homeschooled children for eons and loves the topic. She’s excited to share her knowledge, and I’ve heard good feedback about the co-op she’s teaching for.
Take the time to post questions like these on homeschool Facebook pages; ask these questions face to face at homeschool group meetings, or wherever homeschoolers congregate:
“Have your children ever taken a class taught by _____?”
“What’s her style?”
“Did your children look forward to going each week and learning more?”
“Was she open to feedback?”
Manners please…If you do post these questions on Facebook ask people to message you privately in case there are negative responses.
Due to my lack of research, my daughter was scolded for doodling and told to stop and focus. Ask my Sunday school teacher, I doodle during class and I’m still on top of it! All of you parents out there raise your hands if your children pays better attention when doodling…can I get a witness?! My daughter and her long suffering classmates had to sit for an hour and 45 minutes with eyes straight ahead while the instructor droned on without a break. There were no get up off your bottom activities during class, or teamwork scenarios…not a one. What?! There were less than 8 students in this class. My daughter asked to use the bathroom and was told, “No, unless it’s an absolute emergency.” God bless her, she waited until the end of the class. I would have stood up and went to the bathroom before I peed my pants and died of boredom in front of my peers!
I withdrew my daughter from the class even though I honestly believe this instructor did have a wealth of information to impart to the children. But what good was this imparting when a healthy, energetic child, around the age of 12, loses his or her focus after 20 minutes. Rumor has it that there are parents who follow the brick schoolhouse method in their homes, so this style might work for them. But not for my Homie-schooled buddies and me!
Email me with your homeschooling questions at homeschooling heart@gmail.com.
Until next month God bless you and your little or not so little ones!
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> More Articles Written By This Writer
- S-U-C-C-E-S-S – Homeschooling Is Where The Heart Is! - January 20, 2017
- PRAEMONITUS, PRAEMUNITUS – Homeschooling Is Where The Heart Is! - November 18, 2016
- HOMESCHOOLING ANXIETY – Homeschooling Is WhereThe Heart Is! - September 23, 2016