Home Learning - Our Story

Study at home? It sounds too "homeschoolish."

What is wrong with homeschooling?

Well, when my children were young, the traditional route to get a college degree is via public school. If you can afford it, private schools were better.

Eventually, the educational landscape changed and the homeschooling movement gained momentum in the United States.

As my family size increased to 9 children, seven boys and two girls, public school's academic and moral standards scared the heck out of me.

Issues such as school bullies, waking my sleep heads out of their beds in time for school, "homework deficits" reports from their teachers, school projects that took forever, and never-ending extracurricular activities such as sleepovers, sports practices were my major concerns. Another strange thing happened to my children. They talked, dressed, and acted differently.

My children found it "cool" to under perform in their schoolwork. They did the bare minimum in academic expectations unless there is something in it for them. "Dissing" me in front of their friends became a habit. Further, they lost their faith.

I don't know about you, but that is "not cool" for me.

"Who are these children?"

Certainly mine! But how can I bring them back to the "once-eager beaver learners" before they went to school?

Is it possible to pull these children out of public school and study at home? Is it a tedious process?

My restlessness forced me to research on various home school curriculum in the market. I found plenty. Calculating the average home school curriculum cost, $800 for tuition and books is not cheap. $800 x 8 children is equal to a fortune.

Is this the price I have to pay to save my children?

There must be a curriculum that we can study at home without the hefty price.

This gargantuan undertaking brought me to many homeschooling curriculum review site. It also led me to an understanding of the hidden secrets in acquiring a college education in the US. Yes, universities do not tell your everything. So, unless you ask, you will never know that there is another door to attain a college degree from an accredited college in the US.

In implementing the home study program, you need a special kind of skills set : You must have the willingness to study at home (attitude counts) and learn to teach yourself (do not depend on your spoon feeding type of learning).

Our Story Did Not End Here ...

One summer day in June, I executed the fruits of my research. I announced to my family joyfully, "We are going to study at home today after breakfast!"

As you can imagine, it did not daze them. Public school taught them that unless there is "drama", you can smirk, roll your eyes, or just say simply "crap". I knew that they will end up sabotaging the books I lined up for them.

But, I exercised my parent's prerogative.

Surprisingly, our first "study at home" day turned out great. The younger ones loved the physical closeness and informality of the whole thing. It was fun to slouch at the carpet, wear your pajamas until noon, study at the comfortable couch The older ones appreciated doing "something" rather than their summer chores.

Hand in hand, we discovered each other. I understood that what public teachers screamed as a learning struggles or disorders where actually gifts. These children did not have a chance in public school. The institution did not understand my brood's inclinations and pace. Our first day in home learning is a revelation of what they can and cannot do.

After a few weeks, I was amazed at the results of our "study at home" program. My reluctant readers began to finish their books.

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