I rarely mention, much less write about our Catholic Homeschooling even though it is one of my primary vocations and by “one of,” I mean a natural extension of my vocation as a wife and mother, infused with all the graces necessary through the Sacrament of Matrimony.
“Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule. The home is well suited for education in the virtues. This requires an apprenticeship in self-denial, sound judgment, and self-mastery– the preconditions of all true freedom. Parents should teach their children to subordinate the “material and instinctual dimensions to interior and spiritual ones.” Parents have a grave responsibility to give good example to their children. By knowing how to acknowledge their own failings to their children, parents will be better able to guide and correct them.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church #2223
One of the reasons I tend to shy away from writing about homeschooling is because I feel my schooling–my ideals and reality–pale in comparison to such great and lovely minds as Elizabeth Foss or Sarah MacKenzie. Ah, the thief of comparison, a well known villain in the lives of many a woman–wife, mother and homeschooler. And it’s not that Elizabeth or Sarah do anything or say anything to criticize or compare their methods and philosophies with the rest of us. They both realize and understand in a very real way the sacrifices and struggle homeschool mothers face. They know firsthand the spiritual, emotional, mental and even physical demands living this way of life requires. It’s not them…it’s me.
I am positive I am not alone, so this post is for us; the homeschoolers who do our best, try our hardest and yet feel inadequate when others mention words and phrases like, “educational philosophies” and “pedigogy” and quote Latin as if reading the side of the cereal box.
Why I Chose Catholic Homeschooling
I chose Catholic homeschooling all those years ago because:
A) I was/am a Catholic
B) I was already teaching my child
Isn’t the purpose of school to learn? Wasn’t my sweet little girl already learning? Did I really need to send her to preschool or Kindergarten to learn colors and shapes, numbers and letters? And if she was gone all day, or even half a day, when I would I teach her about our faith? In the evening after a long day of learning? Hand her back over on Sunday’s to a Catechism class? When would I, as her mother, have time to sing her my favorite childhood songs, color with big, fat primary colored crayons, or ask her play with her little siblings while I made lunch?
“The beauty of home education is that it gives a family more time together–time to solidify relationships, to communicate values, and to focus on each child’s individual needs in a consistent and unhurried atmosphere.” —Catholic Education: Homeward Bound – Useful Guide to Catholic Home Schooling
Our Catholic Homeschool
After all these years of homeschooling…after all these years of test driving: methods, philosophies, and the latest–greatest–new–and–improved curriculum offerings, we have found our homeschooling sweet spot. Which means we have found what works for us right now and I have to force myself from looking into the supposed greener pastures of my fellow homeschoolers.
The short answer of how we homeschool…we are a Seton Family with what some may consider certain Charlotte Mason, Classical elements and a touch of unschooling in the early years. This means memorization, good books, workbooks, very informal nature study–since we live on a small farm, studying God’s creation around us is just something we do naturally–standardized testing and a diploma give an accurate reflection of what our home learning looks like.
I absolutely believe learning should be good, true and beautiful. I also believe there are certain things we do as a discipline–an exercise in doing hard things that may not appear “good, true and beautiful” because we have to do them, whether we “feel” like it, experience pleasure while doing them or even understand why we are doing them. Unfortunately life is not composed of only the noble and ideal (but it can be infused with those characteristics with a disciplined mind.) Life is also made up of the hard and messy. Knowing how to move through both are part of what I consider to be an essential education.
This is what our homeschool journey looks like now with seven children from 3 years old to a Junior in High school. This is what has shown to work for us and we feel comfortable with. But we also realize one of the many benefits of homeschooling is being open to and listening for God’s grace as we assume this awesome responsibility. He may call us to learn differently at some time. It is crucial though that I listen to His promptings and not the sometimes fickle nature of my heart.
Lux Ganzon says
Jenny, I’m not a mom yet but I’m already planning to do the same to my future kids. 🙂
Fancy reading this stuff here. I think I got a better vision of how it would come to be. Great thanks to you!
Jennifer says
Thank you for sharing a bit of this. I’m still unsure of how to incorporate our faith into our homeschool as the few Christian Montessori curriculi that I have explored have been costly, so I’m going to explore this a bit further…
Michelle says
Most importantly, we’re preparing them for eternal life.
You have given an excellent example here of an ideal Catholic Homeschool. And I must say that you are right up there with women that I admire. Heck, I have been in awe of how you take care of a large family on a small farm, let alone school! Way to go Lady.
Amy Caroline says
I think we often feel nervous about talking about what we “do” because it can change from one year to the next or for the fact that some people take their educational philosophies very seriously and it can rock boats. I love hearing about the different way, however. I find a lot of encouragement in seeing that there are so many different ways to do it right!
Joy says
Thank you for this information, makes a lot of sense. I am actually in favour of homeschooling and did explore the possibilities of educating my first born this way…but 1971 in the UK gave me very little and no help or encouragement.
Glad I found your blog Pax et Bonum
Joy says
Can I ask how homeschooling works….here in UK homeschooling is less common and those who do are strictly vetted by the education authorities. Do you have a set curriculum to follow so that the children attain the required standards of education? Home school is ideal for all the extraneous ideals and practices of life but unless the educator has academic knowledge then how can they be expected to educate their children to an acceptable standard. It worries me.
Also, how do you prepare them for the real world? As Christians we are not ‘of the world’ be we have to live in it and christian children learn far better how to cope in this world by coping with school rather thsn being dumped into it cold in yound adulthood.
Jenny says
Great questions Joy. I’m not sure what the different states here require or how different families homeschool, so I can only tell you what I know we do. I do have a set curriculum I follow (the program we use keeps transcripts for my children) plus a scope and sequence…what skills or knowledge I expect my children to attain by a certain age or stage. I of course add to that base requirement. So often children in the schools are simply taught to the test. I expect more from my children than being able to answer generic questions posed on a standarized test. My job performance is thankfully not tied to state money allotted for good test scores, thus I can expect my children to be well educated individuals, able to think and reason beyond a test question. That being said, I personally choose to have my children take standarized tests along with their peers who attend state or private schools. We live in a world that chooses to measure school age aptitude based on little circles filled in on a standarized test so this is a skill my children need to learn. They have always fared well, in the top percentile.
I prepare my children for the real world rather nicely and broadly. They are very well mannered and able to carry on conversations with a gamut of ages. I don’t feel they learn how to behave in the world by being subject to a room full of children their own age.. Their social circle is a broad one, not confined to a brick and mortar building five days a week. They are as capable and comfortable around younger children as well as adults. They participate in piano lessons and competitions–almost always achieving first place. They play local soccer as well as state competitive soccer. They hold the typical teen jobs, well except for my oldest who already runs her own business, a piano studio out of our home. They participate in youth leadership and Church organizations as well. My children have the confidence so often lacking in their peers because they have not been constrained by their peers and the expectations often set for a “typical” age group.
Homeschooling has allowed them to grow and develop into who God has desired them to be rather than who their peers have set the standard for or tried to pressured them into. As for moving into adulthood, my older children are versed in the running of a home–physically, financially and spiritually. They have learned personal time management in their studies; not being led from room to room by a teacher and a bell. This ability to take responsibility for their time as well as their life, will serve them well when they head off to college and or the workforce.
Again, I’m completely unfamiliar with the homeschooling situations in the UK, so this is just representative of our family. Your questions are good and not uncommon and I appreciate the opportunity to go into more detail about homeschooling. There are so many misconceptions and misinformation out there about the advancement and achievements of homeschooled children and their parents. I do not begrudge or look down on teachers, parents and children in a more traditional school system–I’m a product of them–they are doing what they have been called to do and I am doing the same.
Karen says
ah! the pain of judging our insides against others’ outsides! I am guilty as well.
Our Homeschooling is ours. We have many outside activities that dictate our afternoons and nights. Makes for VERY crazy dinner and bed times. I am finally! (really, did it have to take me 49 years?) embracing MY life and not trying to live someone else’s life. How freeing. I enjoy others’ stories, but am no longer compelled to try to recreate them with my own. What works for them usually doesn’t work well for me. (but! I still steal ideas that will fit – just sayin)
Thanks for sharing your story!
May you have a blessed Spring on your lovely farm
Blessings
Karen
Janet says
Hi Jenny,
This is beautiful. I did not homeschool my children but I do believe children learn at different paces and learn through different activities and interests and not just at a desk for hours at a time. Homeschooling offers the freedom of parents to know how each child learns differently and I believe in that.
Have a beautiful day! God bless you!