I Homeschool My Kids So They Know How to Find Their Own Path

I homeschool my kids because I want them to know, from as soon as possible, that there is a different path for everyone.  Maybe not "know", but "remember".

When my kids were toddlers and in preschool, I loved watching them.

I used to watch with such excitement how they stopped and noticed everything.  Every crack in the sidewalk, every little flower on the page of a book, every cloud in the sky.

I used to watch with such excitement how they wondered out loud about things they saw or heard.  Why is the sky blue?  Who was that man? How can the wolf blow down the house?

I used to watch with such excitement how made choices to do things that made them happy instead of just doing what they were told. Stickers on their face instead of the page.  Wearing a fancy party dress to school.  Mixing all the playdough together.

I loved their curiosity and interest and passion.

As they moved on through elementary school I started to notice how they only paid attention to getting the answer to the question.  How they never questioned or discussed.  How they were worried that their projects might look different that what the teacher wanted.  I hated how they had lost their curiosity and were only focused on the "right answer".  Getting the answer that everyone else was going to give.

My defining moment was the reading comprehension question, "What do you think the author meant by ...?".  My daughter labored over it.  There were tears.  It was so open ended.  How could she know what the right answer was.  I loved it.  I made her re-read parts and encouraged her to share what she noticed.  I engaged in discussion with her about her thoughts.   I supported her in choosing an answer that felt good to her.  And she handed it in.  And got it wrong.

HOW CAN YOU GET THE ANSWER WRONG TO "WHAT DO YOU THINK?"

In addition, we had science fair project ideas turned down because they could not fit in the rubric.  We had creative ways to do a boring weekly web search rejected.  We had correct math answers marked wrong because the method used was not the one taught in class.  

I realized that school was teaching my kids that there is only one right answer.  

That there is only one path.  

And that was not a lesson I wanted my kids to learn.  

So now they are homeschooled.

I create assignments for them that require an answer or opinion or report or creation.

I share my expectations about what the assignment should include.

And then I let them be free to discover the path that works for them.

I want them to be curious enough to do research and play around with things.

I want them to be interested enough to talk about what they are learning about.

I want them to be passionate enough to create something that feels good and feels authentic.

I want them to love what they produce, even if it doesn't look like everyone else's.

I want them to take this lesson with them through college and career and life.

The lesson that following your own path is the only "right" way.