Nothing stays the same.
If the past year has taught us anything, it is that simple fact.
One of the reasons we gave up the ideal of public school so many years ago was the system’s inability to adjust to individual students and make changes based on their needs. To be fair, when you are mass educating so many children it is impossible to change with each one. Hence, homeschooling, right?
After making the change to homeschool there are so many decisions we then face on a continual basis.
Sometimes we get in a rut in our homeschools and do not make the changes that are necessary for our children to succeed.
Signs a Change in Your Homeschool Might Be Necessary
Let’s take this quiz. Have you:
become comfortable with what you are doing (It’s just “easy”) but something just doesn’t feel right?
wanted to stay in the place where your children have friends - but something just doesn’t feel right?
continued with a curriculum because of its reputation (everyone else is doing it!) - but something just doesn’t feel right?
had life get in the way and been going on autopilot for a period of time - and you KNOW something isn’t right?
I get it. I’ve answered yes to all of those things.
(all in the past year)
It takes courage to make big changes in your homeschool - and generally when you have a nagging feeling that something isn’t right it’s time to make a change.
But sometimes things get in the way:
Sometimes a homeschooling parent does not have the fortitude to stay in their own lane - the peer pressure is very real in some circumstances.
Sometimes we operate out of a place of fear and worry - fear of the outside world and its influences and worry about what will happen when we make the change.
Sometimes we find something and stick with it - regardless of if it works or not - because it is what we KNOW.
Let Me Encourage You
Stepping out into something new is scary. It takes courage and bravery.
Making a big change in your homeschool will be easier if you:
do your research
pray
consult parents ahead of you on the path
include your child in the decision-making process
And sometimes, the changes are hard and you won’t see the benefit for a few years. We must have patience and faith.
For example, when my daughter made a big change in her schooling for the 11th-grade year she spent many months without a friend group and adjusting to new classes. Now - four years after - she will tell you that the changes she made in 11th grade helped her when she made the change to go to college, and then helped her when she had to make drastic changes when a pandemic upended her college education.
The Changes We are Making Next Year in Our Homeschool
I did an entire Instagram Live video about this today - you can watch that here:
Long story short, we are stepping away from Classical Conversations after we complete Challenge 2 this year.
This is the exact same path my daughter followed, but with my son, this change snuck up on us much more quickly.
It’s been a rough year for us (for so many people, right?). My dad passed away a month ago from natural causes related to this horrible virus. My husband left his job in the corporate world to join me here at Homegrown Learners and SQUILT Music. We’ve also had all of the normal stresses related to lockdown and the craziness that has ensued in our country since the lockdown.
The last thing that I wanted to change was my son’s 11th-grade year. I thought I had it all set. It was a done deal.
(Some Background:)
My son has had the same sweet group of kids traveling this Challenge path since the 7th grade - and many of them have been together since their days in Foundations. I thought they would all graduate together. I assumed everyone would stay on the path.
In the back of my mind I was aware, however, that things start changing when our kids turn 16 and can drive. They begin to seek and need more independence. They are making more decisions for themselves about how they spend their time and what is important to them.
What Began to Happen:
Little by little over the past semester, many of the students in our Challenge group have chosen not to return. The common themes I am hearing are that they want to explore more of their interests, they desire accountability from a “teacher” and that they are tired of doing all six strands and being stuck doing schoolwork all day.
Another very common theme is the amount of reading that takes place at the Challenge level. I often joked with people that I beat the love of reading right out of my daughter in the 9th and 10th grades. Well - I see it happening with my son and I will not do it again - not in the name of “Classical” education.
This is in no way meant to disparage Classical Conversations - it has worked at times for my children and at other times it has not. This is the beauty of homeschool - we have the CHOICE to do what works for our individual child.
Additionally, let me be very clear: we have a wonderful group of children and they have had exceptional tutors. The kids are all very close and supportive of each other. While I am sad that this ideal “group” is breaking apart for schooling purposes, I trust God’s hand in this situation.
Where We Go From Here in Our Homeschool
I’m not finished with all of our curriculum choices for next year - but when they are finalized I will be sure to share them with you!
Our goals as a family are to reclaim an enjoyment of reading, nurture my son’s interest in graphic design and technology, and simply ENJOY his last two years of high school.
As I have witnessed in the past 12 years of homeschooling, God is faithful and change happens for a reason.
Every experience our children have works for good, even if it doesn’t feel so good at the time. You also cannot make your decisions based on anyone else's expectations - I like to tell people I am a recovering people pleaser. I am learning that no matter what I do someone will always be unhappy about it.
Please stay tuned.
I am so appreciative of this homeschool community. Many of you have been with me through 11 years of blogging. We’ve gone through this entire journey together and I’m not ready for it to be over!
