>>i have always been a a poor student myself and am scared therefore to homeschool. would you say that being “smart” is a requisite to homeschooling?<<
Does being a poor student mean that you’re not smart? Absolutely not – I reject that! Similarly, I reject the idea that the kind of intelligence needed to do well in school is more valuable than other kinds of intelligence. There are many kinds of intelligence and every single person is uniquely gifted in some way. Many people did fantastically well in school but weren’t successful in life, career, relationships…. School based success is very limited.
Having said that, I understand that the question is being asked because of the insecurity that as a poor student, you might not be able to meet your child’s academic needs. Parents who haven’t completed their high school education (sometimes only up to 8th grade education) have successfully homeschooled their children past the point that their education was completed. If they needed to know what their children needed to learn, there’s no way they could have been successful. I can say with confidence that you can go beyond your school experience and support your child/ren effectively and watch them thrive while homeschooling.
How so? There are a number of options. First of all, there are other resources out there except for you – you don’t have to know everything! There are books, dvd programs, classes, mentors, and paid resource people. I love the library; it’s free and has a huge variety of materials for you and your children to access. Many who did do well in high school still don’t remember the information well enough to effectively teach it to their children. I have two children homeschooling high school now, and their interests and my strengths don’t always line up. But they aren’t limited by me and my knowledge base – I’ve encouraged them to develop independent learning skills, and they’ve been able to explore their interests and gain skills beyond me. (They already know not to bother asking me for help with math at this point! :))
Second of all, a fun aspect of homeschooling is that you can learn along with your children! There’s so much to know out there and it’s ridiculous to think that anyone covered it all in four years as a teenager, no matter how high their report card grades were. My kids are constantly sharing new things they learn with me, and as I learn new information, I share it with them. It’s invigorating and exciting to expand your knowledge base, and being a parent doesn’t mean it’s too late to learn more. It’s never too late!
What’s more important than your academic success in school is your willingness to tune into your child’s needs and find ways to support him. It’s not really any different than what a parent who was ‘school smart’ needs to do. Don’t be afraid, and don’t think you’re unusual – we all have areas we feel inadequate about. You can homeschool and you can do a great job!
(This post is part of the Carnival of Homeschooling.)
Avivah
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