What I Know For Sure- Homeschool Edition

I always look forward to reading the last page of my Oprah magazine for her article called What I Know For Sure. It always inspires me, enlightens me, and leaves me feeling positive and calm. Hopefully I can do something like that here....

One month has passed since Gabby started homeschooling and one thing that I know for sure is that we made the right choice for our girl. She left the public school system uninspired, ignored for her talents and was seen as a "problem" student who wasn't up to snuff. We took her out of a system that treats children like little machines who are expected to perform all on the same level, in all subjects, at all times, with little to no creative outlet or stimulation... something I didn't really see until my child was the one affected.

Now, after one month of field trips, deep conversations, some worksheet and workbook action, lots of giggling and art, Gabby is back to being a happy girl who is confident in her abilities and is enjoying showing off her reading and spelling skills. She knows lots of little facts about tons of different things from how a bakery is run to cooking with fractions and is reading fast enough that she can read a good majority of names in movie credits. She is understanding more complex math problems, loves to spell, and is really interested in life science. None of those things make me as happy though as knowing that now she wants to learn and asks the right questions to get answers.

I know for sure that being at home and being able to learn on her own terms and at her own pace restored Gabby's faith in herself. She doesn't have to worry about keeping up with anyone but herself, and while I challenge her to figure things out on her own, she knows I have to time to help her if she really needs it. She has two pen pals that she writes to weekly, looks forward to reading her mail, and loves that everyday is a chance to make some awesome art.

I know for sure that we are giving her opportunities that she wouldn't have in a normal public school day. She has played with microscopes, has over 2 hours of active aerobic activity almost daily(her choice!!), gets to eat lunch at a normal, sane pace, and has gotten to spend hours in the library just browsing and reading.

I am sure that as we continue along this journey there will be a lot of things that I will not know for sure. But I do know that Gabby and I will discover the answers together, which is a wonderful thing my friends!