I just realized something today. I have been teaching (both in the classroom and at home) for 21 years. 21 YEARS!
How it all started…
I was just about to graduate college. I was engaged and life was so full of potential. My inital plan was to go to medical school, but I didn’t think I could juggle a demanding career as a doctor and still be a good Mom, so I decided to let those plans go. So what to do? I walked through a career fair at my college hoping for inspiration. “You are a science major? Could you teach Chemistry?” An administator from a local private school brought me back to reality. Chemistry? Sure, why not? I liked Chemistry, how hard could it be? I just turned 22 years old and teaching seemed like a fun challenge. Besides, I had to do something, so why not try teaching? A couple months later, the school gave me a Chemistry textbook and I started learning how to teach. Over the next 8 years I also taught Algebra, Biology, and Health. When I was pregnant with my 3rd child and my oldest was getting ready to start kindergarten, I knew my career was going to change. I enjoyed teaching, but most of my income was going to child care and I felt guilty for not being with my kids. So I decided to become a stay-at-home mom and teach my own kids! The best of both worlds!
What a Challenge!
While I loved being home full time with my 3 young kids, all those years of classroom teaching did nothing to prepare me for teaching kindergarten! All those hours of teaching did not help me teach my kids to read. I didn’t remember any history from all my years of school, and I did not feel qualified to teach literature. Nothing came easy, but I was determined to learn alongside my kids. I wanted to be the best mom and homeschool teacher I could be. I read all the homeschool books, I tried all the crafts, I started researching curriculum, and I began reading picture books to my kids. I planned out a very rigorous 12 year plan for my kids that included every subject I thought they should learn. Not everything went according to plan–in fact most things didn’t. But looking back over the years, I wouldn’t trade it for ANYTHING! With 6 kids and many years of homeschooling ahead, we are still learning and making memories together. I hope this blog can bring you encouragement and wisdom as I share some of the things I have learned along the way: time saving tips, hands-on projects that my kids loved, booklists, and other resources that will help fill your days with memories and time spent learning together.