Me Homeschool?

I've started this blog to keep track of all I'm discovering and learning as we make the decision to either homeschool my three children next year or leave them at the private Catholic school where they currently attend.  I did register them with the school for the 2008/09 year in order to give my hubby and I time to discern what's best for our family, but I must admit, I'm pretty excited about the thought of homeschooling! I love the concept of a classical education for my children.

How did the issue of homeschooling come up?

Well, after I worked with my oldest to prepare for finals, including teaching her a couple new chapters, she needed to take early because of a family vacation, she asked me if I would homeschool her next year. I asked why she wanted to be homeschooled. She feels she would learn more one and one and be able to move faster with her studies. Soon my youngest, also a girl who attends preschool three days a week, said she wanted to be homeschooled for kindergarten. Finally my son, a second grader, decided homeschooling might be fun for him, too.

The thought of homeschooling is a bit overwhelming, but it's not a totally new concept for us.

Way back when when my oldest, currently 9 and in fourth grade, was going into Kindergarden I planned on homeschooing her if she didn't get into our parish school. I'd read The Well-Trained Mind (TWTM) and fell in love with classical education. I looked into Catholic homeschool schools such as Kolbe, Angelicum and Mother of Divine Grace. But we squeaked into the school due to a mistake by the office and decided to send her there. I, however, after-schooled that first year with a combination of various things from Catholic Heritage Curriculum (CHC) and MODG. During the summer after kindergarten, I used Story of the World (SOTW) with her. We loved that, but once September rolled around we put it aside and never went back to it.

And finally, a little about me. I'm a Catholic stay at home mom of three (3/98, 4/00, 1/03), who writes novels when she gets a chance. That means naptime and late at night. I've sold 14 books since 1997 and was recently (okay, two weeks ago) asked to write number 15. One concern I have with homeschooling is how that will work with my writing and deadlines! Something's going to have to give somewhere.

I'm also a trained catechist for two levels (ages 3-6 and 6-9) of a hands-on, Montessori-like religious formation method called Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. That's where the name of this blog, Notes from the Sheepfold, comes from. There is a work (one of my favorites) that uses a figure of the Good Shepherd, sheep and a sheepfold. The children hear the words from the Gospel and come to realize as they work with the figures who the Good Shepherd is and who we are. That Jesus calls each of us by name and lays down his life for us.

Last week I used the work with an extension for the Level 2 children (ages 6-9) called The Hireling and the Wolf. I'm not sure who got more out of the lesson the kids or me. (And that's one thing I love about working in the Atrium. It's really helped me with my own faith journey!) The Hireling running away from the flock when trouble (the wolf who personifies evil) appeared made me really think of my children's education. The school they attend has done a good job, but let's face it, they are paid to teach the children, just as the Hireling is paid to watch the sheep. I couldn't stop thinking about what the Church says about parents being the primary educators of their children after making that analogy.

I'm looking forward to learning more, exploring curriculum options and talking to other parents who are homeschooling or who have homeschooled in the past.