Working Together

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When I announced I was homeschooling, I expected a reaction. I didn’t quite expect a parade, nor did I expect my daughter’s elementary school principal to chase me down the carpool line begging me to return or shaking her fist angrily vowing revenge, but I expected at least a raised eyebrow. I had spent months prior to my decision reading anything with the words “home” or “school” in the title and had read stories of grandparents disowning those “crazy homeschooled grand-kids,” so I expected a negative reaction. Weeks passed with no front-yard protests or angry phone calls from relatives. In fact, what I encountered more than anything was support.

While I realize many who decide to home school have encountered anything but support, the most controversial comment I received was the occasional, “When are you sending them back to public school?” Most of my friends sent words of both congratulations and admiration. In fact, many expressed to me that they love the idea of homeschooling, of discipling their children and of playing a more active role in their child’s education. By having these conversations, it hit me that I had developed a misconceived perception of how most people in my area view homeschooling, and it had, quite frankly, put me unnecessarily on the defensive, ready to pounce at the first rude comment from a naysayer.

What I have found, though, is a deep desire in many parents to play a more critical, proactive role in their child’s education. Parents, for whom homeschool is not a viable or desirable option, still care deeply about the failing state of many schools, yet they have often been bullied into a corner, belittled into thinking that they are not capable of helping schools make choices about curriculum or policy. As a parent who homeschools, I don’t necessarily want to “convert” all parents to this lifestyle, but I do want to encourage parents to feel more empowered to make decisions about their child’s schooling. I think parents have been asked by schools to help only where needed but to not overstep the bounds into choices that really matter. I’ve learned in my first year of homeschooling that rather than view my decision to homeschool as an “us vs. them” situation that I can seek opportunities to encourage all parents to be more proactive in their child’s education whether at home or at school.

I think, if I’ve heard anything negative, it is that homeschooling parents have abandoned public school children. We’ve pulled our kids out for what we believe is a better choice for our families while giving everyone else a coke and a smile. What if we put our heads together and worked as a team public, private, homeschool to create a better system of education? Rather than lining up on opposite sides of the battle line, I think we can line up shoulder-to-shoulder, whatever our schooling choice, and fight together on the side of excellent educational choices for all of our children.

Julie Anna Johnson is a homeschooling mom to her beautiful daughter and son, who she is teaching to love Jesus, life,and learning. They spend their days learning, reading, running,and exploring. When not teaching her own, Julie Anna teaches literature and writing at a local homeschool co-op and runs a tutoring business.