More than 90 resignations in the Gilbert School District in AZ, the district where I belong, has a lot of parents worried this will have an impact in the quality of their child’s education. I share their concerns. Looks like a lack of unity between administrators and the school board, our leaders. It’s this kind of news that motivated me to put together a video to encourage parents that they have options!
Here’s why….the resources you have available are growing exponentially, especially with the increase in online learning….a 30% growth every year in the U.S. For us, online courses along with traditional classroom have proven to be a successful combination to help educate my two children and better yet, most of them were free.
Yes, free!
Over the years, I’ve spoken with dozens of frustrated parents…. frustrated at what’s going in their child’s school or maybe you’re one of those parents who feels like you’re losing control over what’s happening with your child’s education. Maybe the quality of education your child is getting is nothing to be proud about….especially if you’re paying big bucks….maybe you’re seeing changes in your child you don’t like or you see that your child’s just not happy in school and uses every excuse in the book not to go but you don’t know what to do, or maybe you just wish that life wasn’t so chaotic….that time would slow down so you could enjoy more time with your children…or how about those of you concerned about the growing number of bullying happening in our schools or the escalating violence. Here’s something that will shock you…in 2012 when 28 students and teachers were tragically killed by a teenage student at Sandy Hook Elementary, there were 14 school shootings prior to that in the U.S. Last year, that number doubled to 31. And get this, that’s the same number of shootings we’ve had so far this year.
As a former news reporter, it was my job to research and gather facts and that’s what I’ve been doing for the last 15 years as a home educator and now I want to share with you everything I’ve learned. And that’s why I’m here….to help you and to share the surprising results we’ve had. And let me tell ya, every year gets better and better and my husband and I never dreamed it would be possible to enjoy our kids even during the teen years. Yes, teen years! Our daughter is a junior in high school graduating with both her Associates Degree and her high school diploma at the same time…can I brag a little…she’s got a 4.0. My son is now 15 and started his first college class when he was 12. His entrepreneurial spirit has him running not one but two successful online businesses where he receives a regular monthly income pursuing what he loves. That’s also the same age he won an oratory contest where he had to present a 5 minute memorized speech that won him a $2500 scholarship. Did I forget to mention he was only 11?!
I have to admit, it hasn’t been easy. My fits of anger, my lack of organization, struggling to teach them past junior high and always feeling like I wasn’t doing enough felt like a ball and chain. But you know what, I was able to overcome it. I pressed on because I knew deep down in my spirit that it wasn’t perfection my kids were after….it was me…to simply be there for them. I had to trust that everything was gonna be ok and I had to let go of getting it all right. So was it worth it? Almost two decades later, I can honestly say, “Yes.” Would I do it again? Absolutely. I’d be a whole heck of a lot better at it because I would have learned from all my mistakes. And that’s why I’m here. So you don’t have to. I’ve created a roadmap to get you from point A to Z on this teaching at home journey. I’ve shortened the learning curve. All you have to do is jump on board.
I know what you’re thinking….you’re saying to yourself…there’s no way I can teach my kids. I’m not patient enough, we’d end up fighting all the time, I’m not smart enough, or we just don’t make enough money to do this? Well, I’m not going to tell you those fears aren’t real because they are. They’re the same fears my husband and I faced then and still face even now. The only difference is that we pressed through, overcoming every obstacle that came our way like my husband hot having a job for 8 months and both of us losing our dads in one year. So what made us keep going….knowing that if we sacrificed our time…we were actually giving our kids more time….time to pursue their passion, time to learn at their own pace, time to be able to learn and live life…together…that through the yelling, bickering and whining… lessons on character were being taught, including my own. It was an educational option that we felt allowed us to be an even greater influence in our children’s lives.
And that’s what Alternative Education At Home is designed to be….a community of like minded parents who are there to support one another….a community where you can share ideas and learn from each other. A community to encourage you and your kids that everything’s gonna be ok. You can do this. What kind of options? Options that would allow their children to be taught at home.
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