Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Curriculum STRUGGLES: Can WORRY Be a Good Thing?

Are you looking at next year, THIS coming year's curriculum choices for your child? I have so much of what we need to accomplish nailed down already, but there are some areas we need to focus on for more strength in our educations.

I worry.  Do you?  With just a few short years left~this mom of high schoolers finds herself going into year 10 knowing I don't have long and every minute counts towards completing the goal of a well rounded Christian education. I fully acknowledge that worry can become something VERY negative in our lives! Worry doesn't have to be bad, it can be positive~ I know that everyone isn't college track,  but I didn't want nor do I want now for my kids to be disadvantaged in a possible desire and goal in their own lives because I didn't do something we needed to do so they could pursue it! THIS IS HUGE for me! I have no interior confidence other than what God shows me sometimes and I worry continuing to question my own methods and resources.

Does it have to be this way, and does WORRY serve any positive purpose in my life other than make me miserable?  I am not sure that moms should be so concerned with their child's education that worry can take hold and become that negative force. I know God does have our backs, so to speak, that He is the ultimate giver of all those good things anyway, so why worry! But then I know that our personal choices can lends to many consequences both good and bad~kwim?  When thinking if my concerns and worry serve any purpose, one thing is certain, I am taking this VERY seriously! My kid's education is important TO ME! I care and this urges me, pushes me, propels me to continue to find methods and ways of working with them to give them the best I can educationally.  You see, we moms who aren't rocket scientist who just love our kids and want the best for them sometimes feel and know we are unprepared~like I am guessing that pro-teacher mom may not struggle! I am no professional when it comes to teaching, but I do desire to be the best teacher I can become with God's help~it's His help that sustains me anyway!

I think my concern for the choices we make can be seen as something positive as well as the negative it CAN become if I allow this to overtake our progress and process. I can't afford to spin my wheels this way!  But positives such as providing the desire and a good healthy fear of failure to do a good job are good reasons to  be so concerned and allow myself the act of continuing to worry.  Some people say worry is sin.  It doesn't have to be sinful IF it helps me do what I need to do~

With all said, I am researching writing and science resources~oh boy! It's a vast world of differing designs.  Confusing too! I do appreciate the TOS weekly newsletter, The Homeschool Minute that came out today, which if you haven't done so you can sign up for it FREE  here! This week they discuss writing and Ruth Beechick offers wonderful sage advice that writing is a culmination of communication and thinking! OK, sounds great! I am in! You can read The Homeschool Minute here!                                  .

I am going to keep looking until the Lord gives me a peace over where we need to go in these areas this year and in the years to come! I know that peace comes from Him~

Thou wilt keep him (or her) in perfect peace whose mind is stayed (continually) on Thee (Him/God!)

Thanks for listening!

1 comment:

Debbie Phillips said...

Great post! Research, prayer, talk with spouse, more prayer, more research, look at what others recommend... this is what we homeschool mom's do. I know I worry sometimes. But, I pray that since the Lord gave me these kids and called me to homeschool them all the way through, that he will enable me to complete my task and give me the tools to do so. To choose the best curriculum for my children.

My boys were in need of a good writing curriculum. I choose IEW. We are only in week 2 but the boys both said today that they like this writing curriculum. That is saying something. I don't think I ever heard them say that about writing before. Do some research. See what you think.

I use a variety of things for science. We are just NOT textbook people. I hope you find what works for you and your kids.