Hi friends, Tina here from Luma Learn. Like you, I’m a homeschooling mama myself. I was recently reminiscing about my personal homeschool journey and thinking about all the mistakes I’ve made while homeschooling my children. Having 7 little blessings from almost 17 years old down to 4 years old, I’ve definitely made my fair share of mistakes! Although I’ve made lots, I’m going to share with you 5 of the biggest homeschooling mistakes I’ve made. If there’s one thing we homeschooling mamas do well, it’s relate to other people’s feeling of failure!
MISTAKE #1
Feeling Like I Had To Do Everything in One Year
Can anyone relate? It certainly is a blessing that homeschooling has grown so much that we now have lots and lots of opportunities available to us that weren’t there previously. But, Moms, sometimes too many opportunities can be a curse. Ever have a year where you felt as though you spent the majority of your days in the car? I’ve felt like that and often longed for more regular days (as I would call them) where we weren’t obligated to go anywhere and the children could simply get their school work done that they needed to.
I realized over many years that the “ultimate” wasn’t really all it’s cracked up to be. I wrote a blog post on this exact subject and thought it might help you consider some things about time management for this school year…and beyond!
MISTAKE #2
Allowing Education to Become an Idol
Oh man, this one was a doozy! Do you ever find yourself asking, “Why am I doing this again?”
I’m sure many of us are familiar with Deuteronomy 6:6-7 which tells us to diligently teach “these words” to our children when we sit in our houses and walk by the way and lie down and rise. Hmm…that’s an awful long time…as in, the ENTIRE day!
What exactly is it that we’re supposed to teach our children? God wants us to teach them His word. Our primary goal should be to instill upright living in our children, but oftentimes, academic goals begin to trump our spiritual goals.
I’ve definitely been guilty of this one! In fact, Zuli and I had a conversation on the Luma Lounge about this. The Luma Lounge is our new avenue to encourage homeschool moms. It’s just 2 homeschool moms chatting about mom issues that affect all of us. Have a watch…
MISTAKE #3
Searching and Searching for the Perfect Curriculum
In the past, I have spent countless hours scouring websites, attending homeschool conventions, and perusing various curriculums. I’ve spent way more money than I should have, and to top it all off, I still felt as though I didn’t have the right curriculum!
I was nervous, upset, and frustrated. I felt as though others knew things that I didn’t. Have you felt like that? Well I’m here to tell you that you should not worry! Take courage and read this blog post from Luma Learn’s Zuli Paulus-Rosenow.
MISTAKE #4
I Tried to Teach Everyone the Same
Do you feel like you’re beating your head against a wall trying to teach one of your children? Perhaps you’re not considering their learning style. Many of us have multiple children, and if there’s one thing we know rather well, it’s that each child is different!
Well not only is each child different, but oftentimes their learning styles are completely different as well. In my homeschooling journey, I had heard of the three learning styles (auditory, visual, and kinesthetic), but I never fully understood it all until I experienced it.
Zuli and I chatted about this in another Luma Lounge episode recently. Have a watch…
MISTAKE #5
I Tried To Do It All On My Own
Years ago I realized that I was striving to be wonder woman, both in my home and in my homeschooling. I realized that my pride prevented me from utilizing great resources that were out there because I thought I could do something better myself.
It hit me one day that if we truly believe that God has gifted every individual with unique talents, then why not utilize other people in our children’s education? Our children actually gain wonderful insights when learning from others who are passionate about their area of expertise. So whether that’s a co-op, online class, or local organization, make sure to glean from other’s talents!
I truly hope that by reading my personal struggles you’ve been encouraged to continue on your own challenging journey. We all make mistakes; homeschooling is not for the faint of heart. We can do this, Moms! We’re in it together, and there’s always other moms out there who know exactly how we feel.
Enter for a Chance to Win a Research Writing Course from Luma Learn!
Luma Learn is giving away a Research Writing Class in honor of our 5th Birthday! In this course students will learn how to conduct academic research and organize it into a well-written paper on the topic of their choice. We will take it step by step, from creating outlines to how to properly reference sources. Students will be taught how to use Google Scholar and read academic journals. They will receive consistent feedback on how to improve the quality of their writing as well as how to incorporate their own critiques and analysis of the research into their paper. The goal of this class is to prepare students for the research university courses will require them to complete. Although there are no prerequisites for this course, students will be expected to have some familiarity with basic English writing skills which I will help them further develop. Enter here!
Hi! I’m Tina Piper, CEO of Luma Learn and Homeschooling Mom. Luma Learn was birthed because we saw a desire for something that wasn’t available to homeschooling families, a convenient, one-stop marketplace for online homeschool classes. We didn’t want to enroll in a school, and we wanted to have options in the courses we chose for our own children. That’s why you’ll find that not all classes on Luma Learn are semester-long classes. Most are, yes, but there are also lots that are shorter courses which become a great supplement to some of our already planned out yearly curriculum.
For teachers, we wanted them to feel supported in their teaching, empowered with technical support, and encouraged to grow their own online teaching business. With Luma Learn, teachers can offer their courses for whatever price they choose, which means that not only do we have some of the lowest prices around, but teachers earn more of their chosen course price than they do elsewhere! Incredibly, there are even some free courses on the marketplace. By the way, if you know someone who’d be interested in offering their courses through Luma Learn, please encourage them to watch this fun video. They can always find out more information about offering online homeschool courses on the Luma Learn marketplace here.
Last but not least, we want Luma Learn to be a hub of encouragement for homeschooling moms. We all need support, and it’s so good to just hear that encouraging word to press on, keep going, don’t give up! We’d love to have you follow us on social media as well as subscribe to our list so that we can support you on this journey.
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