When we first started homeschooling, way back in 1999, we were encouraged to think about why we wanted to homeschool our children, not only right then, but in the future. We were also encouraged to come up with a set of goals that we wanted our children to meet before they graduated from our care (homeschool or otherwise, just before they left our home to be on their own).
Here is the first part of our vision (modified only slightly from the original), goals we want our children to achieve before they leave our home. We want our children to . . .
- have a personal, vital relationship with God, which includes active spiritual growth, displaying the fruits of the Spirit in daily living, effective evangelism, and a clear, working understanding of the Bible
- be independent thinkers and independent learners
- love to read
- have basic life skills, such as consumer math, housekeeping, transportation, etc.
- develop an appreciation for fine arts
- have competent computer skills
- develop good people skills—to be able to work well with others, to choose friends and a godly mate wisely
- speak well and write well
- strive for academic excellence
- develop cultural awareness
- be able to display hospitality
Good stuff. I'm guessing you'll chat about this, but I'd be interested in how you feel things are going with these goals. Have you seen your homeschool help develop these traits? What have your struggles/victories been? Thanks for sharing! ~Luke
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stopping by from the csahm blog list. I am now following and looking forward to your posts about homeschooling. I am homeschooling my preschooler. Feel free to stop by my blog at http://www.funfrugalmommy.blogspot.com
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