Oooops, PAM! We forgot to send him back before we went to my parents last week. I'm babysitting this week, so I'll try to send him out next week! Sorry!!!
It's OK!! None of them have arrived back home yet. I still have our Flat Knight from Amie's boys, too. I'm planning to get him home soon. We've got a project we're working on to send with him.
I'm going to echo Deena's earlier post. I have a Master of Arts in Education. I have taught all grades, in public, private, and parochial schools, as well as courses on the university level to future teachers. I have supervised/counseled/graded teacher interns, and designed and run workshops for other educators. All that means is that I know a lot about teaching kids in big groups and how to pass those skills onto other teachers. Honestly, although I know a lot about child development, have an idea of how I think children learn and what approach I think is best for my children, sometimes I feel like I'm figuring out this home schooling thing all over again every morning. Teaching one - or two - or three (or however many) isn't like teaching 30 kids who aren't your kin and who go home (translate: somewhere away from you) at the end of the day. With 30 kids - they learn to adapt to the group (or they end up not functioning particularly well in the classroom). With one kid - well, he IS the group. So guess who adapts? I certainly take some benefit from my experience, but no where close to what non-homeschooling people assume. You know what helps more than anything? The experience I gained from teaching private lessons to individual students - watching how each child learns in his/her own way, taking widely varied paths. In my opinion, a parent's level of FORMAL education is not a reliable indicator of of homeschooling success. Don't let your perceived lack of education undermine your confidence!
High school, some college (enough for an AA but not in the right classes LOL), and trade school. I was a music major, so take that for what it's worth. (Music ed, mind you, but I didn't get far enough for any of the "ed" parts. LOL) I'm also a certified, though not licensed (you gotta have money for that) massage therapist. Music and anatomy I can do. English was a consideration for a major; spelling and grammar I can do. Like Pam said, history I'm learning right along with the kids (or, just ahead of them I suppose :lol: ). Science? Co-op city.
I have my BS in Drama/Speech Education, and I did pick up a couple of Masters classes but not many. I have gotten lots of people who think it is alright that I home school since I have a degree in Education. I find that so funny! My classes never discussed at all how to teach a child to read, or how to teach anything that I am teaching right now. Goodness! In some ways my classes were helpful, but nothing that anyone with half a brain couldn't learn by picking up a few books on learning styles etc. I agree with what has been written here, a degree certainly doesn't make you special in the home school world, although outsiders may feel that way. Silliness!
I have a Bachelors of Science in Nursing and my DH has a Bachelors of Liberal Arts--Sociology. Even with that I am very nervous about educating my kids. Thank God that DH is very confident that we will do a great job. He helps keep my self confidence up. I do not think you need a certain education to educate your kids. Even with "higher" learning under my belt, I plan to learn along with way with my kids.
My DH and I both have AA degrees in visual communications (i.e. graphic arts). So we're pretty good at taking a creative approach to HS'ing. :lol: Thankfully, DH is also really good in math and is mechanically inclined. Conversely, I'm pretty good with English and history, so...I feel like we have all the bases covered. And what we're not good at (mainly, music) we pay for lessons.
I'm a BA in Language & literature. We do English, history, art, drama & music pretty well but the sciences get a bit shonky. Nobody likes math. We do just enough to scrape by.
I have some college (nursing & criminal pshy). I actually am finding it pretty fun to relearn everything right along with the kids. I'm pretty good at math & so is DH (has a bach in computers). I am the english person Dh is the science. etc... We balance each other out in most areas but I think it's silly people think you "need" a degree in teaching. Have they seen/talked with some of these licensed teachers lately?
I have an Elementary Ed degree and I am a grad school dropout (library science). And the best prep for homeschooling has been the couple of years I have spent as a stay at home mom!!
High school and beauty school graduate here. Oh, yeah I took a three day management course at Hamburger U in Boston. So that means I can perm your hair and make a mean Big Mac. I haven't worked in a salon since 1995, while I was preggers with Elianna.
I will have to remember that for future reference. Right now we only do an hour or two a day of true "school time" and I am pretty good at making sure I am totally involved with them at that time, since they are preschool and kinder if I am not right there chaos insues, LOL. It's the rest of the day when I think I will be on the computer for half an hour while they watch this one show (right this second it is Super Why) that turns into an hour or two, or...
Glad to hear I am not behind. We have a crazy week this week, DH is giving his first sermon EVER this weekend so our world has revolved around that lately. Once he is done I can get him to find the camera cord so I can get the pictures off the camera and ready to send. Hopefully Flat Cowboy and Flat King will be on their way home Monday.
I have: B.S Chemistry B.S Biology M.S. Cellular Biology Ph.D. Molecular Biology No teaching certificate, but I only teach my neice as a tutor not a primary teacher. I plan to take some early education courses and some child psychology courses when I have kids of my own.
Hmm, lets see, I don't know if I am allowed to post links yet, but I just received this one via email this morning. It is about the success of homeschooling parents with low levels of education. http://www.fraserinstitute.org/commerce.web/newsrelease.aspx?nID=4933
I think most of homeschooling success is based on the amount of effort the parent(s) puts forth to teach their children, not the amount of education one has. It takes dedication and persitance, but not a formal degree.
I have a bachelor degree in nursing and a post grad diploma in midwifery......but nothing teaching. I am totally learning along with the kids. What i didn't know was frightening! But it is so much fun, and we plan to hs all the way.
I'm a high school graduate. I only went to a community college for about 4 months on a scholarship before dropping out. I just didn't know what I wanted to do & I hated it. I barely count that as some college. I have thought I don't know how I'm going to teach older elementary grades but I know if God wants me to do this He will make it happen no matter what MY doubts are. When I was researching & reading MANY books about homeschooling before I did it I read a line (can't remember which book) that has become my motto: God does not called the equipped, He equips the called. And I do feel ill-equipped.
What is important is the ability to find the right resources. That is the skill that I have found matters most to our homeschool. To me, teaching them to read was a big deal. Sure, I know how to do it, that does not mean I know how to explain it. So I went to look for the right book that knew how to teach reading. When the time comes for them to learn higher math, I will find the right books or the right people to fill in.
