Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool, also blogs about motherhood at Steady Mom
I am a big fan of Seth Godin. He inspires me–and much of the world–to think bigger, to embrace change, and to consider new ideas. For these reasons, I eagerly downloaded and read his recently released manifesto on education, Stop Stealing Dreams.
In blog-sized chapters, Godin outlines his ideas about how schools can and should be reformed so they allow kids to thrive while learning and to graduate prepared for a new and connected world. On all this, I couldn’t agree more.
I have doubts, though, about Godin’s thoughts on homeschooling. It’s not that he portrays it negatively. On the one hand, he acknowledges this educational path:
“Thousands of caring and committed parents are taking their kids out of the industrial system of schooling and daring to educate them themselves.”
But on the other hand he states:
“There are several problems, though–reasons for us to be concerned about masses of parents doing this solo.”
Concerned
Photo by mikebaird
Godin is right–the world should be concerned about crazy homeschooling families like mine and yours.
After all, social movements have always been started by groups of people who made solid institutions feel “concerned.” I imagine quite a few were concerned when abolitionists would no longer keep silent about the evils of slavery or when women rose up and demanded the right to vote.
These movements went on to change and influence the world, and as homeschoolers continue to model a successful path through our modern-day educational minefield, so will we.
Time Commitment
“The cost (in time) of one parent per student is huge–and halving it for two kids is not nearly enough. Most families can’t afford this, and few people have the patience to pull it off.”
~ Stop Stealing Dreams, Chapter 121
Without a doubt, homeschooling involves a major time, effort, and cost commitment from families, making it out of reach for the majority. But it is within reach for many, and the important things in life always involve a sacrifice of time, cost, and commitment.
I’ve heard a similar argument before–when my husband and I completed two international adoptions to add Trishna and Elijah to our family. Opponents of adoption say that the cost is prohibitive and therefore it doesn’t work on a mass scale. Some suggest that those who adopt should instead donate the money to charity, to make a difference for greater numbers of children.
There is some truth to this argument. Adoption is a broken system–a miracle for the one, not a solution for the masses. I don’t know why my two adopted children received this miracle, but they did. And our entire family is blessed because of it.
Industrialized schooling is a broken system as well. And if it’s in my power to give my kids a superb education, it’s also my obligation, my responsibility to do so.
Just because we can’t solve the beast of schooling and all its problems overnight, it doesn’t mean that we can’t give our own kids the education we know they need and deserve. Mother Teresa said it well: “If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will.”
The one lives in our homes, and through our choice to homeschool we act to nurture their dreams. Not because it’s easy, not because we have the patience to pull it off, but because our children are worth it.
So we rise to the challenge.
Mistakes
“Without experience, new teachers are going to make the same mistakes, mistakes that are easily avoided the tenth time around…which most home educators will never get to.”
~ Chapter 121, Stop Stealing Dreams
Our mistakes provide our kids with the best education of all. The idea of avoiding mistakes comes from the notion that even when reformed, education remains a top-down, expert activity. That it is a teacher’s job to educate the student. But a true teacher’s job is to inspire the student to educate themselves, to “transfer emotion,” as Godin calls it.
And at that quality, homeschoolers come out on top. Who else can transfer emotion better than those who care more than anyone possibly could for their students? We do it all day long–when we bake apple pies in the kitchen with plenty of “help” or when we laugh together over the latest chapter of a read-aloud.
Perhaps the most inspiring thing we do is make mistakes–and apologize afterwards. Mistakes are to be embraced, not avoided. Not feared.
Fear
Photo by Monica’s Dad
“If the goal of the process is to create a level of fearlessness, to create a free-range environment filled with exploration and all the failure that entails, most parents just don’t have the guts to pull this off.”
~ Chapter 121, Stop Stealing Dreams
On this point, I firmly agree. Far too many parents are setting up schools at home exactly like the floundering institutional giant we’ve pulled our kids out of. If we follow their failing formula, we’ll get their failing results–kids who hate learning, who do the bare minimum, who follow well but are afraid to lead.
We have to be willing to pioneer and forge a new trail. I know that we can.
Homeschoolers have passion, courage, and conviction. We can fight through our fears and come out on the other side; we can fail forward and provide our kids with a world-class, leadership education.
Someday or Today
Photo by graymalkn
“The common school is going to take a generation to fix, and we mustn’t let up the pressures until it is fixed. But in the meantime, go.”
~ Stop Stealing Dreams, Chapter 131
Godin advises parents and children to keep attending school, to keep pushing boundaries, but not to abandon the institution. For some, that might be the right choice. But I refuse to allow an institution to steal my kids’ dreams while simply waiting and hoping for a better system to someday evolve.
My children don’t need a great education someday, they need one now.
Homeschoolers are part of a revolution, one unique for our time.
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If you enjoyed this post, check out Jamie’s new book, Introverted Mom: Your Guide to More Calm, Less Guilt, and Quiet Joy.
May our role in it impact the educational world–making it into one in which all individuals emerge from childhood with their dreams still intact. In the words of Margaret Mead,
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Thank you, Seth, for all this good food for thought.
This post originally published on March 5, 2012.
That is an interesting post!! I have to say that I have seen public school work well for some children. I have seen it not work for others.
Our school in our neighborhood has some excellent teachers. They honestly do the best job they can. I believe. But, they have crowded classrooms. One kindergarten class was almost 40 students with one helper, and the other was 28 students with no helper.
I sought help from the local school district for my son that was having issues, and they were so helpful. But they advised me that homeschooling was going to give my son the best chance right now, with his needs. They gave me support and help to get over the hump, but did not recommend school enrollment.
I truly believe that you should consider every option for schooling your children, and not just choose the easiest way. It might not be the best one. Also, reevaluate yearly.
Check yourself and make sure you are doing what is best for them right now. Is the school they are going to best for them emotional, educationally and socially?
Martha Artyomenko’s latest post: To Honor and Trust by Tracie Peterson and Judith Pella
“My children don’t need a great education someday, they need one now.”
YES – exactly! I have lots of friends and family who are teachers who expressed the same concerns this author has. I do understand the need for a strong public education system, and will support it in the ways I can, but at the same time, I cannot offer my own children’s well being as a sacrifice on the altar of public school strength.
Catherine’s latest post: World’s Okayest Mom
I’m a fan of Seth Godin, too–he has so much wisdom to share about marketing. But I agree with you that our kids need a good education NOW, not in a generation. When I read Godin’s book, The Icarus Deception, I felt like it applied directly to homeschool, even though Godin doesn’t really support homeschooling. In that book, he says we should stop relying on a broken system. Applied to the education system, that directly refutes his own opinion from Stop Stealing Dreams.
Hmm, great stuff, but there is one part where I find phrasing confusing: “Godin advises parents and children to keep attending school, to keep pushing boundaries, but not to abandon the institution. For some, that might be the right choice. But I refuse to allow an institution to steal my kids’ dreams while simply waiting and hoping for a better system to someday evolve.”
I understand that Jamie is answering Godin’s points, as someone mentioned earlier, but the words imply (at least to me) that if ANYONE sends their kids to public school then they are, in fact, allowing “an institution to steal [their] kids’ dreams.”
“The cost (in time) of one parent per student is huge–and halving it for two kids is not nearly enough. Most families can’t afford this, and few people have the patience to pull it off.”
~ Stop Stealing Dreams, Chapter 121
This is puzzling to me, if for no other reason than it simply is not logical. If it is “too much” for one parent per child, then how can the typical school model of 1:20 be expected to succeed? I don’t have enough time or my one child, but a teacher can handle 20? Come on.
I totally agree with this. When we first decided to bring our oldest children home from a private Christian school, my parents were not supportive. They offered up many arguments against the idea of homeschooling, but the most confusing came from my father when he said, “I just feel sorry for your younger two, because now you are going to have to spend time with the older boys, and the little ones won’t get as much attention…..” I could never understand the logic of that. So, I was supposed to send the older boys to a classroom where their teacher (who was virtually a stranger to them) had to divide her attention among 20 students; rather than keep them at home, where I, their mother, only have to divide my attention among 4 children. And not only that, but now my younger two have their older brothers home with them all the time to play with and learn from.
I agree and really you can homeschool a free children in a few hours a day and get just as much done. If you are smart about you also wouldn’t have to put to much cost into it as well.
I agree with your conclusions 100%. Although I am a Seth Godin fan, homeschooling is an area that isn’t his place of expertise. We are with our kids 24/7, I think we have plenty of time to make mistakes and learn from them.
Miracles tend to happen one on one. It’s always dangerous to view people as a mass.
One to one is how we keep this revolution blazing forward. Thank you for your constant encouragement!
I give you props… not only for the awesome blog written, but for having the patience to read Godin’s article. I can’t stand ignorance in and of itself, much less to read it. Thank you for pushing through (reading the article) and speaking the truth! God bless you and your family! 😉
I wonder how you current homeschoolers respond to the implication that homeschoolers are “abandoning” the system, pulling the kids from some of the most supportive families out of the system and leaving it to less able or supportive parents and kids. I understand that you are not going to sacrifice your own kids’ education for the good of the system or future kids. But how do you explain this to others without sounding like you couldn’t give a care about the other kids in your school/district/neighborhood?
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Agree with the whole article except the part where you say it’s expensive or out of reach for some financially. As a large homeschooling family who has homeschooled mostly with free curriculum and with many free resources…..
The only thing barring anyone from being able to do this would be patience.