May 14 is my last day as a homeschool teacher. I have been directing my son’s education from birth. We began his official school education when I registered him with an “umbrella school” in Tennessee as K4 in 2007.
I intend to write a few blog posts, reminiscing and evaluating the good, the bad, and the beautiful of these past 18 years, especially concerning the particular curriculum we followed – AmblesideOnline.
For now, I’d like to share some of my more immediate wishes and goals for my new life:
- I would like to make some changes with how I run my piano studio, currently with 36 students. I may add openings, but only a very, very few. I have no intention to return to my overwhelmed status prior to the one blessing of covid, which was greatly reducing the size of my studio. I just need to tighten up the business side of it.
- I want to continue teaching “Story, Rhyme, and Song” for 3-6 year olds, perhaps adding another class and raising it to age 7.
- In contemplating how I can assist the overwhelmed homeschool mom, I will offer my services to read to their children, and throw in some reading instruction, if they would like.
- I will continue to study educational philosophy and be involved with the Charlotte Mason and AmblesideOnline community. I will make myself available for consulting both online and locally.
- By fall of 2022 I hope to be giving reading instruction (phonics) in a group setting, either at my own studio or through We, Montana!
- By fall of 2022 I hope to be teaching a “How to Read Literature”, based on all I’ve been learning with the Literary Life podcast and conferences, and classes with House of Humane Letters. This will be for middle-school, high-school, and adults, and will be either at my own studio or through We, Montana!
- Perhaps the most challenging of all — I want to finally stop caring (and obsessing at times) that some people don’t like me. I will be 60 years old in 6 months. I think it is about time.
- I will continue to seek Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, and my Creator, and living in His image.
