Our unplanned and unexpected yet exhilarating journey of independently educating our children began when a series of events coincided in my oldest child’s kindergarten year. I, the mother, was fully expecting to return to my profession after my children became school age and entered the public school. God had other plans.
I knew the education I wanted my children to have. I wanted my children to be challenged intellectually and academically. I wanted them to be enriched with an education full of interactive and meaningful exercises and experiences. Lastly, I wanted them to inspired – inspired to love learning, inspired to seek out new opportunities for growth, and inspired to contribute to the world around them. Being well-rounded, self-motivated, ambitious scholars who could think critically was an overarching goal. A few months in the public school system in a suburb north of Dallas helped me realize my goals were not going to be obtained there.
Thus, our independent academic adventure began. Though challenging and exhausting at times, it was and still is one of the most rewarding investments I have made. Watching my children evolve from curious preschool sponges to mature scholars spreading their wings into adulthood has filled my heart to overflowing. Not once did I regret putting my profession on hold for this irreplaceable season in my life.
As others have encountered our children, they have asked what we did to educate them and encouraged me to publicize our process, thus this series “Raising Scholars.”
The following pages lay it all out for you — how we began, our overarching vision and plan, and step-by-step details of what we taught and the resources we used, including our experiential learning trips. To get the most out of this series, read the first three (“The Impetus,” “The Vision,” and “The Grand Plan”) first.
Raising Scholars: The Grand Plan
Raising Scholars ~~ Phase 1: Foundation and Fun
Raising Scholars ~~ Phase 2: Establishing Roots
Raising Scholars ~~ Phase 3: Spreading Wings
Experiential Learning at its Best
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Accompanying “Raising Scholars” are several other series on this site:
Teaching Financial Responsibility
(NEXT: Raising Scholars ** The Impetus)