This year marked a new school adventure for us. I applied as a teacher at our local Christian school and they offered me a job the following day. I accepted it. This past Friday marked week two of our time there and so far we are LOVING our experience.
Why the change?
COVID forced many of my clients to make hard decisions about my services and their financial well-being. Hours were cut, monthly income was less, but the bills remained the same. I felt the brunt of it as a consultant and tutor. My services are a luxury and the reality is that they are the first to go when families look at the reality of maintaining a home, putting food on the table, and clothes on their back. In comparison, the rest had to go. Though it was hard, I totally understand. The job was an enormous answer to prayer for my family. So what about RafiKey's to Success?
Why I Began RafiKey's to Success
I believe that my business is an opportunity for parents to invest in their learner's literacy. It exists to provide encouragement and support for parents as they fulfill their God-given role to teach their children in the way they should go.
I believe in what I do, why I do it, and I sincerely hope my passion for literacy is evident in how I teach my children, how I tutor, how I teach, and how I uplift parents. This job is hard! We need support and encouragement.
Can I get an AMEN?!
Going back to the classroom did not change my role as a homeschool mom. I sincerely believe that no matter your school choice, every parent homeschools because it is the parent's primary responsibility to teach their children at home first. I've been thinking a lot about how I answer that question, what do you do? I'm a wife, mom, teacher, tutor, and educational consultant. I guess I wear a lot of hats, but my highest calling as wife and mom did not change just because the location of my teaching changed!
When I share with others our new journey I've sadly heard this really frustrating expression when people talk to my girls. Apparently they go to "real school" now. (I hope you hear my sarcasm.) I resist the urge to lash out about the reality that homeschool is very much real school, instead, I kindly reassure them that just because their mom was their teacher that it did not mean their experience with learning was at a lower level than their peers. In fact, I'd argue it was much higher. I had high expectations as their teacher, just like I do with any of my students.
I want to encourage you, parents, that no matter your school choice, your job is to ensure that your children are learning to the best of their ability. Whether you homeschool, send to public school, private school, or online school - ensure that your students are growing and enjoying the process of learning. Do not buy into the lie that just because your child learns from home that it isn't "real" school. School is simply an institute of learning. Is your home an institute for learning? If so, congratulations, it is a "real" school.
Our home is very much an institution where instruction is given.
Thankfully my children have learned to answer that with a matter-of-fact answer (that is also spoken with kindness) and a reassurance that they were in fact learning, "I did go to 'real' school, it just looked different!" They got the rare and wonderful opportunity to work with a teacher one-on-one to receive an individualized education!
And that my dear friends, is a privilege that I do not want to take for granted.
So while this year looks different for us, our educational philosophy has not changed as parents! We want to make sure that our children are ready and able to learn anything, anywhere with or without us. We want our girls to see the world through a Biblical, God-centered lens. We want their education to be Bible-based. We want to challenge them intellectually, help them grow, and give them every opportunity to do what God has called them to do. Just because the location of their education has changed, does not mean our expectations or goals have as well. To imply otherwise is setting them up for failure. Our home is very much a "real" school.
And I imagine the same is true for you.
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