Just when you think you are on the right track, the doubts creep in. We are kind of on the home stretch where homeschooling is concerned. With one child starting a high school program though officially in the 8th grade, and the other starting grade 6, I was beginning to think all of the hard work was done, and the rest of the journey would be up to them. … And then I had a conversation.
A close relative has a child in college who happened to go to an excellent high school and middle school where she received foreign language instruction beginning grade six. The mom informed me that some schools start children in foreign language as early as kindergarten. I was told that my children should be deeply immersed in Spanish or another foreign language by now.
My kids however, have had minimal language immersion. Sure, we have covered Latin and Greek root words, can decipher sign language, and can greet people in several languages. Nevertheless, the children are hardly proficient in any language. What have I done, or not done, are the words that screamed in my head.
Then I began to think and sort it all out. Sure, this family member’s child is awesome when it comes to foreign languages. She know several and has gone on to major in them in college. Language is her passion and she does well in it. My children however are not passionate about language. I have done my best to expose them to as much language education opportunities that I could get my hands on, but they were not interested. They have, however shown interested in other areas and are moving forward with those passions.
My son is most interested in writing computer programs, and creating movies. We have been told by experts that his HTML skills rival that of career programmers. He is still developing his camera and editing skills. His college plans include both film school and further internet technology training.
My daughter is most interested performing arts. She is using her homeschooling experience to make time to work in the arts. She is exceptional at classical piano for someone her age and practices at least 90 minutes a day. She spends time in voice training and takes every opportunity she can take to get on a stage. Her high school goals are to major in Drama and music in her homeschool fine arts program. Meanwhile she is toying with Fashion Design as well.
Therefore, I guess what I am saying, and telling myself, is that my job was to expose my children to every educational opportunity I could and let them latch on where they would. I am certain that not every child at the school where my family member first fell in love with language became nearly as proficient as she. I had to remind myself that by exposing my children to language, and academics, and arts, I had done my job. Sure, I will insist my children take the required language high school classes, but I will have to remember in the future to stop measuring my kids point for point against other kids.
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