CERTIFICATE OF EMPOWERMENT

After my most recent struggles with homeschooling, I read a book by Mary Hood titled, The Relaxed Home School. She believes in the delayed academic approach, similar to unschooling. I never thought I would even consider that approach to teaching my children, however, that seems to be what has worked for us so far and that is what we are becoming confortable with. There is much oppossion to this approach even among the homeschool community, but the biggest opposition would have to be my own background as a public school teacher. I thought this would be an asset in home schooling, but quickly learned it can be quite a hindrance. I truly struggle with wanting to enforce a “classroom-like” setting/way of doing things at home. I become rigid in our schooling and have a very hard time veering off topic to follow my children’s learning interests. I truly want learning to flow naturally and be fun and interesting, but the public school teacher part of me usually tries to step on any natural learning that is taking place. I have been frustrated lately because I have felt like we weren’t doing enough, the children weren’t learning enough, we were behind schedule, and they were below grade level (“teacher” in me coming out again). And my frustration is making school nothing more than a boring chore to be endured or even resisted. When I become a “teacher” we all hate home schooling. After reading Mrs. Hood's book, I am much more comfortable and confident with the fact that we don't have an actual spelling curriculum, a formal handwriting or science program, and that our language arts curriculum does not come from a textbook. My kids are might not be at the exact same academic level as other children at their exact age, but isn't that the point of homeschooling-to get my children out of the same old mold and raise them to be set apart for God and His work in their lives. A full curriculum might work for some, but it isn't for us. Learning is about so much more than textbooks and schedules. Learning is a lifelong process. I want my kids to desire learning, to know how to learn, and to know where to find information. I want them to be set on fire for God starting with their education.

Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.-- W. B. Yeats

I found this Certificate of Empowerment on an Unschooling website and copied it with permission. It has helped empower my thinking about education and what it "should look like" versus what it "can be".

CERTIFICATE OF EMPOWERMENT
As bearer of this certificate you are no longer required to depend on the advice of experts. You may step back and view the entire world-not just your home, neighborhood or town, but the whole Earth-as a learning experience, a laboratory containing languages (and native speakers thereof), plants, animals, history, geology, weather (real live weather, in the sky, not in a book), music, art , mathematics, physics, engineering, foods, human dynamics, and ideas without end. Although collections of these treasures have been located in museums for your convenience, they are to be found everywhere else, too.

This authorizes you to experiment; to trust and enjoy your kids; to rejoice when your children surpass you in skill, knowledge or wisdom; to make mistakes, and to say "I don't know." Furthermore, you may allow your children to experience boredom without taking full responsibility for finding them something to do.

Henceforth you shall neither be required nor expected to finish everything you start. Projects, books, experiments and plans may be discontinued as soon as something more interesting comes along (or for any other reason) without penalty, and picked up again at any time in the future (or never). You may reclaim control of your
family's daily life, and take what steps you feel necessary to protect your
children from physical, emotional or social harm.

You have leave to think your own thoughts, and to encourage your children to think theirs.

Each person who reads and understands this is authorized to extend these privileges
to others, by reproducing and distributing this certificate or by creating
another of his/her own design. Those who don't feel the need to obtain approval
to experiment, to think, or to do things they've never seen others do are
exempt, as they didn't need permission in the first place.

Sandra Dodd