If you are reading this article, either you are a missionary hoping for some encouragement or you simply are interested in what homeschooling life is like on the mission field. Either way, I have to admit it has its perks as well as its challenges but if you are called to homeschool then you are called regardless of where on the planet the Lord has placed you.
I have to admit, this past week has been quite glorious. While my hometown back in the States is preparing for a substantial amount of snow, here, I have been able to read to my children outside, in a cool breeze under palm trees while my little ones soak in their Vitamin D. It has been refreshing and pleasant. Although, I have to make it clear that I am doing this with a watchful eye. I feel safe and secure within the walls of our dwelling but I still have to be vigilant and aware of our surroundings. At any moment a military helicopter might make its rounds. Even though my kids get excited and thrilled watching the men hanging out the sides with their machine guns, I have to remind them that we need to quickly get inside and lock the doors. Not in fear of them, but as a cautionary measure since their presence means they are trying to hunt down a cartel member on the loose. The danger is real but that does not mean we cannot experience peace in the midst of it.
Living in this type of situation means the method of our homeschooling has to have room for some adjustment. Even though I thrive on structure, I have had to be open and willing to change some of my methods while on the mission field. For example, even though I am a fan of learning through nature and being outdoors, that is not always possible here. At home we live in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We have farm animals on several acres. Now, we live in a concrete jungle with three trees. Since this is the case, we are taking more of a spine approach for the core subjects. Then, I have my older ones focus on research projects. My eldest son had to pick one person to write a biography about and two of my boys are working on a notebook study of the country we are in.
Journaling has also become an important part of our homeschool. I hope that they will look back on these journals and not only see how their writing, spelling and grammar improved over their time here but they will be able to remember the memories they shared on those pages.
I am using the spine approach for history and science even though at home I tend to be more interactive with these subjects. But, this way, we have more time in the day to focus on why we are here and put our time and energy into that. I am not suggesting rushing through school but to be honest, I have chosen curriculum that is to the point and basic rather than ones that include piles of experiments or activities. Even though we enjoy this type of learning, right now my children are learning so much simply by being immersed in another culture.
Some people might think that homeschooling on the mission field is the only choice but that is not always the case. If you go through a mission organization, it is possible that they budget for you to attend a private school. In our case, we were invited to send our kids to a private school within walking distance completely free of charge. Though the offer was generous, my husband and I strongly believe homeschooling is the route we should be taking whether at home or on the mission field. Even though it would free up my time to serve the community here, by homeschooling, my children have the freedom to serve along with us at the drop of a hat. If a need arises, we can stop school for a few hours and the kids can serve with us and that opportunity I wouldn’t trade for the world.
