Public vs. Home

Can you hear it?

That back to school buzz that's in the air?

I can hear it, feel it, and see it. The Krajcas have officially started back to school! And this year, we aren't just the Krajca Homeschool. We are.......

Generation of Grace Classical Academy!!!!

On Sunday, as I was preparing my lesson plans for the week (you can take the teacher out the schools, but you can't take the teacher out of the teacher!) I found myself reflecting on the differences between preparing for teaching in the public school and teaching at home.

Preparing for going into the classroom, I remember a lot of nerves. I only taught for two years before I had Elizabeth, and I'm sure that some of the nerves came from the newness of the experience. But when you're preparing to meet and teach 100 new students, it's a cause for some nerves. Obviously, I don't have those nerves as I prepare to teach my own kiddos.

Homeschooling is H-A-R-D!!!!! Juggling the responsibilities of the home, while taking care of four kiddos AND trying to teach them is tough. Despite my planning, the boys often make trouble while I'm trying to work with Elizabeth. The baby needs to eat every 3-4 hours. When I was in the public school, I didn't have these odd distractions. However, I did have my well planned lessons go crazy when students would act up, decide to melt down, or start picking at each other.

So many people think that it's easy for me to homeschool since I was a teacher. But let me tell you, it's totally different! Being a teacher is hard, but being a homeschool mom is exhausting. Being a teacher and preparing for a new year is nerve wrecking, but being a homeschool mom is just challenging.

Despite the challenges, I am thankful for this opportunity to be the one to teach my children. After a couple years of being a stay at home mom, I quickly learned that it's not for everyone. I feel that the same is true of homeschooling. It's not a perfect fit for everyone. However, I firmly believe that if the desire is there to homeschool, even if you're not the perfect candidate, that God gives you the tools you need.