Discovery

“So, what are you going to do for the showcase this year?”  Being the mom of a kid who never lacks for big ideas, I ask the same question every year expecting (and somewhat bracing for) a surprising answer.  At the very beginning of our homeschooling journey, we joined Coastal Academy and heard about the annual Showcase Night event which gives students the opportunity to present what they are learning and creating.  My son was in the fourth grade at the time and had not aligned himself with any particular passion, so we weren’t sure where he would fit in the mix.  That Spring my husband and I sat amazed as our boy and a group of his friends joyfully performed a fully choreographed patriotic yo-yo routine in the showcase talent show.  That’s when I knew we had chosen a path of unexpected discovery.

Homeschooling is usually perceived as a radical idea.  When people learn that our son has been homeschooled for the past six years, the same what, why, and how questions arise.  Smiles quickly become looks of confusion.  What would cause a family with two working parents to take on the added responsibility of home education?  Why would we take our child out of a school where he was thriving and supported by fantastic teachers?  How can we be sure he is getting everything he needs?  The answers to all the questions we’ve fielded are found in who our son is and how we view his unique purpose. 

Having spoken in depth with several parents from a variety of backgrounds and opinions on the subject, it seems that the discussion inevitably lands on two points of view regarding educational success – achievement vs. discovery.  Every parent wants their child to have a long life filled with health and happiness, but the ideas about how to manifest that reality are as diverse as the children themselves.  We all ask ourselves questions about what “success” should look like for our kids and how we can get them there.  Is it the knowledge, confidence, and access they will gain from a transcript full of good grades?  Is it the mental and emotional development that comes from experiencing the world around them and identifying their place in it? 

With my son in high school now, I still find myself struggling with the same questions daily.  When I am vulnerable and full of doubts, my value for achievement increases and I feel sure that we are consistently falling short.  But when I see my son sit down to learn a new song on his electric guitar, study about turbochargers for his science research paper, organize a yard sale, or advocate for a sports column in the monthly school newsletter, I thank God for the way that He guides each of us with the appetite for discovery.    The beauty of homeschooling is that there is a path for every child, family, interest, and opinion along the educational spectrum to feed that hunger and lead us to where we are meant to be.               

Since that first Showcase Night six years ago, the answer to the annual “what are you going to do for the showcase this year?” question has been answered with a ukulele, a cake shaped like the Death Star, a guitar, two comedy routines, and a mixed media art project made from a pair of old Vans.  Those aren’t skills that you’ll typically find on a list of college requirements, but they are the evidence of an open heart filled with the bold wonder that motivates each next step.

We are created to pursue that wonder, and not just from grades K through 12. We’re designed to be constantly learning, growing, changing, and discovering who we are and who we’re becoming. What’s truly radical is the belief that there is any one right or wrong way to do so.