The Switch

Oh, how things have changed in a year ...

I never thought I'd be a homeschooler.

I'm sure those words have been spoken by many parents in the past year; yet we've all found ourselves doing homeschool of some sort (distance learning, virtual learning, online school). But a few weeks ago, not specifically because of Covid but for other reasons, our family made the switch from school to homeschool—and all rather suddenly.

Suddenly, as in, in a matter of about two weeks, we pivoted from all five kids going to school (Asher for the first time, starting kindergarten) to all five kids full-on homeschooling: joining a homeschool collective, ordering materials (mostly digital), enrolling in online courses, setting up a homeschool space.

The reason for this abrupt shift was a shocking turn of events at our kids' local international school during the Christmas break (which in Mozambique is the break between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next). I won't go into the details about what happened, but ultimately, with the sudden and drastic changes, we did not feel comfortable sending our children back to the school. The problem was, we really didn't have many other options. It wouldn't make sense to transfer the kids to another local school when we will be going to the U.S. in April for at least four months. The only option that seemed to make sense was homeschool. But this, too, presented challenges.

As soon as we began to realize that we might need to move in a different direction, I got in touch with our mission board's education consultant to ask for her help and recommendations. She was extremely gracious, listening to and understanding our conundrum and working through it with us. The things that make our situation tricky are

  • the time constraint (we needed to start as quickly as possible)
  • the school year calendar difference (we're just starting a school year, while American students are more than halfway through; we want to try to get back on the U.S. school year calendar)
  • the difficulty of getting printed materials/resources/technology in Pemba (shipping is not reliable, and we don't know when someone might be coming from the U.S. who could bring things to us)
  • our four-month Stateside assignment in April–August

But through tons of prayer, and with amazing support and flexibility from our organization as well as the online school and homeschool collective we chose, we were able to make the switch—the switch from sending five kids to school to schooling five kids (ages 5–17) at home.

This is how we've worked it out. I set up a school space in one of the rooms in our guest quarters out back. There's a table and chairs and a couch. I start teaching Judah and Asher at 8 a.m. out in that room. The older three kids set up their computers at the dining room table and start their schoolwork at 9. I normally spend all morning with the younger two. Asher finishes by 10:30 or 11, and then I work with Judah until 11:30 or 12. We try to have lunch around noon, and the older kids take an hour for lunch and break.

Asher painting as he learns about the letter C

Judah writing in her journal

After lunch,  I'm available to help the older kids with their work if they need it. I also work on the next day's lesson plans for the younger kids and prep anything I'm going to need (print worksheets, etc.). Many of the materials are digital/e-books, but some of them I had shipped to my parents in the U.S., and my mom takes pictures of pages and sends them to me. The older kids' courses are through a U.S.-based online Christian school, so they have teachers who have written and teach the courses, and the kids can communicate with them directly if they have questions or need help (although there are times that I can help them with certain things). There are no live sessions, so it's very flexible and the kids can work at their own pace. I have access to all their coursework, submitted assignments, grades, and feedback.

Posing for a math assignment:
Take a picture with your math binder (decorate for extra credit!)

Tabby's decorated math binder

(If you're interested in more details about the homeschool collective and online school we chose, please message me and I'll be happy to share!)

This transition has been all-consuming. I haven't had time for ministry or much else since we started (hence this late blog post, which I normally try to publish around the fifteenth of each month). But somehow—well, not somehow; we know how—we have a peace about it, and, three weeks into it, it's working. It is not easy, and we are not doing it perfectly, but it's working.

Once again, God has provided for our family in the midst of uncertainty. As we are reading through the Gospels together (recently finished Matthew and making our way through Mark), we notice Jesus' repeated command to believe and not fear (Mark 5:36 is just one of many instances of it). While our situation is nowhere near as dire as most of the people Jesus was speaking to, we hope in this command, because we know He has reason to say it, and we have reason to obey it. It's easy to worry about the future, about our kids' education, about timing and college and falling behind. But when we see God's hand at work, providing just the right people with the resources and support we need, and when we think about all the ways He's provided for us in the past, how can we harden our hearts (as the disciples did after Jesus fed the five thousand in Mark 6:52) and not trust that He will take care of us?

Jesus is the Lord of the switch. If He can change five loaves and two fish into enough to feed thousands; if He can change a raging storm into calm waters; if He can change blindness and paralysis into perfect health; then of course He can orchestrate any switch He calls us to make in our lives—especially something as simple as changing me into a homeschooler. And all I can do is look on "astonished beyond measure" and say, "'He has done all things well'" (Mark 7:37).

Asher dressing in all green
as we learned about the color green


Comments

  1. Wow! Jen you are doing an amazing job with teaching your kids. I am sure you are a great teacher. We did everything we could think of with Jen. I would probably not have been teacher of the year. I would always say her education and social life was the hardest thing about being a missionary in Africa. But she survived and loved her time in Africa. Still considers it home. She struggled that first year at RVA (6th grade) but from 7th grade on did great. And graduated sum cum laud from DBU. Just have to trust the Lord which what His best is for each child. Don't envy doing that for FiVE kiddos. I know yall will make wise decisions for them. Are the Smiths coming back to Pemba?

    God has been so amazing in the selling of our house and Jen's house and finding the perfect house for all three of us to live in. I hope you all will come see us when you are on stateside. We have been here a week and are making progress putting things away but we all have had to down size to fit what we need into just one house. I gave up my wonderful sunroom where I lived most of the day to a much smaller area but the Lord has provided us with a swimming pool and hot tub which is good for my back and fibromyalgia. Can't wait for summer. We love being all together. It is amazing how everything fell into place. Jen has her bedroom downstairs but the upstairs game room is where she lives during the day. She works at home because of covid so her desk is up there with two big monitors, Her couch and chair. Her craft area and also has a small kitchen area and a full bathroom and big closet for her crafts and extra clothes. We have been giving away furniture like crazy. It is spring break so I don't have my women's bible Study or ESL class this week so we are working hard getting things organized.

    We had a special visitor today and it made me so homesick. Phil and Elin from New Tribes stop by for several hours and it was so good to catch up. We made enough off our house that I told Larry I want to by a ticket to go back to Moz to visit. So I have already asked Becky about theirs n I want to find out about Katie's. I think it will be hard being in the air plane that long. I need time to build up my strength. It is hard to be disciplined when I am not going to PT. I had wanted to go back while Irma Albertina was still alive. It will be hard going back and not having her to translate for me into Makhuwa. I will miss not laughing with her like we did to visit the women on our trips to the bush. Anyway it is something to look forward to even if it does not happen.
    Love you guys. Sounds like Harvey is doing well with language and his ministry.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Di! Thanks for your sweet comments and the update! You must have been so proud of Jen for doing so well at DBU. That gives me a lot of hope! Yes, the Smiths are coming back in May or June. Sounds like your new house with Jen is a huge blessing! I'm so thankful the Lord has worked all that out for your family. Glad you got to see Phil and Elin! We didn't know them well, but I do remember meeting them in Nampula and being at their house at SIL. I hope you get to come back and visit someday. We have been going to Nampula each month for orthodontist appointment, and we often think of you and Larry when we pass the house. Love you too!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts