Homeschooling Outcomes

My husband and I were once asked by a homeschooling skeptic if we care about outcomes. That is, this person wondered, do we care if our children attend top colleges, get the best jobs, make the most money, and so on. I think this is a reasonable question from someone trying to gain a clearer understanding of our homeschooling--or rather unschooling--approach to education. Our short answer was no, that those outcomes are not the things we care about. But, yes, we do care about outcomes.

We, like most parents, hope that our children live happily, simply, freely. We hope that they discover their passions and are provided the opportunity to achieve their goals. We hope that they treasure family, community, and the natural world and devote much time to each.

Homeschooling doesn't promise these outcomes, any more than traditional schooling promises the outcomes presented by the skeptic. Our hope for homeschooling our children is that it offers them the time and space to recognize and fully realize their unique gifts as both children and adults. If they want to attend top colleges, get top jobs, and earn top salaries, then good for them. And if they don't want that, then good for them.

We see our role as facilitators, helping our children uncover their interests and talents, providing resources to learn and explore, and allowing them the time, space, and love to grow up to be happy, thoughtful, engaged citizens. Those outcomes we care deeply about.