It has been such a joy to discuss Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler’s Guide to Unshakable Peace (affiliate link - I might get a few pennies from your purchase using this link). with new friends in person and old friends online and to see the Holy Spirit speak to them through the ideas.
As I said last week, every time I read this book, I find new thoughts to
ponder and pray over. Here is what stood out to me, personally, from Part Two:
- I have seen my own growth through simplifying my homeschooling. Books and materials used to be my primary focus, but thanks to Sarah, my children are. And sharing big ideas and growing together is much more important than the curriculum I choose. There has been so much freedom in knowing I just need to do my best to pick something that will work and not worry that I’m choosing just the perfect materials. As Sarah says, “How you teach is just as important as what you teach,” and I have taken that to heart.
- This year, I think I want to move from thinking about homeschooling towards thinking about home education. Often when I use the word school, all of the elements of my traditional education in a brick and mortar school come to mind. I forget, but Sarah reminds me, that I have the freedom to educate my children as I prayerfully discern is best. I do not have to stick to a curriculum or schedule that mirrors “away-schooling,” as my children used to call not homeschooling.
- Margin is absolutely essential to me. When I do not have white space, I hurry through our days and that usually results in me barking or yelling at my kids. As a recovering perfectionist, my husband has been the one over the years to remind me to stop at the end of a day and leave some things undone. Rest is essential. Time to care for me, my spiritual, social, emotional, physical, and emotional needs, must be a part of our days.
- I am also a recovering multi-tasker. This is one of the parts of the book I argued with when I first read it, and I am beginning to recognize that this is a journey. Of course there are times when we have no choice but to multi-task, but in the majority of moments I think I do have a choice. Somehow I need to do better, and part of that is going to require being intentional about setting aside my smartphone.
- “Do less. Do it well.” This is how Part Two closes, and it takes me back to my days of recovery from burnout three summers ago. The reality of that collapse was that I was
doingtrying to do too much, as is my tendency. Thinking upon this now, when I have found such peace in simplifying in previous years, I am determined to avoid the creep of more, more, more. Since our last academic year required that I focus only on core subjects, I am very tempted to add in all the things we missed last year, rather than select a few.
These are my thoughts! Here are Sarah's thoughts in a recording of her excellent online book club. I am sure, if you have read Part Two of Teaching from Rest, you have other thoughts to ponder. Please share them! I want to hear what words have touched you.
