So far in our series, we have met several working homeschooling moms, and their various jobs, careers, and ways to make it work. Today we have Jennifer, an online English Instructor working from home with some good tips on how to make it all work while keeping the primary focus: homeschooling and bringing up Godly children.
Hi Jen! Please tell us about yourself, what do you do for a living?
Hi, I’m Jennifer Willson, and I teach for VIPKID and Gogokid, two online education programs that offers a North American English education to Chinese students ages 4-12.
Sounds fun! What’s your work schedule?
I currently work from 5:00-7:00AM Monday through Saturday. My hours are extremely flexible and I am able to work more or less as my family’s needs change.
How long have you homeschooled for and what are your children’s ages?
We have homeschooled since 2013 when my oldest daughter was ready to start kindergarten. I am now homeschooling four children, ages 9, 8, 6, and 4.
When do you homeschool and how long it takes you on average per day?
We homeschool Monday through Friday for about three hours per day. In addition to school work at home, we have a variety of other activities such as American Heritage Girls, Trail Life USA, dance classes, and piano lessons that are part of our homeschool lifestyle.
Very active children! Do you do all the teaching or do you have someone assisting you?
I am the primary teacher for every subject except fine arts (piano and dance).
In what ways has working benefitted your homeschool life and/or vice versa?
My job requires me to wake up early and be mentally prepared for the day very quickly. By the time my kids wake up, I am energized and ready to start their day, too. Working with students who know zero English and helping them to learn my language using simple phrases and lots of body language has made me a better communicator and it has helped me to become more patient when my children struggle through a new concept. Being a homeschool mom makes me a better VIPKID teacher because I understand the value of a good education. I understand a parent’s willingness to make sacrifices to ensure their child’s success. The parents of my students are willing to give up a lot of time and money to prepare their children for an English-speaking future. We are more similar than different despite the language and cultural differences.
That is an excellent point of view! Do you have time for extracurricular activities? (e.g. field trips, co-ops, etc.)
I make an effort to involve my kids in activities and field trips. Sometimes we participate in trips with other local homeschoolers and other times we find a cool spot to explore as a family. My husband is a pastor and one of the main reasons we chose to homeschool was so that we would have flexibility to do things as a family during the weekdays. It is important to us to maintain that priority.
Do co-ops benefit you in any way? If so, how?
We do not participate in a co-op for classes. We are members of a few local homeschool organizations for the support and extracurricular activities. It has been a blessing to build relationships with other families through these groups.
Do you utilize a “boxed curriculum” or do you gather sources together to form your own curriculum?
I don’t use a boxed curriculum because I never found a box that was ideal for me. When I first started homeschooling, I took my lead from “The Well Trained Mind,” by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. Since then, I’ve learned more about my children as individuals and made some adjustments. One of my favorite things about homeschooling is the flexibility! We don’t need to follow any particular method or theory of learning to give our kids a good education. The best education is one that is tailored to our kids!
I love that book! It is the ultimate resource for Classical educators. So, do you follow the Classical approach or lean towards other methods? (Charlotte Mason, Eclectic,Unschooling, etc..)
I lean towards classical because I love the resources that come from the publishers of classical curriculums. I am a bit more relaxed than some classical moms though and I enjoy the ideals of Charlotte Mason. Again, I love the flexibility to make our homeschool what we want or need it to be.
What is the main challenge you face of working with a homeschooling lifestyle?
The main challenge for me is remembering that I chose to stay home to teach my children. I did not stay home so that our home would look like a showroom or the cover of a magazine. Balancing spiritual training, character development, school work, and housework are all really tricky. I work best in an organized, de-cluttered space so I am naturally inclined to focus on messes before math or spelling. I know that needs to be reversed and I need to let go of the ideal of a perfect house.
That does get tricky at times… What is your best time management tip you would share with a working mom who is just beginning homeschooling?
Write it down! If you have an appointment, write it down. If you need to pick up milk from the store, write it down. If you want to try a new recipe for dinner next week, write it down. Write it down in two or three places that are easily visible. Our lives are bound to feel busy and hectic but keeping a paper trail of the important stuff has really helped me stay on top of the details. Also, REST! If you are not rested, you cannot think clearly, you are not as healthy as you could be, and you will be operating at less than one hundred percent. God was very wise when He set up a day just for rest and recharging!
Amen to all that! Thank you Jen for your time.
You are very welcome!
I hope you found Jen’s schedule insightful. As always, “We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us” (Phil. 4:13), but we can’t do them all at once.
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