Tell us a little bit about your family dynamics.
We (Nate and Jenna) met at Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit, married a year after college, and made a home in the Clarks Summit area. We each furthered our education, and Nate became an electrician, starting his own company in 2021. He was also ordained as a lay-elder in our church in 2024. Jenna taught in the local public schools and charter school until she stayed at home as planned when we began having children. God blessed us with two girls and a set of boy twins within 4 1/2 years. Life became busy very quickly!
How long have you been homeschooling?
We have been homeschooling for 5 years and are about to begin our 6th year.
What was one of the main reasons you chose to homeschool?
Although Christian schooled in our own education, we began Norah’s schooling in the public school, believing we could help our children navigate the secular worldview they would encounter. We didn’t realize that no one is teaching from a neutral place. We never planned to homeschool. For awhile, God had been graciously working through the preaching and teaching of His Word to convict us to home educate our children. Jenna couldn’t shake Voddie Baucham’s challenge reflecting on Deut. 6: “If we continue to send our children to Caesar for their education we need to stop being surprised when they come home as Romans.” God then used the Covid regulations as the “straw that broke the camel’s back” to help us make the jump into homeschooling.
In what activities does your family participate?
We are blessed to enjoy a close church family with many homeschooling families. We enjoy serving the Lord together by serving them in teaching, music, and nursery. All the kids have taken piano lessons for years, but Norah and Violet enjoy it the most. They both love crafts, drawing, and coloring. Norah is so creative, enjoying crocheting and wood carving. Violet is excited to try soccer for the first time this year. Jack and Roman have played basketball and love mountain biking with Dad. As a family we all enjoy read alouds, snowboarding, and new adventures!
What have been your most helpful resources?
My friends that had been homeschooling already were some of the best resources. They helped to get us started! Our church family, especially fellow homeschool families, have been continual supporters and shared great ideas and programs through the years. The CHAP conference was very helpful in introducing me to Deborah Wuehler who has written resources on homeschooling the rebel. A local homeschool resource group also continues to be a huge help to us.
What educational philosophy/curriculum do you follow?
Jenna loves classical and Charlotte Mason philosophies, but we have settled into an eclectic approach overall. We currently use All About Reading and Spelling, First Language Lessons, Writing with Ease, Institutes of Excellence in Writing, CTC Math, Masterbooks history, Journey Homeschool science, Generations of Grace, and on the job experience with Dad.
What has been one of the highlights for you in homeschooling your children?
We love to watch the kids grow and learn and often participate in learning alongside them. Getting to watch and hear them creatively add new vocabulary and history into their play always makes us smile.
What was your favorite field trip(s)?
Going to Lakota Wolf Preserve was a favorite field trip. We sat in the center of many separate fenced in areas with numerous hand-raised or adopted wolves. They all came to the center to receive pieces of meat from their caretaker. He explained so many interesting things about the wolves. For example, they each have their own distinctive howl. He demonstrated his own, personal howl which the wolves recognize from even miles away. Once he howled, they all responded to him. It was an incredible experience!
What was one of the funniest things to happen during a homeschool day?
All of the strange and silly things our kids say at any given moment! We love the endless stream of you-had-to-be-there moments when our kids say (or sing) hilarious things.
What have you found to be a challenge in homeschooling? Any tips in dealing with that challenge?
One challenge we are facing is homeschooling a strong-willed child. This was our best year in many ways, but we decided it would be best for this child to attend work with Nate daily for the summer and possibly many days even during the school year. This decision has been tough in many ways but has been very beneficial for everyone. The short online resources “Homeschooling the Rebel, Part 1 and 2” by Deborah Wuehler in “The Old Schoolhouse Magazine” have been very helpful and encouraging. We continue to bathe all of our children in prayer knowing it is God who changes hearts.
What advice would you give to someone who has just begun homeschooling?
Connect with other local homeschool families to help you get started and to support one another. Homeschooling is hard, but it is a good hard—you are investing in your children, and God will sanctify you as you humble yourself before Him in service towards your family. Homeschool each day while preaching the gospel to yourself to be able to consider others more significant than yourself (Phil. 2)!
