In the Atmosphere
We bounce the big red ball, once in each of four squares. We’re waiting. I fight the feeling that this may not be worth our time. But, God is always ready for us humans to take notice.
The soft, deep blue of dusk turns black. Suddenly, they appear. Mars is first, with its slight red tint. Then, beside a waxing first quarter moon, Jupiter with its might and his neighbor Saturn. It happens so quickly, with just the ticking of the minute hand moving from 7:08 p.m. to 7:11 p.m. on a clear fall night. And then, there’s Venus. Venus has often been called “Earth’s Sister,” because of similarity in size. But if we scan closer, these two planets couldn’t be more mismatched. The surface of Venus may be rocky, but no water, no life, and it is unbearably poisonous. Whereas “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to Him. For He laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.” Psalm 24: 1-2 (NLT). Atmosphere matters.
As 19th century education pioneer Charlotte Mason has said, “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life.” Many homeschoolers can grasp the importance of discipline, and even that education is a lifelong pursuit. But, what of atmosphere?
Over the last year, we have seen the damage done to our educational system when we don’t recognize that atmosphere is an important component to a child’s learning. Due to COVID-19 many parents were forced to bring children out of school, into the home to be educated. And though many parents enjoyed spending time together, most found educating at home extremely stressful. Why? Because even though materials and learning goals were the same, atmosphere changed. Suddenly children were sitting at a computer all day rather than spending time interacting with teachers and fellow students. No more music class, no more P.E. Parents were asked to become the teacher and carry out curriculum in a prescribed way. The atmosphere was controlling. Home became the school building.
Other parents made the decision to step away from traditional institutions and homeschool full-time. But they also find it extremely stressful. The expectation that this would be a more peaceful way to school gets washed away in tears when arguments ensue, and they are overwhelmed with the voices that say they are not doing enough.
Is schooling at home with peace, joy, and confidence even possible? I give you a resounding “Yes!” But we must create in our homes a new atmosphere for learning. Atmosphere is found in the rhythm of the home. It’s found in conversations, amount and types of materials chosen, and all the big and small interactions of the day. It is also found in the community that surrounds you.
Let’s start at the surface. We begin by remembering that God created family, learning, and a world of beauty to be captured. We believe that God has created our children and has a good plan for them; relaxing in the knowledge that He already knows the plans He has for them (Jeremiah 29:11). And we need to stop looking at the culture around us as our experts and look to God to help us train and teach our children.
Stepping Stones:
- Beauty. Homeschooling can be beautiful. If your day is full of the grind of academics while avoiding all lovely things, it’s easy for everyone to get burned out. Each day should include one or more of the following: beautiful read alouds together, Scripture, hymns and praise songs, poetry, art, and time outdoors. Also, I find it extremely helpful to have one or two days a week that look different from the others. Why not have one full day where all the work is done outdoors?
- Pray. The atmosphere in the home can turn on a dime when parents react to children as irritations. Prayer and reading Scripture alone is the best way to prepare yourself for the day ahead. Ask the Lord to help you change your atmosphere.
- Philosophy. It’s hard to pick good material when you don’t have a philosophy of learning. The Homeschool Legal Defense Association (hslda.org) is a helpful resource for learning about homeschooling philosophies. If you’ve chosen a method based on what your best friend or another family member does, it may not be the right fit for you.
- Say Less. Often a mother is worn out because she has spoken too much and too loudly all day long. It’s important to train ourselves to not strain our voices. Try to say quieter and simpler, as often as possible.
- Say “No”. To have a calmer home we can’t run around saying “yes” to every activity. I encourage homeschoolers to make a top 10 family priority list for the year. One list could include: History, Music, and Nature. Other families could include: Art, Family Exercise, and Life Skills. This list helps you decide what can stay and what must go in your schedule.
- Multitasking. It’s difficult to stay on task with peace when you mind is fixated on social media, answering that next text, or working on a secondary project. Many of those tasks and people can wait until the main work on your schooling is complete for the day.
- Balance. A seasoned homeschooler once told me that we forget that our children are not academic beings only. We must remember to provide our children with a broad education. We want to train them up to know and love the Lord and His people first. We want to expose them to many opportunities and topics so that they will be skilled and interesting people. This is unlikely to happen if they are sitting in front of a computer all day and have never been asked to complete chores, have a friend over, serve at church, or help a younger child.
- Comparisons. Your children are unique; this is by God’s design. Charlotte Mason would say that children have affinities that God has already placed in them. They are His handiwork, and He is preparing them for work in advance (Ephesians 2:10). Work hard to stop comparing your children to others or yourself to other moms. Who is to say exactly what God is preparing them for?
Learning to homeschool well takes time. If you feel ready to give up on homeschooling, I understand. I’ve been there myself. A change of atmosphere can make all the difference. The only reason my common little family saw the planets that October night was because after 7 years of homeschooling I have finally embraced the fact that to learn well, we must slow down, enjoy each other, and let God change our atmosphere.
Other Resources:
- Raising Wildflowers: Homeschooling at Ease in a Frantic Culture, by Emily B. Riffe
- For the Children’s Sake, by Susan Schaeffer-Macaulay
- Teaching from Rest, by Sarah Mackenzie. Also, “Read aloud Revival” www.readaloudrevival.com
- The Volumes of Charlotte Mason may be read for free at Ambleside Online: www.amblesideonline.com
