I wrote up a mission statement for our homeschool.
Why?
I have been homeschooling for several years now and have a pretty good idea of the direction we are going. But having a mission statement helps me focus in on what matters most to our family. It answers questions like:
Does that (insert philosophy, activity, schedule, must-have tech toy) align with our mission statement?
If not, it’s an easy no.
For those just wading into home education, a mission statement can help keep you on track when you start down the rabbit hole of research:
- following fellow homeschoolers on social media
- checking out countless homeschool theory books at the library
- attending webinars and in-person conferences
- sifting through the perfect curriculum
Trust me when I say that you will be hit with many different philosophies and potential pathways. I’m totally encouraging you to enter the rabbit hole but draft up a mission statement (even a few bullet points will do) and it will help define what is best for your family and ultimately save you from overwhelm.
Here are some basic questions to ask yourself when drafting a mission statement:
- Why are you homeschooling?
- What is your family’s story? Core values? What’s important to you?
- What’s your opinion on education?
- What inspires you and your family?
- How do you envision a typical day? Week?
- At the end of this journey, what’s your desired outcome?
A few more things:
Remember the mission statement is for YOUR FAMILY.
Get your partner’s and kid’s input when writing it. You have the freedom to change whatever you need to at any time. So if it’s not working, ask yourself why and rewrite it if you need to.
Need an example to start? Click here to read my family’s homeschool mission statement.
Have fun with the process!
