"By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches." ~Proverbs 24:3-4
How to Write a Homeschool Mission Statement - If you are a new homeschooler, the reasons for homeschooling your children are probably fresh in your mind. This e-book will help you clarify those reasons and put your educational plan in writing to ensure that your homeschool starts out on a strong foundation and continues to function well into the future. If you've been homeschooling for a while, you may have noticed that the busyness of daily life tends to distract you from the principles that matter most. Your family can get back on track by formulating a mission that will guide you from this day forward. Don't delay - get started today! CLICK HERE!
How To Write A Homeschool Mission
Statement
One of the most important concepts to teach your children
involves having a sense of direction in life. Ambitions without goals
are merely dreams. Many companies, churches, schools, and even families
have mission statements. Creating a mission statement for your homeschool
can also be useful.
A homeschool mission statement is like a compass that guides your course.
When referred to regularly, it helps to shape the goals you set and the
decisions you make that lead to your destination. By defining timeless
values that do not change, it provides direction for strategies that do
change.
A homeschool mission statement proclaims the reason and purpose of your
homeschool. It describes its desired effect upon family members. The mission
statement incorporates values, principles, and philosophies. It should
be positive, uplifting, and empowering. It may include ends (goal) and
means (how to go about achieving those goals), that specify how the mission
is to be accomplished day by day and into the future.
The homeschool mission statement should be one that can be visualized
and communicated. It must contain meaningful principles from which no
one is exempt. If you write it down and post it where everyone will see
it, you're more likely to live up to its standards. When placed as a focal
point on the wall, it will be a constant reminder of why you chose to
homeschool. It will also be a convenient way to inform visitors of your
commitment to the education of your children.
The first step in planning a homeschool mission statement is for all
members of the family, including children, to sit down together and have
a brainstorming session. It is best to choose a leisurely time when people
are more likely to be in a reflective state of mind. Use a notebook, chalkboard,
marker board, or large paper pad on an easel for writing down ideas. At
this point, welcome all thoughts and do not allow comments to be made
about the validity of any suggestion. Listen respectfully and record everyone's
expressions accurately. Be patient, as this process will take time. It
is important to get everyone's input, because where there is no involvement
in the drafting of the mission statement, there will be no commitment.
As a starting point, here are some questions to ponder and discuss:
Why did we decide to homeschool? What does being a homeschooling family
mean to us? What is the vision and purpose of our homeschool? What is
our purpose in life? What things are most important to us as a family?
What are the priorities on which we want our family to focus (such as
trust, honesty, kindness, service)? What guiding principles and values
do we want our family to live by? What competencies do we want our children
to develop (physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, spiritually)?
What is our responsibility in caring for our children? What kind of home
environment do we want our children to grow up in? What great historical
figures have inspired us? What are our dreams for the future?
Think about the above issues and talk about them. Separate responses
into categories based on their themes. Divide them into goals (what you
are striving for) and action items (things to do to reach the goals).
Shorten the list by deciding which are the main recurring themes and by
combining similar ideas. Keep going over the list of suggestions and re-writing
them until everyone agrees on what your homeschool mission statement should
include. Each family member has to ultimately agree, since working together
toward the same vision is vital for a homeschool to function properly.
Never copy someone else's mission statement in an attempt to make it
yours. Their mission statement reflects their unique style and point of
view, as yours must reflect your own. Your homeschool mission statement
will have a special meaning for your family that goes far beyond the meaning
it would have for anyone else. Each part of it will remind you of the
many discussions you had on that topic. (Need a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process? CLICK HERE!)
A homeschool mission statement does not have to conform to any set of
rules. It may be in the form of prose or poetry. It can be a phrase, a
sentence, or an entire page. It may incorporate a picture, symbol, or
motto. A homeschool mission statement may be based on a Bible verse or
other suitable quotation. Bible verses relating to homeschooling include:
Proverbs 1:2-8, 2:6, 4:1, 13:1, 22:6
Psalm 25:4-5, 32:8
II Timothy 3:14-15
Deuteronomy 6:5-8
Ephesians 6:4
Isaiuh 54:13
Joshua 24:15
Keep your homeschool mission statement simple. This does not necessarily
mean short, although it can be, but make it something everyone understands
and will remember. A mission statement has to be written in the heart
and mind as well as on paper. When family members have internalized the
principles of the mission statement, they can sense the appropriate practices
that pertain to each special situation.
Once you have developed your homeschool mission statement, you and your
children must follow it. Your homeschool mission statement should be a
"living" document. Don't just file it away--use it, review it, memorize
it. Use the homeschool mission statement to help you stay on the right
course. By comparing your actions to the mission statement, you can tell
if you are straying off the path. If you have difficulties, the mission
statement helps you get back on track by motivating you to make course
corrections.
Stand up for your principles. Inscribe them on your doorposts. By placing the homeschool mission statement in your school room or in
a prominent place where the family gathers, it will be a constant reminder
of your homeschool's purpose and goals. Look at it often and regularly
consider how you are conducting your homeschool in accordance with the
homeschool mission statement.
NOTE: The public school mission statements are included for the purpose of comparison. See how the homeschool missions are stated, then take a look at the public school mission statements. Each homeschool mission statement embraces a personal heart-and-soul emotion, whereas the public school statements all have a sterile written-by-committee feel. There is nothing in the public school mission statements for which anyone can be held accountable. School boards don’t want to take a chance on offending anybody, so their mission statements are full of bureaucratic politically-correct language. Make sure your mission statement means something to your family. Use the public school missions as examples of how NOT to write your homeschool mission statement. :)
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