Mrs. Linda Adeniyi is a wife and mother of 4 boys, and since she made the decision to homeschool them in 2017, and she hasn’t stopped. Let’s take a deep dive into how she does this, and hopefully learn a thing or 2 in the process.
When and why did you choose to homeschool your children?
It all began in 2017. At that point, my oldest son was 6 years old and in his 2nd term in Primary 1. We were having some serious issues with his school because my son wasn’t being involved in the major activities that help him learn. My husband and I had to ask ourselves if we would like to continue like that or change his school. My philosophy on education doesn’t go well with changing a child’s schools so we chose to sit it out for a bit.
What eventually changed our minds fully was when my son came back from school one day in a very sad mood, saying that his teacher thinks he isn’t smart. That was it for us. He was too young to be in such a position. Our options to change schools weren’t as great, so we had to start looking for other options.
We had a family friend that had a 4-year old daughter who easily fascinated me. She was very smart and had really great diction for her age. I asked her mom what school she attended and was shocked to hear that she was being homeschooled by her mom. I went on to do some serious research on my own and found a group of homeschoolers; that was it for us. I started homeschooling all 4 of them – 6-years old, 4-years old, & 2-year-old twins – at that time in 2017, and I’ve been doing so till now.
Did you have any help?
No, I didn’t. I haven’t had any so far, and I don’t think I will. I’m a very detailed and determined person and I love to achieve the best. That was what fueled me to keep going on the days I was exhausted. The reason I didn’t have any help wasn’t that I didn’t want it but because I’ve had bad experiences with such in the past. I didn’t want to put myself through such again, so I decided to stick to doing it myself.
What tools do you use to homeschool?
To be honest, I don’t use any special tools. I simply rely on research and God helps me deliver the topics the right way. Sometimes though, I use Pinterest to get creative ideas.
What’s a homeschooling mistake or pitfall you made at the beginning of your homeschooling journey?
Spending so much time decorating a particular space in the house for schooling. I’ve come to realize that we don’t really need it. We learn anywhere in the house now as long as we have a table, shelf/library of books and our memory board. The memory board is a board where I put catchy reminders and more information about a topic I’m trying to introduce to my kids. It helps them learn better, ask questions, and it piques their curiosity.
How did you and your kids adapt to the entire homeschooling process?
To be very honest, it was really hard in the beginning. I don’t even have any teaching experience, asides from my NYSC when I briefly taught Fine Arts at a secondary school, but that’s way different from teaching Primary and Nursery school children.
How do you think homeschooling benefits your child now?
First, they no longer have to wake up so early for school. I don’t know who came up with that ridiculous theory, but I’ve always hated having to wake them up so early when it’s obvious they’re tired and still need their rest. When my first son was still in school, I noticed that his notes were always so lengthy and well-written, but whenever I asked him about the topics, he could barely remember them. That was so sad because he would spend time writing notes and not even remember what was in them.
I’m also super grateful that my kids are no longer being forced to learn when they don’t want to and they can now fully and freely express their individual learning styles. If I didn’t choose to homeschool them, I don’t think they’ll be able to do all that they can now. I know their abilities, strengths, interests and when to start and stop teaching. We’re doing way more than a regular schooling system can offer us and I’m comfortable with it.
How much does it cost you to fully homeschool?
Currency for me is the time and strength that I use to create lesson plans and presentations and do research. You have to be a prepared adult to homeschool and I have to invest every day in becoming that person.
What are the top 3 tips you would give to any parent that wants to homeschool?
First, you need to know why you want to homeschool your child. This will help you set proper and timely goals that’ll give you direction. Right now, my husband even wants us to homeschool when they get to secondary school because we’ve produced great results.
Second, know what kind of learner your child is. This has really helped me because I focus on their strengths and I’m able to avoid unnecessary tantrums and all. It will also help you build a good relationship with your child.
Finally, engage with as much creativity as possible. You don’t have to be a professional for this. The truth is that every child needs art and using art can be very helpful for both of you. Use papers, scissors, and colours to craft and paste here and there, as much as possible. Play with colours and do simple crafts that will engage them. You can research and read books to help you with this. I should also mention that we don’t use the regular 1st, 2nd and 3rd term structures. We freestyle according to the curriculum, and I measure their growth and learning abilities based on their performances. In other words, feel free to try out new things because sometimes you’re never sure which will actually work.
#Myhomeschoolinglife is a blog series curated by Gradely that explores the lives of parents who are currently homeschooling or have previously homeschooled their children. They simply share their experiences with us and we document them here to learn a few things from them and also show you what to do and what not to do if and when you choose to start your homeschooling journey. And if you’re already a homeschooling parent, find out how Gradely can help improve your homeschooling experience here regardless of your location.
If you would like to feature in the #myhomeschoolinglife blog, you can send an email to eniola@gradely.ng.
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Eniola Makinde
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