Contributions by Dad
By Todd Larsen
As the father of three homeschooled children, I find myself more involved in their education each year. Part of the reason for my involvement comes from my desire to make certain my children receive an excellent education, while some of the credit belongs to my wife. Often I would come home from work and receive a full report of her trials with the day's schooling. She would express her feelings of being overwhelmed with the responsibilities of home education, for she had so many ideas she desired to implement but could not fit them into her schedule. After listening to my wife's not-so-subtle pleas for help, I determined to find ways to share her load.
My first undertaking was teaching our second child, David, to read. Daniel, our firstborn, was in first grade while David was nearing kindergarten. In three ten-minute sessions daily, I began teaching him phonics lessons. I found that several short sessions were much more productive than one long session as his ability to concentrate for extended periods had not yet been cultivated. We usually had the sessions before I left for work, when I came home for lunch, and when I returned in the evening. We would also continue throughout the weekend. David was delighted to have Dad's focused attention and, as a result, he excelled! Within two months, he was reading on a solid second-grade level. I felt quite pleased I was able to contribute in such a profound way. It was an extremely rewarding experience. The following year I successfully taught our third son, Eric, to read. I continue to listen to my sons' reading on a regular basis.
Another way I have contributed to our homeschool is by helping to organize the daily routine. My wife, Merri Kay, is an idealist. While this quality has much value, she admits it can create a schedule that is unattainable in reality. She studies all the homeschooling magazines and books and is therefore continually incorporating exciting classes and programs into our schedule. Indeed, all of these have value but the day has only a finite number of hours. My biggest impact has been to simplify and declutter the routine. At my insistence, our schedule is heavy on math, reading, and writing. While I prefer simplicity, I have compromised with her by including one hour in the day we call "Mother's Choice." This is in addition to the "3 R's" and one to two hours of read aloud in which many subjects are covered. During this Mother's Choice Hour, she incorporates any of the programs she desires for that day. It is truly amazing how much she manages to pack into this hour! Our school days are now more consistent than ever and I am greeted by a happier family each evening. I am sure part of the reason for our success is that our boys can see my commitment to their schooling through my daily participation. The amount of time I spend on our school each day is rarely more than an hour and usually much less, but the benefits are immeasurable.
Each child writes an essay every school day. The required length is dependent upon their age. This essay is written on any subject the child chooses and is intended to promote excellency in composition, sentence structure, handwriting, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. A very important aspect of this process is reviewing each essay with the child, discussing the content, and focusing on the positive aspects of the writing. We then correct errors and I explain the reasons for the mistakes. I sometimes wait until there are several essays to review. Then I sit down with each child and we read them together. My interest and excitement in their writing is contagious. The child puts more effort into the writing knowing that Dad is truly interested in reading them together. I determined through these sessions that I also needed to review mechanics of writing; therefore, I keep an English handbook nearby.
The importance of mathematics cannot be overstated in every person's education. While helping David with his math assignment recently, I noticed he would habitually refer to a multiplication table in the back of his notebook to find the answer to simple, single-digit problems. I explained that he would be able to complete his math lessons in less time if he would memorize the math facts. Actually, memorizing them is essential. I knew David would learn them eventually through his daily lessons, but I also knew it would facilitate his math work if he would memorize them now. David and I are now spending ten minutes daily (including weekends) with multiplication flashcards. He memorizes easily and I feel confident he will have this milestone behind him shortly.
Another activity I engage in regularly is our family's evening read-aloud. It is enjoyable for all of us when we are involved together in a great book. It is pleasurable to make the characters "come alive" by changing my voice with each one's personality. Many homeschoolers affirm the excellent value of reading aloud to children. Along with our children, we share "friendships" with the characters from our books.
Children need to know that their father places a high priority on their education. There is no better way for them to experience this than to see their father's involvement on a daily basis. While it often proves difficult for a father who has a full-time job to take on complete subjects (although some do), I have found there are many opportunities to contribute in small ten to fifteen minute blocks of time throughout the day. As my children grow older and their needs change, I am committed to continuing to find ways to stay actively involved in their education.
Postscript & About the Author
This article was originally written around 1993 by Todd Larsen. Todd is an engineer who manages a power plant as well as his homeschooling household. His sons are now 18, 16, and 14 and he indeed remained involved. His wife declares their homeschool "would have closed its doors" without his active participation. His school now includes Rachel, 6, and Michelle, 3, who are also loving to learn from Dad.
