What Our Mentors Say About Homeschool Growth

Parents often want to know how their children are doing in homeschool but aren't sure what they should be looking for. So we asked a few of our mentors for their advices on how to best recognize growth in homeschool.

Here is what they had to say:

To Really See Growth, Try Taking a Step Back

"It's hard to see day-to-day growth, just like it's hard to notice whether or not your kids are getting taller every day. When our kids get taller, it happens so slowly that if you're watching for it every single day you won't see it.

It's usually after some time that you notice 'wow, you really shot up'.

If you step back from always asking them about what they're learning and just give them some space, you'll be surprised when you check back in and see the growth and how they've changed."

--Mona, Science Mentor

Look For Social and Emotional Growth

"One thing I would look for is social and emotional growth, not just academic.

Of course, for something like math, I want to see them move forward in the academic work, but I also want to see that they've gained more confidence, and hear that they're feeling more comfortable.

For the emotional growth, I would look for signs of peace. If they're constantly struggling with no relief, there may be issues there. I also want to see that they're willing to try new things even if they may not be good at it."

--Sophia, Math Mentor

Be an Observant Parent and Build Quality Relationships

"Being very observant as a parent has been key for me in witnessing growth.

It's also been helpful to keep notes on each child and their areas of growth. When they were younger, I would write down what I noticed in different areas of their learning journeys and zero in on where they needed help. Now that I have more experience, I don't write things down as much because I just naturally do it in my head. But it's always helpful to document because you can forget to follow up on your observations."

There are different levels and layers of growth, social, emotional, academic, etc and its silly to think that they're disconnected from one another. They're all connected.

In order for a child to grow academically they need to be healthy socially and emotionally; they need to feel cared for, loved, and heard. They needd to feel you aren't just grinding away at them all the time. Sometimes you need to take a step back.

I learned this the hard way with my own child when they got to highschool.

I realized my worries were rubbing off onto her and I had to take a major step back and let her figure things out. I had to put my trust in her and not let my fears and worries overpower her. I had to trust that if and when she needs me, she knew that she could come to me. Knowing that you have a strong enough relationship with your child, and have built those bonds to be able to put that trust into them is important.

With the younger ones they still need you to have more of a role. It's an ongoing process. Growth looks differnt in every child. Sometimes you may need to take a completely different approach with one child than you do with another. The signs you watch for in one child, may be differnt for another.

Being attentive to your children is a full time job. You cant let your guard down with your kids."

--Christina, Co-Founder/ English Language Arts Mentor

Trust the Process

"One thing I've learned is that growth happens when it's meant to happen. I don't have to try to force it.

I can create an environment that encourages growth, I can nurture growth with my behavior towards my children, I can help growth along through offering practical support or joining a community, but I can never, ever force a child to learn.

Growth is going to happen when it's meant to happen and a big part of homeschooling is learning when to let go of the standards, the timelines, and all of the other "shoulds" that occupy our minds. We have to learn to trust that our children will learn in their own way and in their own time.

If the child is struggling in an area and trying to help them feels like a constant battle, or it's creating a negative relationship, or you find yourself repeating concepts again and again to no avail, it's very possible the child is not yet ready to learn whatever it is you are trying to teach them.

In these moments, it's okay to take a break. It's okay to drop a unit. It's okay to leave off a subject or a skill until the following month, semester, or even year! Growth doesn't always happen in a straight line. There's no rush to make it all happen right now. "

--Melissa, Co-Founder/ Passion Projects Mentor