A Big Announcement!

While some may already know, we’re officially making it known to all—I’ll be going back to work in the fall. There was a teaching opportunity that presented itself a while back, and after much thought, prayer, research and discussion, I have decided to take this new position. It’ll be a dramatic change from the teaching I did before Emma was born. The material will encompass more than just math, and the grade level will be a bit younger than I’ve taught in the past. But the class size will be small, and the school offers a great amount of flexibility as well as opportunity for creativity, which I love.

This school is a rarity, considering that countless districts around our state and country are experiencing budget shortfalls, school closures, teacher layoffs, program cuts, larger class sizes, and a whole slew of other problems. Most of the schools around us in the Des Moines area are no exception.

My new job will be with a school that shows considerable growth and promise. In fact, this fall, there is an expected 100% enrollment increase! Unheard of! And my smaller class size means I can provide plenty of one-on-one attention and concentrate on tailoring lessons to specific learning styles, strengths and interests.

I’ve already got a picture of what my class will look like next year. Would you like to see?



If you haven’t already guessed, we’ve made the decision to homeschool in the fall. It’s a decision we’ve wrestled with for a long time, but we have come to believe that this is what’s best for our family right now. Dakota and his three siblings were homeschooled until graduating from high school, at which time Dakota and one of his sisters earned full-ride/Presidential scholarships to college. So he has the background and I have the teaching degree. (I’m mainly throwing that in for any family members who may have reservations about our decision here.)

We think there are several advantages to homeschooling, among which include being able to invest more time and energy into our children during some of their most “moldable” years and strengthening family relationships. We also hope to encourage a love for learning by tailor-making lessons with few limitations. Emma is already reading fairly well, and we know we can continue to challenge her in ways that might be difficult for an overworked teacher, stretched too thin by so many children vying for her attention.

I’m looking forward to getting back into teaching. And Emma is looking forward to all the time and attention she’ll be getting from Mom at home. We’re also looking forward to the different activities and homeschool groups that we will join in the fall. We’re learning there are quite a few opportunities for these in our area. In addition, we have several friends who will also be homeschooling their children, so we know we’ll be in good company.

This is very much a learning experience for me, but if you have any questions or would like to know how I went from “Over my dead body!!” to “Yes, we should do this!” please feel free to ask. Education is something I feel very passionately about and I’m happy to hop up on my education soapbox anytime anyone wants to “talk shop” with me.

Stay tuned this fall, when I’m sure many of my posts will be about what we’re doing and learning along the way!