Accountability in Homeschooling

Some of us homeschool like lone rangers. We have few support networks and don’t have many chances to “talk shop” with other homeschoolers. Others may answer to a local school board or an umbrella school. Whatever your particular situation, you may desire more personal or ongoing accountability for your homeschooling.
Why would you want such a thing? Actually there are some real benefits to accountability:

1. The accomplishment of goals.
2. A smoother homeschool day.
3. A sense of validation and encouragement.

Do any of those sound good? Then consider looking for an accountability partner.
Possible Accountability Partners-

A More Experienced Homeschool Mom- In the spirit of Titus 2, find a mom who is ahead of you a few years to serve as an accountability partner. Don’t forget empty nest moms whose children are already off at college. They offer the big picture perspective that moms of younger children can’t yet see. Discuss your homeschool goals and plans and set a time to meet in person at least monthly if not weekly.

A Respected Online Mom-Maybe you’re all alone and don’t click with the moms in your coop. Face to face accountability may be best, but email or Skype conferences are a possibility too. So don’t let isolation keep you from the accountability you desire. How about a blogging mom you respect or someone who you know from an online forum?

Your Husband- I don’t mean simply asking your husband to manage your curriculum purchases. Actually, many men want more involvement in their children’s education but they don’t know how to help or what to offer. If your husband is one of those eager-to-engage dads, seek his input and accountability at regularly set meeting times.

Your Mom or Mother-in-law- Who else besides your husband has as much of a vested interest in the success of your homeschool as your children’s grandmothers? Choose the one who supports homeschooling and with whom you communicate well. Not only will you find encouragement but your children will get the benefit of grandma’s gushing over their progress.

Working with Your Accountability Partner-

When seeking an accountability partner, realize that you will have to take the lead and teach your partner how to help you. Give her specific questions tailored to your situation, your goals, or your weaknesses. For example, if you tend to procrastinate on planning your homeschool lessons, you may want your accountability partner to ask you, “Did you write out weekly plans? Show me.” If you tend to slack off in the area of math, add the question, “Did your children do math each day? What was it?”

Generally, yes and no questions aren’t enough to provide accountability. According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, accountability means “required or expected to justify actions or decisions.” So you’re not just reporting your actions but also telling why you chose them. You need to have your accountability partner require details or maybe even proof. That’s exactly why a great follow up to most any answer is to ask “Why?” Did you do what you did for a conscious reason or was it an accident? Was it a habit, or an impulsive reaction, or a deliberate choice? Accountability isn’t all negative.

On the contrary, you should work in questions to allow time for highlighting victories, “What was your greatest accomplishment this week? What did each child do that really impressed you?” Because every homeschool mom’s educational philosophy is different and her particular goals vary from year to year, there is no way to provide an exhaustive list of accountability questions. But here is a list of possibilities to get you started:

• Did you allow your child to veg in front of a screen rather than encourage a more productive activity?
• How many days each week did you read aloud to your child? How many hours total?
• How much art and music did you do? What did you do?
• How much of what you planned did you actually accomplish? Why?
• Did you require your children to offer their best work or did you accept slipshod products?
• Did you get outdoors for a weekly nature walk?
• Did you pray for/with your children?

Let’s say you can’t find anyone to serve as an accountability partner or your accountability relationship peters out. What can you do?

You can be accountable to yourself through scheduled introspection. Write your questions down and ask them of yourself each week or month. Write down your answers and evaluate. If you didn’t do so well, don’t fall into the failure mentality and give up. (Give yourself the pep talk that you would give your child if he wanted to give up a worthy but difficult project.) Start afresh with a new week. Pray for grace, and keep pressing forward.

Jimmie is a homeschooling Mom of one, you can visit her at Jimmie’s Collage.