Beginning of a HUGE journey

After much talk and thought on the matter - my husband and I (well - more me) have decided to homeschool our two children. It is not for religious reasons or that we think teachers don't know what they are doing.  Far from it.  I have two very good friends who are school teachers and I know they are intelligent and thoughtful people who give their all to the children they teach.  The reason is because I feel that those same amazing teachers are being forced to not teach but test. 

Everything leads to the test. The test - the test - the test.  

Education is not to fill the pail - but rather to light the fire - Yeats (I believe)  My new mission is to light the fire.  I want my children to see the world as a huge classroom.  I do not want the learning to stop once they leave the classroom.  I want them to read a great novel and really enjoy it - not just try to guess what questions will be on a test.   I want them to do tangrams because they are fun and cool.  I want them to be curious about the reproductive system of a cricket because we have a whole bunch of them in the backyard.  I want so much for them to be amazed and curious and to never be jaded.

For this mission - I will smile politely when people look at me as if I have lost my mind and then question my ability to instruct.  I have my bachelors in English Lit and I was a graphic artist.  Does this give me license to teach?  I'm not sure.  But I do have a never ending well of love for my children who I think are two of the most amazing people in the world.   And I do not have fifteen other kids to keep occupied while I explain the difference between a noun and a pronoun to my son. 

For the longest time I looked at being a mother as the hardest and yet most rewarding job I have ever had. I think I might just trump that on this journey.  I will share my journey with anyone who would like to read.  Would you like to come?