Microschooling Moments: A more personal journey

Welcome to the first post in our new series, Microschooling Moments.

One of the benefits of microschooling is the close relationships that families have with their child’s educator. Not only do families have the opportunity to choose their child’s educator instead of being left up to a school system to place their child in a class, the families have a chance to interact with the educator daily in meaningful ways. Because of the small number of children in each microschool setting, children are truly seen and known for who they are. Choosing a caring, talented once-in-a-lifetime educator in a setting your child thrives in year after year is possible in microschooling.

I remember the days of parent teacher conferences. The excitement of sitting down with my child’s teacher and learning more about what was happening in my child’s life during the many hours each day they spent at school. The anticipation, wondering if I was going to hear good news, wondering at the quality of work my child was doing and (I cringe now thinking about this) how it compared to their classmates. I dressed carefully for the occasion, always wanting to make a good impression. And I made a list of the key points I wanted to cover in the allotted thirty minutes I had with the teacher. I went over the areas I needed to cover again and again in my mind before the meeting. I worried about having enough time to get through the topics I wanted to cover, and how to get through everything in the short amount of time I had without coming off as unfriendly if I wasn’t super chatty. I wanted to be chatty. I love nothing more than chatting with my child’s teacher, but those occasions were few and far between and this precious time designated to learn about my child had to be carefully guarded.

I will say, the majority of the time that my children were in a conventional public school, I really liked their teachers. There were some that made me wish that the school year was shorter, some that made me not want to drop my child off at school, but for the most part, they were great. And a select few, I adored. I would have had them teach my children forever if it were possible. But they were tired, and rightly so. The demands of an administration and board weighed heavy. Their time wasn’t always their own, and they weren’t always able to teach the way they truly wanted.

Fast forward to this year when all three of my children attend a microschool. The idea of a parent teacher conference makes me chuckle. I guess I still have parent-teacher conferences? But now they are more of parent-learning guide conversations. That happen daily. They happen when I drop my kids off each morning and cheerily talk to the microschool leaders about how everything is going with each of my kids. They happen at pickup when the facilitators can’t wait to tell me a story from the day or give me a heads up to ask my children about something. They happen at family gatherings at the park. They happen when I have the microschooling leaders over for dinner. They happen during early morning texts before drop off when I have a child who is having a rough moment, and they happen again shortly after the child has been dropped off, had a heart-to-heart with the microschooling leader, and I get a picture of my child back to his cheerful self. They happen when I have a moment of doubt and fear for the future of my children and I now have this incredible team to turn to.

I think back, remembering how I asked one of my very favorite teachers if there was a way that she could please move up through the grade levels with my oldest. I loved this teacher and her relationship with my child. The following year, she did not have such a great teacher. My child dreaded school. Her teacher from the previous year had lunch during my daughter’s lunch time, and she would often go into the lunchroom just to check on my daughter. I remember feeling so sad that what had been a wonderful school experience the previous year no longer was. And I wished that the year would hurry up and end and crossed my fingers and hoped that the following year my daughter would have a better relationship with her new teacher, whoever that might be.

I am amazed that I am now in a situation where my children can truly have these once-in-a-lifetime stellar educators year after year, as long as my children are thriving in the setting. I no longer need to worry about what the following year will bring. Will my children like their teacher? Will their teacher like them? Will I like the teacher? Will they be able to teach my children in a way that works for my children? Will my children be happy? And what happens if as my children grow they decide they want something different? I know these incredible leaders who know my children so well will always be there, rooting for my children, and helping them transition into whatever schooling opportunity comes next for us.

I know that year after year my children will have an educator who sees them. Who knows who they are as an individual, who cares about their personal journey and growth. I know this because these are educators who not only care, but have time to foster these relationships. They aren’t overwhelmed with additional demands or a crowded classroom. They really take the time to know who each child is, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and who they are as a person.

As you finish up parent-teacher conferences this year, how happy are you with the relationship you and your children have with your teacher? How often do you get to really talk to your child’s teacher? I’m guessing it’s not as often as both you and the teacher would like it to be. Do they see your child? Do they know your child? Do you have the kind of relationship with your child’s teacher that you’ve been crossing your fingers and hoping for at the end of each year?