How To Homeschool: Your Mission Statement Part 1

I am frequently asked some variation on the question of "How do I get started homeschooling?"

I have given a variety of answers over the years but now I answer the question with a question: Have you and your husband formulated a mission statement for your homeschooling efforts?

What is a mission statement? It is a listing of the core values and purpose of an organization. The best mission statements include one main summary point, several core values to expand on the main point and measurable criteria as objectives to be reached.

Mission statements are most commonly used in the business arena but any group, institution or endeavor, such as a family homeschool, will benefit tremendously from a mission statement.

An example of well-known mission statement is that of WalMart:

Wal-Mart’s mission is to help people save money so they can live better.

This brief mission statement is expounded in the statement of WalMart's values:

1. Respect for the Individual
2. Service to our Customers
3. Striving for Excellence

Each of these core values in turn are illustrated with specific examples of and objectives for them.

Are you starting to see how you can make your decision to homeschool with a serious look to your values and goals?

In fact, you can not ask the question of "how to homeschool" until you have at least made a first effort at determining your family mission statement.

Please subscribe to this blog or check back here for the next installment in this important series.