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These remind me of my precious time with Lee <3

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God equips teacher-moms to work, pray, play, and study with kids. He causes the TLC of parenting to be stretched for homeschooling.

Learning for my kids are not confined to “school hours” inasmuch as teachable moments and AHA opportunities come naturally in washing dishes, hanging clothes to dry, gardening, feeding the chickens, baking pancakes, reading the Bible and biking together.

Celebrations of their achievements in their academics are spent with the family in a picnic at the park, a fellowship with cousins who are also homeschooled, or with new books or toys.

There are daily struggles of homeschooling (creating teaching and grading techniques, to name a few), but the divine calling of molding my kids to Christlikeness motivates me to simply go on.

I pray that Azih and Amarah would become strong in their spiritual lives and be filled with godly wisdom just as “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man”(Luke 2:52).

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To a Godly -equipped teacher- mom, home is school for kids

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Sharing our latest milestone in homeschooling. David was one year old when we started homeschooling. I was breastfeeding him while homeschooling Josh, then at Kindergarten, Maddie was grade 2, and Meg was starting 5th grade.  We didn't knowing how to homeschool, but in the face of not knowing how Bensie and I courageously took on the roles, and trusted that God will equip us to be the best teachers for our children. God did not disappoint. Truly when He calls us, He qualifies us. Grateful to HG, family and the homeschooling community. Recently our family celebrated David's  graduation from grade school and will soon start grade 7/junior high school.  Praise God for His enabling grace, fresh each new day, to homeschool and to parent our 4 children.

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We are so grateful for Nicky in his homeschooling because it has encouraged us to level up and grow in our parenting style. In this journey we have equipped ourselves with different trainings & a lot of prayers for us to be a better parent for a son like him.
As a family we agreed to renew and re-align our perspective & family practices that we may be able to help support on how God gifted him in ways that he will have a grasp of the learning that goes beyond just the curriculum. His learning experiences are best manifested in the team work of the family, the timely support of his Advisor, HG community in HiUnite & Learn Group Activities. The impact it gives is more meaningful and relevant because it showed on how he valued in pursuing the right character and being able to slowly make his weaknesses work for him as he translate it to his passion in creativity, arts and how he build up in his relationship with others. from Nanay :)

What I appreciate about Nicky in his homeschooling is that he perseveres, with his schedule and humble to ask help when needed. He showed perseverance  when I asked Nicky to help me out in one of my talk and he shared about neuro-plasticity in front of 100+ participants. He was sweating profusely yet he continued on and delivered excellently. He is faithful and remains steadfast & consistent, he wakes up, eats breakfast, do his lessons, and do his household chores in between & doesn't mind being interrupted sometimes. He helps us and his siblings and finishes well the tasks assigned to him. At a young age he is already thinking of others and regard others more important than himself.
May God bless you immensely Nicky and may you be able to achieve the very purposes God created you to be for you are His masterpiece created in Christ Jesus to achieve true success in life. We love you!
from Tatay :)

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Learning the B.E.S.T in our Homeschooling Journey

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Learning the B.E.S.T in our Homeschooling Journey

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Robert S. Woodworth defined learning as the result of experience. As I looked back in our 13 years of homeschooling, a lot of learning indeed happened as I recall several experiences that I can encapsulate in the acronym B.E.S.T.

B-EGIN WITH GOD. Psalm 5:3 says, “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly”. No amount of talent and preparation can surpass the joy and blessing that the Lord gives to us who humbly comes to Him first… to seek Him, and His Word and know His attributes so we may know how to handle the activities for each given day. I tried doing other things first when we were starting but my conclusion was always this- “I just cannot make things right and well…I saw myself being easily angered, disappointed and discouraged because I was doing things on my own”. In contrast, when I committed to starting my day with the Lord first, everything went smoothly no matter how long and hard the lessons were. I responded well even when I am tired the whole day and we accomplished more than what we expected.

E-NJOY THE LEARNING. Each day has its own set of learnings to bring and so we have to be excited and allow the Lord to train us in the right attitude towards learning and the right approach in teaching our children. As many homeschooling parents would say, the Lord is homeschooling us alongside our children as He brings us to the essence of homeschooling that is to be ushered into a personal and loving relationship with God thru His Son Jesus and be transformed by Him.  With His help, I learned to embrace my unique parent-teacher role in the learning process allowing Jesus-our Master Teacher to guide and instruct me concerning what works best with Ice and how I needed to be flexible as we progressed from one level to the next and just being grateful for whatever resources that were made available to us. We discovered and explored together because I also need to grasp, take in and understand a lot of the lessons for each of the given subjects. Whether good days or bad days, we have to make a decision to make the learning fun and meaningful instead of boring and miserable.

S-URRENDER EVERYTHING TO THE LORD. Oftentimes, we go about our plans and carry out the schedule that we have set for each day and end up not being able to do them. The moment we surrender everything including our homeschooling to Him, we start to witness His supreme work not only in our homeschooling but also in our relationship with our children. He works in us-parents and in our children and provides us the learning environment that is best for our family and continues His character building in us so that we can be excellent individually and as a family in everything for His glory.

T-RUST JESUS FOR THE RESULTS. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”. Earlier on in our homeschooling, I have a lot of questions and am not even sure if our son is learning enough or if I am doing the right thing as we started his preschool years but we continued and trusted Jesus until Ice finished his tenth grade since the senior levels eleven and twelve were not yet available at that time. My husband and I thank and praise our good Lord that Ice was able to transition to the regular mode of schooling and finished his senior years. He moved forward in his college years and was blessed with a scholarship and is now on his third year pursuing his degree in Animation, discipling young men and praying continually to be excellent in his studies to give glory to Jesus.

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FamiLEE (Patrick, Yelly, Carlos and Leonardo)

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Homeschooling is our FamiLEE's Adventure!

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Homeschooling is our FamiLEE's Adventure!

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I love that EVERYTHING we do is part of a great learning adventure.  A quick trip to the grocery, a doctor's appointment, cooking, planting, traffic, even sickness and unpleasant circumstances, all these are opportunities to see the world in a new perspective, all because we are homeschooling.

We never run out of things to talk about. Our curriculum is limitless! Many times, we cannot already distinguish when homeschooling begins and ends, leading us to be confused how many days really do we have in our SY.  But above all the exciting possibilities in discussing lessons, my favorite moments are times when we get to sit and talk about what the Lord is teaching us, especially when it comes to the heart. I would admit that at times, these are the most difficult conversations we have as a family. But at the end, these are also the talks that make us stronger and closer to each other. It is a joy to see how our sons grow to be young men who are able to interact with us parents and give us wonderful insights about life that we haven't even thought about.  Many times, we learn from them.

We feel proud and fulfilled, not because WE  did good, but because we are in it together, as a family, with God as our captain and navigator. We continue to stand on His Word that "He will not let our foot slip, He who keeps us will not slumber" (Ps. 121:3).

With this, we continue to confidently take each step in this adventure. There will be bumpy roads at times, but we stand on God's promise that He will always be with us!

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August 14, 2021 caps our 13 years of homeschooling.  Looking back on this journey with 13 things we are thankful for.

1 - We first understood homeschooling as studying at home for our own convenience and to be together most of the time, but along the way we learned that it more than that, the set-up allowed me and Gio to be intentional parents, aided by an educational platform to prepare Lee for his “future station”.

2 - We were accidental homeschoolers since it was a season of waiting for supposedly big move, but God’s "u-turn" led us to continue on with homeschooling, this time as a choice, personally giving up the idea of “career” to make more time for what truly matters...family.  A yearly decision that we had to pray for, until we have reached this point.

3 - We developed the habit of prayer as first order of the day before we start homeschooling and now, prayer is a lifestyle that helps us day after day.

4 - Bible reading started off as part of an academic requirement which I had to learn first before I can teach, in fact we had to learn doing it together. Studying the Bible then progressed to  learning characters in the Bible and relating with them and now using it as Life’s Manual.

5 - The journey was not easy because it calls for heartwork and hardwork, but with a clear purpose on the why we are homeschooling in the first place kept us carrying on year on year. We embraced the idea that every day is a new day.

6 - When homeschooling started to become “known”, we explored options but in the end the reality has set in that our commitment as parents to the call to homeschool is the key to having an authentic and effective homeschooling. Not necessarily perfect, but progressing.

7 - Even before quarantine, we are used to being together 24 hours a day.  In the early years I have learned that my purpose is to make up for the lost times from my “career days” and so we are always together, not leaving Lee with anyone. As his seasons changed, I had to let go little by little but still very much around this time to be an available mom anytime he needs it.

8 - As Lee’s season changed, our homeschooling style had to catch up, from books, experiments and discussion on the lessons, to books and discover rich resources online to help him understand complex lessons, experiments are out of the box using life hacks and life skills to prove hypothesis, our discussions have progressed to include life lessons.

9 - We have heard at the start that homeschooling is intentional parenting.  We have experienced along the way that this is true.  Which is why parental involvement is key, whether low or high… for as long as parents know were their child is at in learning books and in learning about life.  We opted for high parental involvement, because this is aligned to the purpose that we have embraced at the start of this journey.  Remembering that stakeholders in every homeschooling are parents and children. All  in the same boat, all in the same page.

10 - The household name “Go Family” speaks of our family dynamics.  Always together, identified with each other. Documented memories aid us to joyfully recall the uniqueness of our family and these stories can be told to the next generation “Go Family”.  Homeschooling allowed us to build these beautiful memories.

11 - "It takes a village to raise a child” which is why we homeschool with a community.  Lee is an only child but he has a lot of cousins, “bros and sis”, “framilies”, friends who became family. The bonds that were developed throughout the years are not just limited to the bond that ties the children together but also us parents. Yes, parents with their children can come together in one gathering, the beauty of learning “vertical socialization" in homeschooling.

12 - We learned about the beauty of encouragement and accountability in our journey. Our homeschool program has helped us experience this.  The partnership with co-homeschooling parent-advisors and academic advisors has helped us in the different stages of our homeschooling.  For the need to be encouraged and be assured that we are progressing, from being ready to take on more challenges to prepare Lee to the next level, looking back this is the much needed partnership that helped balance our homeschooling.

13 - We have been coming across the word breakthrough and fully understood it as we experienced it in our homeschooling journey in seasons of change. When we prepared and ushered Lee for more “horizontal socialization”, co-homeschooling peers and mentors helped bring out the best in him. They became partners in our homeschooling journey, their encouragement, good push, engagement, challenge, love and acceptance and even productive conflicts have helped mould Lee to become the leader that he is today.

As Lee’s season change year on year, our mindset as parents had to  keep up. We used to hear about “Letting go and letting God”, we are learning this as we progress.  What is helpful now for us in this new season for Lee, me and Gio is to anchor our hopes on promises that are unchanging and are reliable.  Where else can we get it, but from the Manual of Life that we learned also in Homeschooling.  What is relevant now in our family’s season in  1Samuel 1:21-28, knowing the context of this story made us see the promise from our Great and Reliable Promise Keeper.

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I consider homeschooling my children as a calling from The Ultimate Teacher of all, our God. I love how the Lord has ordained the events of our life as a family that lead us to homeschooling my children years back. To see my children growing in wisdom and knowledge every day is a privilege. To get to witness how they process ideas and share their thoughts is a gift to open each homeschool day. This learning journey is not only for our children but for us parents. We get to know ourselves better. Our strengths and our weaknesses. These always keep me grounded. Reminding this mother of two that apart from the Lord I can do nothing. And so to fall into the arms of grace is the only secured and sure option. As I give my best in taking care of the children God has entrusted me, I am certain that He will take care of the rest. The glory belongs to our Lord alone!

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We survived our first year of homeschooling!! We did a Portfolio Review challenge on our first homeschool year! Enzo and Maggy collaborated and tried to achieve synergy as siblings, something that they never get to do in the regular school. This photo was taken during their fourth quarter PR. This is one of the best gifts of homeschool! This is a testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness to our family. The Lord provided and cared for us during the most challenging year when everyone was adjusting to a different life. All glory to our best teacher, Jesus, the best homeschooling companion.

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My teacher/learner-mom heart beats hard in thankful response for the privilege of being able to homeschool Stevie and serve our community. We were drawn to homeschool as new believers in Christ years ago and it has since been a journey of grace upon grace. Our Master storyteller, there sure is nothing like the story you are writing!

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A recent 'field trip,' as our  former  homeschooler would call  trips! 

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13  Unique and Fulfilling Homeschooling   Years ! 

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13  Unique and Fulfilling Homeschooling   Years ! 

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It feels like time just flew by really fast!  Topper began his homeschooling journey in Kindergarten 2008 and he continued on until he reached his last year level in HG which is Senior High - Grade 12  just this year 2021. Our family is joyfully loaded with  precious, hilarious, mind-boggling, risky but God-filled memorable homeschool experiences.

As a long time educator-teacher, I have spent many years in the regular classroom set up before I was called in to join Homeschool Global.  The call was an answer to my prayer - question, " Is this all there is in education?"  And then there was Christopher Jr. or Topper as we call him,  who at an age just waiting to start 'school' at that time.  " God must have a purpose! "

I recall that one important phone call to my dad, a former Academician in UP, one who earned double PhD degrees in Harvard.  I declared to him that I was going to homeschool his grandson!  And my dad said, 'Very good! That's a good decision.'  It was a very important affirmation from one who spoke about what true education really is.

Topper enjoyed his education all those years. I would use just two words to describe his educational journey.  " Well-Rounded."  By that I mean he experienced the academic rigours that would typically move him up the ladder, step by step, year by year.  But, there was more to it than just requirements and grades. His educational and creative experiences as a homeschooler taught him more than just how to handle constant pleasures and rigours of learning. Learning never stops!  It is how you will process it, use it and why. What is God wanting you to learn from this? This question presented the need for us to find out about his gifting, strengths, talents and thankfully, the homeschool environment provided the perfect exposure to accomplish this.

Our homeschooler, Christopher S.C. Torres, Jr., is now in college. He carries with him the important values and learnings that helped build his character step by step then, and still continues to do so now.  All of his interactions with his family, peers, older and younger friends, parents of friends, the school faculty and staff, the people around Homeschool Global's community and  environment, the people in the places he visited and visits, just about anyone he interacts with at present would often notice that unique hint of the Godly nurturing that brought him up in those precious growing years as a homeschooler.  And yet,  there is much wisdom. This alone is very fulfilling for us parents, to have to let him go on into new paradigms and feel this certain security that he will be alright, ' He can handle it.'

There is one thing that keeps on growing strong, will never break and this is the Godly bond within the family that homeschooling has taught us to take care of. It's an experience, a unique feeling and mindset that a family ought to find out for themselves. So even as our homeschooler grows older,  he does not become distant towards us. As he ventures out, he will never forget his roots.  As he aims to honour our Lord God with his skills and talents, he will always be reminded to keep his anchor well placed.

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Having 4 children must be a handful but by God's grace, we are able to manage homeschooling for the past years. Making each day fun by celebrating small victories; encouraging and praising everyone's God-given talents and gifts to its full potential. I am blessed beyond measure. Praise God!

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17 JoyFull Rugged Years of Homeschooling!

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17 JoyFull Rugged Years of Homeschooling!

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Beyond the physical and the online books that we provide our kids to learn, they watch our every step every day, they look for sincerity and authenticity as we model character to them as it happens organically at home since we’re always with them. As parents we become the curriculum for teaching character building to our kids. And this is what will stick with them for life. And since none of us is perfect, always allow room for mistakes and erasures. These too are integral part of their learning and once they’re older and wiser by God’s grace, they get to appreciate the entire journey with lots of sweet and precious memories to look back to. So, hold lightly. Have the grace to laugh at our own mistakes. I’d like to paraphrase Proverbs 31:25 which assures us that the woman who is clothed with strength and dignity can LAUGH without fear of the future.

Through 17 years of homeschooling, one more valuable lesson I’ve learned with my kids is the joy of homeschooling like no other. While we are created for relationships and we thrive in healthy connections, it is also very crucial to maintain and celebrate our uniqueness as a family as we engage with other beloved fellow homeschoolers. No two homeschoolers are exactly alike. So as we  walk alongside each other, learn from each other, care for one another, it is important that we remain authentic as a homeschool unit especially for a family like us who has the opportunity to live abroad as expats. I found this very crucial in helping them embrace their own identities as true-blooded Filipinos. This has spared them from identity confusion, a very common dilemma that is experienced by young people who migrate to a different country. Because of their awareness and appreciation for our ethnicity they can confidently communicate and interact with people of different ages and nationalities.

Psalm 127:4 alludes our children to arrows in the hands of a warrior. As parents, we are privileged to be called by the Lord to raise His arrows to where He is leading them.  We are the Lord’s stewards to the Lord’s next generation of mighty warriors. “Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.” Psalm 127:3-5 The Message