Final School Post

Final home visits have taken place and report cards are done. Thus, my first year as an HCOS* support teacher has come to its climax and I look forward to some R&R for the month of July until I start back to helping families plan and implement their ‘Distance Learning’ journey. DL (we used to just call it ‘homeschooling’ but times have changed) is quite the industry these days and certainly has become more mainstream.

I have really enjoyed the year. It was a steep learning curve, especially when it came to learning certain systems etc. But once I got the ‘hang’ of doing my job I could concentrate on the rewarding elements like helping homeschooling families navigate the ocean of curriculum choices that actually fit their style while making sure that individual students were meeting BC’s new curricular competencies without causing undue stress.

My twenty+ years of teaching in the public school in five territories and provinces and a familiarity with the changing jargon that has gone along with that made it easy for me to cut through the proverbial fluff to get to the real meaning behind the curricular requirements. Add to that my years as a homeschooling mom and sales rep for a Calgary based homeschool supplier, and I feel like this is the job I’ve been training for for a really long time. I get to work mostly from home within a flexible schedule and I get to make real connections with a variety of people – all within a Christian context, which is another wonderful thing about the job.

I am thankful that God led me to apply for this job once I made the decision to retire from teaching public school. Yes, I have missed many aspects of that job, too, but I have found fulfillment in doing this new job which has made the transition easier, I think. I still have a lot to give, and I’m thankful that I have the opportunity to do so.

*HCOS stands for Heritage Online Christian School