Mike Smith:
Lesha, how did you discover your family’s grading philosophy? Why is this important for homeschoolers?

Lesha Myers:
Let me answer the second question first. It’s important because families have a wide variety of educational philosophies—some are rigorous, some are relaxed, some are structured, others more flexible—and since we have so many teaching approaches, it makes sense to use a wide variety of grading methods. I developed my own personal philosophy slowly, over the course of several years. First, I looked at my children’s gifts and interests and that helped me to determine what it was I wanted them to master, and what I wanted them just to be exposed to. My daughter’s a writer; she needs to master concepts related to language. My son is good with tools and design, so he needed to master math and science principles. Neither of them showed a specific music talent, but still I wanted them to appreciate all kinds of music, so I exposed them to a variety of concerts and programs. I was pretty subjective when evaluating the music, but I was more specific with the areas that would prepare them for their careers. The combination of the simple and the complex really worked for us.

Mike:
Lesha, thank you so much for joining us this week, and I’m sure this has been of tremendous benefit to our listeners. So, until next time, I’m Mike Smith.

Lesha:
Thank you for having me, it’s been a pleasure.