I'm not a "real" teacher.... - Musings of a homeschool Mom

Blog or rant, you decide. I am not angry really but I am curious. Why am I not considered a "real" teacher? What parent isn't a teacher in some respect? Your baby didn't pop out of the womb walking and talking and eating with a fork. Your children weren't born saying "Yes sir/ma'am" and "No sir/ma'am" or pooping in the potty. I mean, really, we are all teachers in our own right. Even those of us who spend most of our time at work. We spend weekends carting our kids to zoos and telling them the names of animals and evenings showing them the ropes of cooking, etc. We read books to our kids, color with our kids, and along the way, those kids LEARN things from them. So what is a "real" teacher???

Teacher is defined as a person who teaches. Am I less respectable as a teacher because I teach at home? Is it because I don't have a teaching degree? I am not a teacher, as I have been well informed since becoming a homeschooling mom, so I don't know what a REAL teacher does. Here is what I do. If there are real teachers out there, let me know if I qualify.

1. Obsessively research, study, and read about all types of curriculum for all subjects and learning styles in order to choose that which best fits my children.

2. Purchase all required materials for the classes I have chosen for my daughter to take.

3. Provide my student and all other children and members of the family with three meals a day.

4. Plan weekly lessons from the curriculum I have chosen and try to plan projects and field trips around those lessons.

5. Teach those lessons.

6. Grade those lessons.

In addition, I find teaching moments in everyday activities. I care for my other children who are not old enough for school yet. I do my own school work. I manage my household. I plan outside activities with other children so I am not accused of not "socializing" my children. And, best of all, I face constant criticism for my choice to teach my own child.

While I watch all the non-homeschool friends post excited/heartbroken/nervous status messages about sending their kids off to school, I have taken on the 24/7/365 responsibility of teaching my child everything she needs to know morally and educationally to navigate this world. Yes, it is MY CHOICE. I fully understand that, I have mad respect for working parents who send their kids to school, I was one. I have respect for teachers who go everyday and teach unruly little monsters that they don't have to love because they don't share their blood. My gripe here is why am I not a "real" teacher? Where is the respect for me and those like me? Discuss among yourselves.

That is all.