Terri Threadgill
I am nearing the end of my homeschooling journey, and what a journey it has been. My oldest son will graduate from high school in May 2008; my younger son is a sophomore this year.
My husband, Phil, and I started homeschooling back in the summer of 1994 after a yearlong debate about whether to hold our oldest son back in starting school or whether to put him in public school kindergarten a month after he turned five. Our solution was to homeschool. I figured if I "ruined him," I could enroll him the next year as an older kindergartener and they could "fix him." We had such fun that first year that we have never looked back. In the beginning we homeschooled on a year by year basis, but eventually we knew we were committed to seeing this venture through to the end--graduation!
Along the way, for fun, we started to attend Enrichment Classes of Carrollton, an all-volunteer homeschooling co-op in Carrollton. Shortly after joining their board, I realized God was asking me to start similar co-op in Plano. N-Tech, a Plano all-volunteer homeschooling co-op, opened in September 1999, completing our eighth year of operation in May 2007. N-Tech has been a blessing beyond words to me and my family. I consider them my family since we don't have the other kind of family nearby our Plano home of 15 years.
However, in the spring of 2006, I suddenly woke up in my home one day to find we were not flourishing as before. Somewhere along the way, my two boys had grown into men and they weren't responding as well as they had in the past to mom's direction and teaching.
About that same time, Michelle Miller informed me that although she was going to stay with N-Tech, she was also going to start teaching science and math classes for tuition out of her home beginning in August 2006. I immediately responded, "Don't do it alone, do it with me and let's start a new group." Unfortunately, I am well-known for uttering simple sentences which really are the tip of some iceberg-sized task which translate into hours and hours, weeks and weeks, years and years of work. But nonetheless, the deed was done, the words couldn't be taken back and THEO was born.
THEO hasn't had the gentle start that N-Tech had, but I believe it is because THEO is growing faster than anything we ever saw at N-Tech. Our vision for N-Tech was never more than 100 families....our vision for THEO is really unlimited. Maybe, I should say, my finite vision for THEO is limited, but God keeps breaking through the barriers of my vision and expanding it to include new classes, new activities, new people and new ideas as part of our ministry.
I say ministry because THEO is owned 100% by the Lord. At this time, according to the government, it is legally owned by my husband and me. We haven't felt the freedom to convert it to a non-profit organization. We both clearly see if it moves to a non-profit then it is owned by its members. We don't want any person to own THEO...so for now, our names are on the paperwork, but God owns it lock, stock and barrel.
In August 2007, we moved into our own rented space--4,477 square feet--at Custer and 15th Street, just one mile north of the George Bush Tollway.
I enjoy administration and organizing things, but I also occasionally teach. I teach Economics and Stock Market Game. I also teach Economics at N-Tech. Before being a homeschool mom, in fact, before being a mom, I was a Commercial Loan Officer for Bank One with the ending title of Vice President. I actually loved banking a great deal until the Lord "called me out" for motherhood. Banking was the natural course of action after completing my BBA from Baylor University in December 1980 and my MBA from the University of Kansas in May 1982.
My heart will always lie with my family and with my two boys, but since those two boys are becoming more and more independent from me and my husband, we seem to have more time on our hands. We feel the Lord is leading us into work with homeschooling families. We know the journey isn't all about baking bread and reading with our kids in our bed--although we have done plenty of both. Homeschooling is hard work for both parents. We want to raise up a new organization that will encourage homeschooling families in tangible ways, so they persevere to the end and so that more and more families have the confidence to jump into homeschooling because they see resources are available to help them along the way.
We are not homeschool evangelists. I am not out to convert anyone to homeschooling although I am more than willing to talk to them about how our family educates our boys. I have always believed that homeschooling is a calling from the Lord. I have honestly recommended people not homeschool if they didn't feel that call. It would sort of be like going to a foreign country as a missionary without God's blessing only because you wanted to do it.
We are not homeschool purists. I don't believe each family must homeschool independently at home with just the kids, parents and books--although I believe there are families who are called to that method of homeschooling. God is so infinite. He has created each of us to be unique and thus each homeschool will be different. For that reason, I am not in competition with any other support group or school or co-op. They are all necessary, just like it is important for us to have different Churches where we can find a place to worship in a way that fits our beliefs and our genetic code, so to speak.
If THEO is for you, then great, jump in and join. Welcome to the family....but if not, no worries. There are many great resources in Dallas-- from RHSA which has been around for longer than I have....to N-Tech, PATH, MArCH, CERC in Rowlett, HEAR....and many more.
One bit of news, I developed and presented "Homeschool, Who Me?" to prospective homeschool families for about four years. Lynne Tomanek now offers those to our community at THEO but through PEACH. The 90 minute presentation provides the nuts and bolts, available resources, and practical advice that makes homeschooling a viable option for almost any family. The material and presentation help ease the transition from the current educational environment to homeschooling. Check out the PEACH web site for details at www.peachonline.org
In addition to Homeschool Who Me?, THEO hosts a Fear Not! Homeschool Through High School Seminar about four times a year--for free--and we will also have a boot camp for Christian Homeschool moms starting in fall 2008.
Finally, I want to thank you for visiting our THEO web site to learn more about our organization. Homeschooling is a journey, but never fear, the path is now well marked by those who came before us to clear the way. Anything that connects parents closer with their kids is a wonderful thing. God speed to you each....and one last piece of advice....if you too have a summer birthday child, hold them back...why would we ever rob ourselves of one more year with our children at home?
Send mail to webmaster@theosonline.org with questions or comments about this web site.