Terri Threadgill
I can’t imagine what heaven will feel like when we have truly
finished the race, but I feel like I have tasted a nibble of it as I have
finished my homeschooling journey with both of our boys in college.
We started homeschooling back in the
summer of 1994 after a yearlong debate over 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 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 joined ECC aka
Enrichment Classes of Carrollton, an all-volunteer homeschooling co-op. Shortly
after joining their board, I realized God was asking me to start a similar co-op
in Plano.
N-Tech, a Plano all-volunteer homeschooling co-op, opened
in September 1999, and successfully continues today.
I stepped down in the spring of 2007 as director
when Ryan was a sophomore in high school although my N-Tech friends continue to
be a blessing beyond words.
In the spring of 2006, I suddenly woke up
in my home one day to find the Threadgill Homeschool was no longer flourishing.
Somewhere along the way, my two boys had grown into
men and they weren't responding to mom's direction and teaching as
enthusiastically.
In August 2006, THEO opened with 80 students taking
classes three days each week from a local Church’s classrooms.
THEO didn’t have as gentle a start as
N-Tech, but I believe it is because THEO has grown 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 only God limited.
THEO is a ministry because it 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 that converting it to a non-profit
would then make it
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.
In
August 2010, we opened the doors for THEO too, an additional 2000 square feet in
the same shopping center around the corner from the original THEO.
In the beginning, my THEO joy came from
administration and organizing things, and providing a need service to other
homeschooling families.
Since that humble start, God has enlarged my heart
and my motives now include a love for the kids—all 286 of them.
It is amazing how God can give us a love we lack
in our own nature.
In addition to administration, I also
teach Economics, the Stock
Market Game class, typing and Texas History. Before being a homeschool mom, in
fact, before being a mom, I was a Commercial Loan Officer for Bank One now Chase
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 now pursuing their own
adventures, my
husband and I 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 rise 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 home education
although I am more than willing to talk to them about how our family educated
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.
Our God is 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.
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 home education. Check the
seminar tab on our web site to find out when it will be offered.
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 Precept Bible study on Monday nights in the back
band room.
Finally, I want to thank you for visiting
our THEO web site to learn more about THEO.
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.