An Interview with Durenda WilSon
Photo credit: Julia Wilson
Author of The Unhurried Homeschooler says you have what it takes to homeschool your children.
Mother and home educator of 25 years, Durenda Wilson, hopes her experience and tips will encourage parents to become more involved in their children's education. Her recent book, The Four Hour School Day, equips parents with the right tools to educate their children and equips them for the process.
Hope: What inspired you to write The Four Hour School Day?
Durenda: I wrote The Unhurried Homeschooler about five years ago. It sold over 30,000 copies which means the message resonated with moms. I think because I’m so passionate, I realized I did have more to share. I felt like I really wanted to take the overwhelm out of homeschooling for those who were thinking of homeschooling or are homeschooling. I wanted more parents to realize how doable it really can be, and be able to share the benefits of a home education.
Hope: You homeschooled all eight of your children, what advice do you have for parents starting to homeschool? What advice do you have for parents who have been teaching at home for a few years?
Durenda: To the new homeschoolers and people already homeschooling, be reminded of this: Relax. You are more qualified to teach your kids and facilitate their education. Ignore the ‘naysayers’ and people who say ‘you can’t do this, you’re not qualified’. You have to not give up when you run into the hard seasons. We run into hard seasons as parents too and we don’t just stop parenting, we figure it out and do the same with homeschooling. Do not lose the joy of spending time with your kids, you are on an adventure with them, you are learning right alongside them. To the experienced homeschoolers, it’s healthy to take a step back and rethink your priorities. The Four Hour School Day is a tangible reminder to stay true to what you believe is best for your kids.
Hope: With 25 years of homeschooling experience, you’ve mastered how to teach multiple kids in different grades. For parents teaching more than one child, what advice would you give to help customize learning to each child’s specific needs?
Durenda: I always say ‘I don’t have a degree in teaching, but I have a degree in my children’. That’s what you’ll earn at the end of your homeschooling journey, you will have a degree on your children. For us, every 2 years we were having a new baby, that was actually warped into our homeschooling. The kids learning to care for their younger siblings was part of real life experience. As far as teaching goes, we have to remember that there are things that we can do together and then we can tailor more specific things to specific children. When our children were younger, I encouraged them to be independent, where they could do their workbook by themselves with me close by if they needed me. I would trade out older kids working with younger ones. This is something we have to remember, that family life is educational.
Hope: Traditional school is eight hours a day or more, how can the same quality education be achieved in a four-hour window?
Durenda: One of the most common scenarios that’s given for a successful and effective education for children is a low student to teacher ratio and a traditional classroom has 25 to 30 kids. At home, it’s just you and your kids. We don’t have to make it harder than it is because honestly in the early years what’s really forming is their character development. The other thing is curriculum, we get to choose what our kids are learning. We get to choose what is the best fit for them, we can also choose the learning and teaching methods that are best for them, but also for us as a parent.
Hope: How do you think this book will serve as a resource for parents as the world begins to shift from the pandemic?
Durenda: One thing I do is take parents on a journey of how having your children at home, building a strong family life, can positively affect your children in ways you never imagined. We’ve had a very eye opening year, I think parents are more aware than ever concerning their children’s education. I think they have genuine and well-founded concerns about their kids' future. They want to protect their kids from the things that are going on. We need to be discerning, especially now, and we cannot do that when they are in public school.
Hope: Based on your other homeschool-related books, how is The Four-Hour School Day different?
Durenda: It fleshes out what homeschooling can look like. I also debunk common myths and talk about overcoming obstacles. We have to be brave as parents, be courageous. It's a courageous step to move towards home education. The other thing that I love about this book is that it’s loaded with affirmations that parents can actually do this and it does not have to take all day.
Hope: What is the number one lesson you want readers to take away from The Four-Hour School Day?
Durenda: I want parents to understand how valuable their role is in their children’s lives. Understanding that by providing safety, security and stability, their children will learn easily and naturally. It’s not about choosing the perfect curriculum as much as it is about raising emotionally healthy, caring and contributing adults who are critical thinkers and problem solvers.
Bianca Mestiza is a journalist/writer with an interest in all things arts and culture. She is Hope’s public relations assistant.
