Friday, January 8, 2010

Validation......

We all need it. It keeps us functioning, enables us to go on. One foot in front of the other.

In a world where so many instances and situations make us feel like we're not OK -  or that perhaps we're actually invisible, or even that what we could bring to the table is totally insignificant not to mention possibly delusional or ridiculous - to receive validation for something we are doing, believe in, or just for who we are, is a wonderful boost to the ego.

And I'm feeling pretty good right now as I just got a great, big, fat, validation sticker put on one particular area of my life.

At the end of last year, I put together an application for registration as a Home Educator through the Queensland Government. I felt a bit daunted just looking at it all, but with some help from a couple of lovely friends, it made a bit more sense.

The process of the application was pretty huge. There was quite a lot of criteria that I needed to prove I could meet within our homeschooling plan, and every second piece of info. I was sending had to be certified by a Justice of the Peace.

When I thought I had everything together I sent it off, praying for a quick response.

And yesterday I received a lovely "welcome letter" from the Home Education Unit telling me I had been given a provisionary registration and that they would be in contact in about three weeks' time for "further support and assistance if needed".

To be honest, I had been a little bit terrified of the response I would get from the Home Education Unit. I even had nightmares involving my children being taken away and me being burnt at the stake with a sign over my head saying,  "Not a teacher".

But all my worries and fears have abated,  and I'm feeling pretty confident and ready to meet the challenge of homeschooling head on.

At least for this week anyway..........

5 comments:

Library girl said...

Awesome Helen :) Congrats! Know just what you mean. It's funny how we build up these expectations in our head, only to find the reality is way different to what we expected!

naughtynanna said...

woohoo, ur a real grown up now - well done !!

Mary Witzl said...

Congratulations from me too! I try to tell myself that I don't need validation, but when a student looks satisfied with a class I've taught (or, rare occasion that it is, actually tells me how happy they are with me), I feel like a million bucks.

SF said...

Great job my friend! :)

Kay said...

Well done Helen! Looking forward to hearing how the year goes.