► why? Ask homeschool families why they're "home" and you'll get a myriad of answers. Naturally, we have our answers, too. We don't have anything 'tall against public or private schools, but we're glad to have the option to handle education at home. The short answers as to why are: - the girls can get a great education and appropriate socialization
- the whole family loves it - we have a blast!
- we can
Of course, there's more than that. The funny thing is that our prioritization of the reasons for learning together at home changes along the way. In general, our reasons (and hopes and dreams) include: - making education fun, inspiring and meaningful
- choosing among the best education styles and approaches for each child
- taking time to go deep into specific interests, and to slow down for things they might not grasp the first time 'round
- encouraging education for its enjoyment and rewards, not just a grade or an 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. task to get out of the way
- taking lots of field trips at convenient times
- socializing appropriately, including a mix of ages (not with and by 30 other young'uns!)
- promoting family togetherness
- supporting the idea that parents can and should have more influence than peers for a good while, for good reasons
- making sure each member of the family knows each other well
- giving the girls ample time to gain confidence in themselves, their family, and their world in a supportive, ongoing family structure
- having fun together!
Do we think everyone should homeschool? Nah. There's not a single thing that works for absolutely everyone. This approach works for us, that's all.
► how? Call us classically eclectic in style, as we're big on things like classic literature and great-read books, chronological world history, Latin and logic as useful subjects, and other classical-ly approaches. But we're no musty fuddy-duddies about how the work gets done. We play lots of word and math games, use the globe and maps constantly, read like crazy, and discuss anything remotely interesting we come up with. We participate in co-op classes, individual classes, and play days as they make sense. And we try to apply whatever we're learning in everyday activities, both at home and away. In fact, we joke that that our classically inclined friends find our style rather loosey-goosey, and our unschooling friends think we are oh-so-classical. Whatever you call it, it's working for us so far. We do scope out a game plan to help us focus ... and because the law requires it. However, we retain an immense amount of flexibility on timing, additional resources and subject matter, and methodology. If you want a gander at our curriculum plan, here's what it looked like when we put it on paper: We make it a point not to limit ourselves to "The Curriculum," preferring instead to go as wide and deep as common sense and our family's interest will take us. The goal is to have a well educated family that *can* think ... and wants to. So, do we practice math? You bet. And in practical ways, too, so we all know why we're practicing math. Do we practice spelling? Yep. Do we have fun doing those things? Mostly. And why not? Aren't we all much happier (and more productive and enthusiastic) when we enjoy our jobs?!?! So far, we're also enjoying "doing school" year-round. We take vacations and time off when it makes sense, and adjust our schedule as needed. It works out great! No heavy-duty reviews to begin a new school year, no getting terribly bored over the summer.
► questions we often hear Will you homeschool forever (K-12)? That's the plan, but we're pretty flexible. We'll do what makes sense as it makes sense. Kip has reflected that until and unless our reasons and priorities change, we will likely be schooling primarily at, or at least from, home.
What about college? Shouldn't be an issue, from what we can tell. From what we can gather, a great many colleges and universities welcome homeschoolers, and we've met a number of homeschooled kids doing A-OK in higher educational settings. The girls will likely take standard tests like the ACT or SAT. Most colleges and universities seem to care primarily about test scores and high school records, and there are quite a few resources for making sure we document high school education honestly, accurately, and in a way that colleges can work with. Philosophically, part of our goal is that of self-motivated learning, which ought to serve the kiddos well if/when they go to college. We'll make sure they have classroom exposure before then, as well as ample socialization so they're not totally shocked by a completely different world.
Does the government tell you what to study and when? Do you have to report to them? Don't you have to test the kids? Nope, not in Texas. Each state has unique homeschool laws. In Texas, we are required to have a written curriculum that covers: - reading
- writing
- spelling
- math
- citizenship
That's it, that's all. (We're so happy to live in Texas!) Yes, some folks probably take advantage of this freedom, but we can assure you that even if we don't follow the public school system scope-and-sequence exactly, we are committed to providing the girls with a super-fantabulous education. So keep breathing if you're worried ... we're not hanging out all day watching TV and eating bon-bons. Really. :-)
What about algebra and specialized subjects? We'll tackle subjects in the best way we think appropriate. If Kip and I know (or can know) a subject well enough to teach it, we'll teach. If not, we'll find another way. Maybe a tutor or other teacher, maybe co-op classes, maybe a community college or video class, maybe something totally different. We'll do our best to recognize our limitations. Overall, our thought is that if a subject is important for the kids to know, it's probably important for us to know. That philosophy holds for the basics; for specialized subjects or those where the girls simply outpace us in interest or ability, we'll certainly look for help. But if we insist algebra and Latin are important, but we can't or won't tackle them, methinks we'll have a credibility problem, and rightfully so. Besides, what would it say about our education if we went through high school and college and couldn't teach the things we (supposedly) learned? :-)
But kids should be with other kids, right? They have to learn to get along in the real world. Yes and no, as we see it. Yes, they need to learn good social skills and habits. But no, we don't think they need to spend the bulk of each day with 30 equally young and not-yet-matured kids (with minimal adult supervision, by the way) to accomplish that. Truly, we're not interested in raising hermits! We mix and mingle with a variety of folks in classes, play times, study groups, everyday activities, etc. As the girls get older and more established, we'll make sure they have increasingly wider social activities. Actually, one of the real benefits of homeschooling, we think, is that we can make the most of our "school time" since we don't have a bunch of other kids to manage and supervise, leaving us more time to be out and about in the real world, the one with folks of all ages and occupations interacting on a daily basis. :-)
You think you can do better than trained teachers? Really? Well, yes and no. Yes, for the most part, but primarily for two reasons that are no strikes against teachers ... first, we don't have to supervise and plan for 30 kids, or spend a large percentage of time on classroom management. Second, we know our kids better than any teacher will. And we have a vested interest in making sure they are getting what they should be getting. Subject-wise, well, it depends. At this young age, we're feeling pretty good about handling most subjects. As they get older, we'll have to either review or expand our knowledge (as any good teacher should) or get outside help. We have no hesitation about seeking qualified help, whether for subject area expertise or a second set of eyes for other reasons.
► resources Homeschool and related stuff - Family Matters, Why Homeschooling Makes Sense, Guterson (Dianna's favorite!)
- Endangered Minds, Healy
- For the Family's Sake, Macaulay (way more than homeschool!)
- The Shelter of Each Other, Pipher
- Chris and Ellyn Davis books and CDs
"Tools" and resources ... some favorites - Muggins and Knock-Out math games
- The Teaching Company
- David Attenborough videos: The Private Life of Plants, The Life of Birds
- Singapore Primary Math series
- Peggy Kaye books: Games for Learning, Games for Math, Games for Reading, etc.
- Five in a Row (FIAR) series
- The Harris County Public Library System
- Half-Price Books
- BookCloseouts.com
- The Well Trained Mind Secular email list at yahoogroups
- Learning Through History magazine and free online mini unit studies
- Richard Halliburton's The Complete Book of Marvels
- Our foam USA puzzle/whiteboard from Rainbow Resources
- Blow-up world globes we bounce around the house and reference constantly
- Penny Gardner's site with living book lists, including math and science
- Encouraging notes from other homeschoolers:
See also our links page | 