The following is from my 2008 journal, but still so true:
On our first school day, in 2001, we were ready for school at exactly 8am. We had textbooks out, the United States flag out, and our students (ages 6 and 4) sat perfectly still at their desks, while the baby ……. ah, yes, the baby. He interrupted, the preschooler fidgeted and the 6yo was soon distracted. I realized our homeschool can’t be exactly like a “real” school.
Our school day yesterday, in 2008 and 7 years after that first day, began after a morning of chores and waking slowly. The 5 year old was taught how to fry her own egg, baby animals (ducklings, chicks, bunnies) were visited and fed, the 12 year old dictated to the 10 year old who wrote what he read, a little work was done on math worksheets, the 8 year old read to the 10 year old, classical music played in the background, and at one point (for nearly an hour because we just couldn’t stop) we all gathered around the table for a read-aloud of Anne of Green Gables.
Homeschooling has been so much easier and our days have been much less frustrating since we chose to learn from life and good books instead of from what I thought school had to be.
How has your homeschool – or school classroom – changed over the years?
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A note to you: On Sundays, now and then, I write a bit about how our family homeschools our children. Freely Educate is for all educators from all over the world and from varied backgrounds. I love that! This is just how we teach… now I’d love to hear how you educate children in the comments below.
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That’s our little one in the photo, taken by me in 2011
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Love this post! You write here what so many of us homeschooling moms go through (and later laugh about). And, I think many babies end up teaching their moms to relax about “schooly-ness.”
I LOVE this final statement. “Homeschooling has been so much easier and our days have been much less frustrating since we chose to learn from life and good books instead of from what I thought school had to be.” This has been my issue since we started “doing school.” It’s so hard to break the mold you were shoved into as a child. Each year we loosen up a bit more and learn more from what’s going on around us instead of trying to shove them into the same type of school going on elsewhere, just duplicated at home.
I homeschool an only child. She has been homeschooled since the beginning. I started out trying to mimic the school classroom and it was a disaster. After some major power struggles, I decided peace was better than my daughter learning anything. I put the “school stuff” away and we turned into “unschoolers” overnight. Since that day 3 years ago, we are happier than we have ever been AND my daughter has learned more in the past 3 years than she ever did sitting behind a makeshift school desk!!
Thank you for sharing your story. I am a first time homeschooler. My 11 year old son is very motivated and wants to sit and study and do work, but my 8 year old is a completely different story. If I didn’t read comments like these, I think I would be pulling my hair out. Over the last 3 weeks, I have learned to put the focus on being positive and just learning something – anything! We do a lot of projects and she has loved spending so much time with me. I also have 2 kids in public school because I couldn’t imagine being able to homeschool all 4 of them at once. Did I mention I also have a preschooler and toddler? Yes, life is busy for me but I know the benefits of homeschool are already apparent in my house.
yes, life and literature is a beautiful teacher. 🙂
The sweetest way to learn…and the happiest times of homeschooling are exactly as you have described. Having been in your “home,” and therefore your “school,” I can attest to the relaxed way of learning and the general feeling of peacefulness that exists there. One of the beautiful things about it all is that you share the blessings with others through your hospitality. It is one of the things we miss most about homeschooling in Baldwin County; those gatherings with other like- minded and like-learning families. Whether it is for air soft battles, kayaking on the river or just hanging out, the fellowship among the families is to be treasured!
The children homeschool us! Love your blog name, by the way.
It's very. very hard to break that mold. I'd love to smash it to bits, but it still remains sometimes, even 8 or 9 homeschooling years later.
Laura, how inspiring! Thanks for sharing.
You're in the thick of things, but remember "this too shall pass. It's only a phase." I've repeated that so many times over the years! Our 8yo is very artistic and creative, so we do a lot of hands-on activities with her. She is not at all academic, so we're taking it very slow compared to what a school system would do. I think she will learn more, more fully, if she's able to learn on her own terms. I love that our 8yos want to spend so much time with us! It's so sweet.
My thoughts exactly!
We really take that for granted around here, Leisl. You're very welcome to move back, you know! 🙂