Sunday, December 27, 2009

My homeschooling style

A great woman who runs the local homeschooling group asked if I'd be a contact person for new homeschoolers.  I agreed to do it because I'm enthusiastic about homeschooling and also looking to make more connections both for my sake and for my childrens' sake.  Anyway, she asked me to write a blurb about my homeschooling style and this is what I wrote:


I have two energetic boys:  age 4 and age 2, and the fact that they are boys really informs and influences my attitude about and style of homeschooling.  I read a book called Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv and another called the Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn Iggulden and Hall Iggulden and what I took away was that for boys especially, it’s so important to have them out in nature, exploring the world around them.  As such, it’s my goal to give them a learning environment that allows them to be out a lot using their natural, bountiful energy and curiosity to drive their learning.  

Technically, I am only teaching my four year old but my 2 year old loves to tag along. I would say that I take a laid-back approach to homeschooling.  I do not use a set curriculum but I do use the New York State standards and the Typical Course of Study as a guide.  In homeschooling, I’ve learned that I really needed to learn my child first and so I’ve really gotten familiar with his style of learning and the times throughout the day when he is most willing to learn.  He enjoys working in workbooks and so I’ve invested in a few good ones.  One book that has given me some guidance in the technical aspects of homeschooling is The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise and while I find it a bit rigid, it has helped in some important ways. At my son's age, I’m more focused now on him getting concepts as opposed to things that require fine motor skills such as writing.  Initially, writing was very frustrating to my son but I was pushing it.  Now, I am focusing on other things and he has naturally taken to writing and is improving every day.  So I’m learning to trust myself and trust him, knowing that in the right time and space sequence, we will get everything accomplished.  Right now, I’m working with him on addition and subtraction.  We also work on patterns and sequences, telling time and we are slowly getting into money.  I have no set time frame for when all this will be mastered but my goal is to keep him one grade level ahead.  For reading, we are using the Hooked on Phonics program but also taking a very laid back approach to it.  For science, I basically depend on him to dictate what we will be studying.  Last month he showed an interest in the sun and so we did a study of the sun and the solar system.  The study was supported with books, the internet, DVDs, etc.  This month, he was interested in electricity and so we are discovering that.  Social studies right now is rather organic and we learn that as we are out and about in the world.  Aside from all that, I take him to our local library for arts and crafts and I have him enrolled in a Kindermusik class.  I’m really focused on keeping the learning fun and engaging and never forcing him to do something before he’s ready. 

My ultimate goal is to help them become analytical and critical thinkers and to help them enjoy learning.  I want them to be willing, enthusiastic, lifelong learners.