Comments on: Finding My Homeschooling Groove

By: Homeschooling

Homeschooling — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:21:18 +0000

To my perception, Unschooling may even mean signing up for formal classes, where a child can have designated time, space, and resources to pursue a particular passion

By: Josie

Josie — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:47:24 +0000

I’m an aunt to 9 homeschooled kids and have a great time incorporating lessons into everyday life.

If you are wanting a good source of history, science and culture check here: http://www.OurAmericanParks.com

It takes tells stories that made our nation great and hopes to be adding a section of study guides and lessons for homeschoolers.

Good luck!

Josie

By: mikmom

mikmom — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 20:32:04 +0000

Thanks so much! Found you while researching Harper Lee as part of Alabama History that my Luke found while reading his New Alabama History book (c. 2005 – even has 9/11 in it – his comment – no, I don’t know, yet, what that has to do with AH), essay contest of Harper Lee’s specifically stipulating it has to include HSers (her requirement). Anyway, we’re not going to the AH co-op class this afternoon (may not go back); he wanted to go to learn, not do public speaking, a presentation on a famous Alabama person he was assigned to do (Hank Aaron) only thing he really got out of it was he threw over his wife for fame.
Anyway, we’re off to the gym (also has a learning center – see what we learn there!) Sorry so long, just so excited Bye!

By: Happyheartsmom

Happyheartsmom — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 17:59:26 +0000

Great summation of your thoughts on your hs journey! And you are SO right in saying it’s not about “me” it’s about the kids, great post, thanks!

By: Trixie

Trixie — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 17:19:40 +0000

Very well said, Shannon. I think this is precisely the way I think of our “unschooling” approach. Unschooling to me doesn’t mean “no structure” or avoiding anything found in a curriculum or otherwise school-like. It only means not imposing any pre-determined structure or limits and simply letting learning unfold naturally, according to my children’s individual interests, skills, and needs. It sometimes strikes me as odd that this should seem such a foreign concept to other parents that it warrants any further explanation at all.

Unschooling may mean formal lessons or workbooks at times for some children (Finn has loved doing math workbooks for stretches and at other times has completely lost interest in them, while continuing his interest in math by instead playing hours upon hours of card games and exploring/counting the money in his piggy bank). Unschooling may even mean signing up for formal classes, where a child can have designated time, space, and resources to pursue a particular passion. The most fundamental difference to me is the “why” behind what my kids are doing. No matter what they’re pursuing on any given day (recent popular activities in our house have included indoor basketball, coloring competitions, mazes, marble-run building, and computer card & skateborarding games), they’re doing it because it’s meaningful and important to them at that very time… not because it’s “reading period” or “math time” or because coloring in the lines is on our curriculum’s list of objectives. I think perhaps this is the biggest difference between my kids’ days at home and the days of those in school.

By: Melissa Markham

Melissa Markham — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 15:54:14 +0000

Oh man, this is me entirely! I have a hard time putting into words about our homeschooling days and my thoughts on homeschooling and I have continued to refine the way we do things as the children have grown older! Keep up the good work!

By: Karen

Karen — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 04:13:07 +0000

Wow. I give you a large ovation for homeschooling. I could NEVER do it, but I commend you on the commitment. Every homeschooled child that I have ever encountered has been brilliant, so there must be something to it! Bravo!

Michele sent me!