Monday
Apr092012
A New Phase in Our Homeschool
Monday, April 9, 2012 at 5:00AM 
This is my first born and only daughter, Miss B. She will be eleven this summer, which doesn't really seem possible.
In many ways she is a mini-me. She loves music, reading, children, and being creative. It's wonderful to have a kindred spirit in the house, but we do have our moments of mother-daughter conflict, too. I thought I was pretty good with my children as babies and toddlers - but as they are growing I'm needing to read and learn and (most of all) PRAY about my parenting.
In many ways she is a mini-me. She loves music, reading, children, and being creative. It's wonderful to have a kindred spirit in the house, but we do have our moments of mother-daughter conflict, too. I thought I was pretty good with my children as babies and toddlers - but as they are growing I'm needing to read and learn and (most of all) PRAY about my parenting.
The changes that go on in the life of a ten year old are truly amazing to me. Not only is she gaining on me in height and shoe size, but she's also a completely different learner than she was just a couple of years ago.
So much of her learning now is self-directed. She is compassionate and caring and I want to nurture her love and concern of others as we move forward.
My husband and I seriously considered enrolling her in a classical school here (one day a week - and NO, it wasn't Classical Conversations), but then I realized we still need time for WONDER, SELF-EXPLORATION, and NURTURING OUR PASSIONS. I'm not so sure a rigorous study of grammar, Latin, and writing would benefit her right now. In fact, I think it might actually hinder her social and emotional growth.
I know we are entering a new phase in our homeschool (definitely for her, and probably also for my son, but that's another post!) and I've made some broad goals for next year. As I read these goals I realize that I don't resemble the homeschool mom I was just a few years ago, either!
The mom from before would have wanted her child to have a strict schedule for each day, with assignments clearly outlined for the week. That mom also might have gotten a little out of joint if the math book wasn't "done" by the end of the year. That mom would have put her child's requests aside and said "maybe" and "later" a lot more, too.
The mom I'm trying to be is the one who embraces each moment, listens for God's plans for her children, and doesn't blow with the winds of popular culture. Notice I say I'm trying... it's not always easy.
These are the goals I have set for the coming sixth grade year:
The mom from before would have wanted her child to have a strict schedule for each day, with assignments clearly outlined for the week. That mom also might have gotten a little out of joint if the math book wasn't "done" by the end of the year. That mom would have put her child's requests aside and said "maybe" and "later" a lot more, too.
The mom I'm trying to be is the one who embraces each moment, listens for God's plans for her children, and doesn't blow with the winds of popular culture. Notice I say I'm trying... it's not always easy.
These are the goals I have set for the coming sixth grade year:
1. We will have no set curriculum.
2. I will provide TONS of living books and many unit studies based on her interests. (We follow a spine of history in The Story of The World and loosely use Apologia science to guide us.)
3. We will keep working through Writing With Ease and hopefully progress into Writing With Skill (I believe written communication is KEY.).
4. Notebooking will be incorporated into nearly every subject area next year. She loves to notebook and I'd like to give her more freedom and independence with this.
5. She loves her piano playing, and I would like to see her become involved in another type of musical activity.
6. I want to seek more service opportunities for her. She has a servant's heart that it is my duty to nurture.
7. She loves horses... up until now we have resisted riding lessons or much involvement because the expense seemed too great. If her love continues through the summer we will seek lessons and further involvement for her.
7. Open up more of the world to her - continue to travel and learn by LIVING.
7. She loves horses... up until now we have resisted riding lessons or much involvement because the expense seemed too great. If her love continues through the summer we will seek lessons and further involvement for her.
7. Open up more of the world to her - continue to travel and learn by LIVING.
Have you noticed all of the posts already starting about next year's "curriculum"? I'm trying to keep it simple and let my child take the lead ~ with a little bit of well researched input from me, her educational guide.
Are you starting to think about next year? Do you think you're the same mom you were at the beginning of this year.... or - how have you changed?
Reader Comments (18)
When you open yourself up to new possibilities, new opportunities come your way. I am most certainly not the same HS parent I was two years ago....right now our "curriculum' is Destination Imagination with some math and lots of reading thrown in where we can fit it. I feel like my girls are learning many valuable skills that simply cannot come from a book.
That said, I rarely look to next year's curriculum unless it is the ordering of the next book in the SOTW series! Our learning just flows and we purchase our materials when we need them, year round!
Enjoy this new phase of your homeschooling. I think you will love it!
Sounds like pretty good goals. I love the freedom we have to homeschool our kids to meet their needs to educate them. Blessings.
I think you have wonderful goals. I want to start thinking more about next year. We are sooo busy right now!
Blessings,
Dawn
I have found myself thinking a lot about the same things recently. Following the child's lead has become so much more important to me and I am seeing good things happen because of it.
This is great, Mary! As a rather "by the book" sort of person, I need the reminder to let go of control just a bit. Thanks!
Our homeschool has definitely evolved over the years. Each year is different. I have gone the complete textbook route, all living books route, a Charlotte Mason phase and others. We are now a content mix of classical and eclectic. We go to the library a lot so the kids can read up on anything they are interested in.
Sounds like you are going to have another fun year!
This year is also the first year for us abandoning the curriculum and we're actually abandoning the classical school (not classical conversations) that my children go to two days a week :) We're still tied to our school curriculum for 6 more weeks, and I'm starting to count down the days!
I love your beautiful list of goals. Your daughter's interests sounds so much like my daughter's when she was that age. I want to encourage you to help her to continue her interests because that is what she will hold in her heart when she is older. My daughter remembers her piano and horseback riding lessons with such fondness.
Mary I loved reading this. At times I get really stressed out about this Interest Led Learning and then I take deep breaths and look at Keilee and all these amazing kids of my blogging friends and how happy and grounded and just joyful they are.
I love that as a former Public School teacher YOU recognize how important it is to let your kids lead at times. Our homeschool has evolved over the years too. At times I still think I haven't quite found that 'perfect' thing. But we are getting close. If I could 'change' one thing about Kei I would give her the joy and love of reading. She just doesn't have it. Well she loves when I read to her and she loves audio, she just doesn't love to read.
Great post :)
Very cool! Yup I'm not the same homeschool mom I was either... we grow and learn, too, right? :) Next year we're adding a lot more notebooking as well. And my oldest breaks off from group science to do her own thing (Apologia General Science - hopefully independently) though she can still sit in and listen to the group lesson with the younger two if she wants (Apologia Land Animals.) One thing I need to do is give my oldest even more free reign in her areas of interest. I have, but I need to even more.
I totally like this response to home education! I'm certainly not the same hs mom that I started out as. I've changed my terminology in how I feel about home education <---that's the term I changed heehee!
I was thinking about notebooking this morning and living books and the like.
I'm particularly drawn to the Thomas Jefferson method, which is pretty similar to your goals for the new year. At the same time, I, myself have to be mindful not to "pigeon-hole" myself into a label.
Initially I was drawn to unschooling...but when we started it was scary and I let myself be influenced by others to be more regimented. Although, honestly, looking back, we were never that regimented. We started with lapbooks of our state, science kits and a definite math program.
The more we get into homeschooling, the more loose we get...we recently {temporarily} abandoned Writing with Ease/Skill for creative writing. The girls are just writing stories and we go over them together for grammar/spelling. We still do math and SOTW, but right now we are following a rabbit trail for Norse Myths and I am ok with that..we'll school year round, taking breaks when desired and we will finish Middle Ages and move on at some point...I would rather we wring every bit of life out of something and know as much as we want to than rush the girls along and sabotage that interest they had in learning about something.
That's a great photo of you and your daughter! I used to think a boxed curriculum would never work for my family. I'm still sort of unschooly for the younger years, but I have realized that for I need some accountability and structure. Probably more because I'm keeping up with six kids. We loved using Paths of Exploration this year, my kids have learned so much and it's still such a flexible program. Also, for us, I want them to have a strong foundation in those basic skills, so they are then free to really dig into what interests them as they get older. I love what you are doing with your children! We have a daughter that started horse riding for therapy, but she really, really loves horses and it's grown into so much more than therapy.
I love this post, Mary! It sounds like a wonderful plan for Miss B :)
So funny you write this Mary, I find that We are on this path, no doubt with the direction of OUR FATHER. Dare I say, Unschooling? lol...still some structure, but letting our children take the lead...seems to be WHO we are, or is it WHOM? LOL...sigh...praying for you all and knowing that the Lord will take you in the right direction! XOXOXO "See you Friday"...8)
We have diverted to this path also. This is our 6th year of hs and our daughter will be in 8th grade next year. Dare I say unschooling too. I have given her a list of guidelines but no specifics that she can follow for the remainder of this year and into the next. Her passions are much more on the creative side (anime, drawing, drama, singing, art, etc.) than academic. I want her to follow her passions within reason while still gaining a love of knowledge. Looking forward to this new year.
Blessings
Diane
What a fabulous plan! Your girl is very blessed.
Mary, I absolutely loved reading this post. It is so beautiful to see the goals you have developed to nurture your daughter holistically. Peace and understanding are the two words that come to mind when reading this. The fact that you understand your daughters learning styles, needs, and desires and you have found peace with a learning approach for her is awe inspiring.
I have been thinking a lot about next year as well. I hope and pray to reach that same place of peace and understanding for my family:)