I have had a lot of people ask me what my kids do all day since they don't go to school. Sometimes I think that people don't realize that we do school at home--hence the term homeschool....
We really don't have a typical day. Sometimes we start a subject that should only be 30-60 minutes and if the kids are interested, we will stay on it much longer. Or, we may get sidetracked and end up on a different subject. But, we are still learning, so that is ok.
Daily we read 60 for minutes, do math, JBQ, spelling, home-ec and reading comprehension. 2-3 times a week we also do history/social studies/geography, typing, science.
Some of our subjects overlap. It may not be our day to do history, but we may be spending our 60 minutes reading a book on Thomas Jefferson-so, we did get our history in-just not from "THE history book". I use factual reading comprehension books. Each day our reading comprehension is on a different subject. So far this year some of the subjects have included the history of clocks, volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, the beginning of the US railroad and more. So, there again our subjects overlap. For our family size, recipes are usually doubled (or tripled)--so there again the girls get a math lesson in doubling fractions while cooking.
We also watch several programs on the history channel, the military channel and the learning channel. In addition our library has a good supply of educational videos.
Numerous trips out are educational--even routine errands such as going to the bank or grocery store.
In many ways, I think homeschooling offers more opportunities than traditional schooling. If we don't understand a subject, we can repeat the lesson until we do, instead of worrying about holding the entire class back. If the lesson is too simple, we can skip it and go onto the next one. We also have more time during the day to do other things such as volunteer work at a crisis center and for the local fire station, being fire cadets (public schooled cadets miss the school day fires).
We have a smaller class size, so we get done with our lessons sooner and have more play time--time for a kid to be a kid.
Home-ec doesn't have to wait until jr or senior high--we do it on all grade levels in our home. All the girls can sew with a sewing machine, knit, read and cut out a pattern, cook a full meal (even bake a turkey or bake from scratch!), do laundry, fold a cotton diaper (how many 10 or 12 year olds do you know that can do that one??). Also, the 12 year old can drive (not on the road, but on the farm) and the 10 year olds are learning!
If I am working (I nanny part time) they have the option to go with me if JD is working. They have learned a lot about childcare this way--not to mention being a big help to me!
On a more personal note, it snowed AGAIN today. None has stayed however. Tonight we have a hard freeze warning out. My trees and flowers are budding, I home I don't loose any....
2 comments:
Hi April,
Thanks for sharing that with us! Amen & amen!
I've always been told that homeschooling is best for younger age & public for older. Would you agree? Just curious.
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No, I can't say I do agree. from my observations as a part time sub teacher, the high school years I think are perhaps more difficult than most parents and adults realize. It is not the same highschool I experienced.
When I sub and I have girls in the 6th and 7th grade that are expecting their first, or second child, and hear stories from 14 year olds in the lunch room about who was drunk and someones party over the weekend, and I see 13 year olds with cigerettes in their backpacks it scares me. I have seen and heard teachers swearing in the hallways in front of students, prayer is no longer allowed at school and many schools no longer recite the pledge of allegience to our flag.
These are not the type of influences I want my children to be seeing from 7:45 to 3:12 everyday. I would rather my children be exposed to more positive role models and experiences that will help mold their minds in such a way that when they are in a situation they can make the correct choice.
In our area, homeschooling is huge. My children miss nothing the public schools offer. We belong to the coop so we have our own Christmas and spring programs, (as well as those at church), our own ccop yearbook (300+ students). We can partipate in activies such as sports, Girl Scouts, 4H, and more. One of mine is working to become a cadet firefighter (she still has an interview to go through). We go to homeschool science fairs, spelling bees, summer science camp at William Jewell in Liberty, church camp, Bible Bowl...so, our time is filled, but with activities that improve our minds and self esteem, not activities to drag us down.
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