Tuesday, May 13, 2008

What is Homeschooling?

Today I want to talk about homeschooling again LOL. I know you are all probably sick of me talking about it huh? LoL. Anyway I think people really have a misconception of what homeschooling is. Homeschooling is different for each family. Some are a more Classical homeschoolers. Some are homeschooling in the Charlotte Mason method. Still there are some that are Eclectic homeschoolers (which is what we are). Then there are Traditional homeschoolers, Montessori homeschoolers, Unit Studies homeschoolers, Unschoolers (seems to be very controversial) and then there is also the Waldorf method of homeschooling. There is also other's too but I would probably run out of room linking to them all LOL. But what I am saying is there is as many different ways to homeschool as there are many different children.

Homeschooling doesn't mean staying at the home all day long doing work at the kitchen table. Homeschooling can take just a few hours a day (if you unschool it's based on life instead of workbook and scheduled learning) because you don't have a lot of interruptions you would in a classroom like waiting for everyone to be settled and getting prepared and what not. Homeschooling also offers more of doing hands on things. For instance older children can do more volunteering outside of the home. It can also mean doing more hands on learning. Something as simple as watching ants work can be made into learning. It doesn't necessarily have to all come from books. Learning doesn't even have to take place in the home. It can be done any where and any time.

So as you can see we aren't locked in doors five day's a week eight hours a day sitting at the kitchen table doing school work. For our family we usually wake up at seven a.m. because that's when the boy's wake-up normally anyway LOL. Then we eat our breakfast and the boy's get dressed and brush their teeth. Then at about eight a.m we do some sit down school work. By eleven o'clock a.m we are usually done with that and if we don't have anything planned for that day the boy's might go outside (if it's a nice day) and play or we might find some games to play together or do a project together. Then when their friends come home from school they are free to go out and play with them. Other day's we might have things to do like go to a MOMS Club event like Create and Play or a play date with a friend. Other day's we might take field trips like to the Art Museum or the Zoo. Still other day's we might have more of an organized field trip with a homeschool group or with another homeschool family we know.

I just wanted to post this so that other's know (all though I know it won't be accepted by all but that's ok too) that homeschooling isn't school at home or not learning at all. I hope this clears things up for some.

I hope everyone had a good day!!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Lol I've talked to you alot about it huh. Might be talking some more. Keith's teacher called and said she wanted a conference to go over some concerns she has and talk about a game plan for next year. If that means she wants to hold him back well that's just not gonna happen. So hopefully that's not what its about

kel said...

Homeschooling is a lifestyle change not just about schooling. It is honestly without doubt one of the best decisions we ever made. I of course do not believe it is for every family.

Jody said...

I so agree it is a life style. I agree to that it isn't for every family. Every child is different and needs different things. My children are both different from each other and I don't think either of them would do well in public or private school setting. That's why we homeschool:D and we enjoy it too. Not something that everyone will enjoy.

Anonymous said...

Homeschooling is a way of life, that is for sure... I, for one, would miss the freedom that homeschooling gives us... Like being able to go to the zoo on a whim, and make up the work on another day. :D