The first day of school is nearly upon us. Sometimes it feels funny to be so ceremonious about it. My attitudes towards doing "school" at home have shifted. What first started out as an attempt to recreate the classroom at home, has morphed into what feels so peacefully pleasant-- we simply learn at home. School is more or less woven into the fabric of our lives. I love the tag line at the top of simplehomeschool.net.
"Never let your schooling interrupt your education." (By the way, that website rocks!).
I have done A LOT of reading in the last 6-9 months on the topic of education and parenting. Total nerdy Non-Fiction Nerd here. (I am only now getting into the book that everyone else has been reading. It's good!)
Here are some of the titles that you may find piled up next to my night stand...and I'm terrible at reading one at a time. I'm always dipping into several at one once!
Montessori From the Start
Montessori Play and Learn
How to Raise an Amazing Child
Montessori: A Modern Approach
Strong Willed Child or Dreamer
When Children Love to Learn
For The Children's Sake
You Can Teach Your Child Successfully
East Start in Arithmetic
A Home Start in Reading
A Strong Start in Language
Connection Parenting
Parenting with Love and Logic
Homeschooling Year by Year
All Day Charlotte Mason Seminar
The Big What Now Book of Learning Styles
Good ones! All very good. But, when I read Clay and Sally Clarkson's book: Educating the Whole-Hearted Child
It was like coming home. I have found it to be the most wonderful homeschooling book that I have ever read. Ever. Really, I don't know how they crammed so many great helps into one book. If you've yet to read it I suggest that you get yourself a copy right away. Own it. You simply cannot absorb all that is between its pages in the one month that the library will let you borrow it.
This book has really helped me take a more holistic approach to learning. I'm less likely to trudge through curriculum and more inspired to foster learning opportunities through good books, and a warm/vibrant/interesting home life. Now isn't that freeing? School is integrated into living. I don't like compartments. My life with 4 children does not lend itself to compartmentalizing much of anything. We bend and flex around here.
I wouldn't say that I'm an Unschooler but I am definitely drifting further and further from the Classical Model (which is where I started my homeschooling journey a few years ago).
You could say that I draw heavily from the hands-on and tactile experiences that Montessori provides (also love the 3-part lesson and the idea that a child should work at his/her own pace and not be interrupted), and I am widely attracted to Charlotte Mason's ideals and her thoughts on "living books".
(I don't have the space, or time frankly, to even begin to describe each of those above listed educational philosophies. There are loads and loads of websites out there that will help you-- dig in!)
I think it is important to read and adopt a method that you are comfortable with and that works for your kids. Figure out how they learn. Discover Your Child's Learning Style was so helpful in that regard. What a wonderfully diverse group of little people the God has gifted me with! No two alike. I'm honored to understand them better and appreciate all of their many unique qualities. Isn't that one of the beauties of homeschooling? Having the time and passion to cater to the child as an individual? Yes!
So, I've done my homework. Lots and lots of planning has ensued. (I secretly like it.) Next time I'll share our curriculum/book choices.
Also coming up: the practical planning like schedules, and meals, and other annoying things of the like :) Come back!
Oh! and photos soon of our learning space!
