Our home education style is becoming less structured.
I’ve been reading and thinking about how learning happens best, and what sort of things are most important to learn. I’m moving more and more towards learning that is less structured and more interest led. I’m not doing anything drastic like throwing out our curriculum, but we’re making gradual changes.
We’re learning what we like to learn.
We enjoyed a week-long family vacation at the beach last month with oodles of unschooling, much of which focused on fabulous nature study on Tybee Island. All that learning was interest led. In fact, when we had a free day, Lindsey suggested we spend the morning at a nearby wildlife center. This is not something she would’ve ever suggested a few years ago, but she’s learning that she actually enjoys things like this.
{with Kathryn at the top of the Tybee lighthouse}
Kathryn’s mitzvah classes have been focusing on the recent Jewish holidays, including Rosh Hoshana and Yom Kippur. One of her recent Saturday classes was held in the outdoor sukkot (tent) made of bamboo. Her favorite part of these classes is learning Hebrew, and she practices on her own, just for fun. It wouldn’t have occurred to me to learn a new language at her age.
Our enrichment classes are interest-led.
I hadn’t even realized until recently that I’ve been letting enrichment classes be entirely interest-led. I make suggestions, and reserve the right to veto a choice since I’m paying for it, but the girls pick the classes they want to take. This semester Lindsey chose an art class, a Bible history class, and a knitting class she takes with Kathryn. In addition to knitting, Kathryn chose a LEGO simple machines class, and to assist in a kindergarten astronomy class. Good choices, good learning, in all of those.
{Physics fun with a birthday present: an Angry Birds LEGO set!}
Interest-led learning doesn’t mean skipping out on commitments.
More interest-led learning: Kathryn’s decision to play the flute and take band class. I completely gave her the option of whether or not to take band, and then which instrument to choose. However, I believe that once she makes the choice, she does have to honor the commitment she made. Even when it’s hard and feels overwhelming. We’ve been working on getting into a routine of flute practice, and music reading worksheets have helped her.
That same requirement to honor commitments applies to Lindsey, too, like when she did color guard year before last, and JROTC last year. This year it’s monetary and real-life responsibility things, like her job, and now, paying for a car! (More on that soon!)
Learning about life is important!
Last week, we moved Lindsey upstairs, something she’s been asking to do for a long time. I let her choose her paint color, then turned her loose in painting her own room; it was the first time she’d ever painted and she now appreciates how hard it is! We bought the paint and a new bedspread, but she’ll have to save her own money for decorations and projects she wants to do. She is so excited about her pretty new room that she’s even made her bed every day since then. {“Hooray!” says this neat-freak mama!}
Math has long brought grumbling in this house, but lately we’ve been doing business math, and the girls both love their variations of this. Because it’s about real life, rather than abstract concepts. And the Dave Ramsey finance course Lindsey is doing is really hitting home since she is making her own money and learning to budget.
Lindsey was the the Chick-fil-a baby cow in a parade recently. What did she learn from this? I have no idea. Except that cow costumes cause blisters. Surely there is some bigger life lesson here, but either way, I’m not missing a chance to share a photo of my daughter dressed as the Chick-fil-a cow. 
Teach them how to learn — now and in the future.
Skills like painting a room and managing money (and being a cow?) go back to one of the key things I want my kids to learn: how to learn. Adults must know how to learn new things as the need arises; I try to model that in my own life, and it’s a big focus in our version of home education. There is no possible way I could ever teach them every single thing they’ll ever need to know. No diploma, even from the most prestigious university in the world, can do that.
What about you? I’d love to hear your thoughts: How has your homeschool style changed over the years? Or, what ways do you continue learning, even as an adult? Click here to comment.
Awesome! And by the way – I love your couch! Totally random but it is gorgeous.
Aadel recently posted..Durable Word of God – Waterproof Bible Review {NIV}
Thanks, Aadel! That sofa is a new-to-us recent acquisition.
We’ve just begun home schooling as of January. So, we’re still developing our style. And it was interrupted by a major move to a new city. So, there were several weeks this summer where we took a break to get our house ready to sell. I started out homeschooling while I was still working 30+ hours outside the home. I’m really enjoying now getting to stay home and teach her at any hour in the day. And we just found a new church that we liked and just so happened to discover that they have a home school enrichment group meeting there with over 200 kids. So, I think we’re beginning to discover our new niche! So exciting! Sad to think that I only have three years left with her before she graduates!
Chandra Regan recently posted..A Great Weekend…(minus the cough)
Awesome, Chandra. Glad things are going well after your move!
Love this post!
I am finding that even though I am still trying to keep to a basic routine and lessons, that the more I let go and spend more time on “letting” the kids learn instead of trying to “teach” them the better our days go and the more they learn.
Sounds like things are going quite well!
amber recently posted..What’s in your Bible?
I’m always fascinated by the leaps my kids make in learning on their own time. I love that you’re holding them accountable at the same time….so many people don’t hold them to things once they commit. My two older ones have been doing a financial literacy course too (not Dave Ramsey, WealthQuest) and they are blowing me away with the leaps they’re making there on their own.
Eddie – The Usual Mayhem recently posted..Wormy Wednesdays!
I try to let the girls have at it as often as we can. Some years, they’ve chosen to take on a project of their own choosing, such as an ocean study or a past president. Also, I’ve dropped a few things we used to do religiously (like copywork) to make time for other things. When we participated in a homeschool enrichment program, they were allowed to choose their own classes (with a final nod from me). The selected art and craft classes along with more school-y things, but those always had an element of fun the girls appreciated.
But that’s it (which is actually quite a bit, I’ve just realized). We still stick to a tweaked Ambleside Online schedule with additions here and there. I’ve added in notebooking this year with a few subjects/books. And we’re studying composition more formally.
Ellen, the Bluestocking Belle recently posted..Living with Migraines
We’ve always leaned this way. Now I’m finally relaxing enough to let it be a greater part of how we do “school” here. A book I’ve recently been finding helpful: Project-Based Homeschooling: Mentoring Self-Directed Learners.
That one is in my Amazon shopping cart already!
I like that we can be so fluid with our home education. We started out structured, moved to a bit less structured, and have been moving to a bit more structured again. Whatever works, right?!
Jen recently posted..Weekly Photo Collage ~ Mackinac Island :: 10/12/2012
I think this is one of the wonderful reasons to homeschool! Love the cow!
We are have a teenage son through foster care as well that we are in the process of adopting! I am hoping to find more blogs of others on this journey!
Yay for interest led learning! I love to see my girls learning because they are eager to-because they are interested in something or see the value in pursuing it. I can think of no better way to learn, and I believe that they will become life long learners as a result of it:)
bahahaha!! I love that you called playing Angry Birds physics!! To awesome! That is such a great picture to!! I love the look on her face.
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