Kind of looks like they’re riding a rollercoaster, eh? That’s 2020 for you. In any case, here I sit, early one morning. It’s cool enough for a knit sweater, and we’re smack dab in the middle of that wonderful though angsty month of August, with a stream of sunny lakeside memories behind us and an unclear, fuzzy future ahead. Lots of questions. When will Covid be a thing of the past that we read about in books? Will we have 10 feet of snow this winter? Where will the temperatures creep to? How will things go at Steve’s job? Will I feel the need to even get dressed for the day? Who will win the election? Can I pull off this homeschooling thing?
I’m here, sitting and typing away on the blog, to chat the last of those. The briefest of histories with me and homeschooling is this: I wasn’t homeschooled myself, nor did I know anyone growing up who was. When Steve and I were married, the older four were homeschooled (well, Lindsey and William were quite young, so it was only just beginning for them). Nathaniel and Jordan had been homeschooled for years by Steve’s late wife, and then by a tutor after she passed away until they transitioned to school some years later. Steve always thought highly of home educating, and has some incredibly bright kids to attest to the fact that yes, you really can learn everything you need to know and often a whole lot (not intended to be a slam against public education at all; there’s just more time in the day with fewer kids to corral, etc.! You get it.). When we had two more kids, we were living in a different town entirely, and one that had a really solid school system. Steve had already decided to put William and Lindsey in public school a few years earlier, and all was going well, so he wanted to try public school for Parker and Anders. As for me, having no terribly strong feelings about homeschooling one way or another, having a positive public school history myself, that was fine by me. Parker went to a sweet private preschool for two years, before he began at our local public school for K through 2nd. Anders only attended the private preschool, and would have been beginning Kindergarten this year at the public school. Over the last two years, for various reasons, I turned over the idea of homeschooling in my head. I figured I would know if or when the time was right.
And here we are. The time is most definitely right.
As I write this, my heart is heavy with those of you reading who would love to do the same but might not have the flexibility. I saw some meme the other day and, strangely, they sometimes get to the heart of the matter so efficiently. In essence, it was, with humor, acknowledging how difficult these decisions are to make for us all, no matter what the situation. Kindness and gentleness will go far. I hope feel a sense of peace as you approach September, wherever you are, and with whatever you are doing.
I decided–after crowd-sourcing, researching, asking questions of some dear homeschooling friends, and sitting with it–on a curriculum! There was so much sound advice. Some of my favorite was that from a homeschooling mother whom I have great admiration for. It was basically this: don’t overbuild your curriculum. Focus on the important things: math, language arts, reading aloud. See how that goes, find your rhythm, and add as necessary later. It simplified the must-do-all-the-things noise in my head. I also dug into the different types of homeschooling–Charlotte Mason, unschooling, Classical, etc. Suffice it to say, I could’ve spent all day doing this, and at some point I just needed to settle on something.
Here’s what we are doing:
Anders (K)
Math: The Good and the Beautiful Level K
Language Arts: The Good and the Beautiful Level K Primer
History / Read aloud: Story of the World Volume 1
Parker (3rd)
Math: The Good and the Beautiful Level 3
Language Arts: The Good and the Beautiful Level 3
History / Read aloud: Story of the World Volume 1
From the above, we will be covering loads of other subjects naturally in an unschooling approach. Grammar and vocabulary and spelling will come out of language arts, geography will no doubt be a part of Story of the World (link to our huge wall map!). Science will stem from our time outside — gardening, chickens, beach treasures, the seasons changing, the monarch caterpillars we have eating away in our kitchen right now, the sharks that Parker is routinely interested as he digs through our books. We are currently reading Swiss Family Robinson (Parker is more into it than Anders), we have a few chalkboards from this fantastic shop to practice handwriting with. I bought several of these bare books as Parker or Anders hone in on something they really want to tackle deeper in a notebooking/narration way (new to me, but I’m really excited about this). I’m bookmarking loads of amazing read-alouds for us to continue doing, and hope to spend a big chunk of our time on that alone. Basically, less feels most certainly feels like more as we dip our toes into this new world and find our groove.
There is so much more I could write here, but so as not to overwhelm anyone (myself included), here it is in a nutshell. I’m really looking forward to following their lead and witnessing, in some ways for the first time, what sort of learners they are. I can’t wait to see things click for them, and go at our own pace. I can’t wait to learn alongside them! I also really can’t wait for cozy, slow mornings without the harried ‘get your shoes on! we have to go!’ chorus that I’ve been singing (yelling) for the last couple years.
P.S. Lots of The Good and the Beautiful is currently sold out. There are PDF’s available for downloading if you are starting soon. My controlling side, however, wants the official books in my hand so we will substitute other things until we have the hard copies.
Please share your plans with me!
I really like your less is more approach! I think this will work out well for you and the boys.
I have a 1st and 3rd grader. For now, I’m going to try out the virtual school through our public school. I want to see how it’s different from what we did last spring and I figure if it doesn’t work for us I can always switch to other things.
Oh yea, we’ve been doing the Summer Brainquest workbooks to keep fresh this summer and my kids love them. The summer ones have a cool sticker map that goes with it and the regular ones look like you can easily do sections as wanted. They are colorful and inexpensive on Amazon. An easy extra for anyone who is looking for something. 🙂
Summer Brain Quest: Between Grades 2 & 3 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0761189181/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-SOoFb57J3N22
Sounds like you’re keeping yourselves busy! Happy August! ❤️✨
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
I’m unexpectedly homeschooling this year too (my daughter is entering kindergarten). I used to teach 7th grade, so my tendency to overplan is high, but I am excited about getting to try out lots of different things to see how we like it all. I’m probably trying to take on too much, too soon, but time will tell! I figure we’ll settle into a groove eventually, so I might as well take my enthusiasm and run with it for awhile 🙂
You can do this! We are in our 11th year of homeschooling, so please reach out if you have any questions!! I have a 7th grader and 11th grader. You mentioned read aloud books, and if you haven’t yet followed readaloudrevival.com yet for great podcasts and book suggestions, I highly recommend it! Even though my kids are older, we still love doing this!
I love that podcast!! So good and makes me so happy we do so much reading aloud!
Good for you guys! Thank you for sharing your plan with us. It sounds exciting!
We’ve also decided to homeschool this year. I have a 6.5 year old (first grade), a 4.5 year old (second year Pre-k), and an almost 3 year old (would have been first year at preschool). We’re going with Oak Meadow for our curriculum and am looking forward to lots of outdoor exploration. I’m feeling less intimidated as it sinks in more and will try to remind myself daily to be gentle with myself. Feeling excited!
All of the very best of wishes to you and yours as you embark upon your adventures in homeschooling! I imagine this is going to be a really beautiful experience for your family.
You mentioned unschooling and I highly recommend Pam Laricchia’s podcast, Exploring Unschooling. She offers loads of great interviews and q&a episodes. Even with your plans to incorporate some curriculum into your homeschooling, I think you might be able to glean plenty of insight and inspiration from Pam’s podcast. It’s hard to pick a particular episode to start with, as they’re all wonderful. Perhaps the recent ones that cover her book, Free to Learn:
https://livingjoyfully.ca/blog/2020/05/eu226-free-to-learn-part-one/
thank you so much for this recommendation!!
We love Story of the World! The activity book that goes with the story is also so amazing.
So good! I have a first grader and preschooler. We are doing a Montessori approach to math and language. Science we are doing blossom and root’s earth science. We are loving it. So flexible, presented with so many different ways to learn! And when we finally get it (shipping delay) beautiful feet books history. All sprinkled with lots of outdoor time & rabbit holes as interests emerge.
So so fun with your chickens and all!!! Maybe I can swing by for you to do a lesson for my kids 😆🤪 I am also doing level 3 with Haven for good and the beautiful! So I ended up printing myself the main book, and was able to order the other two that go along with it (chapter book and poems).
I also got story of the world too, but ended sending it back today. Instead I got a second grade social studies book from amazon for haven, and from there I will plan and for lots of chapter books and just books depending on the lesson.
I got beast academy for math, which is so fun..,
Sharing what I did in case you start and feel it’s not what you wanted and want to change course ❤️
erica, i’ll do a chicken lesson, you do a spanish lesson!!
thank you for this. let’s get together in the coming months!!
We have tossed around the idea of home schooling for awhile.as well. My hubby and I like you were educated in public/Catholic school system so have no home school experience and know very limited others who home school. But we realized during this pandemic when we were able to help our children facilitate their own learning their mood changed, the excitement to learn and explore was much more Passionate than when they were in public schools. So here we are in the midst of the pandemic so the time is right to continue. We have the flexibility to do this. We are going to do a mixture of unschooling and use the Ontario curriculum as a reference in case this experience is only short term. But regardless I am very excited to be apart of this adventure with them.
This always excites me to see new families merge into the homeschool realm, especially organically. I’m sure you’re going to have a great year as your approach is very relaxed and natural.
My mother, who has homeschooled 11 children for 35 years, plus started a hybrid school in the Atlanta area for hundreds of students the past 16 years, would tell you your approach is perfect! Read a lot! Normal life is education so utilize it! Focus on math and language arts and through all the books and conversations you engage in with your children, they will learn much more especially as you follow their passions and learning style.
I have homeschooled my kids for 9 years and have used a similar approach. We are using the same curriculum as well this year except Teaching Textbooks for math.
My biggest advice is to find community because the days can get long and lonely if you’re traveling this road alone. Find some friends to do field trips or lunches or whatever together every now and then so you can encourage each other! Hope it’s a great year!!
Thank you so much for this!!! Best of luck to you this year!
I really believe that you are going to be great at this!! I’ve homeschool for six years now, and I love it. Obviously there are days where I want to pull my hair out. It’s so rewarding to witness when things click and your child grows!