What "type" of homeschooling do you do and why?

[Butter]

What led you to homeschool the way you do?


We use classical education a la The Well-Trained Mind. While I'd like to be much more relaxed (even unschool), I have to go with what my daughter needs and that is structure, workbooks, and textbook-ish (I refuse to use actual textbooks, though) type things. Classical is a perfect fit for her.

[SagMom]

We unschool, because we like the freedom of it. When my ds came home from school, he wanted nothing to do with anything that looked schoolish. That meant, no textbooks, no teaching, no workbooks, worksheets, "educational" videos, classes or any organized activity (like tours.)

That went on for quite a while, so we gave him time to "deschool." From there, it just made sense to let him go with what interested him. He'd be excited about that, but any time I'd try to redirect him towards something *I* thought was valuable to learn, he'd shut down. I really had to back away and let him figure out who he was and what he wanted and needed. After some time, he dropped his resistance to learning, although, he still walks away from things he deems "schoolish." Still, of my three, he's the one who likes the most organization. Every day, he makes a plan for himself of what he wants to accomplish--he's recognized that he needs some structure and he creates it for himself.Now, I still share with him things I think he'll be interested in, but he knows he's free to delve into it further, or not.

My dd is *very* independent and self-directed. She learns best when you just stay out of her way. (Her K teacher told me "she doesn't take direction well." This is true--she doesn't follow recipes, she creates them. She doesn't look at knitting/sewing patterns, she makes them up. She shuns craft books to come up with her own ideas.) So, unschooling is pretty much a necessity for her.

My youngest--well, he's just 5, but I don't see any reason why unschooling wouldn't fit him as well.

That we unschool doesn't mean my kids have never picked up a workbook, it just means that if they use them it's on their own terms. We just don't follow any course of study or outline--their learning is self directed, and everything "counts."

[3momkmb]

A little of this, a little of that. We do use classical reading lists and are very literature based but I recently bought a chemistry text (per DD's request) and we use workbooks and a spelling program (sometimes LOL!) for LA. DD also takes some classes from our homeschool coop and attends gymnastics and art. I also use a formal program for math, although we are taking a break right now. I tend to be pretty relaxed about things. DD does maybe an hour of bookwork a day, DS might not do any.

Why do we use those things? Because they work for us!

[cottonwood]

There are so many things in the world to learn about, and I don't believe that some subjects are inherently more important than others. I just can't imagine choosing for someone else what sorts of things will inform their intellectual life; perhaps because I wouldn't want someone to make those choices for me. So I don't make them for my kids. It's a matter of respect and courtesy.

I also know that I learn best when I am interested in something and have the desire to study it, and when I make the choice to do so, and when, and how; I have no reason to assume that this wouldn't be true for my children as well, so I protect their right and need to learn in their own time and in their own way.

I know that I can and will learn what I need to without someone standing over me making me do it. I have no doubt that my interests will lead me where I need to go. Again, I have no reason to assume that this isn't true for my chidren as well. To the contrary, I see much evidence that it is.

Every day I see my children doing amazing things, with such confidence and joy, having such a genuine and enthusiastic curiosity about the world, and seeking out satisfying work. I remember feeling that way. I never felt that way while in school or doing schoolish things, nor for a very long time after I stopped doing schoolish things. I don't want that to happen to them. So we, quite simply, don't do school.

[Jen123]

If I had to put a name to it I'd say Eclectic / Relaxed.

It's a perfect fit for our family.

Some strict structure sometimes. But mostly very relaxed.

Example:
me: Kids we are going to do science today. What should we do ?

And then the suggestions come in. Read a book , look something up on the internet , do an experiment , design a habitat , etc.... And pretty much from there the three kids take their own spin on it. At the end of the day they've done three different things. B would have looked something up that was of interest to him , R would read a book and H would draw a picture for her habitat.

[chrfath]

We also don't do school. We have tried a couple approaches and this works best for our family.

Our son asks more questions and is interested in so many things. He does take some gym classes, but he would participate in all sports if he could. He just loves to be active in sports.

I am really looking forward to continuing to watch my children bloom and shine. Our DD is really a glowing little flower right now, she has the freedom to be herself and grow into things she is interested in. It will be alot of fun to watch her break out of the mold and stereo types of children with Down syndrome.

[klondikesky]

My dds are still little, 4.5 and 20 mo., so I don't do any formal teaching. Creating and crafting our home environment are my main concerns at this point. Learning to treat one another with love and respect are dh's and my primary focus for our family. Then we add in lots of classic stories, baking and cleaning, imaginative playthings, and art experiences, and (when it's warm) very large doses of the outdoors. Dd1 also takes ballet lessons. I'm informed heavily by Charlotte Mason and Waldorf philosophies.

We are very flexible on our future plans, but my dh is interested in encouraging classical aspects in our learning, which goes nicely with my predisposition towards Ms. Mason . He had a classical core in college and taught at a classical education high school for a couple of years while finishing his ph.d. His love for numbers is already rubbing off on our four year old. As is my love for literary/poetic language.

We got here largely because the local Waldorf nursery school was the only one that would allow for a three year old to attend -just- two mornings a week. By the time we decided to pursue home education, I was sold on much of the 'waldorf philosophy' of early childhood ed, which is basically to imitate a well-run home in an institutional setting and delay academic training. Dd1 was doing well at the nursery school (in the conventional sense, she generally enjoyed it and had friends, etc.), but wasn't thriving like dh and I thought she would in such an 'ideal' environment. It made her tired, and she was stressed by the one media-soaked child in the class (lots of violent Spiderman play, cursing, and bullying... the teachers successfully pressured his parents to withdraw him a few months after we left). It would take an entire day at home to recover from the previous morning's class. Then off to it again the next. It was exhausting, expensive, and I wasn't getting to take her to the cultural events and places that I wanted. There wasn't time.

So we pulled her out. Sunk the next month's tuition into playstands and lots of good books. We haven't looked back. I learned about Charlotte Mason through a waldorf yahoo group. They share an emphasis on natural environment, free play, delayed academics, classical books, and parents modelling living. We are very relaxed about the whole process and amazed at the things the children teach themselves.

[USAmma]

Not sure what you would call us. I rely heavily on the guidance of TWTM for our books and materials, but I don't adhere to any schedules like she suggests in her book. Life with a toddler is way too hectic. We just do what we can and somehow she moves right along and enjoys it and learns a lot. We take a lot of side trips into areas she wants to study that are not in TWTM, too.

[blbcHelvsme]

I don't know what to really call it. I guess structured unschooling. That is, I might suggest Josh do some math or what ever. He decides what he wants to do in subject(s) I suggested. I help when needed. I also make sure that he doesn't get distracted.
My youngest is totally unschooled because he won't do any homeschool if he doesn't want to.

[LeftField]

We're unschooling for now, but I don't know for how long we'll do it. I'm not emotionally invested in doing it long-term or anything, but I have no idea how (or if) we ever naturally transition out of it. I cannot imagine sitting them down and saying, "Ok, now do math." I don't know. I'm just playing it by ear and pretending to know what I'm doing, I guess. I'm keeing my mind open to whatever feels right and works for each kid.

We do unschooling, because my kids seem to teach themselves (and each other) and they're pretty resistant to instruction or being worked with. They keep themselves busy for most of the day, so I don't like to interrupt them. Like, earlier this morning, they went on a trip to England and now they're making a birthday list for ds2. Whoops, they just moved under the dining room table and ds1 says it's a museum. Then, they'll run back upstairs and drag all the dolls or trains out and there will be some dramatic scenario there. I don't know what they do many times, but they are very very busy. So, it seems wrong to stop them from what they do to do something else. I'd have to flag a kid down anyway.

My oldest has some specific academic interests, so we do follow up on that and we like how he gets exposed to a lot of "subjects" by that method. Last year, he was obsessed with space (still likes it this year) and we did science, math, art, poetry, music, and history all because of that. Some of it was unintentional and unavoidable in the way of questions and conversation. Some of it was planned (e.g. MIL bought him the classical music for planets, I did a planet felting craft with him). Right now, he is obsessed with engines and is curious about volcanos. There's a lot to do there, lots of possibilities. We might make a vinegar/baking soda volcano next week; that should be huge with both kids.

Anyway, unschooling really works for us for now. I like for the kids to direct their own pursuits and I want to reinforce that natural motivation esp since I came out of school with no work ethic. I like the freedom and spontaneity that comes with it. I like watching them spend entire days playing. Ds1 would go to kindy this August and I cannot imagine him being away from his toys for 7 hours a day. I guess it's kind of shocking to me that while his same-aged cousin is sitting in circle time or doing a worksheet, he will be running through the house in his pjs playing with trucks. I like the extended relaxed childhood it provides them and I like that, academically, we wander all over the place based on expressed interest.

So, we'll keep doing this until it appears to not work anymore.

[carrots]

I am not "officially" hsing my kids yet, but would imagine that it would be a mixture of different styles. My kids are all so different and as they grew older I would adjust to their needs. I guess the closest would be structured unschooling too.

[reeseccup]

We eclectically home educate in a relaxed way.

[dharmamama]

With my two younger ones, I plan to do a lot of child-led stuff. We will have some "school" time, I think, because my dd requests it, but we won't be "8-3 at the kitchen table" people. More like, 8-9 on the living room couch or something.

With my oldest girl, who will be 11 when she gets here, I think I am going to have to go with something more structured. She's coming from Ethiopia, doesn't speak a lot of English, and is only on 2nd grade. I think that, to give her a fair shake at an academic furture (like if she wants to go to college), I am going to have to start way back at the beginning and kinda get her up to speed on the stuff she would be expected to know just from a cultural literacy standpoint. I still don't envision spending more than 1 1/2-2 hours a day on formal stuff with her, but we will do A LOT of reading together.

Namaste!

[UlrikeDG]

We're unschooling, because my son was resisting our (very laid back) curriculum, and I finally did some more reading on unschooling (specifically, Learning All the Time), and realized that it *could* work for us. And it is.

[OTMomma]

We seem to be unschoolers at heart- following dd's interests, and letting her lead the way. I'm just not organized enough to completely adhere to any other style I've read- LOL. However we do do Montessori activities, and I'm not at all above making up some simple lessons based off a book we've read or an experience we've had. But I never force anything on dd- if she doesn't like it- we don't do it.

DD is almost 4.

[warriorprincess]

Classical- I think there is a beauty in it, and an exposure to things that have been regrettably forgotten, like great art, literature, Latin, logic, and so much more.

[GoodEats]

Right now, we're eclectic/relaxed. I suspect that we will continue this way in the future, since eclecticism allows me to pick and choose what works for us at any given time. On the other hand, I would like to be more structured and agree with warriorprincess about the beauty and elegance of the Classical approach. Maybe next year we'll stray more that way and see how it goes.

(ok, from now on, I'm referring to my aproach as the "wishy-washy, too many choices to choose just one" method. )

[blbcHelvsme]

Originally Posted by GoodEats

(ok, from now on, I'm referring to my aproach as the "wishy-washy, too many choices to choose just one" method. )

Ok, that is what I should have said about my aproach.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by UlrikeDG

We're unschooling, because my son was resisting our (very laid back) curriculum, and I finally did some more reading on unschooling (specifically, Learning All the Time), and realized that it *could* work for us. And it is.

LOL We do classical because my daughter was resisting our very laid back curriculum/mostly unschooling. She wanted to sit down and do formal school! Strange, strange child. On Monday we will be 100% Classical (I insisted on finishing up a couple unit studies first) and Miss A is most excited about the fact that school will last longer because she'll have more subjects. I definitely didn't expect that out of a kid. She is just wildly driven and actually gets mad if we take a day off from school!

[ShannonCC]

We're unschoolers. Partly because I believe in it but partly because it's the best fit for my dd. However, as I understand it, unschooling doesn't mean "no structure". Well, ok, right now it does But at times my dd has requested school at home (thank goodness that didn't last - it was draining! ) or workbooks or other structured things. Basically, it's up to her. She does what she wants. She is a strong willed, fiery little girl who doesn't respond well to being told what to do by anyone (hmmmmm, can't *imagine* where she got *that* from ) so letting her decide her own path is the best for all concerned.