For me! I really am in a transition phase with our homeschooling this year. I have gone back and forth on exactly what I want to *do* with the kids, even though my philosophy hasn't really changed a lot.
We have always been lifeschoolers and have loved it! Lifeschooling is all about living LIFE and learning from it every day, through play, work, relationships, etc. Sometimes that includes structured book work, but usually only it if is necessary or requested. My children are not "behind" at all and are very bright. It has always worked so incredibly well for us.
But my kids are getting older.
I am beginning to see that they (my oldest two, mainly) are needing more structure and more direction. They read books all the time and still learn (and love it!), but as a Christian mother, I want them to learn very specific things, such as biblical doctrine, godly character, etc. Those are not things they can just "pick up", or if I leave it to that exclusively, they may just "pick up" unbiblical things! We have been doing these things along the way, but I just feel they need *more* of the intentional, structured stuff, if that makes sense.
I am not looking for a curriculum though. My idea is to use the bible as our textbook (as exclusively as possible) and life experiences (like celebrating God's holy days, a.k.a. feasts and the Sabbath), and learn this way. I just need to DO more though. We have been celebrating the feasts more, and it has been incredible, and we are wanting to do more next year!
I think my philosophy, as I see my kids growing and changing, is more along the lines of a Thomas Jefferson Education, a.k.a. Leadership Education. I have just never been forced to "move on" until now.....as my children are growing and moving into the second phase! Right now I am just trying to sort out my thoughts, look at all our options and make some decisions, so we have been mostly doing social activities this year, so far.
We can sure learn a lot from these types of activities as well! Anyone who tries to tell me that homeschooled children are not "socialized" and are weird is going to be laughed at in their face! My kids are extremely social, and I am having to turn down activities, even free ones, because there is not enough time in the day and week for it all!!!! I won't even go into that right now, but you can read all about homeschooling and socialization here. :)
Right now our weekly activities go as follows:
Right now our weekly activities go as follows:
- Monday we have dance class and karate (free)
- Tuesdays my mom comes each week to do activities with the kids, then we have Keepers At Home (free) and Cub Scouts
- Wednesdays we have PE and lunch at the park with friends
- Thursdays we have my doctor's appointment, meet with friends for various activities (we're about to start a reading program, free) and homeschool soccer (free)
- Fridays is another optional PE class (free) as well as a bible study right before. Once a month we have Lego Club on Fridays as well.
I even tried to keep Thursdays and Fridays open!!!
In addition to these weekly activities, there are other things we try to squeeze in, such as a trip to the pumpkin patch, various museums (some free), open swim days (twice weekly) at a local high school, art class (weekly, free) at the library, farm tours (most free), and other various activities that come up often, such as festivals and expos. Oh, and did I mention that I am having another baby in 5 weeks?!
So that is where we're at right now. It is LIFE, and we are loving it! Although, I have to admit, I am REALLY looking forward to this baby coming so that I will be forced to slow down a bit! I am taking a much needed "babymoon", especially since I didn't have the chance to with my last one and ended up depressed.....it was horrible!
Speaking of my last one, he just woke up and needs me, so I will leave you with a picture taken a few days ago of the two of us and will pick this up later. :)
