Learning is Everywhere

There are so many different ways to homeschool but the one universal I have noticed is that initially it can feel quite overwhelming especially for those whose children have been in the system.  I envy those that come to home education from the start...how insightful to realize that schools not only aren't the only choice, they are not even the best choice.

What curriculum should I use?  How many hours a day should we spend on academics?  How do you address different levels of ability and know that your meeting your child's needs?  I don't think I can teach my kid, how can I do this?  Do my kids need to take assessments at the end of the year?  Should I file for private affidavit or enroll with a public charter?

These are all very normal concerns and getting used to a different mindset regarding education and learning may be harder for some to wrap their heads around.

Our journey started after many years in the school system.  A system that is crippling for my older child and one that my little one may never experience.  So, here is how we started and it is constantly evolving.  The first step is making the decision and getting used to all that it does mean and what it doesn't. There are trade offs.  Homeschooling gives you amazing freedom. A great homeschooling perk are all the field trips you can take with fewer crowds.  You and your kids choose how you spend your time and with whom you spend it. Another unexpected benefit to homeschooling is the quality of sleep children can get when there is no early morning wake up and rushed schedule to adhere to. The most stressful part of our day when my son went to school was the morning rush to get out on time and not receive a tardy. Life gets to happen more organically when you homeschool. There is no rush and there are no deadlines unless you choose to have them.  We choose no arbitrary deadlines for anything.  That is freedom.

When we started on this homeschooling journey I was asking many of the standard first-timer questions showing my fear and disbelief that I actually have the power to provide my own children with exactly what they need.  There are so many ways of approaching homeschool.   There are many different pedagogical philosophies and everyone's needs and styles will be different. Some do public school at home via a charter or through some other canned curriculum.  There are classical and Waldorf inspired approaches and hybrids of many different styles.  What we do is altogether different. We UNSCHOOL.  Unschooling for us means that my children are self-directed in their learning and I support and facilitate their needs. There is no forced curriculum and no adult agenda.

We started by "deschooling" which is a period of time where you and your child essentially change your mindset about school and education.  It is an interesting time filled with the unknown. During this time I read every book that was relevant to our situation and I researched constantly.  I read Creative Home Schooling with thoroughness and it is a great introduction to the many different methods and approaches.   I was educating myself during the deschooling phase while my child was enjoying his own passions which included a lot of reading and tech and almost nothing that resembled curriculum. As I was becoming knowledgable about homeschooling my son was discovering a love of history, physics and microeconomics. These are not courses taught in a typical elementary classroom.  I believe that the deschooling phase is vital.  The suggestion is one month per one year in school but honestly there is no prescribed timeline.  I wouldn't rush it though.  Sometimes I believe we have been deschooling for over a year!

"Strewing" is one of my favorite techniques and works beautifully during the deschooling phase.  All you really have to do is go to the library and start checking out books that you think your child may find interesting. Mix up fiction and non fiction and start decorating the house and car with those books. This obviously works well if you have an avid reader.  If your child is led by other interests then follow those.  For my then four year old, our house was filled with building toys, skeletons and dino excavation kits.    A trip to the library allowed us to find books on his interests: skeletons and dinosaurs.  I try to follow my children's interests, anticipate what would facilitate that interest and let them get submerged in their learning until they realize they have enough knowledge about the topic. Some passions stay awhile and some go quickly. It doesn't matter how long the interest is there but rather if they have satiated their need to learn.  As soon as I push learning it takes away from their desire and can turn into a power struggle.  My children enjoy getting to choose what they are going to learn.  It isn't exactly a free for all but it is pretty close to it.

Despite loving unschooling for our family, I recognize that there are many kids that need more structure and guidance. There are probably some parents that also prefer the safety net of a schedule that is predictable. The great thing about homeschooling or unschooling is that you get to decide what is best for your family and your lifestyle.  If we were avid travelers then our kids' education would be acquired from worldly exposure.  To be able to take a year or more traveling with a child who doesn't have to worry about a school schedule...that is liberating and unmatched by anything taught in a typical classroom.  Sadly, we are not a traveling family but those that can should.  The homeschooling environment has to be right for your family without worrying about measuring up or comparing yourselves to what others are doing.   No two families will approach homeschooling in exactly the same way and your style will likely evolve as ours has and continues to do.  Take comfort in knowing that there is no one right way to do this. There is no competition about who does it best.  Take your own inventory of how you think your child is progressing in their learning without trying to get caught up only in results measured on a standardized test.  It is enlightening when you see that spark return in your child as he discovers that learning is fun and interesting.  Your child doesn't have to be a passive participant listening to someone transmit information to him for him to then regurgitate meaningless facts the next day on a time pressured test.  One size doesn't fit all.

An important thing to remember is that you can always change your course of action.  If something works in the first couple months and then it doesn't later on....ditch it and move on. Try something else.  Nothing is set in stone. You can try enrolling in homeschool co ops, attend classes, use distant learning courses, MOOCs.  I enjoy being part of an online community like Gifted Homeschoolers Forum which has been invaluable to me especially in the beginning when it gave me the confidence and support that I needed to fluorish.

I suppose if unschooling wasn't working for us then we would rethink our approach. This year unschooling will be a little different than last but our mindset has not changed. The mindset that tells me whatever approach we take at home one year to the next or one month to the next, home learning is the only way for my children to get all their needs met and for them to get the education they deserve.  I also love getting to know my children better by spending so much time experiencing how their minds work.  Homeschooling/Unschooling has improved our entire family dynamic.