A Good Day of Learning

Late to the party, as usual, but I wanted to share some thoughts on this topic.

I am not an unschooler, just to lay all my cards out here. I don't condemn it at all, but I also don't understand it. I am a product of public school (and awesome familial support, I must add) and the ol' workbook work ethic has never completely left me. I understand that workbooks are imperfect learning tools, and so have branched out, but not completely away, from them. I still tend to measure my day by how much we got "done" by subject and page and content covered.

As a fledgling homeschooler, (this is only my third year) I am learning. Learning how kids learn. Learning how to weave the content through their minds in an unassuming, non-confrontational way. Even with math facts, to calm the hysteria of confusion and nonchalantly suggest 'short cuts' and 'interesting' variations... I'm learning to stack the bookshelves with poems and fiction along with biographies and non-fiction. Learning that pre-schoolers love to do workbooks their own way, and will also quite willingly follow instructions.

I've also learned that there are days when we need a break. Not from learning, but from school work. We need to see and experience something else for one day. And so we take trips, to the lake, the zoo, the botanical gardens, or a friend's house. Sometimes we just stay home, circle the wagons, and be together in our chores and reading and playtime. I'm learning not to feel guilty about that. Even though it is, by far, a harder beast to master.

I feel good about my schooling day when we have checked off everything on our clipboards by lunchtime. I also feel good about my schooling day when we have spent the day away from the house on a field trip, learning and experiencing something different. These two types of days are polar opposites, but require just as much energy from me. Although I must admit I prefer the latter over the former...

Who wouldn't? It's beautiful to watch your own children absorb and learn. And what a privilege it is that I get to see that, everyday.

And that leads me to the aspect of homeschooling I love the most. The environment of learning we have tried to create in our home. I love the books, the games, the puzzles. I love the manipulatives lining the shelves. I love it when I see my kids all gathered around the youngest, assisting her in a new type of "work"... or gathered around the oldest, watching him navigate his way through a new (educational!) computer game, or looking over his shoulder (if he'll let them!) at the pictures of a new book.

For the time being, we are all in this together. In sickness, in health, 'til insanity do us part.

And I love it.

:)