The Wonders of Homeschooling

We haven’t been doing much according to my children for our homeschool projects. We had a few things due before Christmas and no real formal assignments since then. We have been reading about a Saint every day; we have been reading a story everyday. I have been reading some immigrant stories taken directly from those who immigrated here through Ellis Island. We read a story about a young boy who worked in a coal mine and the dangers he faced. So I checked out some books about that time period which the kids read and we discussed.
So we have been doing language arts and social studies on a regular basis. The great part is that it doesn’t feel like school to them. They do the same type of thing with science at the moment. They make many discoveries on their own. Their father has been amazed that he can ask a question randomly and one of the children will have read about it and give him the information.
Since they didn’t feel like they were really doing school work, the three of them decided to create a school paper. They put in news and weather. They had a page with a word search and a maze; another maze and a connect the hearts; and of course comics. They create two comic strips. Plus they made up a publishing name. It was a very entertaining read. When I took it back to them after I read it, I told them it was an “A” project. They were stunned! They didn’t realize that it could be considered a gradeable project. I hadn’t assigned. Isn’t that great? They came up with the concept, design and layout all on their own. I am very proud of them.
On top of all this reading that is going on, they get to play outside daily. They get exercise and they have responsibilities in the house. I think this was the best move we could have done, especially when I see my fifteen year-old struggle with the adjustment between home and school. We are so off the norm that it has to feel like stepping into another world when she travels back and forth. She is much easier when she is home for a time; like for breaks and when she is ill. All of the kids at school are fairly clueless about what is happening around them. It has got to be hard to be the only one in the know.
I do my best to help her make the adjustments, but I don’t always succeed.
For all of you who are contemplating home schooling, I think it is a very worthwhile endeavor. It is especially true if you are choosing an alternative lifestyle. I thought five years ago that people who homeschooled were nuts. Now I think they have the right of it. Of course now most “normal” people think I’m a little off. LOL! Whatever the case I am very pleased with the results.

Have a safe journey! See you around the next bend.

Kate