Day #1: If you are reading this, trust me, I am no expert in homeschooling. I have been on this journey for maybe three years and it has been a road full of challenges. Having said that, I am currently at a great place with my homeschooling journey. My 16-year old goes to an online high school and I 'do my own thing' with my kindergartener, soon-to-be first grader...time flies!!!
I am here to tell you about my amazing journey, with all its ups and downs, hoping the stories I tell you make you feel less alone. I sometimes feel a very lonely homeschooling parent. I say sometimes, because I do have a caring husband who gives me moral support and a small homeschooling community where I live, and we try to support one another. However, there are times when I feel left out, sort of on my own and wish I had someone to share my worries and concerns with.
I love homeschooling, period. I have been an educator for over 20 years, and I can safely say, homeschooling has been my best teaching experience to this day...wait! Actually, homeschooling has been/is one of my greatest life experiences! I love being around my children! (Yes, yes, I get tired, want some me time or a quiet evening) but whenever I think about the possibility of sending my kids back to school, the more I think they are better off without it! (I may be wrong or completely koo-koo in the head like my 5-year old says).
Homeschooling is learning process for both the kids and the parents. Everyday I find different ways of teaching my children and it is pretty cool! It's like learning to walk! Trust me, my homeschooling so far is more like unschooling with a touch of schooling. Our days are a bit unconventional and we rarely follow a set schedule or plan (although I keep making them all the time!!!) I worry about this soooooo much and many times think I'm doing it all wrong. My 16 year old hates literature, so I don't force him to do it. (Maybe that's wrong) On the other hand, he is interested in photography so I encourage him to take classes. He even attended a few classes at a local college, with the help of my great friends Heather and Sky. My kindergartener loves Math and Science and really dislikes Language Arts, so I try and please him doing more of the former and less of the latter. All in all, my homeschooling is traditional with a touch of disorganization! (Note to myself: get it together!!)
So, welcome to my homeschooling journey! I hope you enjoy my blog and most importantly, I hope you can walk away after reading it and say: "Hey, I can totally relate to that!".
I am here to tell you about my amazing journey, with all its ups and downs, hoping the stories I tell you make you feel less alone. I sometimes feel a very lonely homeschooling parent. I say sometimes, because I do have a caring husband who gives me moral support and a small homeschooling community where I live, and we try to support one another. However, there are times when I feel left out, sort of on my own and wish I had someone to share my worries and concerns with.
I love homeschooling, period. I have been an educator for over 20 years, and I can safely say, homeschooling has been my best teaching experience to this day...wait! Actually, homeschooling has been/is one of my greatest life experiences! I love being around my children! (Yes, yes, I get tired, want some me time or a quiet evening) but whenever I think about the possibility of sending my kids back to school, the more I think they are better off without it! (I may be wrong or completely koo-koo in the head like my 5-year old says).
Homeschooling is learning process for both the kids and the parents. Everyday I find different ways of teaching my children and it is pretty cool! It's like learning to walk! Trust me, my homeschooling so far is more like unschooling with a touch of schooling. Our days are a bit unconventional and we rarely follow a set schedule or plan (although I keep making them all the time!!!) I worry about this soooooo much and many times think I'm doing it all wrong. My 16 year old hates literature, so I don't force him to do it. (Maybe that's wrong) On the other hand, he is interested in photography so I encourage him to take classes. He even attended a few classes at a local college, with the help of my great friends Heather and Sky. My kindergartener loves Math and Science and really dislikes Language Arts, so I try and please him doing more of the former and less of the latter. All in all, my homeschooling is traditional with a touch of disorganization! (Note to myself: get it together!!)
So, welcome to my homeschooling journey! I hope you enjoy my blog and most importantly, I hope you can walk away after reading it and say: "Hey, I can totally relate to that!".
Congratulations Cessie on your first blog post! Your love of learning together with your children shines through. After 23 years at it myself, I can still say, "I can totally relate to that!":) Just a thought about teaching children in an area where they lack interest--Aristotle said, "The aim of education is to make the pupil like and dislike what he ought." What constitutes "what he ought" could be up for discussion, but I do believe literature is on the "ought-to-like list." Reading aloud and listening to an audiobook together, or "forcing a teen to read the book before the movie" are a few tricks of the trade. It is akin to forcefeeding mouthful of brocolli to the fussy eater so that eventually he will eat it with ...well, we hope, pleasure.
ReplyDeleteThank Rebecca!Thanks for the advice on the literature part. I will definitely take it into account. I do have to find more creative ways with my teen, who sometimes needs a lot of motivation. From now on, read than internet card (as we don't have Wifi).
DeleteWell done dear Cessie, this is a great way to share your own experience for families who are thinking To follow it! All the best :)... Nella
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading my blog! and yes, that is what I'm aiming for.
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