After taking a “school break” this summer during the end of my pregnancy and while we adjusted to a new little one, though we don’t really ever consider ourselves in or out of school, I’m eager to add more motivation to our days soon. And though we usually school year-round, I know many homeschoolers begin in August and so I’m eager to post some inspirational and practical homeschool help over the next few weeks.
Home-education is one of my passions. I wish everyone did it, just because I think it’s so incredible. If you think you would never or could never do it, it is my passion to convince you that you can 😉 If you are stressed out and really don’t like homeschooling, it is my passion to get you to try something else–a more relaxed approach. If you think homeschooling is just a classroom moved into a house, it is my passion to convince you you’re wrong. Home education is a lifestyle with no end to the possibilities.
Charlotte Mason’s teachings have been of great inspiration to me. If you haven’t read about her, consider getting the book Charlotte Mason Companion. I’ll be quoting a lot from her book as I talk homeschooling.
So today, I leave you with this:
“How do you picture education? A schoolroom crammed with bored children? A teacher idly lecturing about things that the children will soon forget? Education is thought of as an affair for teachers, something to major in in college, something that requires a large amount of brains and has very little to do with ordinary people.
Charlotte Mason had a different concept of education….
‘The idea that vivifies teaching…is that Education is a Science of Relations; by which phrase we mean that children come into the world with a natural appetite for, and affinity with, all the material of knowledge; for interest in the heroic past and in the age of myths; for a desire to know about everything that moves and lives, about strange places and strange people; for a wish to handle material and to make; a desire to run and ride and row and do whatever the law of gravitation permits. Therefore…we endeavor that he shall have relations of pleasure and intimacy established with as many as possible of the interests proper to him; not learning a slight or incomplete smattering about this or that subject, but plunging into vital knowledge, with a great field before him which in all his life he will not be able to explore. ‘ -Charlotte Mason
What is the best curriculum for a well-brought-up person? Whatever the specifics of the curriculum used in your home, be sure that your children each day have:
- Something or someone to love
- Something to do
- Something to think about”
-Karen Andreola
Think Outside the Classroom: A Practical Approach to Relaxed Homeschooling
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21 comments
As a hopeful future homescooler (we’re going to be starting preschool next year!!), I am grateful for any of these sorts of posts you might put together, Kelly! Give a rookie some advice; I’m all ears…or eyes?
Love this book!
Bethany,
Nothing encourages me more than hearing about a new homeschooling family–Kudos!
I literally picked up this book last night and read the same excerpts to my husband! I’m only through Chapter 5, but looking forward to reading the rest of the book! Thanks for posting about this!
I read this book about a year ago and loved it! It is so inspirational and reading it at the beginning of the year is very motivating. It is a perfect introduction for anyone considering CM.
For anyone who is interested, I noticed just a few days ago that Ambleside Online has translated Charlotte’s book into modern English to make it easier to read. (They also have the original version too.)
Excellent book, Kelly!
It was fun to read this book because it motivated and solidified my own views on homeschooling. I often will pick this book up and read a chapter or two just to refocus myself when I am bombarded with the “back to school” comparisons that inevitably occur this time of year. (You cannot go to a store without feeling the marketing push for the Back to School thinking.)
We do slow a bit in the summer, but we do not quit learning. We are usually doing things while we learn like gardening or chickens. One is learning HTML and another is studying for his learners permit to drive with the National Driver Training Institute Course. (Virginia allows parents to teach their children driving with an approved course.)
I try so hard to get my children to resist the school calendar idea that infiltrates our whole culture—shopping,vacations,activities and even some church events/calendars.
Learning is for a lifetime…..
Thank you for the encouragement today!
Leslie from VA,
I understand what you mean about back to school comparisons. We had a ladies class monday night and afterwards the moms were talking about which teacher their children were placed with and I just had to leave the room. I feel left out this time of year because there is no one in my community with like minded educational goals for their children. It can get a little discouraging.
Kelly, Thank you for posts like this. It is extremely encouraging to me to read posts on homeschooling and methods, especially this time of year!
I love Charlotte Mason Companion as well. We were blessed to have the Andreolas living about 20 minutes away from us when they were in Maine. Karen is every bit as lovely and gracious in person as she seems in her book.
I am not organized enough to actually implement a full scale CM education. We’ve been schooling eclectically for the past 18 years. I do however, reread Companion regularly for inspiration.
My 2nd oldest just graduated from high school this spring and is off to pre-vet school in the fall so I felt ready for a “fresh” start. Therefore, we are trying something new this year, enriching our school program with Tapestry of Grace curriculum. LOL, I say enriching, because I don’t believe I’m organized enough to actually follow it in perfect detail. I just got my copy of Year 1 Unit 1 yesterday and it looks lovely. If any one has experience using TOG, feel free to drop me a line.
And I just want to encourage any women who are worried that “life” is getting in the way of your school too much to keep plugging along. So many times, school would get shuffled to the back burner in the midst of trials and challenges and I would fret that I was failing my children.
I have 2 blessings who have graduated from our school now and looking back, their education was more than adequate. I wish I hadn’t spent so much time worrying and had spent more time just enjoying them. Were we perfect? No. I can think of many things I would like to have done better. However, being organizationally challenged, we did about as well as possible and it was good. I just couldn’t relax and let myself enjoy it. Don’t do that to yourselves ladies. Just do the best you’re able on a regular basis and your children will have a truly wonderful education.
Beth – What an encouragement! I love to hear from those who have graduates. My oldest is a junior this year and have one in Kindergarten and just about every grade in between (and some toddlers to add a little excitement to our day!). When we first started homeschooling 10 years ago I was not on the bandwagon but submitted to my man. Now I cannot imagine any other life. My first year I was all over the place – co-ops, field trips, play dates, art classes, etc… ad nauseum… By the end of the year I was burned out, exhausted and ready to ship the little jewels off to school. Then my husband gave me this amazing little piece of advice: You have to be HOME to HOMEschool!! The man is brillant!! Revolutionized our school, home, life. We just don’t do all the stuff out there. We are pretty much home. So that is my one piece of advice: Prayerfully and carefully consider every commitment that takes you away from the home. Favorite homeschool book: When You Rise Up by R.C. Sproul, Jr.
Beth,
Thank you SO much for the “hindsight” encouragement; it is so hard for us to get past the way we think school supposed to “look”, forgetting that an education unfolds much more naturally if we just let it–even in the midst of doing life when we think we’re not “doing school”! That’s my favorite thing to try to get across to people, and I keep having to remind myself as well!
Terri,
DITTO!!! Ditto on the book too–love it!
I wonder if this relaxed approach could be used in Sunday School? The children are usually bored and the curriculum is usually tedious. How can this approach be transferred into Sunday School? We always taught our children about God by reading the Bible to them and discussing things with them. Surely this can be done with Sunday School?
Kelly,
Thank you for all the encouragement I find on your blog! I’m wondering if you address any high school topics in your ebook, Think Outside the Classroom? My kids are getting older now and I need more encouragement than “how to’s”. Thanks!
I love Charlotte Mason’s approach! I am one who has benefited greatly from Kelly’s book as well.
Kelly I’m really looking forward to your ideas coming up!
Mary, I just sent you an email with some ideas for your Sunday school. 🙂
This is one of my favorite ideas sites for little ones:
http://www.daniellesplace.com/index.html
I love the Sproul book as well. Good stuff when you want a new dose of ‘why am I doing this?’.
Kelly, I just recently received a newsletter from a very well-known organizing, home school family. She really encouraged textbooks if what you are doing is not working. I like our method, which looks a lot like yours, but I find myself saying, “Can my method be detrimental?”. My question is, how do you know when what you are doing is not working? My son is entering the 8th grade so I fear those gaps. Do you address this in your book?
I didn’t sign up for homeschooling as an easy choice. I take it seriously. But, sometimes I wonder if the naysayers are right and I am not equipping them for the real world by at least giving them textbooks.
Belinda,
I do talk about this some in the book (I’ll have to go back to see how in-depth it is…)
One thing we do that gives me a little security is using a text book for Math and English. A veteran homeschooler gave me this advice: Teach them to read well (for such is the foundation for all other learning), be numerate–understanding math concepts, and be able to communicate well (much of which will come through prolific reading.)
Those things will ensure that a learning foundation is there.
Here’s the awesome thing about “gaps”…don’t be afraid. Every education has gaps, simply because there is no way for us to learn all there is to learn. I believe it makes sense for everyone to be stronger in some areas and weaker in others, that it’s not really “normal” for us all to know exactly the same things. BUT…if the foundation for learning is there, one can learn anything he needs to when the time comes for him to learn it. Does that make sense?
Julie,
When I get a minute, I’ll go back and see what is specifically addressed in the book about high school…it’s been a while and I don’t want to give you wrong info 😉
Kelly,
Yes, that makes good sense. I appreciate your encouragement. We do textbooks for Math and English, also.
I feel better:)
Beth,
This is my first year doing Tapestry of Grace too. Although, it was on my schedule last year…sigh. I determined that 4th grade was too early for that much work. So this year, I am currently spreading a week course into 3 weeks. Otherwise her little head will explode as will mine. I guess the beauty of HSing is to work it around what your family’s needs are, not what a curriculum says must be done in a week. Have fun with it…I hope I will *nervous face*
Kelly,
Thanks for the encouragment. Sometimes I feel like a loser that everything I planned for last year didn’t get done. It helps me to realize I am just a relaxed mom—;) And God is in control of her education, not me.