This is kind of a “my great idea” and “oh, by the way” post.
I’m so bad at record-keeping with school–I mean, what’s a relaxed homeschooler to do? A homeschooling mom who views life as the classroom? How do we record that? (Do we even need to record it?)
Nevertheless, I feel the pressure. So, I started a journal/recording blog 😉 Well c’mon…if it’s public, then I’ll be pressured to actually keep up with it, right? (Unlike the, um, 6 or so different notebooks I’ve started and never get past the first few days?)
Turns out though, it may be more of just “my ideas about relaxed homeschooling”. Oh well. If the truant officers ever beat on my door, at least I can show them my philosophies 😉
But no, there’s more proof than that, which is the whole point of this post! I had this idea with my oldest’s science “curriculum”, which I just posted on the Relaxed Homeschooling blog.
She loves to write, she loves photography (and is getting quite good), and she loves nature–being outdoors, and such. She especially loves photographing nature. So, why not let her start a photo nature blog?
I told her she could post her pictures BUT, she has to research and post an educational piece about them.
She is LOVING it! Better yet, I have to proof it when she’s done–English Composition– (I don’t scrutinize every single thing, though), and by evening she’s usually sitting around (with all the little’s ears listening), saying, “Dad, did you know that a queen bee is too fat to fly because she eats so much royal jelly?”
It’s really cool. Just wanted to share that both for your information in case you want to point you children to a “science blog” for school, and for inspiration in case you might be inspired to do something similar.
7 comments
Great idea! Bria does a great job!
I actually have a home-school blog too that I’ve had since right before I started, but have kept it private so far. I have thought lately about opening up to the public, but am still insecure about it.
I have had a lot of fun with it though. My mom loves it since she lives so far away and has no clue about homeschooling.
What a great idea! my son loves nature and history and would probably really enjoy a project like this…Since he first learned to read he has been enlightening his father and I about all the wonders of the natural world–and interesting historical/Biblical tidbits. Plus he could use the typing practice 😉
Thanks for the thought!
H
Great! I love it! Esp when you think about how the little ones love to copy older children. This could be very productive. You are going to have some great photography wall art.
The truant officers don’t really come banging on your door, do they? Hope not. By the way, here in South Dakota, it is easy to do almost anything, including home-schooling.
We do relaxed homeschooling as well. The kids are learning Spanish by living here, so a few times a week we go out and share the Gospel and love on the urban poor. The kids get to see and play in extreme poverty. And their best friends live in these areas. I feel like on those days we are doing Bible, Social Studies and Spanish ALL in one. Those experiences you just can’t get in a classroom. Dont you agree?
BTW – we put on a Bible Clinic and my son shared the gospel and led 6 children to the Lord (in a foreign tongue). He is 8. I guarantee his heart would be different if we were pounding out curriculum everyday! 🙂
Our two oldest have their own “private” blogs. At the end of the year we show them to our assessor. They also can share them with family and friends through subscription through out the year. They are very encouraged when constructive advice is given.
It helps to motivate them and also to work diligently at their writing assignments. They write about any of their subjects and also plenty of free writes and rambles.
This is a wonderful idea. I showed it to my daughter and she is going to start hers this evening! I so appreciate that you are willing to share, I get my best “ideas” from others!