Friday, May 1, 2009

Pondering Another Change in Direction

I know for a fact that many homeschoolers count the wide offering of resources on the Internet and curriculum at curriculum fairs a blessing. But for me, it's all becoming a huge headache.

I think from the outset I've been trying too hard. Trying to fit so much in. Get everything "done". And all at the same time.

I've done everything from planning a whole year ahead to months at a time to weeks at a time to finally counting myself satisfied if even a day at a time works.

But lately, several realizations have hit me hard. That for my son, no one learning approach, and especially of a highly structured sort, is going to work and that I've been trying to impose instruction exactly where I shouldn't.

Our across-the-Bay house hunting treks haven't helped any either. And the kiddo is being carschooled more and more, funschooled less and less and sort of unschooled somewhere in-between. Sorely neglected at times too. Exactly what I did NOT want to achieve.

I'm thinking of loosely planning on only two subjects being brought to the table each morning and letting everything else just fall into place as they come. The two being an activity-based Math lesson using a resource of his own choosing, and then DVD-based Latin since he seems to have a liking for the language, with workbook on the side if it is needed.

I'm also contemplating ending our Year 1 here and now. We haven't completed all our Ancient Egypt resources as I'd hoped we would (that was my plan to indicate a Year 1 Finale) but then again, he has spent more than half the year on the topic, still loves it and will probably want to pick up more books on it even if we move on so no harm done.

Goes to show how much our homeschooling keeps evolving over time.

5 comments:

  1. It's all part of the journey, isn't it? I've just decided on some changes, too. I don't know how schools do it, really, plugging along doing the same thing day in and day out, year after year, with ALL the children! What a boring experience for these children (and the teachers). I love the freedom to make changes, either because there is a need, or simply because we fancy it. :)

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  2. I agree with the internet comment - the more I read other people's blogs, the more I think "oh we should do that" or "ooh that looks interesting!" (I blame you for a lot of that lol!)

    It's hard to stick with what you want to do but just as valuable to re-evaluate if things aren't working. My "grand plan" is already coming unravelled but I have to keep reminding myself that it's a *guide*, not set in stone!

    For me, our ultimate aims for 2009 are to finish MEP Yr1 and to work on making Billy's handwriting legible. My method keeps changing on how I'm achieving those aims though! We read so much that I'm not excessively worried about English, and while I'm not prepared to unschool Science & History completely, a lot can be picked up through life. We've started watching our Australian public TV school programs of a morning and that's sending his learning off in lots of different directions, but I'm trying to roll with it. (I learnt a lot about the Aztecs this week!)

    Anyway what I'm trying to say (I think!) - you're not alone!

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  3. May you find the perfect fit for you and your son.

    ~Luke

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  4. My daughter was like your son with regards to Ancient Egypt. Eventually we moved on but every time we are at a library (ie once or twice a week!) and she sees a book on the subject she hasn't read she is keen to check it out. Informally I'mnot sure she will even finish Ancient Egypt but formally it is over for now. Good luck finding what works best for you and your son homeschooling wise.

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  5. My very humble and grateful thanks for all your encouraging words.

    Michelle, I like your positive outlook on this. I do forget sometimes that as homeschoolers making a change is an *advantage* LOL.

    Kerrie, thank you as always and I must say 'right back at ya' cos your weekly reports are so *wholesome* for want of a better word!

    Luke, it's great hearing from you again :) Thank you for your kind words and hope you and your family are in great health.

    Sandra, your words are ALWAYS comforting to hear. There's just something about Egypt (and I'm guessing with DS it'll be Greece and Rome and the Middle Ages or something or other at a diff stage).

    My thanks again to all of you. I have so much figuring out to do now but I know we'll settle into a pattern again...probably it'll just take a while to get used to. Let's see what life brings... :)

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