How will I homeschool?

Well my last post was on the 'why'... Now comes the 'how'. I have spent the best part of this year trying out different approaches to homeschooling, exploring various curriculums, researching forums etc in order to answer the question of how I intend to school. We are only really home 2 days each week as we are out and about with playgroup, homeschool group, mainly music, breastfeeding group meetings, sign language classes... The list goes on!! So we schedule 'school' for those two days - I figure all the other stuff encompasses learning each day anyhow!
One day stands out for me especially as a wonderful example of how I want my children to experience homeschooling - the photo shows a patch of grass that sort of looked like Australia. I outlined it with baby powder and added the states. Cameron ran inside to get his atlas and studied it for ages! The next few hours the children played with this 'map'- jumping from state to state, naming them and their capitals. Then Cameron learnt the names of the oceans and seas around Australia, worked out which direction other countries were, discussed landmarks and where they are found.... All this was self directed! They had so much fun, and learned so much! So did I by observing them!
I try and remember this day when we battle over completing workpages, writing letters etc! The 'teacher' in me does not want to deviate too far from the '3 Rs' but I also wish I could 'Let go' and follow more of an unschooling approach. However I also know that my children respond really well to structure and routine, and knowing what we are doing each day. I can't 'plan' days and experiences like the day we discovered that patch of grass, but I can embrace them when they come along. So a compromise was needed... I was searching for something that would provide my kids with the opportunity to explore their world and learn through play and self directed experiences, but I also wanted to be assured they were covering things I feel are important too. I also felt that I need to be more actively teaching or facilitating their learning, using the resources we have, and exploring other resources too. The compromise I came up with is a version of 'workboxes' that is working really well at the moment. I'll post more on what it looks like for us later, but it means that the kids are excited about what's in their box, they have input into what goes in there, I can more readily document and clearly see that all key learning areas are being covered... And if something else takes our fancy we can put the lid on it and put it aside for another day while we follow other interests!

How do you 'do school'?

Why am I Homeschooling?

Well... here it is, my very first Blog Post! Now, the big question.... what to write about? Which element of my life will be of interest to others? What deserves precedence over other bits of my life? Hmmmm.... well I guess as my son is of school age he is constantly being asked "what school do you go to?" I will begin my blogging journey by discussing why I have decided to homeschool my children, and not merely follow the status quo and send him off to public or private school.


I had always had in the back of my mind to homeschool for a year or so while travelling... then I met some other homeschool families and read some books and did some research... and stumbled across some forums and now believe that this is right for my family! There is often an expectation for stay-at-home-mums to return to work when the kids 'go to school' - but in my mind - even if they did go to school, I would be the mum in the classroom helping out, or in the tuck shop, or on committees etc - I want to be involved with my kids and their education! I am a qualified teacher myself, and I just couldn't get my head around sending my kids to someone else who didn't love them, while I go off to spend all day with children who I don't love! I am so passionate about learning processes and I love seeing each and every discovery my children make every day.... why pass that priviledge to someone else when they turn 5??? Besides.... from having an 'inside' perspective - I know how much time is wasted in schools 'doing school' - and some of the recent experiences I have had whilst doing the odd day of casual relief teaching or short term contracts has really reinforced my views that I do not want to have my children in that environment. I know I can do better for my children than what is on offer in the 'system' - educationally, emotionally and socially. 

What are your reasons for homeschooling??