Be Ye Separate

Homeskilling thoughts and encouragment:)

Blessings!

   It's late and I can't sleep so I thought I would take a little time to encourage the home educators:)

   I know how it is to start out with the idea of emulating the only thing you know when it comes to "education". Recreate the classroom!:P I know, because that's exactly what I did:) It's not unusual and it's not abnormal. Most everyone does it at first. Until you find your own relaxed "groove" in the home education endeavor, it's sometimes easier to try what you already know. Having said that, lets push the books away from the table, get up and take  stretch, grab a coat (if it's cool) and go outside:)

   Children of ALL ages enjoy bug hunts, leaf hunts, digging in the dirt and making mud pies:) How about making a mud village? Our children took time to make themselves an adobe village. Of course, it was simple mud but it sure was fun:P In fact, our mud village was built in the winter. We took one of those pop up shades that you get from Bi-Mart (or some other such sporting goods/hardware type place) and especially this time of year when all that summer stuff is on clearance:P, and place that on it's lowest leg setting. It required us to stoop down and crawl under it. This also helped to protect our village from the rain and wind etc. It was also a great thing to leave out in the yard so that it would keep a certain patch of ground covered enough to keep it dry so we could have picnics all year round:)

   Just last year we put our little pop up out there and brought out the campstove and set it on the ground. We brought out everything we would need for a picnic of hot soup, grilled cheese sandwiches and hot cocoa:) It was such fun and we stayed dry:)

   There are so many wonderful things to discover that are just as educating as sitting behind a book in a stuffy room and insisting on silence only fun!:) I also understand the desire to make sure our children "keep up". That's the hardest one to break free from for sure:P There is this imaginary standard that a lot of home educators try to hold themselves to. I don't know about your state but here in Oregon, children are state tested in 3rd, 5th, 8th and 10th grades. It's a simple placement type test. Something that nearly all home educators fret over. However, the only requirement is that home educated children must pass in the 15th percentile! That's an outrage! Sadly, it's even lower for government educated children to be passed to the next grade. They don't tell folks that, they just say it's required testing and leave it at that.

   Having said that, keep all this in mind when you try to decide what you want to teach your children. Is it really all that important to worry about what the government systems are teaching children? The very institution that you pulled your children from is insisting on corrupting our youth all in the name of tolerant progress:s

   Children do NOT have to learn to read by the age of 7. They don't HAVE to learn their ABC's or numbers by the age of 5. It's really alright for them to take their time and learn as they go. Not every child is ready to read at the prescribed age. Sometimes pushing a child into it can cause more frustration for them and for you than is really necessary. And believe me, they won't learn any faster in the government system. They will simply be frustrated there and bring that frustration home! But I digress:)

   I discovered that each of our children had their own learning time for simple things like counting and letters. In fact, I sort of encouraged it in a sidestepping way to make it fun and interesting. Not a chore. The children and I found fun ways to make numbers and letters come alive:) They learned to read, write and comprehend and more importantly to enjoy it!

   That's not to say that children should "call the shots". There were plenty of times when it was necessary to sit and concentrate and be still. They were still expected to take some tests and quizes and to show their ability to stay focused. They were not invited to just get up and come and go as they pleased. When skilling was happening, they were all expected to participate. It just didn't have to be boring:)

   All, in all, have a wonderfully fun time with them. If you aren't having fun then it makes it a chore. If it's a chore then no one wants to do it and those moments of frustration will get the better of all of you. Those are the moments when we question our choice and our abilities to educate our own children and sometimes resort to threats of returning them to the goverment institution. Those are the times it's most important to go make mud pies:) Believe me, you'll be glad you did:)

God be with thee!

Sister Lori

Untitled Comment

{ 13:48, Friday, October 5, 2007 } { Posted by CandyFoote }

Great tips!
My kids love nature!
Our relatives don't appreciate it when they come running up to them with the great bugs that they find!

Candy