Homeschool curriculum

[Guest Guest]

:Green

Don't get me wrong - I have moments of terror when I think "am I doing this wrong?" "should I go back to the other program?" - but ultimately, I must trust that we have heard from the Lord when it comes to what He would have us to do.

As a teenager, I was more apt to skip a class and go to the LIBRARY to read! Can you imagine? When I was caught, my teachers had mercy on me because it wasn't as though I was skipping to go to the mall or drinking beer behind the gym. LOL.

As I made mention in another thread (in response to someone who asked for a reply to those who would say a high school dropout is unqualified to teach his or her own chidren) I was taking college-level courses (for credit) and all advanced placement/honors courses. DESPITE this, I simply was not challenged! This is not to say that I'm brilliant - hardly - but I did not think I should be required to attend four days of "participation" and class discussion (not to mention doing all the busy work) when I could show up on Friday and ace the tests.

Not only that, but my daily schedule consisted of maybe three or four "core" classes that were required to graduate. Everything else was "filler" to keep me at school for the rest of the day. Now, if I had FAILED my senior year and then RETURNED the next year to retake the classes, I could have enjoyed a half-day. Instead, I was - basically - penalized for being ahead of the game and made to take classes in which I studied the intricacies of making Velveeta-Rotel Cheese Dip. Fascinating. Oh, and I learned to balance a checkbook in consumer math... and took a typing class from a looney lady who sat (in a skirt) on the top of the desk "indian style." Sigh. The library was my escape.

My daughter has the same proficiencies and propensities as I did (and do) and the way we learn is the way I *wish* I would have been taught. Basically, I set the framework and give her access to the tools and she does the learning.

Now, my son - who is more of a "do-er" - may require a different method altogether. That's fine! Ironically, I thought I had him "pegged" as a specific "type" of learner, but recently he has shot my hypothesis out the window! He sat - entranced - as I read a rather lengthy chapter book - with few illustrations (in black and white, at that) over the course of two days. Then he narrated to his father - very well and in great detail - what we had just read! It blew me away!

I have to say - as an aside - that this is the most constructive and active home school forum in which I have ever participated. With maybe one exception, I have seen nothing but friendly, supportive posts that seem to help more than say "this is the way."



Jen

[John81]

I have to say - as an aside - that this is the most constructive and active home school forum in which I have ever participated. With maybe one exception, I have seen nothing but friendly, supportive posts that seem to help more than say "this is the way."



Jen

This is the way it should be!

I've really enjoyed the exchanges here.

Our sons are so different it's sometimes hard to believe they are related!

Our oldest son does well with the more structured approach and he loves to read.

Our youngest son hates to sit with a book for very long, doesn't care for bookwork if it lasts very long at all, but absolutely loves hands-on things, loves learning when he doesn't realize it, totally loves "life skills" (I've never seen a child who loves to do house work and yard work like this one...and he loves to help Mom or Dad 90% of the time...whether we want him to or not! ).

It's great there are so many options open to homeschoolers these days.

I also love to read Homeschool Enrichment and The Old Schoolhouse homeschooling magazines. They are Christ-centered, have great articles on various topics pertaining to homeschool and the Christian family, and they have lots of great ads and reviews of products.