I’ve received more than a few private messages recently asking exactly how and why we educate at home, so I thought I’d turn my answer into a post for my Facebook friends who are curious about how we do what we do. I think it’s fair to say that within the homeschooling community, what we do is called “unschooling,” but within the unschooling community, what we do might be called “homeschooling.” In any case, I think it’s safe to say that we’re “eclectic unschoolers,” which means that what we do is very loosely structured, learner-led, and a mix of traditional and non-traditional learning approaches-- though within any progressive movement, there are always folks who concern themselves with specifics of identity, authenticity, and labeling. I am just not one of those people. We do what we do because it works for our family, and honestly, I’m not very fond of the term “unschooling” anyway, because many people unfortunately associate “schooling” with “learning,” so “unschooling” often sounds like “not learning” to folks, and I do get tired of explaining the difference. In certain circles, I just say we homeschool--and thats hard enough! We cover one subject, or group of subjects, each day. I developed this method all by myself because I like rhythm and structure, and our family functions better each day when there is a plan (chore time, regular meal times, down time), but we also enjoy having time to dig a little deeper and relax the pace, and tapping into one discipline a day allows for this kind of learning space. I’ve found that when you educate at home, it doesn’t take you long to figure out how naturally interdisciplinary learning is, so focusing the lens each day doesn’t necessarily mean we only hit one subject, but it does give each day a more unclenched, exploratory feel. Likewise, our kids have much input regarding what they learn and when. We have family meetings every few months where we all sit together and brainstorm topics we’d like to better understand or that have naturally arisen due to current events (Ebola, ISIS, etc.). However, because we have a large family, and because as an unschooling mama I function mostly as a facilitator, gathering materials and supplies, leading discussions, answering questions when I’m able, finding mentors when I’m not, etc., I really can’t do this for each and every child each and every day, so we compromise and learn it all together. This might mean that if Stella wants to learn about the constellations, but Gus isn’t currently into the night sky, I expect him to be part of the conversation anyway, which rubs the eyebrows of many purist unschooling proponents the wrong way. But, I have found that in approaching learning in this manner, my kids push each other beyond their respective comfort levels, and also that they have learned to be more open to ideas that are not their own. It is very common in our household to hear a statement along the lines of, “I was not interested in that topic at all, but now it’s my favorite, and I want to know everything about it!” I believe discovering knowledge in this way is surprising and exciting and essential. I am always on the hunt for sources that inspire us. Our favorite authors of textbookish writings include Rudolf Steiner, Charles Kovacs, E.H. Gombrich, Charlotte Mason, and Kendall Haven. We often use these authors to get started in a subject, until eventually we abandon them altogether and explore independently. Of course, I love primary sources best, but I’ve found that just as with writing poems, sometimes it’s helpful to use forms and prompts-- to superimpose constraints on the early process, in order to give yourself a space in which to take the first brave leap, and the same can hold true with approaching new learning material. So currently our week looks loosely like this: Monday (Literature/Language Arts—because Mondays suck and these subjects are my favorite): They love to read and read for pleasure every single day, but on Mondays we check-in and discuss classics (their choices: Stella’s reading Huckleberry Finn, Maddy’s reading Little Women, and Gus is reading Moby Dick). We also work on a creative writing assignment together, sometimes we study vocabulary/etymology (they all love Latin!), and Mondays are library days. Tuesday (Science): Charles Kovacs Muscles and Bones (Waldorf, Classes 7 and 8, for ages 12-14), followed by online exploration of whatever the chapter covers that we’re excited about—videos, web pages, interactive games, etc.. We also look at EarthSky to see if anything fun is happening in the sky within the coming week. Sometimes we take the Bird Call Challenge together on eNature (because it’s fun!) Wednesdays (Math): Right now, each kid has a math workbook that he or she is working through, and we devote Wednesdays to this pursuit. I sit with them and help them with any questions or struggles they’re having. We usually indulge in snack food on this day. If there are any good documentaries circulating about mathematical discoveries or the history of mathematics, we watch those with great pleasure and take a break from math practice. Thursdays (History, Social Studies, Geography): Charles Kovacs’ Parsifal and the Search for the Holy Grail (Waldorf, Class 11, for ages 16-17). Geography games. Countless documentaries about the greater world. Friday (Fine Arts and Foreign Language): French with Mama, German with Daddy—the latter is per Stella’s request and new this year. They also have music lessons with Daddy-- piano or violin (they usually have group violin with their cousins once a week, too.) We are also reading The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich, a little at a time. I am not exaggerating when I say they make beautiful art every day. Home education is not without its challenges. Most of their friends are in school, so toward the beginning of the school year, they voiced concerns about not knowing their respective grade levels—all three have summer/late birthdays, so they fall between grades even in terms of age. They are asked that question every time we go out—“What grade are you in?” Sometimes when strangers learn they are homeschooled, my kids are even quizzed about geography, history, or literature, or even asked, “Aren’t you terribly lonely?” or, “Do you have any friends at all?” which really pisses me off, but that’s another post for another time. Regardless, this question about grade levels has actually been a good thing, because we started talking about where these ideas come from, and about parts of their education that are not compare-able, that aren’t possible within a school setting, such as hours each day to pursue their own hobbies and interests, freedom to stay up/sleep in, weeks-long travel to see family and friends in other states during the school year, cultural events that happen during the day, etc.. Of course, these harsh and close-minded questions from folks, well-meaning and mean-spirited alike, only reinforce my decision to home educate. Learning is a natural part of life for our family, not an optional and isolated activity that occurs only under certain circumstances and during certain hours of the day. It is also not a measuring stick, or a means to a glorified end, or an unpleasant activity that you finish quickly so you can move on and have more fun doing something else. What bizarre and tragic ways to think about learning! While I of course have many criticisms of compulsory education as it currently exists, I’m not someone who would ever tell all parents that they should educate at home, because first of all it’s none of my business, and secondly I think the entire point of home education is freedom-- “shoulds “ have nothing to do with freedom, or with home education. But, if you’re thinking about bringing your kids home for their education, it will be helpful if you are a naturally curious person, if you enjoy talking to your kids, and if you are not a control freak. It would also behoove you to be comfortable with a messy house sometimes, because they aren’t going to be gone for eight hours each day, they are going to be home creating stuff—and messes! And, it will be especially helpful if you let go of certain ways you may have been encouraged to think about learning in terms of rigor and competition. There are countless books available that cover the process of “deschooling” oneself, though none I specifically recommend. Educating your children at home tends to reveal all your own struggles and flaws and hang-ups, so be ready for a hefty dose of humility and soul-searching! I have loved every single minute of it. I can’t imagine our lives any other way.
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 15:52:52 +0000
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