I've been thinking about teaching Eaden to read and spell/write a lot lately. With that, I thought why not start Kindergarten when she turns 5. Then start 1st when she turns 6, etc. It makes more sense to me anyway. Then you're starting at the same age with every kid and it's easier to go back to what I did before and compare and repeat with the next kid, knowing it is age appropriate. Obviously each kid is different, but you know what I'm saying. It also makes sense for homeschooling where learning is just a way of life. We don't take a summer break for example. It's a year round affair. It wouldn't make sense to take summer breaks here anyway as that's the absolute worse time to be outside (unless you're swimming). We just take a little break whenever we feel like it. No need for one that lasts 3 months at one time.
In the past, I have been pretty adamant about not starting too early. If something is a struggle (whether it be numbers, reading, potty training, etc.) then it is too early. I've never been worried about the kids getting enough playtime. As long as they are not in a public school, in my mind, they will get plenty of play.
Here are some great articles suggesting preschool activities and opinions on starting "school" too early.
http://www.besthomeschooling.org/articles/lillian_jones_ps_kdgtn.html
http://www.besthomeschooling.org/gateway/inted16.html
We will continue to do activities such as those mentioned in the first link, but I kind of just consider that life. In addition to life, we will have some more formal schooling type activities as well. Eaden is clearly ready to start reading and writing and so formal instruction, I believe, is needed. I do not see anything wrong with formal school type work. The only problem in today's world is forced boredom and balance. Kids are forced to sit and do something they could care less about and they are forced to learn in ways that are simply not interesting. In addition, the balance should be WAY in favor of play and "natural" learning at this young of an age, and in public schools, it is not. And that, my friends, is the beauty of homeschool!
There is one thing I just want to add here, because it's interesting and kind of funny. I know most young kids like school, but I just love my kids' attitude toward it and I hope it stays this way for a long while. Eaden and Naia will come up and ask me if we can "play school." I say of course, and we then go into our "homeschool" where we learn some useful thing or another with me as teacher. I think this is awesome. The idea of school as play.
In the past, I have been pretty adamant about not starting too early. If something is a struggle (whether it be numbers, reading, potty training, etc.) then it is too early. I've never been worried about the kids getting enough playtime. As long as they are not in a public school, in my mind, they will get plenty of play.
Here are some great articles suggesting preschool activities and opinions on starting "school" too early.
http://www.besthomeschooling.org/articles/lillian_jones_ps_kdgtn.html
http://www.besthomeschooling.org/gateway/inted16.html
We will continue to do activities such as those mentioned in the first link, but I kind of just consider that life. In addition to life, we will have some more formal schooling type activities as well. Eaden is clearly ready to start reading and writing and so formal instruction, I believe, is needed. I do not see anything wrong with formal school type work. The only problem in today's world is forced boredom and balance. Kids are forced to sit and do something they could care less about and they are forced to learn in ways that are simply not interesting. In addition, the balance should be WAY in favor of play and "natural" learning at this young of an age, and in public schools, it is not. And that, my friends, is the beauty of homeschool!
There is one thing I just want to add here, because it's interesting and kind of funny. I know most young kids like school, but I just love my kids' attitude toward it and I hope it stays this way for a long while. Eaden and Naia will come up and ask me if we can "play school." I say of course, and we then go into our "homeschool" where we learn some useful thing or another with me as teacher. I think this is awesome. The idea of school as play.
I guess what I'm thinking for Kindergarten is this: Me keeping track of what we do, taking notes, etc. I might make loose plans for the week the weekend before. Maybe we will have a few large goals for the year. There will not be any big coherent plan or curriculum, but there will be time set aside for just Eaden and I. Time for me to read to just her, work on spelling, writing, and reading with just her. Time for us to do whatever it is she wants but where I focus on her....and document what it is we are learning and how it is going. That's it.
And for the random pictures to go along with this post...here's the blanket my Mom just finished for Taven!
That blanket is absolutely beautiful. We have chosen not to do any formal teaching at all and now at 7,5 + 3, my children all to be at the same stage recognizing words,letters and numbers, which is interesting (to me anyway!)I don't think children in a literate, interesting home can fail to learn the basics, so as long as you are all having fun and enjoying yourselves, whatever works for your family is obviously the right choice for you :). From your blog I get the feeeling your children are so loved and ha ving such a ball,they are bound to enjoy learning x
ReplyDeleteif a kid likes something a kid likes something and if they don't they don't. If what they like doesn't go along with our ideals I say to heck with our ideals. For example, if a kid doesn't want to play with some wooden gnome and tree then they aren't going to get much out of it. They aren't going to use their imagination and create some grand story with the things because they are boring to them. If they use their imagination more with some plastic doll from the thrift store, then that works. If a kid likes worksheets, then they can benefit from them. If they don't, then they will not. If a schooling philosophy doesn't agree with worksheets then that philosophy is authority. It will not work for all kids. Just an example. Every kid is different and every parent knows their kids. Radical unschooling may work wonders for one kid while that kids sibling wants to sit down and have you teach. That's how I feel about it anyway.
ReplyDeleteAmen. I was trying to not do "worksheets" and recently we have been struggling with her not having fun, so we stopped, because it should be enjoyable. Well she came to me and said, mom, I would like it if we could just please do workbooks for math, and so we are, and she is happy. Not what I planned, but it's what she wants and well that is what child led learning is :)
DeleteBeautiful Blanket! And yes, that is the beauty of homeschooling. I love that Ansley has the chance to play, be free, be a kid, but also learn at her pace. We started "schooling" early at Ansley's insistence but it was after she taught herself to read, but there is no hurry and we take breaks when we need to, want to, or just have a rare beautiful day to run outside. I like the starting at the age instead of beginning of school year. We don't get hung up on when the school year starts or ends or what grade we are doing. I just want my child to be happy, and she left the diary she got for her 5th birthday last week open and today she wrote "Today I made a model plant cell. It was fun. I am so happy" And isn't that what we want for our kids...for them to be happy!
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right Megan, if my children wanted to use worksheets, go to classes etc, I would be happy for them to do whatever they wanted to. Your blog is really inspiring, thank you x
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to add, that my first reply was supposed to be agreeing with you, hope it didn't come across as critical. We don't call ourselves radical unschoolers, I get so tangled up in all the labels and definitions. We just do what works for us x x
ReplyDeleteno it didn't come across that way! One thing that sucks about blogs is when someone shares their opinion or what they are doing it comes across as judgmental or critical when that's not what they're trying to do. I've learned that and gotten over it. Oh and all the labels drive me crazy. Maybe live and learn should be our label. And I have a feeling that those who call themselves unschoolers all look very different from one another (in other words the label doesn't mean much). Or maybe it just means they live and learn. Who knows! I do think its nice to share what we are doing for inspiration and ideas should that path, activity, theme, whatever fit for another family. If we could all just stop using the labels since I have no idea what any of them mean, lol.
DeleteThanks for the thoughtful post. We are not sure of our plans for Finn's schooling yet, so this has been helpful. And what a great blanket!!
ReplyDeleteHey Megan, I am enjoying reading your blog.
DeleteOur homeschool life is very similar to yours by the sounds of things. Rowan loves worksheets and will happily ask for them and sit and quietly do them and I feel this is fine, and he also loves to do a project on one subject. I did battle in my own head for a while as wether this formal learning was good for him, but he loves it, so I figure it must be!
But the bit I love best about homeschooling, is like the other day it was so beautiful and sunny and we sat down to do some of his current project and I looked outside and said, hey do you fancy just going and chilling outside and he said yeah, and we did! No project done, but lots of fun in the garden instead!
Yes the idea of school as play is wonderful and I want it to stay that way for all kids through adulthood. It's weird that folks try to suck all of the fun out of learning (and almost anything for that matter). You are a great mom!
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