We have been following a traditional school model in our homeschool for the last 7 years.
We have diligently been doing our workbooks and text book work…grammar, math, history, science, etc.
But I have come to the realization that I cannot make them learn. They, especially my son, sit through hours of my droning on and on about various subjects. My daughter retains much more than my son. When we get to the “Questions” section, she usually has the answers ready. Actually, she comes up with answers better than I, and I was the one reading out-loud!
But I am not sure what her retention is. I know my son’s retention is dependent on his level of interest.
All of this “schooling” takes time. And what is the end result? They may do well on some test in the future, but does this really prepare them for life on their own? Is there a better use of their time?
They are asking the same questions I asked when I went to school…”Why do I need to know this?”
At first it seems like a very defiant type question, especially when there is whining involved. But there is a validity to the question. Why do we need to know the capital of Montana when we know how to find it on a map? When is the last time you needed to find a direct object? When are we going to need to know how to find the area under a curve?
There are certain skills and bits of knowledge that I want them to have. But they don’t follow the typical scope and sequence.
This is all percolating right now. But I think our “school” will look different next year.
After homeschooling for a few years, I realized that there were two types of curriculum available to homeschoolers–curriculum written for private schools or curriculum that was specifically written for homeschoolers, often by homeschoolers.
Overall, the curriculum written for homeschoolers has worked the best for us.
I’m sure you’ll find what works best for your family.
Comment by Lori C. — February 19, 2008 @ 8:52 pm