Facebook status
I recently put this up on Facebook:
When people ask me about homeschooling and I haven’t done anything, I feel guilty. Then someone asks a question about dung beetles and my daughter knows the answer and I feel better because I know she’s learning, just in a less conventional way. Learning is a way of life and growth, not just something you go to school for.
So a couple things brought on this comment.
Yesterday my mother-in-law asked me about homeschooling and I didn’t have much to say because I haven’t been homeschooling the girls. We’ve been having fun at co-op, park days, running errands, them playing while I try to keep the house from falling apart, which isn’t going to well if you were to visit us, and doing laundry at my parent’s house on Wednesdays because my washer broke two weeks ago and we’re waiting on the parts.
So their formal homeschooling is pretty non-existent right now, and a lot has to do with how busy we are, and when I’ve mentioned it, the girls have not wanted to do it, so I don’t because I don’t want to fight over homeschooling. I figure they’re little, they know things, and when they get older so much more will be expected from them, why not let them be kids?
I know I’m busy and I know I need to be better about having our more formal sessions, but I really want school to be enjoyable for them, and at times when we were doing the formal schooling it was not enjoyable and that is one of the reasons I’m not forcing it at this time. Instead, we learn in ways that are more enjoyable for them. Watching Nova and Nature, letting them read all the books they want and reading to them, getting Eden a new set of Bob Books to conquer, going on hikes and reading the signs to them, going to museums and reading the signs to them there, and just discussing things in an informal matter while laying in bed. (Our geography discussions are usually done in my room after cuddling since the map is on our wall. )
The second part of my status came from an experience we had at Science Saturday, only it was Science Sunday, since it was a Daddy Sunday today and we went this afternoon after I was home from church.
They were learning about scarab beetles and the worker talked about scarab beetles being dung beetles and asked if anyone knew about dung beetles. Lilah raises her hand and tells what she knows about dung beetles.
“Dung beetles roll big balls of poop and then the lay their eggs in them and the eggs hatch and come out of the poop.”
It was exactly the answer the worker was looking for, since we were discussing why Ancient Egyptians somewhat worshiped the scarab beetles.
I know I worry about how others perceive me teaching my children. If they were going to public school, I could blame the school for not teaching them this or that, but I’m the teacher so the only one to blame is me and Jonathan, but mostly me.
People can easily interpret me as a lazy homeschooler.
I teach when it’s easy and don’t make the time I should and I know that and I feel a little guilty, but in the end I’m trying not to feel guilty about what I do or do not teach my children and how I do it. I am a lazy homeschooler, but I am not a lazy mother and I am not a lazy opportunity maker for my children to learn and grow on their own.
They’re smart little people. I’m told this all the time by those who are around them and how “good I’m doing”, but it’s them.
It’s all them.
February 1st, 2010 at 12:01 am
Your awesome girls were sent to you for a reason. They are perfectly suited to learn from you, as well as you from them. I know you are doing an incredible job of teaching them to be Life learners.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
The school thing is hard!
At our first parent/teacher conference, I wanted to know what more I could do to help Madeleine learn to read. Madeleine’s teacher said that she was one of the most intelligent children in the class and that she knew Maddy would learn to read by the end of the year. Of course I want to beleive that my Maddy is the best, but I know that I am bias. So I thought Maddy’s teacher was just saying this.
Then I went into volunteer.
She was right.
You would be amazed at the condition of some of these kids. They are unkept. They reek of cigaretts. Some act as though no one has ever talked to them because they cannot talk back. 50% of the class is dropped of by daycare vans.
And on top of all that, there are 30 some students to one poor teacher.
I think you are doing a better job than you think you are….honestly! You have to pull out some old work or books of Lilah’s see how much she has progressed. Lilah is already way more fortunate to have two parents in her home that love her and a mother that has been home with her since the beginning. A loving Mother helps their brains more than we can understand.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
sorry about my mini blog invasion
February 4th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
I just really think you are doing better than you think you are and you have no way to compare…
February 4th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
I know they’re fine, it’s just people often feel that learning only happens at school or in a school like environment and I don’t believe that, though I know certain learning is better in that setting, so much learning just happens as we live life and try to ask our kids questions and let them ask questions.
Most people are amazed at how well Lilah reads. I was talking with our Primary President and she said the first time she heard Lilah read her jaw just dropped because she did so so well, and that’s why they gave her the opening line for our last Primary Presentation.
That said, I also feel reading is the only thing Lilah has up on other kids her age. We don’t write a lot, her spelling isn’t very good and math, well she knows a lot but I don’t test her, so the question is, where is she compared to other first graders? I don’t know, but I do know that she’s probably a lot smarter than the lowest graded first grader in public school, and that’s all I need to worry about. Some teachers might say homeschooled children are behind when they enter public school, but really if they’re a head of the lowest graded child that’s always been in public school, than they’re doing just fine by public school standards. (Not that I want to have Lilah be at the lowest standard, I’m just saying that sometimes others judge harshly and theirs no need.)
Also I don’t want my kids to be the smartest or the brightest, I just want them to be kids who love learning and do learn and I know we’re doing pretty darn good in that area.
Thanks for your support Mary. I’m always happy to have friends that support what I do, even if they feel differently for their own family, and I try to do that for others.
We’re all just trying to do what is the best for our families after all.