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LML22
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| Posted: Dec 27 2007 at 4:41pm | IP Logged
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How do you do this? Gain the confidence that your children will have a well-rounded education? I am afraid if I leave the security of my Catholic hs program, I will not be giving them enough of a Catholic education, that I might miss something important, that it will foster the idea that all learning will be fun, etc. BUT I don't like the school at home method. It is suffocating me and my children. It does help in making the children independent in their school work and I am afraid they won't be as independent if we do a more relaxed hs. Help, anyone.
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Red Cardigan
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I'm not sure if I'm the best person to address this, but perhaps you could ease your way into it? My family uses an eclectic textbook method--I still use Catholic texts, but I get to decide lesson plans, assignments, tests etc. To me it's a "best of both worlds" method--I get the freedom to decide what we're going to emphasize and when, but I have the textbooks "backing me up" so to speak and helping me stay on track and stay focused. Even if you eventually want to go full 'RealLearning' this might be a transitional step for you. Just a thought...
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Leonie
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One thing that has helped me was getting to know Catholic families - know really well, warts and all, in friendship. Made me see that there were holes in education, even with a full service curriculum and that also, all kids learn all the time. That there could be a mix between the two. I found all this to be reassuring, somehow. 
For January, my kids' "have tos" are their Mary Notebook for all, Maths and English and Latin for one, Maths and Latin for others. They can do these independently - and the rest is just life and living and books and movies.
Don't know if this helps, however. 
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Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
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Leonie
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| Posted: Dec 31 2007 at 6:44pm | IP Logged
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By the way, forgot to mention - have you read any of the articles at the Latin Centred Curriculum site? I guess you could say we use the basic idea wth a CM, unschooling mindset. Keeps it simple, Catholic, less conveyor belt, for us...
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Leonie in Sydney
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Willa
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I'd probably say somewhat the same as Leonie.
First, motivated learning works better. If you look back on what really stayed in your mind from your young years, it was probably from situations where you were really interested, or the teacher was inspiring, or the situation was a comfortable one -- like family, for some people, and friends, for other people.
Secondly, if you spend some time on a few key subjects -- like math and literature and language -- it goes a long way. Scientists say that a solid math background plus lots of free exploration is the best prerequisite for higher science study; and knowing how to understand and express thoughts in written and verbal language, plus enjoyment of good literature, is probably the best prerequisite for further literature studies.
With those two things, you have the equipment for almost any "trade". Life skills and religious devotion are normally taught in the family, anyway; they aren't really "school" subjects.
Anyway, those are the things I keep coming back to -- a few key subjects and lots of exploration. It still isn't always "fun" at least in my family. Fun isn't exactly what I want from education for my kids either, but lively and meaningful is something else.
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Willa
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Willa
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Also, it helps me to realize that until recently, formal schooling didn't fill up 180 days, 6 hours per day. It seems that when it started taking up MORE time, the effectiveness went down. I'm sure it's not that simple, but I do see that we can have various "life breaks" and relaxed times in our homeschooling and the kids don't fall behind compared to their peers who are in the schools for 30 hours or more per week.
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AMDG
Willa
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BrendaPeter
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It sounds like you are on the right track in that you recognize the "problem", which is always the 1st step.
Hopefully I can be of some help to you. I should start by saying that it's taken me 9 whole years to entirely step off the conveyor belt  . Your post really struck a chord with me though as the final phase of the process has happened in the past month or so. So I guess what I'm saying is it probably won't happen over night  . My 2 main suggestions are to continue to read and pray. I found the book "The Latin-Centered Curriculum" along with the Yahoo Group and boards very helpful(as Leonie mentioned). The clincher book for me though was "A Thomas Jefferson Education". I've read about it on several old threads here but I never expected it to make such a huge impact on our "school". "Inspire not Require" really hit home with me. Also understanding that the conveyor belt exists in the schools but also can in the home was very helpful. As they say "timing is everything" and I believe that was part of it. My dh & I finished praying a novena to St. John Bosco just before I read the book.
This board has also been a tremendous source of inspiration & support. I literally used to feel such guilt over why I couldn't just be satisfied with "school in a box" like some of my friends. Since the beginning of our homeschooling experience, I've had an incredible desire to understand how people learn while at the same time I've been tremendously insecure about letting go of the "box". I was #3 in my high school graduating class, but "fell on my face" academically in college as I was never taught "how to think" so I personally know that the conveyor belt does not work. So thank you to moms like Leonie, Willa, Macbeth, Lissa, Elizabeth and many other moms here who have been my own personal mentors in more ways than you know! Their willingness to question and ponder have inspired me to finally have the confidence to give freedom a chance.
I don't mean to sound so dramatic, but for me, it's really the end of a long search, but also the beginning of so many possibilities! I once heard Alex Jones say to people searching for a religion "You keep searching because the truth can take it". I feel the same way about understanding how people are educated and applying it in my home. So many "truths" are revealed in the search and the truths are so broad that they flow into our parenting roles as well.
So, even if you don't make any huge changes now, that's ok. Keep searching and praying as it will come.
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Blessings,
Brenda (mom to 6)
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Leonie
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Willa wrote:
Secondly, if you spend some time on a few key subjects -- like math and literature and language -- it goes a long way. Scientists say that a solid math background plus lots of free exploration is the best prerequisite for higher science study; and knowing how to understand and express thoughts in written and verbal language, plus enjoyment of good literature, is probably the best prerequisite for further literature studies.
With those two things, you have the equipment for almost any "trade". Life skills and religious devotion are normally taught in the family, anyway; they aren't really "school" subjects.
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Very interestng, Willa.
Concentrating on a few key subjects, doing less well, seems to work for us, too.
Brenda, I will really have to read TJE - people keep talking to me about it! 
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Leonie in Sydney
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BrendaPeter
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Leonie wrote:
Willa wrote:
Secondly, if you spend some time on a few key subjects -- like math and literature and language -- it goes a long way. Scientists say that a solid math background plus lots of free exploration is the best prerequisite for higher science study; and knowing how to understand and express thoughts in written and verbal language, plus enjoyment of good literature, is probably the best prerequisite for further literature studies.
With those two things, you have the equipment for almost any "trade". Life skills and religious devotion are normally taught in the family, anyway; they aren't really "school" subjects.
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Very interestng, Willa.
Concentrating on a few key subjects, doing less well, seems to work for us, too.
Brenda, I will really have to read TJE - people keep talking to me about it! |
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I just had to quote the whole thing because I found what Willa wrote to be interesting as well. I get overwhelmed pretty easily and can only concentrate on a few things also. That really seems to go against the grain of our current society and it's a constant struggle to pull back and say "no" to alot of littles. These days I'm into doing the "big rocks" - math, latin, writing & reading.
Wow, Leonie, I just assumed you had read it! Reading it has really made me want to read John Taylor Gatto who REALLY makes sense to me now. A little backwards, I know . Although I've read plenty of homeschooling books, the TJed book appealed to me because it's very much philosophy-oriented vs. curriculum-oriented. Also, it gave me the confidence to accept that my children will turn out "ok" academically, which is a biggie for me.. Another thing I like is that the DeMilles really advocate "structuring time not content" which gives us alot of freedom. Finally the book helped me realize that discipline is discipline and not academics. My constant mantra has been "well, you can't like everything you do and if you don't like spelling, phonics, etc. that's just life" yet I wanted my dc to enjoy learning. Obviously, that presents a conflict. Now I understand that discipline comes from structure that is a part of life and from living in a large family and keeping a house running and so many other things.
I'm realizing I should mention another of my favorite books that goes along with the whole idea that a child must be motivated to learn which is "Hard Times in Paradise"
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Blessings,
Brenda (mom to 6)
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ALmom
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Can you stand back and assess strengths and weaknesses? Do your children have certain passions.
I'm not sure if I'm the best person to be giving any input here - as I still am attached to curriculum. However, I have learned to taylor what is required to the particular child and make whatever curriculum work for me rather than being slave to it.
My decisions about what is done textbook vs free choice has a lot to do with observing the children. If we have total neglect of an area of learning, then the textbook serves a need of at least becoming familiar with basic concepts and vocabulary. If an area is a strength or interest, then it is easier to totally let the textbook go in that area, knowing the child will learn tons more without it. In my house my 10 year old is science text free, but my older girls both use science texts (without these we did years and years of no science at all hardly and we just had to do something). This same 10 yo will work with a history text as a spine and some grammar workbooks (that are short and not terribly time consuming). My older girls were freer in the lit/history/writing area.
Janet
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: stepping off the conveyor belt
