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MrsKey
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| Posted: Jan 23 2007 at 11:39am | IP Logged
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I'm reading Real Learning and I am fascinated. As are my husband and daughter. We're also getting excited.
The problem is that I see myself going way overboard. I see us all getting so focused on things of interest that we don't cover a wide enough variety of subjects.
A superficial "education" in too diverse of a collection of topics isn't good. But an in depth education in too narrow a field is unlikely to be good either.
How do I reign in my enthusiasm to be certain that we don't get too crazy? I can also see myself spending way too much money on "great books" and "fabulous resources". It was the one area in which a formatted and boxed curriculum was helpful to me. Keeping me from over-indulging in my one major vice - books.
My daughter has decided that she wants to do a twist on the book of centuries concept by including in each "chapter" historical figures, historical events, historical locations, literature/authors, music/composers, art/artists and scientific achievements/scientists all in the book in their proper place. Her idea is to use coloured paper to differentiate the categories and then put the information (drawing, narration, photo, etc) on that the colour for the category in which it belongs. Then put it in the book(s) in their proper place.
She wants to be able to see things "in context".
Sounds great to me. But then I start thinking from a "school" perspective and worrying about working from beginning to end. And worrying about gaps. And worrying about what happens if we have "too much" in one time period and "not enough" in another.
Maybe I should just step back and let her do her book(s) her way. Limiting my participation to guiding her a bit toward things that I think she might be interested in and buying toner cartridges for the printer.
Quick. Someone talk me down from the ledge. :D
I'm almost as overwhelmed with self-doubt as I was the day we decided to homeschool.
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Carole
Wife to Tom since '94 and mom to Bree since '96
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1floridamom
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| Posted: Jan 23 2007 at 12:01pm | IP Logged
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I love her idea! If it is hers, she will more likely "own" it. The learning will be happening. You might even want to Google "notebooking," and see what comes up that might interest her as part of her book. The colored paper for each category is fantastic. What is so great about having it in a binder (as opposed to a spiral notebook) is that she can add the pages as she learns the material/completes the page. We don't have to learn it all from the beginning to the end.  This a perfect place to hand some of the responsibility over to her.
Happy learning!
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Monica in FL
dh Steve, Sean (14), Ethan (13), Emily (10), Kylie (6), Ashley (5) and Lindsay (2)!
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marihalojen
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| Posted: Jan 23 2007 at 1:00pm | IP Logged
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I think it sounds great! And don't forget to look at the overall picture. My dd Timeline/Book of Centuries was sooo empty in the B.C. section for a few years, that it was a nice reminder to me to continue our 4 year cycle and fill it in a bit this year. How old is your daughter?
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The Mari Hal-O-Jen
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ALmom
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| Posted: Jan 23 2007 at 1:13pm | IP Logged
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I love her idea, too. I'm the one who tends to be more textbookish at times and here is my newest take for whatever it is worth - but take it with a huge grain of salt as I seem to change something major every year or two  .
I started out unschoolish - just following interests and seeing where it took us. Some wonderful learning took place - but I became uncomfortable with some of the things you express - the interest became very narrow and we were totally neglecting certain areas. At the same time my dd started to flounder - looking for more structure and my 2nd dd had real need of my time to address vision issues (exhausting therapy that took the better part of the day). Textbookishness became a blessing to allow for a quick putting in perspective and overall picture of the things we had studied in depth but out of context and the things we had totally neglected because neither of us had any real pull or idea how to grapple with them. Some of this became too restrictive - and we tweaked it together to make it suit our needs and to help us through some demanding years and make sure we were doing something (something is better than nothing at all).
Now, we are back at a point and realize that with child #2 - a certain structure is helpful, but freedom to peruse and research is more important. She is in high school so I'm not going to do a lot of major jerking. We are using some textbooks in a very loose manner until we can get a handle on a better way. Ie I think we may be easing her away from textbooks. We don't use any in history for her and lit is real lit. She takes Latin at a coop and math using a textbook. Science is my next area to tackle with her as we must find a way to intrigue her (but I'm not particularly intrigued by science)and none of us have a very solid background. I'm going to post a question for MacBeth on another thread about how to do this.
However, looking at my next child, I have realized that we have been setting him up for failure and we must adjust now. Textbooks are no help for him and put terrible strain on his visual system without any great reward. My administrator encouraged us to stand back and teach to his strengths. I thought about that. Well we have gotten him to the point where he loves to read - as long as it is of interest to him. I'm ditching a bunch of stuff now - and will be focusing on him simply reading in his area of interest. My biggest fear doing this was then how do I document for the state since he is not likely to write or give me a lot of tangible written material to put in a notebook as proof of teaching. The timeline is what we have come to and even if all it has is downloaded pictures and a sentence or two, we will be doing a good job. Perhaps, I can get him to tell me a bit and I'll write it down as he tells me. I'm sure I'll be asking questions on this board about how to entice. My initial idea is to put a bucket (one color for science and one for history) out for subjects with books and have him pick one from each for the week. I'm sure I could do some gentle guidance of topics by noting his interest - but also areas of neglect and making sure to drop some very enticing books in the bucket for those things. We'll still do a textbook for math and I'm looking for something to help with grammar but have decided it must be something that does not bog him down with tons of writing. He is in a writing co-op and I'm going to let that suffice for now while we make him do Mavis Beacon typing.
The other children are young and we'll probably keep well enough alone right now. They are doing ok, are likely to pick up the books around for the other children and read them anyways but they are not particularly stumped by the textbooks and are done witht them in less than 1hour or so providing me with a safety net for documentation purposes and them with plenty of time to read, read, read or be reaad to - and the science fan is enthused with the textbook (his brother's) but reads tons, does experiments and learns no matter what we do. He tends to be disorganized so a workbook here and there helps me assess and find what he actually did do. As I get more comfortable with dc #3, I suspect we will ease all into a notebooking type of setting with bins for each child in science and history.
Hopefully this is a reasonable plan. It will involve investment in books - but in the long run will cost less because the books, being living, will more likely serve more than one child and be returned to again and again. Unlike the textbooks which seem to only work with one child and have to be ditched for the next. I have enough textbooks sitting around, that if we want a quick overview of something, we certainly could get it with a very brief and quick read of one of these.
I also know from experience that we can always come back to a more structured approach as the need presents itself. From experience, the worst thing we can do is be stymied by fear. Even if you do a year like this and decide it just isn't for you, you and your child will be fine. I think it helps to have a balance - going between approaches from time to time as the need becomes apparent in the family. Any approach can work - you just keep asking the question, is my child really learning and retaining what we see as important.
I have not read REal Learning yet. I have a PM to Elizabeth about trying to order it from her. I'm looking forward to hearing from her soon as I really do think this is the one homeschooling book that came out in all those years we were ignoring the latest bandwagon - so after 17 plus years of homeschooling, I think I really do want this one. Perhaps we can venture together once I finally get my hands on this.
Janet
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MrsKey
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| Posted: Jan 23 2007 at 3:33pm | IP Logged
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marihalojen wrote:
| I think it sounds great! And don't forget to look at the overall picture. My dd Timeline/Book of Centuries was sooo empty in the B.C. section for a few years, that it was a nice reminder to me to continue our 4 year cycle and fill it in a bit this year. How old is your daughter? |
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She'll be 11 in March. I guess I need to remember that the timeline book is an ongoing project and that it will likely be heavier in some centuries than others ... and would be even if we followed a curriculum.
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Carole
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MrsKey
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| Posted: Jan 23 2007 at 3:38pm | IP Logged
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Quote:
| I also know from experience that we can always come back to a more structured approach as the need presents itself. From experience, the worst thing we can do is be stymied by fear. Even if you do a year like this and decide it just isn't for you, you and your child will be fine. I think it helps to have a balance - going between approaches from time to time as the need becomes apparent in the family. Any approach can work - you just keep asking the question, is my child really learning and retaining what we see as important. |
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Janet you are so right! I've been stymied by fear for a while now ... which is why we're still using a curriculum that I already know doesn't work for us. 
So we're cutting back quite drastically and only doing the "use it or lose it" skills (English and Math) while we evaluate where we are and how best to implement the ideas from Real Learning that are of interest to us.
I think we're going to take a year or so to be very eclectic and allow for more freedom to follow her intellectual curiosity.
I suppose one benefit of my small family is that I don't have to try to fit more than one learning style. (Trying to look on the bright side).
I can see that I'll read Real Learning more than once as we go, each time pulling out things to try.
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Carole
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Jan 23 2007 at 3:47pm | IP Logged
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I think it sounds wonderful! I've learned that 11 year olds can come up with great things when we let them run with an idea.
As far as reining in the enthusiasm, I say don't! Let it all out and enjoy the ride!
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us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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TracyQ
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GREAT age, and GREAT idea! I say let her go for it. She's going to learn SO MUCH more by doing it this way, than by reading bits and snippets from a text anyway.
You have to remember that though one way seems better to us, our kids may have a very different way of learning best. I'm finally learning how to balance all of that out after our 12 years of homeschooling.
I have an 11yo daughter who's very imaginative and creative, and I love to encourage that, because sometimes she has WAY better ideas than I do!!! 
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 homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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Erin
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So pleased you loved Elizabeth's book. I often re-visit it when I need some nuturing.
You've addressed a few issues, you sound like you are on the diving board poised, excited but not quite sure how you are going to land You'll be fine I'm sure. You have dd's enthusiasm and immagination, so you're over halfway.
MrsKey wrote:
| . And worrying about gaps. |
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Gaps is a funny one. Lets take a step back and think, can instutional schools teach 'all things' in the thirteeen years they have? Do you not have 'gaps' in your knowledge? Of course you/we do. There is so much to learn and know out there that we will never know everything. The gap concepet comes from the scope and sequence of schools and yet that can vary from state to state, country to country. Its not REAL educuation.
Whenever I get into a panic thinking, 'what if I miss something'  I remind myself that as long as my dc can read well and articulate themselves verbally and in the written language and can THINK then I have equipped them for life. They then have the skills to fill in 'the gaps' in their quest for knowledge.
Charlotte Mason wrote a very powerful statement when she said, and I paraphrase very roughly, It is better to have an intimate relationship with one area than to know too little of too much. When we have a more indepth knowledge then our hearts can be touched, when we skim over our emotions/thoughts are not engaged. (anyone help with the quote here?)
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cathhomeschool
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| Posted: Jan 24 2007 at 9:12am | IP Logged
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Erin wrote:
| Whenever I get into a panic thinking, 'what if I miss something' I remind myself that as long as my dc can read well and articulate themselves verbally and in the written language and can THINK then I have equipped them for life. They then have the skills to fill in 'the gaps' in their quest for knowledge. |
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Beautiful, Erin!
Carole, I would let your daughter run with her idea.
As for book expense, we heavily utilize the library. When we visit my parents, I take advantage of the opportunity to check books out of their library that my library doesn't carry. (I keep a list going.) Books make great birthday and Christmas presents too.
If you still feel that an overall knowledge is needed, take one textbook (We're currently using All Ye Lands) and move through it slowly (supplementally) in addition to your other studies.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: Jan 24 2007 at 10:07am | IP Logged
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ALmom wrote:
I have not read REal Learning yet. I have a PM to Elizabeth about trying to order it from her. I'm looking forward to hearing from her soon as I really do think this is the one homeschooling book that came out in all those years we were ignoring the latest bandwagon - so after 17 plus years of homeschooling, I think I really do want this one. Perhaps we can venture together once I finally get my hands on this.
Janet
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I'm sorry I missed that PM Janet. Ordering is easy. If you go to the front page of the forums, just under the description there is a blue hyperlink that will take you to the ordering page.
If you don't want to use paypal, PM me and I'll send you my address so you can send me a check.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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ALmom
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Thanks Elizabeth, I actually found the link at the top and was curious and stumbled on how to order it. (I am not kidding when I say I am handicapped when it comes to the computer). I just got your e-mail and responded. We are so looking forward to reading your book. I am so not a computer person - when we started, personal computers were just becoming affordable. I, instead, was a avid collector and reader of catalogues. There is so much more available now. Did you know a Karen from Torch and newsletter that came out. We were one of the first subscribers to that. Of course, other than Karen, we never met anyone in person due to our location in the deep south - not a lot of Catholic homeschoolers around here, though it has grown from a small handful of spread out families to about 30 spread out families. Anyways, sorry to divert the thread, but I so appreciate your response and am looking forward to the book (as is my sister).
Janet
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: I'm starting to freak out a bit ...
