We held a play date today: a family of 3 boys from the Lego club came over. After exploring M & B’s room, and eating cookies, their Mom and I herded them over to the new playground at the elementary school. It was packed with local children and families. We must not be the only ones who appreciate novelty.
My friend and I took turns holding baby K and talked homeschooling. I wanted to know about dictation and copywork, how does it work, does it work. She was curious to know if I unschooled or not (She does not, and actually knows many unschoolers, while I just read Home Education Magazine). I found myself wondering what I actually do. Listing curriculum establishes me as a non-un-schooler, but doesn’t really explain us very well. I should have said eclectic, but that is not very satisfactory either. Of course since I haven’t really taken up any one particular method completely, this is not a failior, but I felt dumb. I wasn’t particularly articulate either. While I miss the quickness of my brain, I’m happy that the non-linearity of my life isn’t stressing me as much as it could!
Not that my friend was critical or anything. The conversation was productive. On her suggestion, I am going to look into copywork a little more. I hated copying anything as a schoolgirl, and to this day try never to have to: but most of the coping I had to do in school was letters home to my parents when my class misbehaved, so I don’t have warm fuzzy associations! Also, the copywork was written on the chalkboard, which I had to cran my neck to see. Surely copying from a book isn’t too bad? It might be like how I thought I’d hate knitting when I was a little girl, or thought I’d hate scrapbooking when I was in my ’20s. Besides, I won’t have to do it!
All those helpful questions this afternoon made me thing about the questions non-homeschoolers always ask about socialisation, tax credits for buying schoolbooks, and iegalities…wouldn’t it be cool if they asked instead:
What books get reluctant readers going?
How did you make penmanship pleasant?
What are you able to do together with the ages of children you have?
How do you make separate times for them when they can’t study together?
What is different about younger elementary and older elementary studies?
How do you handle the extra curricular logistics?
What makes your co-ops worth while?
Do you mind leading all the groups your kids are involved in?
How do you get your kids to write?
Do you think aged 10 might be to young to expect essays?
Is spelling a different process from reading?
Does electronic media zap creativity or not?
What mechanisms do you use to order your day?
How important do you think rapid calculations are to understanding mathematical ideas?
How do you store all those manipulatives attractively?
How do you keep track of all your books?
What is your favorite part of homeschooling?
What questions would you like to answer?
What questions would nudge you to helpful ponderings?