Although these days it feels as though school is being left by the wayside while we enjoy longer days and warmer weather, there are still a few things I’d like to have finished up before the “end” of our school year. Rather shockingly I’m realizing there are only 2 1/2 weeks until we take our break for the summer months. I’m also mindful of the fact that the beginning of August will bring our new addition. I have a feeling that I may not be ready to jump back into schoolwork come the beginning of September. I’m more likely to be found in the kitchen prepping foods for canning with a little one snuggled on me.
Homeschooling is such an incredible journey for us. There are plenty of highs and rewards along with the great benefits of having more time shared as a family. But just as we can’t imagine changing this pattern (albeit a pattern in relative chaos), there are certainly moments of great frustration and many questions.
With three children homeschooling and two younger children with needs of their own our days are busy. And for daddy whose office consists of a desk five feet away from our kitchen/school table and a mama who lately seems to need a nap after a third breakfast of her own, things can get a little overwhelming.
And those questions that nag me as one child faces lessons with enthusiasm, one child with begrudging acceptance and one child with flat out reluctance leave me wondering if we need to change our approach. Questions about how to deal with a stubborn child who gets away with cutting out on lessons (or sitting at the table until everyone else has finished) while the two other little students complete their lessons. How does that makes them feel (both as the happy students and the unhappy student)? How do I encourage the child who has decided to hate everything to do with school? How do we face their frustrations without resorting to a system of rewards vs punishment?
While I ponder these dilemmas I think we will spend most of our school time on the most enjoyed subjects of science and art and hope that a few months of summer break will freshen us all.
I know many of you sweet people who visit this space are homeschooling parents. How do you deal with obstacles in learning? Do you back off until your children are ready or are some subjects considered non-negotiable? I haven’t educated myself in many homeschooling theories and I’m thinking I may have some summer reading ahead of me. Can you recommend any good titles that may be helpful?
Thanks for listening to my thoughts, dear friends. I’ll be back tomorrow for yarn along!
I can imagine home schooling would be challenging at times, I hope your able find some methods to make your not so keen learner a little more enthusiastic:) Im sure a Summer break will make a world of difference, we all need a break sometimes so we can come back refreshed. Thankyou for adding my fingerless gloves to your favourites, id love to see yours when you make them
Rachel, it the child a boy or a girl ? Age? I am wondering if you use the same curriculum across the board [which I’m sure would make your day easier] or do you custom to each child. My last two boy’s are total opposite in how they learn. I thought I was in for a cake walk with the last one, ha, not so. I have had to redo most of my lessons,[that I’ve used for years] and change quite a bit about how we ‘school’. Do you mind and have the time to write about how your day flows? I’m am in no way an expert, but having done this for many years [my oldest is 28] I do have some experience and would be glad to help if I can.
Thanks, Tracey! I’ll send you a message – I’d love to learn from your experience!
I think it is wonderful that you are looking at your children’s education from many different perspectives. I am sure a solution will make itself evident over the summer months. Good luck!
That is such a subjective question…what works for one family, doesn’t for another. With that said, I have found the most inspiration from Charlotte Mason’s works. I am not a strick CM’er however, since I have a good measure of unschooling in my school. Reading has been an issue at our house. With learning disabilities, it takes so much more work and time to learn how to read. I am not sure how much to push. My 10 year old still reads at a first grade level and not fluently at that. And yet…?
Bahahaha!That is a great use of the math u see manipulative’s!My kids do the same things with ours!Love this post.
We are winding down our school year as well. The kids are thrilled, Corey in his words needs “a big adventure”. Since we are brand new to homeschooling I have 0 advice or wisdom for you my friend. Sometimes I feel as though we are flying by the seat of our pants! I’m looking forward to summer to get a full years work ready for next year. I think the fact that my 2 are only a year apart and pretty much doing the same work makes it a little easier for us. Although they are two very different people with very different learning styles. Like I said, flying by the seat of our pants:)
we do school after while the 2yo naps. much less distraction that way. my son, 8yo, had some attitude problems in regards to doing school and we struggled for a little while. i ended up explaining that school is necessary and mandatory, whether it is in our home or he goes to school (we really don’t consider this an option but have used it as leverage *ahem*). we discussed how going to school means he would be there almost all day – 8 a.m. sitting in a desk, not allowed to chit chat or talk but working and learning, a 20 minute recess, a 30 minute lunch, then in a desk until 3:30 when he would come home and do homework. so we broke it down in terms of time spent learning at school vs at home (say 3hrs) where he also gets plenty of time to play in the mornings and in the afternoon after school whether that be with legos or outside or painting, whatever. we even offered to buy him a uniform and let him try school for a week but once he understood it in those terms, i’ve had no further problems. good luck!
also, we school year round. we don’t stop in the summer. we take breaks around the holidays and just recently while my sister was visiting. in the summer we aim for lessons 3-4 days a week, allowing for breaks as needed especially if something fun comes up. i find that my kids thrive on routine and structure and this just keeps it consistent. it also means, no summertime brain drain, no having to get used to things again come fall. and if someone is sick, we take the day off and i don’t stress because i know the work will get done.
I have to second the part Amanda said about schooling year round. While some look at it and say, “No, I can’t do this every day, all year.” We look at it differently. We never get the 9th month, end of school year burn out. We take breaks when we need them, whether that is 4 weeks at Christmas time, or the first week of beautiful, spring weather, or the first cool spell of fall. We will school more than 180 days, which is required, and we just don’t feel the constant pressure of getting it all completed by the end of May. My daughter stays about 1/2 year ahead of where her public school counterparts are. And there is no summer brain drain. Besides, it is so hot and humid where we live, and so many ozone/poor air quality days during the summer, it is better to work on school then, in the A/C, and take more breaks when weather is pleasant in fall/winter/spring. Going to a year round schedule has made homeschooling better for us.
Linda
Homeschooling 1 child for 4 years with Time4Learning!
What a great post. I think a lot of us homeschooling Mamas can relate to exactly what you are saying.
I tend not to push things, especially with the under 10 year olds. So long as the girls are getting fresh air, time to play, some read alouds, conversations, crafts and creativity etc… I feel like they are getting what they need.
They probably get much less schooling time than kids that go to public school, but because they get much more one on one they actually take in just as much if not more in shorter time frames I think.
My littles can only handle short bursts of actual “academic” work and so I only fit in a few quick slots of math and literacy during the day with them.
My 13 year old does do a lot more academic work. As she is older Itry really hard to help her discover the things that really interest her academically and then really help facilitate and support those passions.
When she is 14 we’ll start focusing on some SAT papers though as it will be less complicated for her to take those as a homeschooler than GCSE’s which are the British equivilants.