So this is happening. I know lots of classical homeschoolers start Latin young, but we have not been classical homeschoolers. BigGuy is in Latin because HE wanted it. Of course, we have finally hit a challenge and so LIFE. IS. DIFFERENT. this year…
Tag Archives: motivation
When you’re homeschooling a six-year-old (and under)
Mamas… So help me homeschooling a 6yo has got to be the worst thing ever. There aren’t any cool classes available because all of the ones they could do last year were targeted to kids who were MAYBE taking the kindergarten year at home (and they were the upper end of the “age range” for the class. They’re not yet 7–when some classes open up for the “obviously being homeschooled”/age of compulsory education (in most states). Kids also go through a cognitive developmental milestone at 7 that changes their understanding of the world (and how they take in information).
But 6… Six just sucked. So what to do for kids who are 6 (and under)? Here are the MANY IMPORTANT THINGS you need to teach kids 7 and under (and over, too, if you need to make up for lost time). And no, it’s not “Don’t do anything! Just play!” I assure you–there are things kids need to learn…
Continue reading When you’re homeschooling a six-year-old (and under)
What happens when you are helpless to having expectations
I don’t know what happened… One minute, we were really happy and free and loving. Then we kind of got thrown into learning–driven by BigGuy’s goals and desires as I floundered to figure out to support him. Then I thought I had it, but I was neglecting Girly’s needs. Now, as I plot ahead for the next school year, I am already overwhelmed. And that’s stupid because as unschoolers, there really shouldn’t be a lot for me to do. Seriously. But I’m noticing that our recent realization that BigGuy is high school-eligible has given me temporary brain shift and with it came a wave of crazy expectations…. Continue reading What happens when you are helpless to having expectations
How to make unstructured learning successful
Here is the thing: when you remove curriculum and school-y stuff, a lot of parents have no idea what to DO. It seems absolutely unfathomable that we should be doing NOTHING in relation to our child’s education.
To be fair, you’re not doing NOTHING. Here is how “nothing” happens in my house (and some things I need to get way better at)… Continue reading How to make unstructured learning successful
How to know when you are done deschooling
So, my post on the importance of deschooling went mini-viral… but then people had questions. Most notably: how do you know when you’re done… Continue reading How to know when you are done deschooling
The truth about deschooling that will blow your mind
It’s the word that no new homeschooler wants to hear: “deschooling”. Sometimes confused with “unschooling” and regarded with the same disdain and disgust to the newly transitioning… but this little word can change the trajectory of your homeschool experience. Continue reading The truth about deschooling that will blow your mind
Another passion discovered
Girly likes to sing. Lots of kids like to sing. Girly really just likes to sing to herself because she’s very shy and this shyness manifests in countless ways. Not horribly abnormal although it’s rather severe.
So we were rather surprised when she decided she wanted to be in the choir like her brother Continue reading Another passion discovered
Pre-algebra is officially completed
BigGuy set a goal and met it. He wanted to finish Pre-algebra before July because it was the only way he could start Algebra I in the fall… and he did it. He actually did it ahead of time, but took some time today to resubmit two homework assignments so that he could bring his final grade up over 90%.
Who is this kid…?
The happiest boy on the block
Because he finished his first semester of Pre-Algebra this morning “before lunch”–as he proudly announced. He then promptly laid out his progression of math and science from here. Wow…
To meet my kid, you would never. EVER. imagine this kind of motivation out of him…
Netiquette and other technology lessons…
Oy… did mama get a lesson toDAY. People, lemme tell you something: my Master’s is in Secondary Education with a specialty area of Education Technology. I taught high school in the business department and that included (other people) teaching office productivity applications and an end-to-end systems architecture overview (which I taught) but it did not include teaching typing, netiquette or some of the other ins and outs of collaborating or learning online.
And you do not learn this well on your own. This is how I found out…
Educated Adventures 