by Caitlyn Stock of suzyhomeschooler.com
I homeschool my children so I can offer them LIFE and LEARNING experiences. As a child in the public school system, I remember a lot of monotony and redundancy as we did the same thing day after day after day. It didn’t really feel like living so much as going through the motions. It didn’t really feel like learning so much as memorizing and mimicking.
We sat in the same chairs, read from the same books, were surrounded by the same people, and followed the same routine. The few reprieves we had came in the form of assemblies and field trips, during most of which we were all so thrilled to be doing something – anything – that we became over-excited and failed to absorb what we were supposed to have been learning.
As the parent of two homeschooled children, I can offer them a life rich in experiences. They can learn in ways that are natural and practical to them, resulting in a firm grasp of the material, not just the ability to pass a test on it.
We make a point of engaging in the world around us consistently so that experiencing new things is part of our daily routine, and rather than be over-excited about the experience, my children instead feel comfortable taking a moment to ask questions and analyze and absorb new information. Monday a co-op gym day could spark an interest about the history of basketball. Tuesday a walk around the neighborhood might end with researching and identifying a bird we saw. Wednesday a trip to the library may result in a discussion with the librarian about the many words we owe to the Vikings. Thursday the Planetarium show might inspire us to study Greek mythology or N.A.S.A. By Friday- anything could happen!
Life isn’t something that will happen someday when they are done learning what they need to know. Life and learning go hand in hand.
This post is part of the “ABC’s of Why We Homeschool” Series.
